Juniors v non-Juniors

[RobM]

3 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

They made a bright start to EOSL life - beating Tynecastle away then Heriot-Watt Uni at home in their first month - but it's been hard slog since then with only a few wins and draws v sides of similar stature.

However they always pull off a surprise. In 2016 they got 1-1 draw at LTHV (almost won IIRC); in 2017 held leaders Leith 2-2 at home despite playing almost the full 2nd half with 9-men.

That's what I'm saying.  Worries me that surprise will be against The Burgh!

[AsimButtHitsASix]

Quick tangent... with Tweedmouth (and Berwick) in the Scottish league system do you think you might see any other clubs jumping the border? Someone like, Carlisle City for example, probably aint gonna get past the NW Counties league but might think they've got a half chance at league football in Scotland.

[Jambo'ness]

On ‎28‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 09:39, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Quick tangent... with Tweedmouth (and Berwick) in the Scottish league system do you think you might see any other clubs jumping the border? Someone like, Carlisle City for example, probably aint gonna get past the NW Counties league but might think they've got a half chance at league football in Scotland.

Not too keen on extending our footballing borders much further.  Berwick and Tweedmouth are different as have a strong historical Scottish pull.

Mind you, with the SFA inviting Welsh & Irish teams into our competitions, who knows what the future holds.

Personally I'd rather see the reintroduction of Hadrian's wall 

[HibeeJibee]

It's specific to Berwick - clubs from Carlisle, Newcastle or anywhere else wouldn't be allowed to join.

It's an interesting anomaly, but it makes sense in historical terms and geographical terms - afterall Berwick-upon-Tweed in in England, and Berwickshire is in Scotland.

Tweedmouth Amateurs, Highfields United and Berwick Colts all play in the Border Amateur League. Most other sports are similar e.g. Berwick RFC.

Indeed the SPFL rules allow only "Berwick Rangers FC" - not any club from Berwick - to participate, or at least they used do. I don't imagine it'll affect Tweedmouth Rangers anytime soon...

[th1stleandr0se]

43 minutes ago, Jambo'ness said:

Not too keen on extending our footballing borders much further.  Berwick and Tweedmouth are different as have a strong historical Scottish pull.

Mind you, with the SFA inviting Welsh & Irish teams into our competitions, who knows what the future holds.

Personally I'd rather see the reintroduction of Hadrian's wall 

You'd let in Carlisle and even Newcastle.

[Jambo'ness]

18 minutes ago, th1stleandr0se said:

You'd let in Carlisle and even Newcastle.

Yep, politically I'm happy with that to enhance the country.  However as the border stands I don't want any old south of the border club getting in.

[GordonS]

Quick tangent... with Tweedmouth (and Berwick) in the Scottish league system do you think you might see any other clubs jumping the border? Someone like, Carlisle City for example, probably aint gonna get past the NW Counties league but might think they've got a half chance at league football in Scotland.

It's an interesting question, but Carlisle is much more connected to the rest of England than Berwick is. They're the same distance to the start of real centre of population in Scotland as in England - they're as far from Hamilton as Preston, and Glasgow as Manchester. The must be well over 5 million English people within a couple of hours. I can understand a team moving to join a local Scottish league, maybe the SoS, but a Carlisle club that could reach the LL at least can't really make an argument for moving.

Carlisle is much more culturally English too.

[edinabear]

7 minutes ago, GordonS said:

It's an interesting question, but Carlisle is much more connected to the rest of England than Berwick is. They're the same distance to the start of real centre of population in Scotland as in England - they're as far from Hamilton as Preston, and Glasgow as Manchester. The must be well over 5 million English people within a couple of hours. I can understand a team moving to join a local Scottish league, maybe the SoS, but a Carlisle club that could reach the LL at least can't really make an argument for moving.

Carlisle is much more culturally English too.

I believe it has been muted a few times for Carlisle to join the Scottish leagues over the years but it never transpired. Personally I see no problem with it. Another reasonable sized team in the Scottish leagues would be a positive.

[FairWeatherFan]

Gateshead into the SFL back in the 70s was a possibility.

[GordonS]

I believe it has been muted a few times for Carlisle to join the Scottish leagues over the years but it never transpired. Personally I see no problem with it. Another reasonable sized team in the Scottish leagues would be a positive.

How would you feel about Queen of the South moving to England?

[GordonS]

I believe it has been muted a few times for Carlisle to join the Scottish leagues over the years but it never transpired. Personally I see no problem with it. Another reasonable sized team in the Scottish leagues would be a positive.

I told myself not to be a dick but in your shoes I'd want to know.

The word is 'mooted', not 'muted'.

