Conference Call

[Derry]

5 minutes ago, Crazy Feet said:

Ok mate you stick with your hunches I will just stick to the facts and the science 

Mate that’s no hunch it’s a goverment guideline not a dafty from SFA who have shown they have no clue over and over again as I said mind this and come back see me and we will so who is closer I will go with the info I have that I got first hand 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Derry

[jimbaxters]

13 minutes ago, Marten said:

Tbh, February - June twice a week gives 42 dates, so there are 8 dates spare. Best is probably to schedule 2 games a week from early February until late May/start June with the possibility to extend until the end of June should it be needed.

 

12 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

I make it 43 available matchdays playing weekend-midweek from the start of February until the end of June. They could schedule games for February, and if they get postponed then there should still be time later in the year.

Am I missing something here? Not all the clubs have floodlights so how can two matches in February even be a possibility. 

From 27th July until 11th March Talbot played 36 matches. One was midweek at Arbroath. Yous are daft if you actually believe that 34 games from February is anything like doable.

Edited May 5, 2020 by jimbaxters

[Dev]

4 hours ago, curzonmid said:

We are looking at no football till january in non league.

Where this leaves a nonsensical 20 league tier 6 is anyone's guess. 

Worst possible time for all this to start given we'll get half a season at best next season. 

Sad times

If it is to be that bad i.e. January start then the 20 clubs can easily be split up into two groups of 10 each with the winners of the groups playing off for the championship.

Likewise the bottom clubs will go down etc.

Something could be worked out so don't be too alarmed re football anyway. 

[Eednud]

1 hour ago, Burnieman said:

Australia now allows for gatherings of upto 10 people, and football is due to resume in August.

 

They are well ahead of us as far as control of the virus is concerned, but there will come a point in the UK where social distancing will be relaxed if people use the tracing app, as Australia does. September return? Maybe.

 

Grassroots may be better placed than the SPFL for a return. However, it's all guesswork at the moment.

 

FYI that’s not every state yet although where it is Ok social distancing is still to be practised (1.5m). Here in South Australia after 13 days with no new cases clubs at all levels will be allowed to start training from Monday but restricted to non-contact skill drills like passing, shooting and heading. No more than 10, including coaches, per group. Players to shower and change pre/post at home. Aiming to start youth and women’s comps in June with men’s NPL and State League  in July. 

[Ginaro]

14 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

26 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

 

Am I missing something here? Not all the clubs have floodlights so how can two matches in February even be a possibility. 

There's 21 Saturdays in Feb-June, plus 13 midweeks available from 7th April for those without lights = 34 games. Of course there would be postponements, but in the EOS Premier 15/18 clubs will have floodlights, and it seems like 14/32 should have floodlights in the conferences below to play some Feb/Mar games.

More difficult in the WOS Premier as it would be 7/20, possibly 8 or 9 (Kilwinning; CU / KRR could use Broadwood if needed).

Edited May 5, 2020 by Ginaro

[Dev]

2 hours ago, Crazy Feet said:

I would be inclined to listen to the guy who actually works for the SFA and has been in meetings with the Scottish Government. 

How could you cram 20 plus bodies into a changing room and abide by social distancing rules? 

How could clubs open up their social clubs whilst abiding by social distancing rules? 

If you have no facilities how do you play your games?

If you have a big chunk of your revenue gone (social clubs) then how are you honoring contracts?

I don't mean this to be cheeky but too many people are in complete denial when it comes to this. Thinking our football will be back in a couple of months goes against all noises coming out of the government statements and also any countries who are a bit further ahead than the UK when it comes to the CV outbreak who have outlined their long term plan for exiting. Even with countries who have detailed their plans for the next few months, none of them have any confirmation that social distancing will end. 

Grassroots football will be one of the last things to come back along with pubs/cinemas etc.

Lots of questions but only time will tell. We just need to be patient and keep safe until things can start again.

However, let's try to find ways forward. Do things differently in future/come up with new ideas which could bring forward the return of sport if not usual social life. Easy to say. I know but we have to keep positive because life will come back to something like normal at some stage!

[FairWeatherFan]

9 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

 

Am I missing something here? Not all the clubs have floodlights so how can two matches in February even be a possibility. 

From 27th July until 11th March Talbot played 36 matches. One was midweek at Arbroath. Yous are daft if you actually believe that 34 games from February is anything like doable.

That's a problem in the WoSFL. In the EoSFL its possible as almost the entire Premier Division will have floodlights. Whitehill are due to put them up in the summer (that was the plan). That means 16/18 have floodlights. Musselburgh would also be planning to install them to get a licence so it could be 17/18.

