EoS Structure for 2021/22

[FairWeatherFan]

9 minutes ago, Dev said:

With the LL running at 17 rather than the ideal 16 clubs, and fresh competition coming from the WoS for places in the LL, it is fair to assume that additional clubs may be entering the EoS by relegation from above, possibly one per season for 2022/23 and 2023/24. (Two up Two down between Tiers 5 and 6 may not affect this)

Kelty get promoted with Brechin down to the Highland then the LL is back to 16 proper members. There's also the possibility of a change to the LL Play-off. Even then there's the a variety of scenarios that doesn't see the EoSFL take on a surplus from the LL. The EoSFL have to actually work with what they've got.

9 minutes ago, Dev said:

The EoS has decided not to use double relegation for any existing member clubs in 2021/22. Further, existing member clubs are also protected from relegation  at the end of 2022/23, down from Division Two to Division Three i.e. Tier 8 to Tier 9.

With the Second Division meant to operatre at 18 clubs in 2022-23 there would be extra relegation most likely to get it down to 16. Where exactly are you getting no relegation from the Second Division at the end of 2022-23?

9 minutes ago, Dev said:

In the meantime the new EoS Tier X Division for 2021/22 newcomers  loses two clubs to promotion at the end of 2021/22 but gains none on relegation so goes down from 11 to 9.

The new WoSFL Fourth Division loses an unknown number of clubs to the WoSFL Third Division and potentially goes out of existence. Leaving any clubs left behind without a division to play in unless new applicants come along. At least there's the certainty with existing members that the EoSFL Third Division will exist in 2022-23.

 

[Burnieman]

That, Tayside was resolved, and there's no longer a semi-pro league operating outside the pyramid in the same area.
So all the speculation that keeps the thread active has been reduced to plucking random amateurs wondering "Do they play in a cage?" or for a Border football revival.

Pretty much. This year, if you strip away the 15 Junior applicants, you were left with 4 clubs. Edinburgh College, Edinburgh City Reserves, Letham and some speculative application from a "Scoutable United" type nonsense.

Next year, without any Junior interest, you're likely looking at a handful of clubs again. Maybe with a new Third Division that might tempt the return of the likes of Duns.

[FairWeatherFan]

23 minutes ago, Burnieman said:

Pretty much. This year, if you strip away the 15 Junior applicants, you were left with 4 clubs. Edinburgh College, Edinburgh City Reserves, Letham and some speculative application from a "Scoutable United" type nonsense.

Next year, without any Junior interest, you're likely looking at a handful of clubs again. Maybe with a new Third Division that might tempt the return of the likes of Duns.

Letham social media accounts never took down the news of them applying to the EoSFL. So it doesn't look like they're in a huff at any rate.

Despite how some people on here have reacted to it, i'm going to assume the EoSFL simply told them to apply again next season once they've got a suitable ground. The onus is now on them to get that resolved and hopefully they'll be back unlike the Glenrothes Strollers & Musselburgh Windsor's of years gone by.

[Burnieman]

Letham social media accounts never took down the news of them applying to the EoSFL. So it doesn't look like they're in a huff at any rate.
Despite how some people on here have reacted to it, i'm going to assume the EoSFL simply told them to apply again next season once they've got a suitable ground. The onus is now on them to get that resolved and hopefully they'll be back unlike the Glenrothes Strollers & Musselburgh Windsor's of years gone by.

My understanding is that the impression was of a well run club, just lacking in ground requirements. Try again next year sort of thing.

[patriot1]

1 hour ago, Burnieman said:

4 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Letham social media accounts never took down the news of them applying to the EoSFL. So it doesn't look like they're in a huff at any rate.
Despite how some people on here have reacted to it, i'm going to assume the EoSFL simply told them to apply again next season once they've got a suitable ground. The onus is now on them to get that resolved and hopefully they'll be back unlike the Glenrothes Strollers & Musselburgh Windsor's of years gone by.

My understanding is that the impression was of a well run club, just lacking in ground requirements. Try again next year sort of thing.

I hope so.

[FairWeatherFan]

Looks like the Junior Cup and South & East Cup Winners Shield will still be separate qualifying pathways with no overlap in terms of entrants. The West are introducing an Alex Jack/Alba Cup equivalent in the Strathclyde Cup. This will be played on the same dates scheduled for the Junior Cup so no one can play in both.

