New clubs in the East of Scotland

[HibeeJibee]

It's a bit of a false argument anyway, as was covered earlier in the thread.

If only 3 clubs were joining - even if it was Easthouses, Dunipace and Inverkeithing - they'd be joining the existing tier 6 division like Kelty did this season and Tweedmouth did the season before and noone would bat an eyelid.

If say 7 clubs were joining there would have to be some sort conference setup (with inter-conference matches perhaps), as you could hardly run a First Division with 7 clubs - nor unexpectedly relegate Eyemouth, Ormiston and Tweedmouth.

It so happens 13 clubs (and rising) are joining and this could be enough to start a whole First Division from scratch but just because it could doesn't necessarily mean it should: given that what I've just outlined makes obvious it is a question of numbers, not infact a question of principle.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Burnie_man said:

Presumably the existing members are happy with the two equal sections proposal.

The eosfl doesn't decide anything at committee level. The member clubs (you gain this status after playing in the league for a year) propose and vote on any changes to the setup. Nothing decided by one man or one group, full vote and collaboration by all. 

[Kelheart]

5 hours ago, Ginaro said:

So something like this (I put HRA as EoS #2 as they were beaten by LTHV in the qualifying cup):

Division A
1 Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
2 Hill of Beath Hawthorn
3 Preston Athletic
4 Musselburgh Athletic
5 Tynecastle
6 Blackburn United
7 Peebles Rovers
8 Dalkeith Thistle
9 Stirling University Reserves
10 Crossgates Primrose
11 Eyemouth United
12 Dunipace Juniors
13 Tweedmouth Rangers

Division B
1 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
2 Hawick Royal Albert
3 Camelon Juniors
4 Leith Athletic
5 Haddington Athletic
6 Heriot-Watt University
7 Tranent
8 Burntisland Shipyard
9 Edinburgh United   
10 Coldstream
11 Easthouses Lily MW
12 Ormiston
13 Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts

Looks good just run with this , job done

[pipedreamer]

Bo’ness United holding a members meeting on 21st May to discuss EOSL/SJFA going forwards. Must be coming to the realisation that they could be left years behind everyone else if they stay junior.

[tynie1874]

Just shows the great lack of infrastructure that the Juniors are having to move over. Not enough interest in ''proper'' football from lads who are decent at amateur nae ambition.

 

[Rooster20]

All sorts of rumours in the junior forums last night. Not sure how reliable but Linlithgow, Penicuik and Bo'ness all said to be interested.

[Whitburn Vale]

[Golum]

I would think next seasons East Of Scotland League ( or leagues ) to be a very exciting league and with lots of competitive matches unlike last season 

[San Starko Rover]

I would think next seasons East Of Scotland League ( or leagues ) to be a very exciting league and with lots of competitive matches unlike last season 

 

I’d expect a bit of a mixed bag, there will still be a few hammerings as Bonnyrigg will be too strong for some of the current league like Kelty were but with so many joining with them it’s unlikely there will be the same gap of two teams pulling away hardly dropping a point.

 

[Dev]

It will be interesting to see how the EoS draws up its' parallel sections at Tier 6 level.

However, I noticed on a Junior sub-forum that some-one has put in a link to a Pyramid Working Group meeting Minutes from way back in 2013.  The bit that caught my eye was:

"Structure beneath the Lowland League:

• Two feeder leagues – the existing EoS and SoS leagues

• Clubs can only be promoted to the LL if licensed

• The top licensed clubs in the EoS and SoS Leagues would play against the teams finishing in the bottom two places of the LL to determine who would play in the LL in the following

 season (Subject to likely numbers of licensed teams - two teams could go into the play offs from one of the leagues should the other league not have a licensed team). "

 

As I see it this suggests that, in order to avoid promotion places being blocked by clubs which aren't yet licenced, the Lowland League will accept the Top Licenced Clubs - so they don't need to be the EoS or SoS champions if the champions are unlicenced. Also, two clubs from the same league could take part in play offs, if needs be.

 

This doesn't happen now but surely something of the sort should be brought in for next season? It is easy to see that champions of the parallel EoS Tier 6 sections might not yet have achieved licenced status in time to take promotion and could block a licenced  club from promotion. Surely that wouldn't be in the best interests of the Pyramid? Similarly if say the SoS couldn't come up with a promotion candidate, it would give an extra chance for an EoS club (or, indeed and WoS club, for that matter). 

[AlanCamelonfan]

18 hours ago, Kelheart said:

Looks good just run with this , job done

Camelon and Inverkeithing should sWap with Tweedmouth and musselburight so is to have more local games

[Kelheart]

2 hours ago, San Starko Rover said:

 

I’d expect a bit of a mixed bag, there will still be a few hammerings as Bonnyrigg will be too strong for some of the current league like Kelty were but with so many joining with them it’s unlikely there will be the same gap of two teams pulling away hardly dropping a point.

 

Agreed Bonnyrigg and Lthv are a wee bit above the rest but who knows , Tranent might keep investing and Inverkeithings a brand new team so it’s gonna be an exciting season ahead , so glad we are out of it lol

[San Starko Rover]

Agreed Bonnyrigg and Lthv are a wee bit above the rest but who knows , Tranent might keep investing and Inverkeithings a brand new team so it’s gonna be an exciting season ahead , so glad we are out of it lol

 

Should be a decent league after this next season gives a clear tier 6 and 7, fair play for the EoS being so accommodating they’ve done a great job turning a league that looked in trouble just a few years ago and making it strong again. Be great if there’s a few late applications to make the 32 teams, Bo’ness would be a great addition. For me Linlithgow should really think about it too as they’re already a licensed club. Find out soon enough if theirs any late applications I guess.

