National Conference League

[craigkillie]

They would simply enter the new European Super League and keep their existing place in the Premiership. This was what the European Super League sides all planned to do a couple of years ago when that came about.

It's clearly not about the good of Scottish youth football, it's primarily about letting them hoard talent.

[Deanburn Dave]

1 minute ago, craigkillie said:

This has absolutely nothing to do with it. If Celtic and Rangers decide to join some sort of foreign league and want to keep fielding a team domestically, they'll just do that. They don't need to set up a B team in the fifth tier a decade in advance.

100% correct.   If the Old Firm joined a European league in the future the SFA/SPFL would allow them both to retain a team in the Premier League.  Commercially they need the Old Firm.  

[welshbairn]

The Press and Journal have joined the SFA propaganda team, under Daily Mail supervision..

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/5661427/aberdeen-colts-and-highland-league-clubs-in-line-to-join-new-scottish-conference-league/

[Pyramid Watcher]

Listen, just you lower league plebs know your place in the game and just get on with it, our paymasters have spoken.

I really don’t know where the game goes from here.

[Burnieman]

4 hours ago, welshbairn said:

This 'the genie' s out of the bottle' stuff about B-teams is annoying and wrong, all that needed to happen was 3 Lowland League clubs changing their vote from Yes to No: 8-7 from 5-10.

It's not wrong, the moment the LL accepted them that was it.  The lengths the SFA are going to, to shoehorn them into the Pyramid means they aren't going to turn round anytime soon as say ok, and walk away from it.

[Burnieman]

59 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

The Press and Journal have joined the SFA propaganda team, under Daily Mail supervision..

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/5661427/aberdeen-colts-and-highland-league-clubs-in-line-to-join-new-scottish-conference-league/

"It’s understood there is strong backing for the new division and a support level of 51% from across the 100 member clubs would be enough to see it agreed."

They clearly don't know that not all clubs have voting rights, probably around 20 or so do not, not that it matters.  Stuff like this are usually a done deal long before AGM.

[par-adise]

Absolutely horrific idea. 

[PossilYM]

On 25/04/2023 at 13:21, Gordon EF said:

Exactly. I'd believe Brown is absolutely havering before I believe L2 are solidly behind the conference idea. 

Maybe I'm overestimating the combined wit of L2 chairmen but the conference just sounds utterly horrific and if we were relegated, I'd rather play in the Lowland League, which is also a fucking joke now that colt teams are in.

If East Fife voted for this, I'd be done with them.

I thought you were bring over dramatic when you warned us this was all going to happen way back.

Massive apology G.

[PELE]

10 hours ago, virginton said:

The idea that any change to the setup is being offered to help League 2 clubs adjust is laughable nonsense. They are not why the SFA and the gruesome twosome are pushing their agendas - they are not actually the stumbling block to a more effective structure either. 

I don't recall anyone on here saying it was. The likely changes will just encourage them to vote for it, as it is a better option for them financially. 

[RandomGuy.]

Its nothing more than Celtic/Rangers wanting teams in the Championship/League One/League Two so they can hoard folk for even longer in the off chance theres another Andy Robertson on their books.

Hearts and Aberdeen are absolute fucking scabs helping them but its to be expected of those two clubs now.

Would be great to see this scrapped but its clearly just yet another thing thatll be forced through one way or another regardless. 

[Hampden Diehard]

No wonder the League Two clubs are cacking themselves at the thought of relegation. The pyramid underneath it is a total farce. Who in their right mind would vote for this?

The B teams will be in the top four divisions in no more than 3 years (taking their £100k or whatever with them) and yer go ahead clubs in the pyramid can just go and feck themselves.

To paraphrase the Brexit voter's mantra, "this isn't the pyramid I voted for. "

[bobbydazzler]

Just now, Hampden Diehard said:

No wonder the League Two clubs are cacking themselves at the thought of relegation. The pyramid underneath it is a total farce. Who in their right mind would vote for this?

The B teams will be in the top four divisions in no more than 3 years (taking their £100k or whatever with them) and yer go ahead clubs in the pyramid can just go and feck themselves.

To paraphrase the Brexit voter's mantra, "this isn't the pyramid I voted for. "

"Pyramid means Pyramid"

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Who’d have thought the Lowland League would be the thing that fucks the pyramid for everyone? What a heel turn. 