[Dev]

The Midland League thread is showing a statement from Letham showing that they've been accepted into that new Tier 6 League.

Although I am pleased to see that they have been able to make the move up from the Amateurs to Senior football it is extremely disappointing that they were either rejected by the EoS (does anyone know if this was the case?) or they simply opted to avoid playing in an effectively Tier 9 EoS Conference entirely comprised of West Lothian clubs plus an Edinburgh club - so no local games at all.

No wonder there seemed to be a lack of interest in applying to join the EoS from outside the Lothians.

If they weren't rejected by the EoS - if only the EoS clubs had given this a little more attention Letham needn't be playing out of area. There-again has there been any agreement between the EoS and the new Midland League over their boundary? It's been very quiet about this for quite a while.

[patriot1]

I asked the question a while back whether Letham’s application was rejected on geographical grounds given that other teams had been accepted with a year to get their grounds up to scratch.

It would be really disappointing if this is the case.

[Dev]

I understand that the EoS does not comment upon applications and, in fairness, they've been consistent about that. However, if Letham also do not go public over why they aren't now in the EoS we are left with speculation.

However, if there is an agreed boundary between the EoS and the Midland leagues it would be useful if clubs considering applications in the future had access to this information. Come on EoS clarify!

The EoS clubs made a poor decision to keep the West Lothian (now Ex Junior) clubs at Tier 9 and in one group in a small geographical area rather than bringing them in at Tier 7 level in balanced Conferences comprised of clubs from a wide geographical spread which is representative of the league's membership. This could easily create a block to further applications from clubs from the northern and southern parts of the EoS area for a number of seasons. If that happens that would be extremely unfortunate for a league which has lead the way in recent years.

Time to own up and change to north and south divisions at the bottom of the league at the first opportunity.  

[FairWeatherFan]

I think it was the same meeting that clubs found out who were being forwarded for a membership vote, that the clubs were actually voting on null & void or continue the season. Which means Letham's application ended before it was known what was officially happening with the 2020-21 season, let alone 2021-22 & 2022-23.

When Luncarty got progressed without caring over boundary concerns, Kinnoull were brought in as a last minute replacement for Eyemouth, and weren't Jeanfield in the original 13 for 2018-19? The blaming geography angle has never made any sense.

[LongTimeLurker]

9 hours ago, patriot1 said:

I asked the question a while back whether Letham’s application was rejected on geographical grounds given that other teams had been accepted with a year to get their grounds up to scratch.

It would be really disappointing if this is the case.

Once there was no danger of a Brechin City inspired boundary shift in a Club 42 context and the east region's Midland League had hooked up with the HL their enthusiasm for anything north of the Ochils probably dwindled considerably. Not objecting to Tayport being in the Midland League showed that limiting travel on geographical grounds had become acceptable as a consideration. It always appeared to me that the main concern of the EoS blazers was blocking east region entry as an LL feeder and if that had required accepting clubs as far north as Brechin Vics they would have recommended that course of action to their members. Once the danger had passed however...

Edited June 24, 2021 by LongTimeLurker

[LongTimeLurker]

12 hours ago, Dev said:

...Time to own up and change to north and south divisions at the bottom of the league at the first opportunity.  

Did the WoS not run into issues on that? A region can't be split into smaller regions got mentioned on the WoS subforum as being the SFA's posture on having geographical conferences in a WoS context as some clubs wanted for this season.

Think what's more interesting is that we have been assured by several well-connected posters that the east region (aka Midlands League) and EoS have been in close contact about defining boundaries so presumably the EoS are OK with Letham being in an HL feeder? I seriously doubt that east region pyramid entry would have been jeopardised over the status of a Perth amateur club.

Maybe somebody could revisit some of their old line of latitude graphics that were supposed to be oh so pivotal to show us how Letham aren't just south of Luncarty but also Jeanfield Swifts and Kinnoull as well? 

[Burnieman]

On 24/06/2021 at 00:04, patriot1 said:

I asked the question a while back whether Letham’s application was rejected on geographical grounds given that other teams had been accepted with a year to get their grounds up to scratch.