Gets patchy at EoS First Division level but that's just a 30 game league season so becomes more workable.

[craigkillie]

17 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

 

Am I missing something here? Not all the clubs have floodlights so how can two matches in February even be a possibility. 

From 27th July until 11th March Talbot played 36 matches. One was midweek at Arbroath. Yous are daft if you actually believe that 34 games from February is anything like doable.

If there is a will from clubs for this to happen then they can definitely make it happen. Most clubs in the EoS Premier have floodlights, and others may be able to use alternative grounds which have them. You can argue about whether it is a sensible idea or not, but practically I believe it can definitely be made to work if they want it to.

The number of games Auchinleck played in a league which doesn't typically schedule midweek fixtures even when clubs do have floodlights is not hugely relevant here. If they had been asked to play 40 or even 45 games in that period they could have managed it.

Edited May 5, 2020 by craigkillie

[Dev]

42 minutes ago, TFW said:

If the non SPFL grades start a month or two before them, they'd be swamped with fans desperate for a fix of football. A 500 limit is okay in theory, but what happens if four figure crowds turn up demanding to see a game, where the local infrastructure doesn't allow for strict control?

A good point.

Is there a way to turn this situation around to the advantage of football outside the SPFL?

With smaller size support amateurs and "non-league" ought to be able to kick-off earlier than the SPFL. Even if it means having all players and officials tested (there's a cost though) or teams and officials get changed at home before and after games (what would the Mrs say?). It might be possible to do social distancing on the terraces - coloured supermarket marker tape?

How about videos of live games. Supporters logging in free if they have a season ticket.

It's time to think outside the box.

[Dev]

48 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

Twice a week in February? Are they smoking? People seem to forget what Winter and/or Spring is like in Scotland when the weather is nice out the window. Postponements are inevitable.

Adjust the rules so clubs can switch games at short notice to all-weather cages if need be?

[jimbaxters]

7 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

If there is a will from clubs for this to happen then they can definitely make it happen. Most clubs in the EoS Premier have floodlights, and others may be able to use alternative grounds which have them. You can argue about whether it is a sensible idea or not, but practically I believe it can definitely be made to work if they want it to.

The number of games Auchinleck played in a league which doesn't typically schedule midweek fixtures even when clubs do have floodlights is not hugely relevant here. If they had been asked to play 40 or even 45 games in that period they could have managed it.

I'm quoting ALL matches not just league matches so it is hugley relevant. And the 36 I mentioned also included midweek matches in the early part of the season League cup matches. 

[jimbaxters]

2 minutes ago, Dev said:

Adjust the rules so clubs can switch games at short notice to all-weather cages if need be?

Just play FIFA instead.

[Dev]

11 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

That's a problem in the WoSFL. In the EoSFL its possible as almost the entire Premier Division will have floodlights. Whitehill are due to put them up in the summer (that was the plan). That means 16/18 have floodlights. Musselburgh would also be planning to install them to get a licence so it could be 17/18.

Gets patchy at EoS First Division level but that's just a 30 game league season so becomes more workable.

There will be over 30 clubs in the EoS with floodlights in time for next season - OK covid will delay a small number of these.

How many floodlit clubs are there in the WoS? Which clubs will have lights up for next season, covid delays permitting?

[jimbaxters]

If it's a February start there's no point in starting the league. Just make Talbot champions and play a few tourneys

[Dev]

5 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

Just play FIFA instead.

Come on let's try to be constructive!

[Dev]

3 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

If it's a February start there's no point in starting the league. Just make Talbot champions and play a few tourneys

Agreed. Talbot should be in the Lowland League for 2020/21 anyway - subject to Floodlights and getting licenced before 21/22.

[theesel1994]

3 hours ago, Derry said:

Info I have 10 pages worth lol 

I've no idea who put this document together but if it's the same one I've seen it doesn't look genuine.

Phase 5 : "Mass sporting events may recommence where social distancing can be maintained" doesn't make much sense.

[Crazy Feet]

When do clubs who are signing players at the moment as well start having to pay wages? If clubs are announcing signings just now I am assuming contracts have been signed and the contract has a start/end date.

How will clubs be able to pay wages with no income? 

[craigkillie]

15 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

I'm quoting ALL matches not just league matches so it is hugley relevant. And the 36 I mentioned also included midweek matches in the early part of the season League cup matches. 

They played one midweek match in total from September onwards - that was the cup game against Arbroath.

[Marten]

If leagues do need to be finished in a short period it might also be advisable to nominate grounds with 3G pitches as backup in case games get called off. In the East for example, the likes of Blackburn should be able to host multiple games in a weekend/week in order to get fixtures played that would otherwise be called off.