Structure for 2021/2022

[mcruic]

Given that the Premier league is doing a 7 out, 3 in to reduce itself to 16 teams, where does that leave the other 51 teams?  3 more tiers of 17 teams?  Split Tier 8 into 2?  I think the East of Scotland clubs have it a bit easier to progress through the pyramid as they only go down to Tier 7 at the moment - some clubs in the WoS could find themselves at Tier 9, even though they are probably better than some of the East teams at Tier 7 (and South teams at Tier 6).

Edited September 15, 2020 by mcruic

[morley]

Surely its inevitable there will be a need for more tiers in the West as there is more clubs/larger population base, I don't really see why that would be an issue.  The alternative being you have larger league divisions/conversely smaller league divisions to try and have an equal number of steps in the ladder between the East and West. But experience shows having large league divisions, and ones that are to small dont really work. Yes the West arguably may have more strength in depth than the EoS and definitely than the SoS, and some clubs may have to go through 4 tiers to reach the LL,  but that is just the nature of pyramid football league model is it not, which will balance out via the playoffs between the respective leagues and where on paper the likely area the teams going up and coming down will come from.

Edited September 15, 2020 by morley

[FairWeatherFan]

7 hours ago, mcruic said:

Given that the Premier league is doing a 7 out, 3 in to reduce itself to 16 teams, where does that leave the other 51 teams?  3 more tiers of 17 teams?  Split Tier 8 into 2?  I think the East of Scotland clubs have it a bit easier to progress through the pyramid as they only go down to Tier 7 at the moment - some clubs in the WoS could find themselves at Tier 9, even though they are probably better than some of the East teams at Tier 7 (and South teams at Tier 6).

Guessing this was meant to be for 2021-22. The idea of going straight to 4 tiered divisions seemed to be the one suggested by most clubs in the press and social media. Not sure if it was ever decided exactly what it would look like beyond getting the Premier down to 16.

As you'll have seen there's been more pressing matters to resolve so it has never been defined.

[mcruic]

8 hours ago, morley said:

Surely its inevitable there will be a need for more tiers in the West as there is more clubs/larger population base, I don't really see why that would be an issue.  The alternative being you have larger league divisions/conversely smaller league divisions to try and have an equal number of steps in the ladder between the East and West. But experience shows having large league divisions, and ones that are to small dont really work. Yes the West arguably may have more strength in depth than the EoS and definitely than the SoS, and some clubs may have to go through 4 tiers to reach the LL,  but that is just the nature of pyramid football league model is it not, which will balance out via the playoffs between the respective leagues and where on paper the likely area the teams going up and coming down will come from.

The alternative would be to have splits at each level (so 2 leagues at Level 7 like the EoS is doing).  That way 2 league wins could see you in the LL.  The West could easily have a split at Tier 7, with 2 leagues, and then 2 leagues at Tier 8.  4 up 4 down between Tier 6 and Tier 7 would mean the Top 2 of each Tier 7 league could go up each year and would keep it all competitive.  That way, nobody is more than 3 steps away from the Lowland League.  The West used to have a split between Central and Ayrshire anyway below Level 2 - so it's not a new idea.

South of Scotland League should really be in with the West as a regional division at Tier 8.  If any club wants to go higher up, they can play in West Tier 7 (Where their travel would be less than if they went up to the LL).

 

 

[mcruic]

8 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Guessing this was meant to be for 2021-22. The idea of going straight to 4 tiered divisions seemed to be the one suggested by most clubs in the press and social media. Not sure if it was ever decided exactly what it would look like beyond getting the Premier down to 16.

As you'll have seen there's been more pressing matters to resolve so it has never been defined.

Yeah - changed the title.  Easy to forget what year it is at the moment...

I'm not sure 2020-21 will even get completed to be honest.

[B75]

19 hours ago, mcruic said:

The alternative would be to have splits at each level (so 2 leagues at Level 7 like the EoS is doing).  That way 2 league wins could see you in the LL.  The West could easily have a split at Tier 7, with 2 leagues, and then 2 leagues at Tier 8.  4 up 4 down between Tier 6 and Tier 7 would mean the Top 2 of each Tier 7 league could go up each year and would keep it all competitive.  That way, nobody is more than 3 steps away from the Lowland League.  The West used to have a split between Central and Ayrshire anyway below Level 2 - so it's not a new idea.

South of Scotland League should really be in with the West as a regional division at Tier 8.  If any club wants to go higher up, they can play in West Tier 7 (Where their travel would be less than if they went up to the LL).

 

 

Everybody on here seems to think Sosl should be tier 8. Tough they're tier 6, deal with it.

[Gordon EF]

On 15/09/2020 at 02:04, mcruic said:

Given that the Premier league is doing a 7 out, 3 in to reduce itself to 16 teams, where does that leave the other 51 teams?  3 more tiers of 17 teams?  Split Tier 8 into 2?  I think the East of Scotland clubs have it a bit easier to progress through the pyramid as they only go down to Tier 7 at the moment - some clubs in the WoS could find themselves at Tier 9, even though they are probably better than some of the East teams at Tier 7 (and South teams at Tier 6).

