WoSFL Premier Division thread

[passbackdave]

3 minutes ago, Size Five said:

Meadow are in a bad, bad way. Just don’t look like they have the squad to turn things around.

Last time they went down  they sorted themselves out and got up again under McGinty. 
 

But the leagues are a different kettle of fish now and I fear they’d struggle to get back up. They’ve been treading water on the field for a good number of years and that was always eventually going to catch up on them. 
 

Definitely a club that has lost its way. 

 

Lost its money u mean. 

 

Mon the papers

[energyzone]

26 minutes ago, passbackdave said:

Lost its money u mean. 

 

Mon the papers

They haven't had much in the way of money for the last ten years.  It's a shame as they could be one of the best supported clubs in the region, if not further considering the size of their home town, but I don't know how they would achieve that.

[Jurgenflopp]

5 hours ago, Size Five said:

Meadow are in a bad, bad way. Just don’t look like they have the squad to turn things around.

Last time they went down  they sorted themselves out and got up again under McGinty. 
 

But the leagues are a different kettle of fish now and I fear they’d struggle to get back up. They’ve been treading water on the field for a good number of years and that was always eventually going to catch up on them. 
 

Definitely a club that has lost its way. 

 

Is Ben Carson the manager now? 
 

Game few weeks ago looked like he was but someone said it was still Marty Ferry. I remember the guy from years ago sure he was captain of medda??

a few other guys in dugout as well that day someone said an ex PL ref Roach? If it is the guy I am thinking of then good luck to medda. I watched ther game at Talbot and the guy looked out his depth Medda have entered downhill spiral 
 

They will go down now a shame but this was coming for club for years 

[Shannon]

The Meadow manager is Martin Ferry with Des Roache as assistant. Ben Carson is in the coaching team as well as Development Team manager.

 

We were doing well under McGinty and were promoted back to Premier and we were improving league position each season then he unfortunately left just before March 2020.  During COVID / 1st season under Spence & Latta we made some excellent signings like Wardrope, Connor Boyd & Callum Graham but we have let a full team we had gradually built up really well from 2017-2021/22 leave to our league rivals which is hugely disappointing in the last 18 months.

Callum Gow & Faulds to Pollok

Wardrope, Slooves, Connor Boyd & Ross Smith to Talbot

Jared Willet, Mark McLennan, Andy McLaughlin & Carnwath to Cumnock

Callum Graham to Clydebank

Plus our first choice goalie moving on too in Waters.

I don't think we have got big enough transfer fees in for players under contract or replaced them with same quality.

We need at very least 4 - 6 new quality players to even try to finish off the bottom 3 spots. Likes of Gartcairn and St Cadocs with many times our budget & we can't compete with wages they are offering really shows the way football is going at our level unfortunately.

Unless you have big support base like Talbot, Pollok, Clydebank or wealthy owners / sponsors or a very good management team like Beith / Largs then like us Glenafton and Arthurlie you will find it hard having a grass pitch and owning your own ground as you have so many outgoings before you even get started on a wage budget.

 

However a couple of wins and can get back in among the teams battling for survival and we have a massive home game v Troon and away v Arthurlie soon that if we can get 3 points from  them that can maybe give us some hope going into New Year.

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Shannon

[Shannon]

If Clydebank / Pollok / Darvel can win the play offs this season and another licensed West team win the play offs next season I would fancy us to be at least 4th in Division 1 next season and promoted back if Meadow can get our player recruitment right as we did under McGinty and for majority of our signings under Spence & Latta.

[glensmad]

8 hours ago, Shannon said:

If Clydebank / Pollok / Darvel can win the play offs this season and another licensed West team win the play offs next season I would fancy us to be at least 4th in Division 1 next season and promoted back if Meadow can get our player recruitment right as we did under McGinty and for majority of our signings under Spence & Latta.

Assuming no team is relegated from the Lowland League into the WoSFL.................

