Junior football, what is the future?

[Eye Valley]

The last 2 pages. Gold. 

[Eye Valley]

1 minute ago, gogsy said:

After all Berwick Rangers supporters have suffered this season, its good to bring some cheer into their lives.

 

Think I've read every page, and there's loads of interesting debate, and some not so interesting. Good luck to all the EoS applicants, I think they're doing the right thing. 

[NJ2]

signing a 40 is obviously the future.
(Putting this here as I want to follow this gold easily)

[garrellburn]

Time to kill this thread, Burnieman.  Its degenerated into the usual mud slinging and gone way off topic. Start a new one when we do have some indication of what the future is actually going to be for Junior football.

[Kilbowie Benches]

Those who want to stay Junior and outside of the pyramid shouldn’t be forced into something that they dont want!

All that needs to happen is for a West Of Scotland League to be set up similar to the EoS for those clubs that want to leave and join the pyramid.

[Burnie_man]

8 minutes ago, garrellburn said:

Time to kill this thread, Burnieman.  Its degenerated into the usual mud slinging and gone way off topic. Start a new one when we do have some indication of what the future is actually going to be for Junior football.

Oh I don't know, the occasional diversion does provide immense amusement!

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Oh I don't know, the occasional diversion does provide immense amusement!

Dont delete the thread, it highlights exactly why the west region needs a split.

[energyzone]

Those who want to stay Junior and outside of the pyramid shouldn’t be forced into something that they dont want!
All that needs to happen is for a West Of Scotland League to be set up similar to the EoS for those clubs that want to leave and join the pyramid.

In that scenario it would be interesting to see if any of the present top division Ayrshire sides would break ranks and go for it. You could quite easily end up with a situation like you have in the East, where it looks likely that some of the historically bigger clubs such as Linlithgow might eventually have to join at the bottom, while clubs from lower divisions can now enter at the top.

[FairWeatherFan]

29 minutes ago, energyzone said:

1 hour ago, Kilbowie Benches said:

Those who want to stay Junior and outside of the pyramid shouldn’t be forced into something that they dont want!
All that needs to happen is for a West Of Scotland League to be set up similar to the EoS for those clubs that want to leave and join the pyramid.

In that scenario it would be interesting to see if any of the present top division Ayrshire sides would break ranks and go for it. You could quite easily end up with a situation like you have in the East, where it looks likely that some of the historically bigger clubs such as Linlithgow might eventually have to join at the bottom, while clubs from lower divisions can now enter at the top.

Kilwinning have certainly been open to the possibility of going Senior. Even in the wake of the SJFA questionnaire the Auchinleck Talbot chairman(?) said something along the lines that they would follow if that's what was decided by everyone else.

A West of Scotland League is going to be different proposition than what's going on in the East. They're going to be starting with almost an entirely blank slate and now have the precedent of what's happened in the East to shape their opinions. They've even got the knowledge that Clydebank are leaving in a year and a possible West Region defection to the EoSFL happening this year.

[daleboy1969]

I'm missing something here .the sjfa are looking at joining the pyramid system .yet still we have this talk of clubs must leave junior football .intimately if clubs want to go through the pyramid system and into the lower leagues of the spfl the pathway will be open to them within the sjfa. 

[FairWeatherFan]

Just now, daleboy1969 said:

I'm missing something here .the sjfa are looking at joining the pyramid system .yet still we have this talk of clubs must leave junior football .intimately if clubs want to go through the pyramid system and into the lower leagues of the spfl the pathway will be open to them within the sjfa. 

The SJFA is looking at it, but the opinion of the clubs is fractured and in part they have no control over where the junior leagues slot in to the pyramid.

[Auld Heid]

You don't have to look too hard to find out why they have sunk from Superleague to South Division.
 

Unlike some who have never been there.

[Marten]

On 07/04/2018 at 10:54, Burnie_man said:

On 07/04/2018 at 10:52, Sergeant Wilson said:

In England there is consideration of where teams can be accommodated. It might not be at the bottom. Darlington got in at 1st Division in the NL. Probably not an issue here though.

That must have changed then since AFCW joined, they had to go to the bottom rung (Combined Counties League) despite a request to enter one level higher. They only got promoted in their second season.

Well, this is my first post on P&B. I'm originally from The Netherlands, lived in England for quite some time and I'm now living in Scotland. I have been following this thread with interest, as I remember the pyramid discussions in England when the lower levels were integrated which was around the time that my English club (AFC Wimbledon) restarted in non-league. In The Netherlands there is currently a passionate discussion going on about the pyramid as well and I recognise much in this discussion. I don't have a particular favourite team in Scotland (not yet anyway), but I have been watching football at all levels, from SPL to non-league, since arriving here in August. I have also been to a fair amount of junior grounds, including my local team Lochee United. So that's why I have been following this discussion.

