Junior football, what is the future?

[AsimButtHitsASix]

11 hours ago, Robert James said:

You have missed out a number of clubs (intentionally ?), for example:  Inverness City, Spey Valley United, Aberdeen University (and others) from the Junior First Division West), plus Halkirk United from the North Caledonian League.

Never missed any of them. I told ye I seeded them all by current standings. If the North/South split I created was Div 1 they would all be in Div 2. Even if, I dunno, Jeanfield Swifts were in the Lowland League and Halkirk or Inverness City were in Div 1 it would just be a few Aberdeen teams going south. Probably Ellon would still be the furthest journey for a Tayside club in a geographical split like that and would still be less travelling than the East Super or Premier.

@Burnie_man pointed out Fort Willian/Orkney/Inverness/Aberdeen was a huge amount of travelling for clubs in the North end of that division but, Orkney aside, that's the travelling clubs in the Highland League do now. One trip to Orkney a year wont really be much of a difference to Fort William or Fraserburgh compared to what they do now (and that's presuming Orkney joined a pyramid which would probably be beyond them without significant backing)

[ShrimpLok]

2 hours ago, Born To Run said:

I’d be surprised if they get more than 32 in all honesty. Having said that, given all of the extra applications would have been put in late they could easily cherrypick the “top” ones and offer the rest deferred entry.

Wonder if Dundonald might step up their deferred entry to next season now?

Presumably if they got up to 36 teams then they could just run 3 conferences of 12. 

33-35 teams would be more awkward to deal with but not impossible. Don’t see them turning anyone down.

[Burnie_man]

10 minutes ago, ShrimpLok said:

Presumably if they got up to 36 teams then they could just run 3 conferences of 12. 

33-35 teams would be more awkward to deal with but not impossible. Don’t see them turning anyone down.

Not sure you'll get much more than 32

26 currently, 27 if Craigroyston are a late application.  5 left which might be Bo'ness, Dundonald? Linlithgow? Dunbar? then I think you're getting into the harder core clubs in the Lothians and Fife who have no interested in moving for next season.  If you do get a few more to say 34, two leagues  of 17 and have the Qualifying Cup as straight knock out as opposed to groups.

[FairWeatherFan]

31 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Never missed any of them. I told ye I seeded them all by current standings. If the North/South split I created was Div 1 they would all be in Div 2. Even if, I dunno, Jeanfield Swifts were in the Lowland League and Halkirk or Inverness City were in Div 1 it would just be a few Aberdeen teams going south. Probably Ellon would still be the furthest journey for a Tayside club in a geographical split like that and would still be less travelling than the East Super or Premier.

@Burnie_man pointed out Fort Willian/Orkney/Inverness/Aberdeen was a huge amount of travelling for clubs in the North end of that division but, Orkney aside, that's the travelling clubs in the Highland League do now. One trip to Orkney a year wont really be much of a difference to Fort William or Fraserburgh compared to what they do now (and that's presuming Orkney joined a pyramid which would probably be beyond them without significant backing)

I don't think anyone has to worry about Orkney for the time being at least.

[Burnie_man]

28 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

@Burnie_man pointed out Fort Willian/Orkney/Inverness/Aberdeen was a huge amount of travelling for clubs in the North end of that division but, Orkney aside, that's the travelling clubs in the Highland League do now. One trip to Orkney a year wont really be much of a difference to Fort William or Fraserburgh compared to what they do now (and that's presuming Orkney joined a pyramid which would probably be beyond them without significant backing)

You're not talking HL though, two are stuggling HL clubs and most of the rest are amatuer. Thurso to Aberdeen is a 9 hour round trip, Golspie to Dufftown is 4.5 hour return, Tain to Ellon is a 6 hour round trip etc That's not including Orkney where you'd need to fly. Fantasy stuff.

North: Strathspey Thistle, Fort William, Orkney, Invergordon, Golspie, Thurso, Alness, St Duthus, Inverness Athletic, Bunillidh, Dufftown, Maud, Colony Park, Dyce Juniors, Hermes, Ellon United

[FairWeatherFan]

I doubt that the EoS will break 32 this year. Its only those that are worried about losing out on what they consider their equivalent status in the SFA Pyramid that will panic for last minute applications.

The rest will probably be happy with the jump to Superleague, possible title tilt if their in the North/South Division and wait till next year when things are less muddled.

[BoomShakalaka]

So Boness and Penicuik are applying for EOS now? Lithgae look like total dinosaurs here but to be fair when you go through to play them the committee does need some fresh blood!

[AsimButtHitsASix]

1 hour ago, Burnie_man said:

You're not talking HL though, two are stuggling HL clubs and most of the rest are amatuer. Thurso to Aberdeen is a 9 hour round trip, Golspie to Dufftown is 4.5 hour return, Tain to Ellon is a 6 hour round trip etc That's not including Orkney where you'd need to fly. Fantasy stuff.