[fieldsofdreams]

10 hours ago, Shannon said:

If Clydebank / Pollok / Darvel can win the play offs this season and another licensed West team win the play offs next season I would fancy us to be at least 4th in Division 1 next season and promoted back if Meadow can get our player recruitment right as we did under McGinty and for majority of our signings under Spence & Latta.

Still can't see past Beith winning the league. Darvel will need some good fortune on the injury front to be finishing top 5 as they no longer have strength in depth and also a couple more players look like they are on their way out and being replaced by loan deals. 

Clydebank don't have the bottle to win anything and I don't see Pollock being strong enough this season to be competing for the league. 

[Shannon]

52 minutes ago, glensmad said:

Assuming no team is relegated from the Lowland League into the WoSFL.................

I doubt they will be unless Caledonian Braves and/or Albion Rovers really struggle next season.

Cumbernauld Colts, East Kilbride and Broomhill won't be going down especially not this season. To be honest I can't see Caledonian Braves and Broomhill continuing if they get relegated...just my opinion.

[jimbaxters]

1 hour ago, fieldsofdreams said:

Still can't see past Beith winning the league. Darvel will need some good fortune on the injury front to be finishing top 5 as they no longer have strength in depth and also a couple more players look like they are on their way out and being replaced by loan deals. 

Clydebank don't have the bottle to win anything and I don't see Pollock being strong enough this season to be competing for the league. 

Disagree with this. Clydebank beat Beith in the head to head which isn't really bottling it. Having said that they have stuttered slightly since but must have shown character to come back from two down on Saturday to nick a point. We'l see in the run in but for me, they could be turning the corner.

Regardless there are four clubs challenging for the top spot, all of which you mentioned above. It is a right good league.

[fieldsofdreams]

19 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

Disagree with this. Clydebank beat Beith in the head to head which isn't really bottling it. Having said that they have stuttered slightly since but must have shown character to come back from two down on Saturday to nick a point. We'l see in the run in but for me, they could be turning the corner.

Regardless there are four clubs challenging for the top spot, all of which you mentioned above. It is a right good league.

I still think Talbot will be up there, not win it has the start to season was too slow however i still think they will give a good account of themselves. Gartcairn are somewhat of an unknown at moment however I think they will have influence on league winners. 

[Pyramid Watcher]

7 hours ago, glensmad said:

Assuming no team is relegated from the Lowland League into the WoSFL.................

Virtually no chance of that this season.

[Johnny Sox]

17 hours ago, Shannon said:

The Meadow manager is Martin Ferry with Des Roache as assistant. Ben Carson is in the coaching team as well as Development Team manager.

 

We were doing well under McGinty and were promoted back to Premier and we were improving league position each season then he unfortunately left just before March 2020.  During COVID / 1st season under Spence & Latta we made some excellent signings like Wardrope, Connor Boyd & Callum Graham but we have let a full team we had gradually built up really well from 2017-2021/22 leave to our league rivals which is hugely disappointing in the last 18 months.

Callum Gow & Faulds to Pollok

Wardrope, Slooves, Connor Boyd & Ross Smith to Talbot

Jared Willet, Mark McLennan, Andy McLaughlin & Carnwath to Cumnock

Callum Graham to Clydebank

Plus our first choice goalie moving on too in Waters.

I don't think we have got big enough transfer fees in for players under contract or replaced them with same quality.

We need at very least 4 - 6 new quality players to even try to finish off the bottom 3 spots. Likes of Gartcairn and St Cadocs with many times our budget & we can't compete with wages they are offering really shows the way football is going at our level unfortunately.

Unless you have big support base like Talbot, Pollok, Clydebank or wealthy owners / sponsors or a very good management team like Beith / Largs then like us Glenafton and Arthurlie you will find it hard having a grass pitch and owning your own ground as you have so many outgoings before you even get started on a wage budget.

 

However a couple of wins and can get back in among the teams battling for survival and we have a massive home game v Troon and away v Arthurlie soon that if we can get 3 points from  them that can maybe give us some hope going into New Year.