[Arthurlie1981]

22 minutes ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Who’d have thought the Lowland League would be the thing that fucks the pyramid for everyone? What a heel turn. 

We will look fondly back on the days where joining the pyramid was about removing the glass ceiling, only for the Lowland League and the SFA to put in place another glass ceiling. Now we have talks about changing licensing criteria for the SPFL and I would bet the new Conference League. 

Shameful from Thomas Brown and his lackeys and shameful from Maxwell and his lackeys (or should that be the OF and their lackey Maxwell?). Scottish Football really is the self preservation society. 

[Ranaldo Bairn]

I am a huge, huge fan of getting the Juniors in and the concept of the pyramid, and was so happy to see it take (slow) shape over the last few years.

This betrayal is devastating.

[welshbairn]

BBC don't think it's happening.

Quote

Rangers B-team coach David McCallum was clear about the challenge.

"The gap between academy and first team is too big," he said. "Reserve-team football is different from what it used to be. You don't always have the senior players who come down and make it the intense environment you want it to look like.

"We can never replicate what the first-team experience is. The jump is huge."

Rangers and others believe the B-team model can help narrow the gap, but feel it needs to come with the opportunity to play at a higher level than the Lowland League.

That is hugely controversial in Scotland, because smaller clubs understandably feel it dilutes their existence as a competitive club.

Plans for a new Conference division with B-teams below League 2 seem to have been put into cold storage, so the status quo continues for now.

Colt sides are no panacea in any case, because there still needs to be a pathway from a B-side to the first team no matter what level they are playing at. That requires sustained commitment from clubs.

Scottish football: Are young players getting chance to flourish?

[Dundee Hibernian]

Earlier, I urged folk to write to clubs about this facade of a Pyramid system, and having done so myself, I've received a couple of replies.

As many here have recognised, the 42 clubs in the four SPFL set up aren't getting to vote for or against on the Conference introduction, it is a fait accompli as far as they are concerned. The L1/L2 clubs see the advantage of dropping into a funded league as the play off losing Club 42, rather than the farce which the LL has become. However, they see more negatives than positives in the suggestion, and don't accept the 'good for the national side' arguments.

For myself, as a fan, I'd hate to be watching 16 matches in a season against B sides: it'd be like a nightmare series of Challenge Cup matches in my mind. 

I still don't see what's in it for Lowland or Highland League clubs, and can't understand why they would support or accept this, but then again, I couldn't understand them allowing B sides in, in the first place.

[Burnieman]

9 minutes ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

Earlier, I urged folk to write to clubs about this facade of a Pyramid system, and having done so myself, I've received a couple of replies.

As many here have recognised, the 42 clubs in the four SPFL set up aren't getting to vote for or against on the Conference introduction, it is a fait accompli as far as they are concerned. The L1/L2 clubs see the advantage of dropping into a funded league as the play off losing Club 42, rather than the farce which the LL has become. However, they see more negatives than positives in the suggestion, and don't accept the 'good for the national side' arguments.

For myself, as a fan, I'd hate to be watching 16 matches in a season against B sides: it'd be like a nightmare series of Challenge Cup matches in my mind. 

I still don't see what's in it for Lowland or Highland League clubs, and can't understand why they would support or accept this, but then again, I couldn't understand them allowing B sides in, in the first place.

Who did you contact and who responded?

[Cowdenleith]

2 hours ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Who’d have thought the Lowland League would be the thing that fucks the pyramid for everyone? What a heel turn. 

I am mystified at the continuing rage towards the itty bitty Lowland League clubs.

The whole concept of B teams eventually being allowed in the top 4 leagues can be binned by the might of the diddy SPFL clubs if they stick together, surely as simple as that?

Edited April 27, 2023 by Cowdenleith

[welshbairn]

4 minutes ago, Dundee Hibernian said:

As many here have recognised, the 42 clubs in the four SPFL set up aren't getting to vote for or against on the Conference introduction, it is a fait accompli as far as they are concerned.

I don't see how a new league under the rules and structure of the SPFL (according to the Lowland League chairman), and involving promotion and demotion from and to it, can happen without a vote by SPFL members. According to the P&J/Mail article it will also go to a vote of SFA members which obviously includes them too.