Jimmy Shaker Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 The Highland League is great fun. Frostbite in Fraserburgh in August, meeting the locals at Clach, explaining to people in Buckie what teeth are, trying to understand what the f**k a Wick is. You're going to love it. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlbionMan Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 10 hours ago, true fan said: Yes that was worse than other part of it. Whole world hates colts so that was lame How often can you recall the record getting the story right, you're taking a lot on trust if you're quoting it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Your Own Socks Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 I’ve always enjoyed my visits to The Glebe an it’s one of the most welcoming of clubs in the League. But it’s a desperate state to be trying to reconstruct leagues just to stay in them. The whole thought process of upping the numbers immediately with a free pass to Brora/Kelty reeks of panic. Then extending it to 16, with presumably no relegation for the next few years, suggests that Brechin directors don’t have a plan to get their team up and away from relegation. They used their get-out-of-jail card last year and show no capability of not finishing last this season. Ultimately, football at this level is a competition sport. If Brechin want to stay in the League then they must defeat either Brora or Kelty over two knockout games. It’s as simple as that. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true fan Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 (edited) Not quoting anything. IF they are suggesting expansion to stave off relegation that would be extremely poor. In past year its clear that vast majority of supporters hate idea of colts coming anywhere near the SPFL. I do. If they wanted to try the "3 game highland league season isn't good enough" defence I think it would fail. Many of the morton and kilmarnock supporting keyboard warriors on P&B would be foaming at the mouth (even more than usual). I would not support that defence and the leagues/SFA, whoever, almost certainly wouldn't either but that defence has a little bit more logic/'taste' to it than expansion. I would say they would be entitled to run it up the flagpole at least. Hearts last season anybody? Unpopular but they had a go and were legally entitled to try. If my club was looking into the abyss I wouldn't support expansion but wouldn't be disgusted by the other defence. I would expect it to fail but I wouldn't be disgusted by it Edited April 21, 2021 by true fan 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 The crux of Brechin’s defence is that due to the pandemic nobody should be relegated. So what was the point of the season? Either you commit to it or you don’t. You can’t have promotion without relegation. Wasn’t that the premise that that the ESL was built on? And didn’t Brechin themselves deride the ESL with their “This is football” tweet. And as for the strain the fixture calendar has put on their players, I would love to know how Brechin voted when it was suggested that they cram in these additional games.The hypocrisy is shameful.This. Exactly this.I sympathise with Brechin potentially going down, but no part of it is unfair.I hope they can rally round, even if it means a reshuffle in the board, and put themselves in a better position to compete next season, whether that's League 2 or the Highland League 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodka Vic Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 (edited) I have happily defended Brechin especially after last season’s abrupt end but I think they’ll lose a lot of sympathy with these statements. I would love it if the won the play off and stayed up - great away day and a lot of good people at the club. I wish they would consult with their fans- the fans at clubs really step up when the going gets tough. Their problem is they agreed to finish this season and therefore committed to whatever league position they find themselves at. In terms of fatigue I mean their players were training 5 days a week for two weeks in the run up to the league re-starting. I know the HL and LL are not squeaky clean in this and have stitched up nominations for the play off- all clubs vote for self-interest in the end. Nobody’s going to tell me that clubs like Shire and EK voted in the hope they can get cash rich Kelty out of their hair. And now Brechin want to foist league reconstruction includes the colts. The only thing that should come out of this is there should be automatic relegation for club 42. Edited April 21, 2021 by Vodka Vic 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerafc Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 The argument is totally flawed as Brechin are suggesting that Kelty and Brora don't deserve to be champions and compete in the playoffs due to the low number of games played but their solution is to promote the 2 teams directly to league 2 without a playoff. If they don't think they are worthy champions why do they want to admit them into the league for next season? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 3 minutes ago, Vodka Vic said: I know the HL and LL are not squeaky clean in this and have stitched up nominations for the play off Brora and Kelty finished at the top of their respective leagues when the season came to an end, in the same way Brechin are likely to finish bottom when theirs ends. Not sure how that's a stitch-up, TBPFHWY. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitburn Vale Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 As Shaker says the Highland League is a blast.....,from no understanding a word anyone says in Huntly or Wick,to being chased by casuals in Banff,to standing in awe at Buckie at the size of the home support !!