 

Were Spence  and Latta fired too early?

[Black Pennel]

4 minutes ago, Pyramid Watcher said:

Virtually no chance of that this season.

Which is why the Meadow chap was clearly talking about next season.

[stanley]

Have licensing applications opened up again? Haven't heard any news for months. Any West teams possibly going for one? 

[Pyramid Watcher]

8 minutes ago, Black Pennel said:

Which is why the Meadow chap was clearly talking about next season.

I clearly misread it then.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

6 hours ago, jimbaxters said:

Disagree with this. Clydebank beat Beith in the head to head which isn't really bottling it. Having said that they have stuttered slightly since but must have shown character to come back from two down on Saturday to nick a point. We'l see in the run in but for me, they could be turning the corner.

Regardless there are four clubs challenging for the top spot, all of which you mentioned above. It is a right good league.

We badly need to be scoring more goals, Graham had chances to win the game for us vs Darvel and apparently at Gartcairn, seems to have not a lot of confidence, would be good if he hit some form, but if he doesnt we need to get someone in. 
I wouldnt say we will ‘bottle’ something, but we’re up against teams with a far larger budget who can afford to pay guys championship level wages, we’re run by a committee of working class folks and dont have the sugar daddies other teams do. I think we’re overachieving in that regard. 

[jimbaxters]

21 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

We badly need to be scoring more goals, Graham had chances to win the game for us vs Darvel and apparently at Gartcairn, seems to have not a lot of confidence, would be good if he hit some form, but if he doesnt we need to get someone in. 
I wouldnt say we will ‘bottle’ something, but we’re up against teams with a far larger budget who can afford to pay guys championship level wages, we’re run by a committee of working class folks and dont have the sugar daddies other teams do. I think we’re overachieving in that regard. 

Fair play but going by your last statement Talbot have overachieved for 40 years.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

23 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

Fair play but going by your last statement Talbot have overachieved for 40 years.

I think and ill accept if im wrong, but by having a decent fan base and building a team before the start of the mad money i feel like it at least helped you compete and was boosted by the cup runs. I think being licensed will be a bit of a leveller if we can get a decent cup run next year, but cant help but think that if we could get up into the LL the league cup and challenge cup money could really help. 

[energyzone]

20 hours ago, Shannon said:

If Clydebank / Pollok / Darvel can win the play offs this season and another licensed West team win the play offs next season I would fancy us to be at least 4th in Division 1 next season and promoted back if Meadow can get our player recruitment right as we did under McGinty and for majority of our signings under Spence & Latta.

It's a dog fight in the First Division though. It's harder to attract players, the gate receipts plummet and you don't get assistant referees so the referees decisions aren't as accurate.  I'm not saying you wouldn't be able to do it, but it's certainly not an easy league and there isn't much separating the top 7 or 8 at this point in time.

 

The Lowland League definitely attracts players who would have been playing at West Premier level 10 years ago and that filters down the divisions.  You also have Broomhill, Caley Braves and a host of new clubs who are paying premium prices and distorting the whole market.

[Shannon]

19 minutes ago, energyzone said:

It's a dog fight in the First Division though. It's harder to attract players, the gate receipts plummet and you don't get assistant referees so the referees decisions aren't as accurate.  I'm not saying you wouldn't be able to do it, but it's certainly not an easy league and there isn't much separating the top 7 or 8 at this point in time.

 

The Lowland League definitely attracts players who would have been playing at West Premier level 10 years ago and that filters down the divisions.  You also have Broomhill, Caley Braves and a host of new clubs who are paying premium prices and distorting the whole market.

Without a doubt 1st Division would be tough with the three teams that come down from Premier plus likely Ardrossan, Vale of Clyde etc who are doing well in league below plus whoever misses out this year whether it's Shotts, Buffs, Petershill, Blantyre, Rutherglen etc. We were in 1st Division recently and was a tough league to get out of with no easy games.