An Idiot's Guide to the West of Scotland Football League?!

[Sinner-to-Saint]

As you can see, I follow St. Mirren and will be purchasing season tickets for them next season. However, I stay in Glasgow's East End and my nearest clubs are either Vale of Clyde or Shettleston Juniors.

I have to admit I have never paid much attention to the Juniors, however the pyramid shake up that's happening has piqued my interest.

According to the Daily Record:

Quote

West of Scotland League chiefs have this evening unveiled the line-ups for three Conference divisions.

The leagues will sit under a tier six top flight of 20 teams announced on Friday.

Source: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/west-scotland-league-conference-sections-21973101

So the West of Scotland League will be tier six, which presumably means the champions will be promoted to the Lowland League, is that correct?

So the three conferences are effectively tier seven, though presumably they will be split into divisions at the end of next season.

Quote

Conference A

Arthurlie, Bellshill Athletic, Craigmark Burntonians, Forth Wanderers, Girvan, Glasgow Uni, Irvine Vics, Johnstone Burgh, Lesmahagow, Lugar Boswell, Maryhill, Maybole, Muirkirk, Saltcoats, Shotts, Whitletts.

Conference B

Annbank, Ardeer, Ashfield, Cambuslang Rangers, Carluke Rovers, Dalry Thistle, Gartcairn, Greenock, Kello Rovers, Newmains Utd, Port Glasgow, Renfrew, Royal Albert, Shettleston, St Cadoc's, Thorniewood.

Conference C

Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Drumchapel United, East Kilbride Thistle, Glasgow Perthshire, Kilsyth Rangers, Lanark Utd, Larkhall Thistle, Neilston, Petershill, St Anthony's, St Roch's, Vale of Clyde, Vale of Leven, Wishaw, Yoker Athletic.

I'm a bit miffed that Vale of Clyde are not in the same league as Shettleston, to be honest! However it will be really good to be able to follow my local clubs' progress, as I had no idea of what league either were in previously. I will definitely try to make to to some games and will probably adopt one of them as my second team. I'm leaning towards the Vale. Cambuslang Rangers v Shettleston is a potentially tasty tie, though.

 

ETA: Map of all West of Scotland Football League clubs:

https://wosfl.co.uk/your-local-club/

Edited May 7, 2020 by The Reverend

[Tutankhamen]

32 minutes ago, The Reverend said:

As you can see, I follow St. Mirren and will be purchasing season tickets for them next season. However, I stay in Glasgow's East End and my nearest clubs are either Vale of Clyde or Shettleston Juniors.

I have to admit I have never paid much attention to the Juniors, however the pyramid shake up that's happening has piqued my interest.

According to the Daily Record:

So the West of Scotland League will be tier six, which presumably means the champions will be promoted to the Lowland League, is that correct?

So the three conferences are effectively tier seven, though presumably they will be split into divisions at the end of next season.

I'm a bit miffed that Vale of Clyde are not in the same league as Shettleston, to be honest! However it will be really good to be able to follow my local clubs' progress, as I had no idea of what league either were in previously. I will definitely try to make to to some games and will probably adopt one of them as my second team. I'm leaning towards the Vale. Cambuslang Rangers v Shettleston is a potentially tasty tie, though.

You will be on the Vale of Clyde committee by next May.

[Black Pennel]

You may encounter some,...erm,...different , types of people if you choose Shettleston however.

[Arch Stanton]

51 minutes ago, The Reverend said:

As you can see, I follow St. Mirren...

Other than a 5 year stint in the 1900s, why has Paisley not had a junior football team?

Spoiler

St. Mirren Juniors were only around for 4 years but did win the SJ Cup in 1916/17

It's been the biggest town on Scotland for going on 200 years so population isn't an issue and when you consider every shitehole in Ayrshire, Fife and the Lothians has a junior team, why not us?

[Sinner-to-Saint]

18 minutes ago, Black Pennel said:

You may encounter some,...erm,...different , types of people if you choose Shettleston however.

LOL What do you mean? I'm intrigued. PM me if you'd rather not write anything libellous! 

5 minutes ago, Arch Stanton said:

Other than a 5 year stint in the 1900s, why has Paisley not had a junior football team?