It would be really disappointing if this is the case.

Their application was not rejected on geographical grounds, purely down to their home ground being a bit away from meeting EoS requirements.

How they have ended up in the Midland League who knows, they are clearly south of the dividing line. There's either a line or there isn't, and they are not an exception like Luncarty or Harthill. Strange one.

[FairWeatherFan]

5 minutes ago, Burnieman said:

Their application was not rejected on geographical grounds, purely down to their home ground being a bit away from meeting EoS requirements.

How they have ended up in the Midland League who knows, they are clearly south of the dividing line. There's either a line or there isn't, and they are not an exception like Luncarty or Harthill. Strange one.

It's not different than Scone or Tayport still being in the Midlands. It looks like it falls into the category of not yet being a pyramid league so they can get classed as existing members whenever a boundary does start.

I think some of these amateur sides have made moves ahead of this year due to the fear of losing another season because of COVID. Otherwise they may well have waited things out.

[patriot1]

11 minutes ago, Burnieman said:

Their application was not rejected on geographical grounds, purely down to their home ground being a bit away from meeting EoS requirements.

How they have ended up in the Midland League who knows, they are clearly south of the dividing line. There's either a line or there isn't, and they are not an exception like Luncarty or Harthill. Strange one.

Ground issues didn’t stop Inverkeithing, Rosyth or Thornton being accepted and given a years grace.  Unless Letham said that there was no way they could meet EOS requirements I still have my suspicions that more applications from Perth are not welcome.

[FairWeatherFan]

11 minutes ago, patriot1 said:

Ground issues didn’t stop Inverkeithing, Rosyth or Thornton being accepted and given a years grace.  Unless Letham said that there was no way they could meet EOS requirements I still have my suspicions that more applications from Perth are not welcome.

Does that mean a Cupar Hearts application is basically doomed? Since Lothian & Borders make up the bulk of the league and it's little different going to Perth or the NE of Fife for them?

 

[Burnieman]

1 hour ago, patriot1 said:

Ground issues didn’t stop Inverkeithing, Rosyth or Thornton being accepted and given a years grace.  Unless Letham said that there was no way they could meet EOS requirements I still have my suspicions that more applications from Perth are not welcome.

That's simply not true.

[Burnieman]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

It's not different than Scone or Tayport still being in the Midlands. It looks like it falls into the category of not yet being a pyramid league so they can get classed as existing members whenever a boundary does start.

I think some of these amateur sides have made moves ahead of this year due to the fear of losing another season because of COVID. Otherwise they may well have waited things out.

Yet the EoS turned down Forfar WE, Dundee NE and Broughty as they fell above the boundary.  Instead we now have Perth with two LL feeder clubs, and one HL feeder club.

[LongTimeLurker]

2 hours ago, patriot1 said:

Ground issues didn’t stop Inverkeithing, Rosyth or Thornton being accepted and given a years grace.  Unless Letham said that there was no way they could meet EOS requirements I still have my suspicions that more applications from Perth are not welcome.

The EoS could have tried to insist Tayport were in their catchment but didn't because the line of latitude is actually only for the relegation of Club 42 and hence as you frequently pointed out a red herring. That's a long way to drive so OK they can go north appears to be what happened on that one.

Odds on there would be no objection if the three Perth area clubs now decided they would prefer the Midlands League as well. Difficult to see how Letham would have got in if the EoS viewed Perth as definitively in its catchment given the two leagues were supposed to be working on an agreed boundary.

[Dev]

On 24/06/2021 at 06:33, FairWeatherFan said:

I think it was the same meeting that clubs found out who were being forwarded for a membership vote, that the clubs were actually voting on null & void or continue the season. Which means Letham's application ended before it was known what was officially happening with the 2020-21 season, let alone 2021-22 & 2022-23.

When Luncarty got progressed without caring over boundary concerns, Kinnoull were brought in as a last minute replacement for Eyemouth, and weren't Jeanfield in the original 13 for 2018-19? The blaming geography angle has never made any sense.

It has often been stated here on P&B by regulars who should know that the West Lothian Juniors had it spelled out that they would not be coming in at Tier7 in 2021/22. In other words interested clubs knew the score from the start.