Basile Boli Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) Seems there’s no real loyalty to any specific league setup now. I think the best thing for the standard of Saturday afternoon amateur football to thrive without constant upheaval is to have as many top teams (in the traditional strongest areas of Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire) as possible playing in one organisation. Right now that looks like the Caledonian League although ideally my preference would be to have a new league formed encompassing the current 2. I’d be interested to find out why the two teams have decided to move. Looking at the Central Prem in the short-term I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about Gartcosh and Bannockburn looking to go back to the Caley. Speaking from experience back in my playing days I enjoyed football a lot more when competition was fierce between a good number of teams. I don’t think they’d get that staying in the Central with reduced quality. Maybe not imminently, but I could see Steins trying their luck in the East of Scotland senior leagues. They have the facilities and a very good location to attract players. Edited January 19 by Basile Boli 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllanJM Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 On 18/01/2024 at 21:14, geoward said: I don't see how this can be blamed on the Caley Clubs. The Caley said no to a merger and 1 year later the top team in Scotland over the last few years joins along with a very good Campsie side. Well said George. It's easy to understand the frustration when clubs (and potentially leagues) fold but you can't lay the blame for that with clubs like the Castle. It's hard enough for you guys running your own club without worrying about what's happening with another league. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggyness Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 2 hours ago, AllanJM said: Well said George. It's easy to understand the frustration when clubs (and potentially leagues) fold but you can't lay the blame for that with clubs like the Castle. It's hard enough for you guys running your own club without worrying about what's happening with another league. The issue is that by preserving their own league they are only hastening the demise of Saturday afternoon football. Even with these two additions they are only at a status quo compared to the beginning of the season in terms of total clubs. Merging, with teams of a similar standard all playing each other would have given the whole amateur scene a potentially much brighter outlook. Circling the wagons from the caley (which has for more years than I can remember deservedly been lauded as a superbly ran league) is only delaying the inevitable I fear 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Feet Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 On 24/01/2024 at 17:50, jaggyness said: The issue is that by preserving their own league they are only hastening the demise of Saturday afternoon football. Even with these two additions they are only at a status quo compared to the beginning of the season in terms of total clubs. Merging, with teams of a similar standard all playing each other would have given the whole amateur scene a potentially much brighter outlook. Circling the wagons from the caley (which has for more years than I can remember deservedly been lauded as a superbly ran league) is only delaying the inevitable I fear Agreed. The teams moving to The Caley does not address the fundamental issues of why Saturday Afternoon Football is struggling. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amateur Footie Fan Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Hearing a very strong rumour that another SPAFA team about to be announced very soon joining the Calie league next season. Its a VERY big name, cant see how SPAFA come back from this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basile Boli Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 1 hour ago, Amateur Footie Fan said: Hearing a very strong rumour that another SPAFA team about to be announced very soon joining the Calie league next season. Its a VERY big name, cant see how SPAFA come back from this. Greenock High School Former Pupil’s Amateur Football Club? That’s a very big name. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amateur Footie Fan Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 1 hour ago, Basile Boli said: Greenock High School Former Pupil’s Amateur Football Club? That’s a very big name. youre correct it is a very big name, but it's not them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Feet Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 Will the SPAFA fold or try again next season? They're essentially becoming the Greater Glasgow League (with less teams) in real time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amateur Footie Fan Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 1 hour ago, Crazy Feet said: Will the SPAFA fold or try again next season? They're essentially becoming the Greater Glasgow League (with less teams) in real time. I actually think the GGPL are in a much stronger position in terms of numbers (32 teams to a possible 18 in SPAFA) and quality when you see what will remain in SPAFA next season. SPAFA are in serious trouble unfortunately. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaspinnernet2 Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 would you think the spafa will merge in to the GGPL to make it one stronger league 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanley Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 1 hour ago, Amateur Footie Fan said: I actually think the GGPL are in a much stronger position in terms of numbers (32 teams to a possible 18 in SPAFA) and quality when you see what will remain in SPAFA next season. SPAFA are in serious trouble unfortunately. GGPL is down to 30 clubs now (two clubs in the table have folded and have 0 games listed as being played). It looks like there quite a few reserve teams in the GGPL too (mainly linked to clubs in the Caley) but certainly far stronger in terms of numbers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Feet Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 The Greater Glasgow has also started up a Morning League for next season. It will be interesting to see how many of the current (afternoon) teams if any decide to move into the morning set up? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewBallsPlease Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 Bannockburn to Caley now confirmed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoward Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 The additions this season to the Caley League have been unreal. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amateur Footie Fan Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 1 hour ago, NewBallsPlease said: Bannockburn to Caley now confirmed. Thats what I heard, unreal 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Feet Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Castlemilk and Gartcosh surely won't stay in that league now? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basile Boli Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 1 hour ago, Crazy Feet said: Castlemilk and Gartcosh surely won't stay in that league now? Can’t see it. Any half decent team remaining will be quickly left behind competitively. Once St Pats moved my personal feeling was the rest of the decent sides in league wouldn’t be far behind. it’s reminiscent of the exodus from the East Juniors to the EoS a few years back now. Just took a couple teams acting as a catalyst for the rest to follow. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ammyo1 Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 the central/spafa has been on a downward spiral for years. a once very well ran league has allowed itself to stagnate and only take care of the “big” clubs if you will, and even at that is a stretch considering they’re all leaving. it’s what happens when you don’t take care of ALL clubs in the league.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basile Boli Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 49 minutes ago, ammyo1 said: the central/spafa has been on a downward spiral for years. a once very well ran league has allowed itself to stagnate and only take care of the “big” clubs if you will, and even at that is a stretch considering they’re all leaving. it’s what happens when you don’t take care of ALL clubs in the league.. Out of genuine interest, can you give any examples of this? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Bobley Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 While the Caley has added some strong sides, surely there would have to be a limit so that they don’t end up needing to restructure again. This is the first season that the new 12-team-Premier has been up and running and I don’t envisage they’ll want to a) change that and b) want anymore than 16 teams in the First Division. As of today, the Caley will have 27 teams next season. Granted there is always scope for teams to fold out of the blue (Milngavie), but a strong position. I can’t see them accepting any more teams because then you’re looking at 30 league games per season; and the whole rationale for a 12-team-Prem was to minimise chance of burnout and fixture congestion to allow teams to go further in the National and District competitions. With such strong sides in the First Division next year, there will be a degree of ‘protection’ required there too. The only way I think any more teams come in is if there is another 5 at once to make up 32 teams with two branches in the First Division. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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