North: Strathspey Thistle, Fort William, Orkney, Invergordon, Golspie, Thurso, Alness, St Duthus, Inverness Athletic, Bunillidh, Dufftown, Maud, Colony Park, Dyce Juniors, Hermes, Ellon United

Looking through that and taking three outliers, as examples, Fort William would have 10 minutes off their average travel time, 90 minutes would be added to Thurso's and an hour onto Maud's. I don't think these are insurmountable distances. You, yourself, have been pointing out to the Junior naysayers that entering the pyramid gives clubs access to grants and help from the SFA as well as increasing their exposure and advertising and sponsorship opportunities why would all those benefits apply to Adrossan Winton Rovers but not Golspie Sutherland? If the travel is too much for clubs they'll drop into a lower tier which would, presumably, be more regionalised and find their natural level.

Sweden's 4th tier is heavily regionalised but there are 10 hour+ travel times for clubs with average attendances in double figures. I know there's a difference in context and people (and sports clubs) in Sweden might be used to this sort of travel whereas anything over a coupla hours seems like the other end of hte world to us but it's an example that it is possible with a bit of effort.

ETA: the point I was making earlier was that even if the Tayside clubs joined a Highland league the travels times would barely change for them and used a North/South split for the tier below. There's nothing to say it can't be a Highland/Grampian/Tayside split or whatever suits the clubs but, clearly, even a one way split would still be manageable.

Edited May 15, 2018 by AsimButtHitsASix

[Robert James]

5 hours ago, bendan said:

I don't think they've made anything clear. We're relying on hearsay.

In an earlier post I said that the outcome of the PWG meeting should be made public, and I stick by that view, in the interests of the clubs, players, and their fans.

Subsequently a post on this forum (not written by me) stated :  ".....as to TJ's promise to his clubs, that all clubs will join the pyramid next season, it was unanimously voted out. It was never going to happen, especially in the East." 

Is this hearsay ?  Possibly.  But there has been a veil of silence from the SJFA, rather than a  statement denying that this was the outcome, which is very odd if the above is misleading or totally false.

It remains my view that the SFA will not sanction 2 feeder leagues in the East. I will be the first to admit that I was wrong, if 2 East Pyramid feeder leagues are sanctioned by the SFA, either now or in the future.  

 

[Robert James]

54 minutes ago, BoomShakalaka said:

So Boness and Penicuik are applying for EOS now? Lithgae look like total dinosaurs here but to be fair when you go through to play them the committee does need some fresh blood!

Penicuik ? Where did this rumour come from ?

I thought they have been clearly against joining the EoS from the start.

[Whitburn Vale]

[drs]

In other news - Titanic sinks!

[Whitburn Vale]

3 minutes ago, drs said:

In other news - Titanic sinks!

[FuzzyBear]

8 hours ago, BoomShakalaka said:

So Boness and Penicuik are applying for EOS now? Lithgae look like total dinosaurs here but to be fair when you go through to play them the committee does need some fresh blood!

Is that in addition to all the new blood that joined last season !

[Auld duffer]

In which case it's an odd thing for the club to tweet. I guess we'll see, who knows what the next few weeks will bring.
EDIT: On a personal level it would be good to see Dunbar join the other East Lothian clubs. It's a good day out.

I personally think it’s a no brainer for Dunbar 6 East Lothian teams and 5 will be senior next season then chuck in Eyemouth, Coldstream and Tweedmouth
Watch this space

[heedthebaa]

17 minutes ago, Auld duffer said:

I personally think it’s a no brainer for Dunbar 6 East Lothian teams and 5 will be senior next season then chuck in Eyemouth, Coldstream and Tweedmouth
Watch this space

I have a lot of luuuurve for the seasiders, hope they take the leap. As it stands with who has applied, it would make sense

[Auld Heid]

1 hour ago, FuzzyBear said:

Is that in addition to all the new blood that joined last season !

Can't wait till our next big derby match against Montrose........!!!!!

 

 

[Smudger]

Jesus, what a complete clusterfuck

Just about sums up this thread

[Guest]

11 hours ago, BoomShakalaka said:

So Boness and Penicuik are applying for EOS now? Lithgae look like total dinosaurs here but to be fair when you go through to play them the committee does need some fresh blood!

And Bonnyriggs is full of youth....very unbecoming to criticise any teams hardworking Officials and Committee because they don't currently conform to your present thinking..Sure they treated yours with due respect when they accepted their hospitality on match day.

[Robert James]

56 minutes ago, Auld Heid said:

Can't wait till our next big derby match against Montrose........!!!!!

 

 

Bad luck as Montrose have just won promotion, probably spurred on by rumours that you might join the pyramid. Perhaps the Wee Rose didn't fancy their chances when they had to play against you every season.

Sorry,it  isn't happening apparently !  Or is it ?