NRJFA Reconstruction

[Alwaysthebridesmaid]

Any news on reconstruction of the North (East) Region i.e. Grampian and Spey areas

I’m interested to hear peoples thoughts on what Tier 6 and 7 should look like in the area. 

By my count there will be 30ish teams next year with some sitting out (Strathspey and Buckie), promotion possibilities (BoD) and new members (rumours) it is screaming out for a 2 divisions set up in my opinion. I know feeling among a lot of those involved is that they’re tired of playing the same teams 5 times a season with filler cups from July to September and April. 

[Jimmy Shaker]

Rumours that Lossie United are coming back are growing. 

There was a solid tale of a two-division set-up at the weekend, but that came after a liquid lunch. 

[welshbairn]

Strathspey have a junior team?

[Alwaysthebridesmaid]

2 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Strathspey have a junior team?

Yes. Spey Valley they’ve sat out this year due to the covid restrictions at the start of the season

[AsimButtHitsASix]

There was some patter on here a while ago about North/Midland combining. Presume that came to nothing?

[welshbairn]

23 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

There was some patter on here a while ago about North/Midland combining. Presume that came to nothing?

Doesn't sound like there's much interest apart from teams close to both regions like Montrose Roselea. I'm not sure why they didn't just move to 2 divisions when they dropped the East and West leagues below the Superleague.

Edited April 18, 2022 by welshbairn

[FairWeatherFan]

I wonder if the Super League would lower the ground requirements assuming they go 3up 3down.

[Marten]

There was some patter on here a while ago about North/Midland combining. Presume that came to nothing?

From what I know, it's never gone further than informal discussions. I doubt there was enough interest in it, otherwise I'd have heard more of it by now.

[tellyboy]

The North/Tayside combined Superleague was discussed but never got off the ground. The SJFA did put forward another idea where the top 8 from both Regions at the halfway stage in their respective Leagues would combine to play each other once to decide the Playoff entrant (if Licencesed). That again didnt get off the ground. One issue could be that some teams will not have reached the half way stage due to Cups and postponments and delay the second half of the season. Good idea all the same but not for everyone.

There was a North Region Meeting yesterday and the outcome was the creation of two Divisions the Premier and Championship from the current three Leagues. The top (Premier League) will consist of 14 teams for season 2022/23 but will move to 16 in season 2023/24 by having two relegated and four promoted from the Championship. There are 31 teams in the North now and if Banks o Dee beat Fort William in the two playoff games then Maud will survive being relegated. There might be some issues if the teams in abeyance rejoin and some new teams come in as the lower League could become too big as will start with 16 as it is at the moment. 

[AsimButtHitsASix]

3 minutes ago, tellyboy said:

There might be some issues if the teams in abeyance rejoin and some new teams come in as the lower League could become too big as will start with 16 as it is at the moment. 

If there's only a 14 team top tier should be easy enough to promote a few clubs a year early if more do join. Any news of any new clubs and/or clubs returning?

[tellyboy]

11 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

If there's only a 14 team top tier should be easy enough to promote a few clubs a year early if more do join. Any news of any new clubs and/or clubs returning?

Just Spey Valley and Buckie who have both kept membership but no definite word on return and rumours of Lossiemouth United making a comeback. There have been a couple of enquiries from Amateur teams and word on Ground sharing which might not work (fall outs etc).

The plan is to go from 14 to 16 after the end of the first season so would reduce the lower league to a more managable level.

[Alwaysthebridesmaid]

18 hours ago, tellyboy said:

The North/Tayside combined Superleague was discussed but never got off the ground. The SJFA did put forward another idea where the top 8 from both Regions at the halfway stage in their respective Leagues would combine to play each other once to decide the Playoff entrant (if Licencesed). That again didnt get off the ground. One issue could be that some teams will not have reached the half way stage due to Cups and postponments and delay the second half of the season. Good idea all the same but not for everyone.

There was a North Region Meeting yesterday and the outcome was the creation of two Divisions the Premier and Championship from the current three Leagues. The top (Premier League) will consist of 14 teams for season 2022/23 but will move to 16 in season 2023/24 by having two relegated and four promoted from the Championship. There are 31 teams in the North now and if Banks o Dee beat Fort William in the two playoff games then Maud will survive being relegated. There might be some issues if the teams in abeyance rejoin and some new teams come in as the lower League could become too big as will start with 16 as it is at the moment. 