  Reveal hidden contents

St. Mirren Juniors were only around for 4 years but did win the SJ Cup in 1916/17

It's been the biggest town on Scotland for going on 200 years so population isn't an issue and when you consider every shitehole in Ayrshire, Fife and the Lothians has a junior team, why not us?

Personally, I'm glad Paisley just has St. Mirren. Now that most clubs are being integrated into the pyramid structure, it would essentially be local competition which we don't need.

[Sinner-to-Saint]

I should have posted a list of the West of Scotland's tier 6 clubs, basically the Premier League:

Quote

The West of Scotland League at tier 6 will therefore contain:

• Auchinleck Talbot
• Beith Juniors
• Benburb
• Blantyre Victoria
• Bonnyton Thistle
• Clydebank
• Cumbernauld United
• Cumnock Juniors
• Darvel
• Glenafton Athletic
• Hurlford United
• Irvine Meadow XI
• Kilbirnie Ladeside
• Kilwinning Rangers
• Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
• Largs Thistle
• Pollok
• Rossvale
• Rutherglen Glencairn
• Troon

 Will all of the West of Scotland clubs enter the Scottish Cup next season? That'd be good.

[Myles Offside]

14 minutes ago, The Reverend said:

I should have posted a list of the West of Scotland's tier 6 clubs, basically the Premier League:

 Will all of the West of Scotland clubs enter the Scottish Cup next season? That'd be good.

No, they won't.

[geo87]

Other than a 5 year stint in the 1900s, why has Paisley not had a junior football team?
Spoiler

St. Mirren Juniors were only around for 4 years but did win the SJ Cup in 1916/17

It's been the biggest town on Scotland for going on 200 years so population isn't an issue and when you consider every shitehole in Ayrshire, Fife and the Lothians has a junior team, why not us?

Also a fellow buddie, albeit an exiled one.

I used to go to Arthurlie games quite a lot when I was younger because my dad knew one of the players dads, some of the games vs Pollok were incredible and always remember enjoying them. (C 20 years ago now) (I always remember asking why there were always more goals, red cards and why you were allowed on the pitch at half time)

Re: local clubs to Paisley, we also have the burgh, Renfrew & benburb on our doorsteps with Neilston and Pollok not too far either

Have a mate in coatbridge who is also looking to follow a west team next year since the re-structure who is a saints season ticket holder.

Exciting times for the West!

[FairWeatherFan]

2 hours ago, The Reverend said:

I should have posted a list of the West of Scotland's tier 6 clubs, basically the Premier League:

 Will all of the West of Scotland clubs enter the Scottish Cup next season? That'd be good.

No they won't. To be guaranteed entry into the Scottish Cup you need to be a SFA member. To gain membership for about the last ten years you've had to gain a licence. The licencing process covers different things about the running of the club but is usually focused on the ground criteria (floodlights, cover for a 100, changing rooms etc).

Apart from a brief moment when it was introduced Junior teams had been unable to achieve licencing as the club had to join a pyramid league (Lowland League, Highland League, East of Scotland League, and the South of Scotland League). All 67 clubs in the West of Scotland League now have that access. There will probably be quite a few to gain their licences at the first attempt, unfortunately that will not be until the 2021 SFA AGM. Which means no Scottish Cup entry until 2021-22.

For 2020-21 there should be a few clubs to enter the Scottish Cup.

• Girvan (SFA member)
• Glasgow University (SFA member)
• Auchinleck Talbot (Qualifier as 2019-20 West Premiership Champions)

[Bestsinceslicebread]

5 hours ago, The Reverend said:

As you can see, I follow St. Mirren and will be purchasing season tickets for them next season. However, I stay in Glasgow's East End and my nearest clubs are either Vale of Clyde or Shettleston Juniors.

I have to admit I have never paid much attention to the Juniors, however the pyramid shake up that's happening has piqued my interest.

According to the Daily Record:

So the West of Scotland League will be tier six, which presumably means the champions will be promoted to the Lowland League, is that correct?

So the three conferences are effectively tier seven, though presumably they will be split into divisions at the end of next season.

I'm a bit miffed that Vale of Clyde are not in the same league as Shettleston, to be honest! However it will be really good to be able to follow my local clubs' progress, as I had no idea of what league either were in previously. I will definitely try to make to to some games and will probably adopt one of them as my second team. I'm leaning towards the Vale. Cambuslang Rangers v Shettleston is a potentially tasty tie, though.