[Blowin In the Wind]

Gretna used to play in the English non league set up before MB took over.  Broxburn played them in the cup and got speaking to a few locals who thought they may be better going back as it attracted a better quality of player. The feeling was that a good player from Lancs. would be more likely to join them than someone from central Scotland.  Reasoning being most of the games would be nearer to home and if they did well they would get a move nearer home 

[Jambo'ness]

40 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Gateshead into the SFL back in the 70s was a possibility.

More paper talk than anything.  Gateshead were very unstable in the 70's, an English version of Grangemouth if you like.  

[LongTimeLurker]

How much longer are Tweedmouth likely to last? Losing heavily game after game eventually gets old and unlike Fort William they do have other options in terms of the English pyramid that don't revolve around being in glorified pub leagues.

[FairWeatherFan]

16 minutes ago, Jambo'ness said:

More paper talk than anything.  Gateshead were very unstable in the 70's, an English version of Grangemouth if you like.  

I'm sure it's been romanticised quite a bit since then, but it at least went to a vote which gives it some credence as a what if...

5 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

How much longer are Tweedmouth likely to last? Losing heavily game after game eventually gets old and unlike Fort William they do have other options in terms of the English pyramid that don't revolve around being in glorified pub leagues.

Purely my opinion, but Tweedmouth might be one of the clubs happier with the idea of a 3 Tier EoS next year. Plenty of things to shake out with different permutations but the bottom 2 in each Conference would be guaranteed 3rd Tier Status if it's a 16 team EoS Premier and 16 team EoS First.

That leaves your current bottom 6 as Hawick, Tweedmouth, Burntisland, Eyemouth, Ormiston and Inverkeithing. Add Syngenta to that and that's a 12 games they'd probably all fancy taking points against each other.

[holme]

14 hours ago, Blowin In the Wind said:

Gretna used to play in the English non league set up before MB took over.  Broxburn played them in the cup and got speaking to a few locals who thought they may be better going back as it attracted a better quality of player. The feeling was that a good player from Lancs. would be more likely to join them than someone from central Scotland.  Reasoning being most of the games would be nearer to home and if they did well they would get a move nearer home 

I get  that.  It maybe something they would consider if they fell from the Lowland. Echoing what Gordon S said  I have always felt that Gretna was more culturally English too.

That may be due to the large amount of time drinking in Carlisle before and after every game there

[th1stleandr0se]

20 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

How much longer are Tweedmouth likely to last? Losing heavily game after game eventually gets old and unlike Fort William they do have other options in terms of the English pyramid that don't revolve around being in glorified pub leagues.

Would moving to an English pyramid stop them getting belted every week?

[LongTimeLurker]

Could be wrong but were they not reasonably successful at a very low level in the English pyramid in the North Northumberland League? They probably saw the EoS as a way to get a better standard of competition but even when the play the weaker EoS teams they appear to have bitten off more than they can chew.

[HibeeJibee]

3rd in NNL in 2014-15; 2nd in 2015-16.

Reasons for leaving included being too 'good' for NNL which was also shrinking, but Northern Alliance could mean tough opposition, more travel and a harder set of ground criteria v EOSL, IIRC.

World has spun around them a bit since then... when they joined EOSL was at its lowest ebb with only 10 other teams - but the standard has gone up dramatically via teams getting relegated from LL, Kelty joining, then this year's Junior influx. Similarly any relaxation of ground criteria has been tightened up hence the attempt to move onto Shielfield Park for this season and, with that having fallen through, now trying to develop Old Shielfield in time for next season.

No indication they'd want to give up and return to NNL, AFAIA.

EDIT: Indeed in a few years NNL has shrunk from 2 divisions of 8-10 clubs each to a single division of 10 (including 2 reserve teams) focused around Alnwick and Amble.

[Ginaro]

Wikipedia says they left from the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Northumberland_Football_League

No up to date website for the league but it seems there's now only 10 members according to: https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/sport/football/sportsworld-north-northumberland-football-league-round-up-1-9296745

You've got a few teams within about 30 mins, some 40-50 mins and the rest are 70 minutes away. Google Maps says you can get to the bypass in 50 minutes from Berwick so the Edinburgh, East/Midlothian and Borders travel is comparable to the NNFL.

If they went back to the English system and got promoted to Northern Alliance Division 2 then they'd be travelling at least an hour for all games as the teams are closer to Newcastle/Sunderland.

11 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

Similarly any relaxation of ground criteria has been tightened up hence the attempt to move onto Shielfield Park for this season and, with that having fallen through, now trying to develop Old Shielfield in time for next season.

If Tweedmouth are in tier 8 for next season you wonder if the EoS would look to relax the criteria?