Ultimately, to progress to tier 5, you have to be the best team at tier 6 at the moment. That's the same whether you're East, West or South.

[Marshmallo]

8 minutes ago, B75 said:

Everybody on here seems to think Sosl should be tier 8. Tough they're tier 6, deal with it.

The SoS and WoS cover the same geographic region and should be merged.

[B75]

4 hours ago, Marshmallo said:

The SoS and WoS cover the same geographic region and should be merged.

No they dont and no they shouldn't. The clues are in the name, SOUTH and WEST.

[Marshmallo]

18 minutes ago, B75 said:

No they dont and no they shouldn't. The clues are in the name, SOUTH and WEST.

 

[Dev]

Just for the record the 2020/21 structure for the Premier Division as announced by the league is:

Premier Division :

Group 1		Group 2
Auchinleck Talbot		Beith Juniors
Benburb		Cumbernauld United
Blantyre Victoria		Cumnock Juniors
Bonnyton Thistle		Darvel
Clydebank		Hurlford United
Glenafton Athletic		Kilwinning Rangers
Irvine Meadow XI		Pollok
Kilbirnie Ladeside		Rossvale
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy		Rutherglen Glencairn
Largs Thistle		Troon

[Dev]

Just for the record the 2020/21 structure for the Division One Conferences as announced by the league is:

 

Conference A
Group 1			Group 2
Craigmark Burntonians			Arthurlie
Forth Wanderers			Bellshill Athletic
Girvan			Johnstone Burgh
Glasgow University			Lesmahagow Juniors
Irvine Victoria			Lugar Boswell Thistle
Maryhill			Muirkirk Juniors
Maybole Juniors			Saltcoats Victoria
Shotts Bon Accord			Whitletts Victoria

 

Conference B
Group 1		Group 2
Annbank United		Ardeer Thistle
Cambuslang Rangers		Ashfield
Carluke Rovers		Dalry Thistle
Kello Rovers		Gartcairn
Renfrew		Greenock Juniors
Shettleston		Newmains United
St. Cadoc’s		Port Glasgow Juniors
Thorniewood United		Royal Albert

 

Conference C
Group 1 (7)			Group 2 (8)
Ardrossan Winton Rovers			Drumchapel United
Larkhall Thistle			East Kilbride Thistle
Neilston			Glasgow Perthshire
Petershill			Kilsyth Rangers
Vale of Clyde			Lanark United
Wishaw			St. Anthony’s
Yoker Athletic			St. Roch’s
			Vale of Leven

[Tutankhamen]

Nothing yet on the official Wosfl social media pages. 

[Gordon EF]

17 hours ago, B75 said:

No they dont and no they shouldn't. The clues are in the name, SOUTH and WEST.

What folk are effectively suggesting is that the SoSL becomes the 'West South' league. Which is probably more geographically correct.

[glensmad]

Nothing yet on the official Wosfl social media pages. 

There is now.

[rncaa]

Ignoring the anorak who started this thread what an absolute cluster f**k this whole thing is. 

Clubs scattered all over the place over split conferences, fixtures all over the place ,  all for a season that has little chance of even half way becoming credible. 

We are already seeing local lockdown happening again in society the tier 1 premiership with all its resources and money will be lucky to finish the season with no fans or a tiny handful allowed in. 

The game at this level is done for this season survival mode needs to be applied time for whoever is in charge to realise this instead of pie in the sky proposals do not wait for a club or two to disappear to start to take the sensible route. 

Edited September 17, 2020 by rncaa

[Sergeant Wilson]

21 minutes ago, rncaa said:

Ignoring the anorak who started this thread what an absolute cluster f**k this whole thing is. 

Clubs scattered all over the place over split conferences, fixtures all over the place ,  all for a season that has little chance of even half way becoming credible. 

We are already seeing local lockdown happening again in society the tier 1 premiership with all its resources and money will be lucky to finish the season with no fans or a tiny handful allowed in. 

The game at this level is done for this season survival mode needs to be applied time for whoever is in charge to realise this instead of pie in the sky proposals do not wait for a club or two to disappear to start to take the sensible route. 

This seems familiar, have you mentioned it before?

[peasy23]

This seems familiar, have you mentioned it before?

Eat. Sleep. Rant and rave. Repeat.

[jimbaxters]

There's the Toon shutting doon now. There's no way the season will get going any time soon. 

Well done to those who have tried to restructure things but it really is moot.

Edited September 17, 2020 by jimbaxters

[andy25]

In your opinion [emoji849]

There's the Toon shutting doon now. There's no way the season will get going any time soon. 
Well done to those who have tried to restructure things but it really is moot.