The champions will be allowed to enter a 3 way playoff between the winners of the East of Scotland league and the South of Scotland League.
Although if you win the WOS league, your club must be licensed, if not licensed then said winners will not be allowed to enter the playoff

Edited May 6, 2020 by Bestsinceslicebread

[Jacksgranda]

4 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

Other than a 5 year stint in the 1900s, why has Paisley not had a junior football team?

  Hide contents

St. Mirren Juniors were only around for 4 years but did win the SJ Cup in 1916/17

It's been the biggest town on Scotland for going on 200 years so population isn't an issue and when you consider every shitehole in Ayrshire, Fife and the Lothians has a junior team, why not us?

Anybody thinking of forming a junior team probably learned a lesson from Abercorn's demise...

[AsimButtHitsASix]

West of Scotland Football League needs a strong Ferguslie Star

[cmontheloknow]

You can walk to Barrhead from Paisley so anyone needing a Junior fix has it there. And then you have Burgh, Renfrew and Neilston too.

Edited May 6, 2020 by cmontheloknow

[Tutankhamen]

35 minutes ago, curzonmid said:

Mate it's junior football with a fancy new name.

Same teams,  same people involved,  same players,  fans still referring to it as the juniors,  junior cup still on go,  in time same officials running it.

You'll be lucky if it ever really changes club wise maybe one or two clubs will move up in ten year period. 

Active junior forum on the go here and active junior social media on twitter and a very healthy appreciation of junior football on facebook check them out! 

I'd expect to see the ex West Juniors completely bossing the LL by 2030.

[Marshmallo]

Shettleston is a brilliant place to watch football. Arguably the best social club I've been to at a ground and a decent wee set up in terms of the main terracing for watching the game. Good amount of outdoor seating for a pint. Good memories of sunny summer evenings there watching playoff or cup games. Easy to get to on the train as well.

Vale of Clyde another decent club with welcoming people. The bar when I was there was in a shipping container - put it in Shoreditch or East Berlin and you could probably charge 8 quid a pint.

[Tutankhamen]

Last time i was in Shettleston, early last year, there was more people in the social club drinking than watching the game.

Shettleston is a social club with a football team attached not the other way round.

Edited May 6, 2020 by Tutankhamen
Eff the SFA

[craigkillie]

6 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

Other than a 5 year stint in the 1900s, why has Paisley not had a junior football team?

  Reveal hidden contents

St. Mirren Juniors were only around for 4 years but did win the SJ Cup in 1916/17

It's been the biggest town on Scotland for going on 200 years so population isn't an issue and when you consider every shitehole in Ayrshire, Fife and the Lothians has a junior team, why not us?

It's the same as most towns with a big senior team - there aren't any in Kilmarnock or Motherwell either despite these towns also lying in Junior strongholds.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

34 minutes ago, Tutankhamen said:

I'd expect to see the ex West Juniors completely bossing the LL by 2030.

No chance. If they were "bossing" the LL then they'd also be gaining promotion to the SPFL (presuming they can get by the Highland League sides in the play off). That would mean other clubs coming down. You might have about a half dozen former West Region Juniors in the LL by then at the most (dependent on league restructuring and other variables)

[Tutankhamen]

4 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

No chance. If they were "bossing" the LL then they'd also be gaining promotion to the SPFL (presuming they can get by the Highland League sides in the play off). That would mean other clubs coming down. You might have about a half dozen former West Region Juniors in the LL by then at the most (dependent on league restructuring and other variables)

Do you see EK, Cumbernauld Colts or Glasgow BSC dropping down to the WoSL? At least 9 or 10 of the 16 clubs in the LL by 2030 will have a West Coast connection. It will be a Westie League within a decade.

[FairWeatherFan]

9 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

It's the same as most towns with a big senior team - there aren't any in Kilmarnock or Motherwell either despite these towns also lying in Junior strongholds.

Kilmarnock now as Bonnyton Thistle filling that lower league void. That's the kind of model that may well spring up in the bigger towns with established full time teams. A youth club creating an adult pathway for their teams.