National Conference League

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, PossilYM said:

The door was opened to B teams when they were let in the Challenge Cup.

Now the horse has bolted.

The horse has bolted, the stable door is locked, and we are nearing the point for the livery to get knocked down!

[juniorref]

On 16/05/2023 at 11:58, PossilYM said:

Referee names Rangers player.

lol

If only I knew how to play the flute I'd fit all your misconceptions - though we all know it's a conspiracy.

 

With regards the point though - is there anyone else who is Scottish qualified that has played in competitive (ie not dud end of season or cup fare) first team matches having played B team football?

[bobbydazzler]

24 minutes ago, juniorref said:

If only I knew how to play the flute I'd fit all your misconceptions - though we all know it's a conspiracy.

 

With regards the point though - is there anyone else who is Scottish qualified that has played in competitive (ie not dud end of season or cup fare) first team matches having played B team football?

Connor Smith played a few games start of season for Hearts B im sure

[cowdenbeath]

2 hours ago, bobbydazzler said:

Connor Smith played a few games start of season for Hearts B im sure

He did.

[stanley]

Although he may meet the criteria of having played for the B team and first team, Connor Smith is already 21 and has had several loan spells and played first team football for Hearts before this season so it would be a big leap to suggest the B team has done anything to increase his chances of making it at Hearts.

[Dundee Hibernian]

That's Leon King and Connor Smith ready to propel Scotland to the 2026 WC Finals in North America then!

[Greenmachine]

[Guest]

I vaguely recall a few years back, ahead of a FIFA age-group tournament, the New Zealand FA let their under-whatevers play as an additional side in their senior tournament for a season. I think they added an extra team to the league so that there was a bye each week amongst the 'proper' clubs, and that bye team played against the youth side [Edit: nope, Wanderers SC replaced a withdrawn club, but a Scotland Colts team wouldn't have to.....].

If this daft Conference idea really was all about improving the fortunes of the younger Scottish players, they could just be invited to play ghost fixtures alongside an expanded eleven-team Championship/League 1/League 2 setup as 'Scotland Colts' or something, couldn't they? 

The current B teams can then do the right and proper thing and join a reserve league for their weekly fixtures, with all eligible Scottish players able to be called up to the Scotland Colts squad at a week's notice.  The league table doesn't even have to include results against the Scotland Colts team, so the other eleven can rotate their squads for those fixtures if they chose. 

This would get B teams out of the league system, allow up and coming Scottish players a chance of regular matches within a squad environment, and also have the bonus of allowing a 43rd club into the SPFL to make up the 'bye' fixture. If four fixtures against Colts per season is excessive, they could just play two - both at the home of the 'regular' club.  

  

Edited May 18, 2023 by IncomingExile

[cowdenbeath]

1 hour ago, stanley said:

Although he may meet the criteria of having played for the B team and first team, Connor Smith is already 21 and has had several loan spells and played first team football for Hearts before this season so it would be a big leap to suggest the B team has done anything to increase his chances of making it at Hearts.

It was pointless him playing in the LL 

[Connor7]

2 hours ago, cowdenbeath said:

It was pointless him playing in the LL 

Before his spell in the Hearts B side. He had spells at: 

Cowdenbeath - League 2

Arbroath - Championship

Cove Rangers - League 1

Queens Park - League 1

Playing for Queen’s Park in the play offs to go up last season, to then dropping to play in the lowland league. Even the player himself must have thought “wtf” is happening here. 
 

I am sure he will be enjoying playing football at a level he can be tested again. 
 

No disrespect to the lowland league sides.

[Yalay]

I’m curious to know what everyone would prefer if you had to choose:

1. This conference league monstrosity

2. No conference league, but B teams are allowed to enter at the bottom of the pyramid and can earn promotion all the way up to SPFL1

If the B teams absolutely cannot be kept out, then I prefer option 2.

[Marten]

43 minutes ago, Yalay said:

I’m curious to know what everyone would prefer if you had to choose:

1. This conference league monstrosity

2. No conference league, but B teams are allowed to enter at the bottom of the pyramid and can earn promotion all the way up to SPFL1

If the B teams absolutely cannot be kept out, then I prefer option 2.

Definitely option 2, rather no B-teams at all, but I'd find it considerably more palatable if they join at the bottom and just get promoted like any other team. A much better option than a league of 10 in which 4 can't be promoted or relegated.

[Dundee Hibernian]

4 hours ago, Greenmachine said:

Saw this yesterday, and wondered why an SFA sponsored proposal had as the two directors, SPFL employees.

[welshbairn]

I presume this is Calum. Must have put his communities stuff aside while he signed away his soul..

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Yalay said:

I’m curious to know what everyone would prefer if you had to choose:

1. This conference league monstrosity

2. No conference league, but B teams are allowed to enter at the bottom of the pyramid and can earn promotion all the way up to SPFL1

If the B teams absolutely cannot be kept out, then I prefer option 2.

A problem I can foresee about allowing b teams to join the pyramid and be promoted is; the parent club will throw money at the b team to ensure they climb up ladder as quickly as possible. It will hardly be a level playing field when you have 11 pros playing against 11 unpaid boys week in week out.

As for the much vaunted development speel; until they reach the SPFL there wont be much developing going on. And even then its debatable.

[cowdenbeath]

8 hours ago, Connor7 said:

Before his spell in the Hearts B side. He had spells at: 

Cowdenbeath - League 2

Arbroath - Championship

Cove Rangers - League 1

Queens Park - League 1

Playing for Queen’s Park in the play offs to go up last season, to then dropping to play in the lowland league. Even the player himself must have thought “wtf” is happening here. 
 

I am sure he will be enjoying playing football at a level he can be tested again. 
 

No disrespect to the lowland league sides.

That’s what I mean what was the point of him dropping down to the LL side.

Ended up playing in the championship with Hamilton which is more his level.

[Salvo Montalbano]

You just know that if he ever makes a Scotland appearance it'll be used as "evidence" that B teams work though. That's the bizarre thing about looking at players who have played a handful of games for a B Team. As if Haarland would never have made it if he hasn't played for Molde B or whatever it was.

[Sergeant Wilson]

7 hours ago, welshbairn said:

I presume this is Calum. Must have put his communities stuff aside while he signed away his soul..

Is there a factory that makes corporate, fast track, managers somewhere.

He looks like every other flim flam man, presented as the future I've ever encountered in my long and illustrious career.

[cmontheloknow]

To the part-time SPFL clubs: you grasping leeches. Engage with your community and fundraise, attract sponsors. Do what the 200 clubs below have to do. If we can do it, so can you, you cancerous bulge suffocating our game. 

Elsewhere I see Celtic B's Corr has made the first step towards international honours by signing for Raith Rovers

[The Moonster]

11 hours ago, Yalay said:

I’m curious to know what everyone would prefer if you had to choose:

1. This conference league monstrosity

2. No conference league, but B teams are allowed to enter at the bottom of the pyramid and can earn promotion all the way up to SPFL1

If the B teams absolutely cannot be kept out, then I prefer option 2.

 

10 hours ago, Marten said:

Definitely option 2, rather no B-teams at all, but I'd find it considerably more palatable if they join at the bottom and just get promoted like any other team. A much better option than a league of 10 in which 4 can't be promoted or relegated.

This is the problem I have with these threads - it should be a firm "No, f**k off" from everyone but eventually people start normalising it with alternative suggestions. We don't need B teams, we never will and despite what some folk from Cowdenbeath and Glasgow tell you, this isn't a binary between a conference league and accepting B teams into the league. We can (and should) say no to both of them.