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Just now, Whitburn Vale said: As Shaker says the Highland League is a blast.....,from no understanding a word anyone says in Huntly or Wick,to being chased by casuals in Banff,to standing in awe at Buckie at the size of the home support !!! They've been to Bucktavia before and seen the seething mass of the home support. I'm not surprised they're scared of going down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitburn Vale Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Just now, Jimmy Shaker said: They've been to Bucktavia before and seen the seething mass of the home support. I'm not surprised they're scared of going down. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie king mvp Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 1 minute ago, Whitburn Vale said: As Shaker says the Highland League is a blast.....,from no understanding a word anyone says in Huntly or Wick,to being chased by casuals in Banff,to standing in awe at Buckie at the size of the home support !!! As much as I don't want us to go down there is a part of me that thinks that sounds tremendous 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonS Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 5 hours ago, EdinburghBlue said: I think this is a genuinely difficult issue. Yes, if Brechin finish bottom in a completed season then they should be in a playoff. (And I would have no sympathy for them if they lost.) But neither the HL or LL seasons were properly completed, hence calling into question their declaring champions. I can just about buy Kelty as LL champions, but Brora after just three games, on goal difference and when 5 teams had a 100% record? Don’t buy this. I understand that, and on the letter of the law it's a fair point, same as it was last year. Last year no play-offs took place across the SPFL, and this year Strathspey have infinity points per game. But at this unique time, fairness is arguably more important than the strict letter of the law. The pandemic straddles two season and taking this season and last season together, it's obviously not fair for Brechin to stay up and it's not fair to hold Kelty and Brora down. Both those clubs have done enough to deserve their shot, and Brechin haven't earned their automatic place in L2. They'll get every chance to do that in the play-off, and if they lose, they get to try again from the HL. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marten Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, Whitburn Vale said: As Shaker says the Highland League is a blast.....,from no understanding a word anyone says in Huntly or Wick,to being chased by casuals in Banff,to standing in awe at Buckie at the size of the home support !!! If we get promoted next season I'd be looking forward to Brechin v Lochee United. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitburn Vale Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 8 minutes ago, Marten said: If we get promoted next season I'd be looking forward to Brechin v Lochee United. Would be a belter that yin marten 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mon_The_Fife Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Brechin are having an absolute howler here. I feel for the fans but someone has to finish as club 42 each season and yes it is unprecedented times, but we are all in the same boat so we can’t keep making excuses and need to have some fluidity between the leagues. It looks like Brechin will finish bottom and wouldn’t fancy their chances vs Brora or Kelty and just like Berwick and The Shire’ it could be a while before they return.We really need to have an automatic promotion from both LL and HL to ease the bottleneck and add some freshness to the league system. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodka Vic Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Jimmy Shaker said: Brora and Kelty finished at the top of their respective leagues when the season came to an end, in the same way Brechin are likely to finish bottom when theirs ends. Not sure how that's a stitch-up, TBPFHWY. The way L2 and HL/LL have completed their seasons is hardly comparable Jimmy. L2 agreed a completion date when nothing was in place and a resolution if the season did come to premature end. The LL broke their own agreement how to end their season and the HL ended theirs after 3 games - arguably there was still a lot to play for in their respective leagues. The two teams have effectively been nominated and the play offs should proceed, however HL/LL are in no position to lecture anyone on sporting integrity and moving the goalposts. Edited April 21, 2021 by Vodka Vic 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 The HL is required to put forward a champion club at the end of the season. We've done that. For the HL to go ahead and do so in the current circumstances means there's some leeway in the rules as to how we produce one, but all that matters is we've produced one. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo83 Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Last year when this was all going on did Brechin want to go the Lowland league if they got put out? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 (edited) Yes, and they have probably burned a lot of bridges with the leagues and association that would have to sign off on it since then because that appears to have now completely died as an issue. The LL said a collective GTF to the required rule change at their AGM last year after there was no Club 42 playoff despite threats of the top LL clubs being excluded from the League and Challenge Cups in future. Edited April 21, 2021 by LongTimeLurker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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