 

Personally I’d like to see all the East Juniors move over and the bottom open to Amateur teams that can meet the requirements as swifts have. I’d personally go.

 

Tier 6

16 team premier

 

Tier 7

16 team North Div One, 16 team South Div One

 

Tier 8

16 team North Div2 Two, 16 team South Div Two

 

Tier 8 could be more regionalised if more teams join to cut travel.

[Auld Heid]

1 hour ago, San Starko Rover said:

 

Should be a decent league after this next season gives a clear tier 6 and 7, fair play for the EoS being so accommodating they’ve done a great job turning a league that looked in trouble just a few years ago and making it strong again. Be great if there’s a few late applications to make the 32 teams, Bo’ness would be a great addition. For me Linlithgow should really think about it too as they’re already a licensed club. Find out soon enough if theirs any late applications I guess.

 

Personally I’d like to see all the East Juniors move over and the bottom open to Amateur teams that can meet the requirements as swifts have. I’d personally go.

 

Tier 6

16 team premier

 

Tier 7

16 team North Div One, 16 team South Div One

 

Tier 8

16 team North Div2 Two, 16 team South Div Two

 

Tier 8 could be more regionalised if more teams join to cut travel.

At this moment the committee of Linlithgow refuse to even discuss the matter with members.   Whilst continuing to upgrade their park to exceed  standards required for a licensed club.

[San Starko Rover]

At this moment the committee of Linlithgow refuse to even discuss the matter with members.   Whilst continuing to upgrade their park to exceed  standards required for a licensed club.

It’s 100% Linlithgows choice to join the EoS or stay Junior. I think they’re making a mistake but that’s only my opinion. I do however think they should have a meeting to discuss it like Bo’ness so all members can air their views and opinions.

[Nimmo's Notes]

6 minutes ago, Auld Heid said:

At this moment the committee of Linlithgow refuse to even discuss the matter with members.   Whilst continuing to upgrade their park to exceed  standards required for a licensed club.

Maybe you should form a group of supporters who are in favour of the pyramid and force some action. 

[Ginaro]

What the are amateur leagues covering the EoS region - Kingdom of Fife, Lothians & Edinburgh, Border? (plus some of Perthshire below the LL line) In the above format you'd hope that the lowest EoS level was close enough in requirements and quality that good amateur teams could join without too much trouble.

2 hours ago, Auld Heid said:

At this moment the committee of Linlithgow refuse to even discuss the matter with members.   Whilst continuing to upgrade their park to exceed  standards required for a licensed club.

Again, I've mentioned it before but you should be contacting the chairman who said the club have ambitions to play in the SPFL. Ask him how being the only licensed club in the East Juniors will help fulfil that ambition. Though you have to wonder what it would take for Linlithgow to leave the SJFA - Bo'ness making a late move?

Edited May 16, 2018 by Ginaro

[stanley]

1 minute ago, Ginaro said:

What the are amateur leagues covering the EoS region - Kingdom of Fife, Lothians & Edinburgh, Border? (plus some of Perthshire below the LL line)

Again, I've mentioned it before but you should be contacting the chairman who said the club have ambitions to play in the SPFL. Ask him how being the only licensed club in the East Juniors will help fulfil that ambition. Though you have to wonder what it would take for Linlithgow to leave the SJFA - if Bo'ness make a late move?

Stirling & District has a mixture of East/West clubs as well.

[HibeeJibee]

Excluding the Saturday Morning and Churches systems...

EOSL area would be Borders AFA, Lothians + Edinburgh AFA, Kingdom of Fife AFA, and Stirling + District AFA (for Central Scotland).

North of the Tay are the Aberdeenshire AFA, Midlands AFA (for Tayside), and Perthshire AFA. I suppose many clubs in the latter would actually be south of the line, those in and around Perth.

It's far more complicated out west. There you have the Caledonian AFL, Central Scottish AFL, Greater Glasgow Premier AFL, and Scottish AFL - all with 30 to 40 clubs each - plus the Ayrshire AFA and modest Paisley + District AFA... that's after 3 more folded in recent years! In times past some of their 'calibre' leagues had a few eastern clubs, but any overlap now will just be in Stirlingshire IIRC.

So basically:


NORTH
North Caledonian (senior) - 9 clubs
Aberdeenshire - 77 clubs
Midlands - 25 clubs

overlapping - Perthshire - 26 clubs

SOUTH - Eastern
Kingdom of Fife - 37 clubs
Lothians & Edinburgh - 56 clubs
Border - 33 clubs

overlapping - Stirling & District - 35 clubs

SOUTH - Western
{ Caledonian - 34 clubs
{ Central Scottish - 32 clubs
{ Greater Glasgow Premier - 34 clubs
{ Scottish - 37 clubs
  Ayrshire - 45 clubs
  Paisley & District - 12 clubs

Edited May 16, 2018 by HibeeJibee

[ShrimpLok]

A few other cross border teams:

Tayport from Fife play in the Midland AFA. 

Shotts, Carluke and Carnwath play in Lothians and Edinburgh AFA

If we're saying Falkirk, Stirling and Clacks are in the East region then Doune Castle, Callander Thistle and Stenhousemuir in the Caledonian, Bannockburn, Dunblane, Stirling, Falkirk & Tullibody in the Central Scottish are cross border as well.

All very much edge cases though rather than any huge overlap.