Just a bit of clarification on AFCW & Darlington. AFC Wimbledon started in the lowest "senior" level (the "junior" levels in England are like amateur football in Scotland, so the terms are slightly different). That was always the intention, but we originally applied for a different league than where we ended up. But both the league we first applied for (Ryman Division 2, doesn't exist anymore) and the one we eventually ended up in (Combined Counties League) were on the same level and the lowest senior level in that part of England at the time.

Darlington didn't restart as a new club like AFCW did. They are legally still the same club, but after financial problems & ground issues got expelled from the Conference and due to the same issues, they didn't get a license for the Northern Premier either, resulting in them being placed in the highest league below that in their geographical area, Northern League division 1. That's why they didn't start the lowest league in their area. They disagreed with not being allowed into the Northern Premier, which is what the discussion was about, but the FA didn't agree and confirmed they had to go in the Northern League division 1.

[BS7]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Kilwinning have certainly been open to the possibility of going Senior. Even in the wake of the SJFA questionnaire the Auchinleck Talbot chairman(?) said something along the lines that they would follow if that's what was decided by everyone else.

A West of Scotland League is going to be different proposition than what's going on in the East. They're going to be starting with almost an entirely blank slate and now have the precedent of what's happened in the East to shape their opinions. They've even got the knowledge that Clydebank are leaving in a year and a possible West Region defection to the EoSFL happening this year.

If a west league came to fruition I wonder if harthill or Fauldhouse might take the plunge there rather than go further down the tiers in the east.

[FairWeatherFan]

2 minutes ago, BS7 said:

If a west league came to fruition I wonder if harthill or Fauldhouse might take the plunge there rather than go further down the tiers in the east.

Anything's possible, i'd find it unlikely though. The one thing that a WoSFL should hopefully do is set definitive boundaries at the 6th Tier.

[Auld Heid]

O wise one remind us of the olden days when Linlithgow used to win the Superleague on a regular basis.

Don't forget Scottish Cups as well.

[Bundesliga Boy]

Not sure if this has been covered already but with 12 East juniors having applied for the EOS, and assuming they're all accepted, that would only leave a combined 16 clubs for the regional north and South leagues. 

Do we therefore assume there’s a merger and it’s a straight 3 x 16 team set up, or a 16 team super league with two regional 16 team leagues feeding into it. I’d favour the former. 

[Sergeant Wilson]

6 hours ago, Marten said:

Well, this is my first post on P&B. I'm originally from The Netherlands, lived in England for quite some time and I'm now living in Scotland. I have been following this thread with interest, as I remember the pyramid discussions in England when the lower levels were integrated which was around the time that my English club (AFC Wimbledon) restarted in non-league. In The Netherlands there is currently a passionate discussion going on about the pyramid as well and I recognise much in this discussion. I don't have a particular favourite team in Scotland (not yet anyway), but I have been watching football at all levels, from SPL to non-league, since arriving here in August. I have also been to a fair amount of junior grounds, including my local team Lochee United. So that's why I have been following this discussion.

Just a bit of clarification on AFCW & Darlington. AFC Wimbledon started in the lowest "senior" level (the "junior" levels in England are like amateur football in Scotland, so the terms are slightly different). That was always the intention, but we originally applied for a different league than where we ended up. But both the league we first applied for (Ryman Division 2, doesn't exist anymore) and the one we eventually ended up in (Combined Counties League) were on the same level and the lowest senior level in that part of England at the time.

Darlington didn't restart as a new club like AFCW did. They are legally still the same club, but after financial problems & ground issues got expelled from the Conference and due to the same issues, they didn't get a license for the Northern Premier either, resulting in them being placed in the highest league below that in their geographical area, Northern League division 1. That's why they didn't start the lowest league in their area. They disagreed with not being allowed into the Northern Premier, which is what the discussion was about, but the FA didn't agree and confirmed they had to go in the Northern League division 1.

Why did Darlington have to change the name?

[parkcircus]

9 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Kilwinning have certainly been open to the possibility of going Senior. Even in the wake of the SJFA questionnaire the Auchinleck Talbot chairman(?) said something along the lines that they would follow if that's what was decided by everyone else.

A West of Scotland League is going to be different proposition than what's going on in the East. They're going to be starting with almost an entirely blank slate and now have the precedent of what's happened in the East to shape their opinions. They've even got the knowledge that Clydebank are leaving in a year and a possible West Region defection to the EoSFL happening this year.

With 3 Home league games in 7 months we’d consider Amateur at this rate

[Clayhole Blue]

I'm missing something here .the sjfa are looking at joining the pyramid system .yet still we have this talk of clubs must leave junior football .intimately if clubs want to go through the pyramid system and into the lower leagues of the spfl the pathway will be open to them within the sjfa. 

In the year 2525...