Great, thanks for the update. Were you at the meeting? Just wondering if the vote was pretty unanimous or if there was any kickback?
 

Certainly seems like the sensible option to go to two leagues and I think there will be enough competition. Although I fear for New Elgin and Whitehills as they’ve taken a few scuddings this season. 

Edited April 19, 2022 by Alwaysthebridesmaid

[Ginaro]

18 hours ago, tellyboy said:

There was a North Region Meeting yesterday and the outcome was the creation of two Divisions the Premier and Championship from the current three Leagues.

It was previously suggested on here that the name of the league was going to change to Grampian or something, has anything come of that?

[tellyboy]

2 hours ago, Alwaysthebridesmaid said:

Great, thanks for the update. Were you at the meeting? Just wondering if the vote was pretty unanimous or if there was any kickback?

Heard it was pretty unanimous. There was an intitial vote for two divisions v three and then the Management option for 2 Leagues v one from a club. There was little difference between the 2 and the Club one was voted in as per above.

On 18/04/2022 at 15:04, welshbairn said:

Doesn't sound like there's much interest apart from teams close to both regions like Montrose Roselea. I'm not sure why they didn't just move to 2 divisions when they dropped the East and West leagues below the Superleague.

Montrose Roselea seem happy in the North and have not made any approach to the Midlands. There is very little difference in travel (bar Nairn and Banff) especially with the new Aberdeen bypass. It has been mentioned that had they stuck around in the East Region they would have landed in the Midlands League however if the Midlands clubs had got what they wanted then they would have been stuck in a League with more travel and Fife/Lothians teams. Isnt hindsight wonderful! 

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

[Dev]

Unless I've got this wrong it sounds like 14 in the Premier and 16 in the Championship provided Banks O Dee move up to the Highland League and Fort William go to the North Caledonian League.

That leaves Buckie and Spey Valley United as clubs 17 and 18 next season if they return. If further clubs join would the Championship Division be split into two Conferences with play-offs at the end of the season for promotion? How many new clubs can be fitted in without going to Conferences?

[GNU_Linux]

Assume with the move a singular 2nd tier one of the Morrison or Elginshire Cup will cease?

[FairWeatherFan]

43 minutes ago, Dev said:

Unless I've got this wrong it sounds like 14 in the Premier and 16 in the Championship provided Banks O Dee move up to the Highland League and Fort William go to the North Caledonian League.

That leaves Buckie and Spey Valley United as clubs 17 and 18 next season if they return. If further clubs join would the Championship Division be split into two Conferences with play-offs at the end of the season for promotion? How many new clubs can be fitted in without going to Conferences?

I wouldn't overthink things. Next season's 14-16+ will be doable as there's no real time constraint on the Championship. It's just going to be the Top 4 promoted automatically. They're not going to pass 20 teams at that level. It's only looking possibly 19 if the abeyances come back and this rumour of Lossiemouth United.

It will then be a case of wait and see if it needs tweaked. Something not explained in that blurb is what will happen if the North Region ends up with a +1 team following next season's HL Playoff.

 

[Dev]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

I wouldn't overthink things. Next season's 14-16+ will be doable as there's no real time constraint on the Championship. It's just going to be the Top 4 promoted automatically. They're not going to pass 20 teams at that level. It's only looking possibly 19 if the abeyances come back and this rumour of Lossiemouth United.

It will then be a case of wait and see if it needs tweaked. Something not explained in that blurb is what will happen if the North Region ends up with a +1 team following next season's HL Playoff.

 

Nevertheless the possibilities which I drew together were made from points made by other posters on this thread. 

A little disappointing that the straight forward points and questions raised drew such an unhelpful first sentence.

However, it would, also, be interesting to hear is the plan for the potential +1 scenario.

 

[welshbairn]

21 minutes ago, Dev said:

Nevertheless the possibilities which I drew together were made from points made by other posters on this thread. 

A little disappointing that the straight forward points and questions raised drew such an unhelpful first sentence.

However, it would, also, be interesting to hear is the plan for the potential +1 scenario.

 

Sometimes "wait and see" is the best policy rather than trying to cover every possible contingency.