LongTimeLurker Posted April 8, 2023 Share Posted April 8, 2023 My understanding is that the HL would run with 19 clubs next season if Elgin are replaced by Spartans rather than relegate Strathspey Thistle to keep numbers at 18 but if true that would probably create pressure for some further reconstruction and/or rule changes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted April 8, 2023 Share Posted April 8, 2023 Those upstairs have said previously the Highland League is capable of a 20-team league and we'd not need to consider imposing relegation or switching to two league until we went beyond that. Plenty of time to play more games early in the season as things stand. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifeSons Posted April 8, 2023 Share Posted April 8, 2023 That's an absolute sickener for Brechin, with Buckie winning that late. Elgin are the only team close to being as bad as us in the SPFL right now. I'd be very surprised if they have it in them to get past Spartans or Buckie/Brechin. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityDave94 Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 12 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said: My understanding is that the HL would run with 19 clubs next season if Elgin are replaced by Spartans rather than relegate Strathspey Thistle to keep numbers at 18 but if true that would probably create pressure for some further reconstruction and/or rule changes. Where would this pressure come from? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 (edited) It would need to be the member clubs and a bad winter with lots of game postponements leading to a chaotic ending to the season to have a champion in time for the playoffs would be the probable catalyst. With 19 clubs, the bye week issue that can be solved by going to either 18 or 20 and then remaining fixed at that could also come into play. Edited April 9, 2023 by LongTimeLurker 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 There's plenty time to fit in more fixtures at the beginning of the season before the weather tends to lead to postponements, between July and December this season only 3 midweek fixture lists were made use of. Summer evenings would bring in decent crowds too I'd have thought. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 They're struggling with 18 this season. If it is possible to fit more fixtures in earlier in the year, maybe they should do it now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 5 minutes ago, craigkillie said: They're struggling with 18 this season. If it is possible to fit more fixtures in earlier in the year, maybe they should do it now. There's resistance from the clubs because they think they'll lose out on hospitality. Short sighted imo, they've ended with even less income by having midweek fixtures in shitty weather in February and March. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 There's also a footballing argument about not wanting too many league fixtures very early on before new signings have settled into a team's preferred system. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Joe Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 14 hours ago, FifeSons said: That's an absolute sickener for Brechin, with Buckie winning that late. Elgin are the only team close to being as bad as us in the SPFL right now. I'd be very surprised if they have it in them to get past Spartans or Buckie/Brechin. What? Dumbarton are second top by a hefty margin. They've hit a dip in form, that is all. Elgin City have also struggled in recent weeks, but have clearly got a weaker squad and Hester, one of the best players in the league, appears to have gone off the boil. Conversely, I think any of the SPFL2 teams will win the play-offs. Not at a canter, but will be too strong for either Buckie Thistle or Spartans, (or Brechin City should they surprise us). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifeSons Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 5 minutes ago, Cosmic Joe said: What? Dumbarton are second top by a hefty margin. They've hit a dip in form, that is all. Elgin City have also struggled in recent weeks, but have clearly got a weaker squad and Hester, one of the best players in the league, appears to have gone off the boil. Conversely, I think any of the SPFL2 teams will win the play-offs. Not at a canter, but will be too strong for either Buckie Thistle or Spartans, (or Brechin City should they surprise us). Every chance we won’t even finish second. On current form we are as bad, if not worse than Elgin. We are easily the two worst teams in the league at the moment. The only team Elgin have beaten in ages is us, and they were miles ahead of us that day, with 2-1 really flattering us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 6 hours ago, craigkillie said: They're struggling with 18 this season. If it is possible to fit more fixtures in earlier in the year, maybe they should do it now. No we’re not. We’ll be done on the 22nd of April, which I think is on schedule or at least within the catch-up window scheduled at the start of the season. Only a couple of clubs are having a busy run-in, and if one of them wasn’t Brechin no-one would have noticed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 3 hours ago, Cosmic Joe said: ...Conversely, I think any of the SPFL2 teams will win the play-offs. Not at a canter, but will be too strong for either Buckie Thistle or Spartans, (or Brechin City should they surprise us). Have you watched Buckie Thistle, Spartans or Brechin City this season or is this just what you want to be the case? The problem Club 42 has is that they are trying to get a bunch of players that know they are probably about to be on a free transfer away from the club they are playing for to care deeply about the outcome while playing against a team that are on a high from just winning a league championship. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Joe Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 19 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said: Have you watched Buckie Thistle, Spartans or Brechin City this season or is this just what you want to be the case? The problem Club 42 has is that they are trying to get a bunch of players that know they are probably about to be on a free transfer away from the club they are playing for to care deeply about the outcome while playing against a team that are on a high from just winning a league championship. I've seen Buckie Thistle and Spartans. For me, they are Bonnyrigg Rose type of teams. Bonnyrigg started off well this season but got found out and their overly physical approach has been countered by most teams. I have however seen Albion Rovers, Elgin City and Bonnyrigg Rose on numerous occasions. Rovers and Elgin can be decent, albeit slightly getting carried by one star player. It's a gut feeling more than anything. I don't see a Lowland or Highland league side progressing this season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 49 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said: Have you watched Buckie Thistle, Spartans or Brechin City this season or is this just what you want to be the case? The problem Club 42 has is that they are trying to get a bunch of players that know they are probably about to be on a free transfer away from the club they are playing for to care deeply about the outcome while playing against a team that are on a high from just winning a league championship. I don't think Buckie Thistle will be highly motivated, unless the players rebel against the club. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Jimmy Shaker said: No we’re not. We’ll be done on the 22nd of April, which I think is on schedule or at least within the catch-up window scheduled at the start of the season. Only a couple of clubs are having a busy run-in, and if one of them wasn’t Brechin no-one would have noticed. The Midland League could struggle with Montrose Roselea joining for next season, their fixture list already runs till May 6th and I don't think that covers all the unplayed games. Edited April 9, 2023 by welshbairn 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairWeatherFan Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 13 minutes ago, welshbairn said: The Midland League could struggle with Montrose Roselea joining for next season, their fixture list already runs till May 6th and I don't think that covers all the unplayed games. The addition doesn't make much of a difference on paper. Instead of a team being idle, they'd be scheduled a league fixture. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 3 hours ago, Jimmy Shaker said: No we’re not. We’ll be done on the 22nd of April, which I think is on schedule or at least within the catch-up window scheduled at the start of the season. Only a couple of clubs are having a busy run-in, and if one of them wasn’t Brechin no-one would have noticed. But one of them is Brechin, and if they're now a single postponement away from having to play twice in the same midweek to finish on time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 9, 2023 Share Posted April 9, 2023 (edited) 20 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said: The addition doesn't make much of a difference on paper. Instead of a team being idle, they'd be scheduled a league fixture. True. If the Junior's website is correct though, as it is about half the teams still have 9 games to play. Could mean the bottom HL team having to twiddle their thumbs for maybe a month to wait for a play off, and possibly the NCL champions too. P.S. Most of the grounds don't have floodlights either, so little opportunity for catching up midweek. Edited April 9, 2023 by welshbairn 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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