Matty-RCFC Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Steven Mackay's return to Brora Rangers was entirely unexpected! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 29 Author Share Posted April 29 26 minutes ago, Matty-RCFC said: Steven Mackay's return to Brora Rangers was entirely unexpected! A shock move indeed! I wonder how long it will be before claiming they don't have the ambition he was promised after losing half the squad and having to lay a brand new pitch after trying to do it on the cheap last summer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 30 Author Share Posted April 30 In other news, Buckie players appear to be boycotting their awards night, so it's been cancelled. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairWeatherFan Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 50 minutes ago, welshbairn said: In other news, Buckie players appear to be boycotting their awards night, so it's been cancelled. Before playoffs : players dont fancy it Cancelled playoffs as the committee either couldn't or wouldn't get licensing sorted : we're boycotting our own awards after a championship winning season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 30 Author Share Posted April 30 14 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said: Before playoffs : players dont fancy it Cancelled playoffs as the committee either couldn't or wouldn't get licensing sorted : we're boycotting our own awards after a championship winning season. All I heard from player interviews was that they were buzzing for the playoffs. From talking to Buckie fans and one director, them not so much. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnsythebinman Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 (edited) Premiere Sports League Cup The SPFL has today invited Highland League winners Buckie Thistle, Highland League runners-up Brechin City, and Lowland League winners East Kilbride to join next season’s competition. This follows last season's competition, when the champions of the Lowland League and Highland League, plus one additional Lowland League club, were invited to participate. Once confirmed, the clubs will be added to the draw for the group stage of next year’s competition, which will take place on Wednesday 29 May at 1.00pm. Edited April 30 by Burnsythebinman 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dev Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 LongTimeLurker quotes this on the Non League Matters forum: More details of what unfolded from the Press & Journal: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/6447328/brechin-city-chairman-hits-out-highland-league/ https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/6447152/garry-farquhar-shocked-after-buckie-thistle-denied-play-off-entry/ Does this imply that all Highland League clubs must reach Bronze level licencing by the end of 2024/25? Anyone have any idea about this? Presumably it would be really difficult for every club to achieve this level in 12 months, if at all? Likewise will the Lowland League be bringing this requirement into its' rules and regs? The other thing would be that such a requirement would reduce the numbers of Tier 6 clubs able to take promotion to the HL and the LL. Hopefully someone will know different and apologies if I have read this wrongly !! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 30 Author Share Posted April 30 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Dev said: LongTimeLurker quotes this on the Non League Matters forum: More details of what unfolded from the Press & Journal: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/6447328/brechin-city-chairman-hits-out-highland-league/ https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/6447152/garry-farquhar-shocked-after-buckie-thistle-denied-play-off-entry/ Does this imply that all Highland League clubs must reach Bronze level licencing by the end of 2024/25? Anyone have any idea about this? Presumably it would be really difficult for every club to achieve this level in 12 months, if at all? Likewise will the Lowland League be bringing this requirement into its' rules and regs? The other thing would be that such a requirement would reduce the numbers of Tier 6 clubs able to take promotion to the HL and the LL. Hopefully someone will know different and apologies if I have read this wrongly !! I can't read the LLM link, but no. The rule is that any tier 5 club with a chance of winning their league has to apply to the SPFL for a period of grace over upgrading to bronze by March 31st. Buckie missed that deadline. The word when they first announced the new rules was that the period of grace could be up to a year, so no need to spend money before promotion to the SPFL. The SFA might have got stricter about it, there seem to have been a few clubs struggling to find a club doctor so maybe there's less time given to sort that out. Edited April 30 by welshbairn 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevsmart Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 10 minutes ago, welshbairn said: I can't read the LLM link, but no. The rule is that any tier 5 club with a chance of winning their league has to apply to the SPFL for a period of grace over upgrading to bronze by March 31st. Buckie missed that deadline. The word when they first announced the new rules was that the period of grace could be up to a year, so no need to spend money before promotion to the SPFL. The SFA might have got stricter about it, there seem to have been a few clubs struggling to find a club doctor so maybe there's less time given to sort that out. Brechin City chairman hits out at Highland League after Buckie Thistle denied pyramid play-off place The Jags, who pipped Brechin to the title on goal difference, were due to face Lowland League winners East Kilbride at K Park on Saturday. by Danny Law April 26 2024, 9:17 am Brechin City chairman Kevin Mackie has hit out at the Highland League after champions Buckie Thistle were deemed ineligible to compete in the pyramid play-offs. The Jags, who pipped Brechin to the title on goal difference, were due to face Lowland League winners East Kilbride at K Park in the first leg of their pyramid play-off tie on Saturday. But Kilby have been given a bye to face the team who finishes bottom of League Two for a place in the SPFL after Buckie failed to obtain a bronze club licence from the Scottish FA. Buckie said they were “shocked” by the decision but Brechin chairman Mackie described the matter as “shambolic”. In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said: “I am raging with the Highland League. “This makes a mockery of the entire pyramid. “This whole thing is shambolic and the Highland League needs to take a look at itself. “They would have known that the champions had to be eligible for the play-offs and I am annoyed that they haven’t made sure the champions could meet the criteria required. “They went out of their way to rearrange Buckie’s outstanding games against Strathspey the other week when they knew that Strathspey had let in 133 goals and were miles below everyone else at the bottom of the league. “We questioned then how a team going for the title could have two rearranged games against Strathspey when they didn’t have a team and were fielding trialists? Unsurprisingly they won 6-1 and 7-0 and beat us to the title by two goals. How can that be fair? “I accept that Brechin did all we could to throw the league away this year. But we just spent thousands of pounds getting the bronze licence concluded in preparation for going up for what? What’s the point of having teams playing for a Highland League championship when they know that some of the teams who might win it don’t even want to go up the pyramid? We feel a total sense of injustice over this. Jags stunned by decision A Buckie Thistle statement released on Thursday night said the club were “stunned and devastated” by the decision to deny them a chance to participate in the pyramid play-offs. It read: “At 5pm today, Buckie Thistle FC received an email from the SPFL, stating that because the club do not comply with the SFA Bronze Licence criteria, and did not apply for a waiver or period of grace in respect of this non-compliance by the deadline of March 31 2024, there will be no play-off tie between Buckie Thistle FC and East Kilbride FC, and East Kilbride will automatically go forward to the Pyramid Play-Off Tie with Club 42. “However, we can confirm that the club has been in regular contact with the SFA in regard to the Bronze Licence criteria items, and we were in fact asked by the SPFL to ask for a period of grace for four of these items on Tuesday April 23, which we duly did. “Our Club President Garry Farquhar attended a meeting with the SFA on Wednesday April 24, and we were granted derogations for three items – Floodlights, Safety Officer and Diversity & Inclusion. One item – Medical – has been deferred until May 15, but the club has committed to resolving the matter by May 10. “It goes without saying that everyone at the club is stunned and devastated by the timing of this decision. “It’s particularly harsh on the players and management, who put so much hard work into winning the Highland League title, that they don’t get the opportunity to go for promotion.” Clubs were notified of demands Meanwhile, Highland League secretary John Campbell said the league had been working with clubs to ensure they were doing everything possible to obtain their bronze licence in time for the start of the 2024-25 campaign. He told the Press and Journal: “The Highland League is extremely disappointed by the events of today and that the pyramid play-offs have been cancelled. “All clubs were notified by the SPFL of the criteria for season 2024-25 on October 31 2023. “The league has had a working group running exploring all aspects of the bronze award. “As far as we were aware all clubs with a chance of promotion to the SPFL play-offs were following due process. The Highland League had a responsibility to put forward a champion club and have done so in the time given. “Club licensing awards are a matter for each individual club. “We were notified late today (Thursday) that Buckie Thistle did not meet the criteria for progression into the SPFL, which is a prerequisite for participation in the play-offs. “The Scottish FA had no choice other than to cancel the play-offs between Buckie Thistle and East Kilbride. “We would like to pass on our best wishes to East Kilbride on their up and coming play-off against club 42.” 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted April 30 Author Share Posted April 30 Cheers @kevsmart , the 2 P&J stories are a few days old and I'm seen them, thought there must be something else on that other forum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dev Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/6447328/brechin-city-chairman-hits-out-highland-league/ Includes: Clubs were notified of demands Meanwhile, Highland League secretary John Campbell said the league had been working with clubs to ensure they were doing everything possible to obtain their bronze licence in time for the start of the 2024-25 campaign. He told the Press and Journal: “The Highland League is extremely disappointed by the events of today and that the pyramid play-offs have been cancelled. “All clubs were notified by the SPFL of the criteria for season 2024-25 on October 31 2023. “The league has had a working group running exploring all aspects of the bronze award. “As far as we were aware all clubs with a chance of promotion to the SPFL play-offs were following due process. I see where I have misunderstood now! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 Kevin Mackie can carry on raging at the Highland League all he likes but the Highland League consists of the clubs and nothing else, pretty much. So really, he’s raging at himself. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherrif John Bunnell Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 I wish Snake Mackay nothing but the worst at Brora. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossco8326 Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 He shouldn't be blaming the league for us not winning it he should be looking at his manager for lossing it on goal difference and leaving our top scorer on the bench for 5 games 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityDave94 Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Certainly Brechin never eased up during a game if they were coasting to an easy 5-0 or 6-0 win at home. Did they? That was never going to bite them on the arse later on? If they are disliked now, they be even more disliked next season because of their Chairman's comments in the press. Clubs will take great delight in keeping them in the HL and watch Mackie have another public cranial detonation. You just hate seeing it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoriginalhedge Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 1 hour ago, CityDave94 said: Certainly Brechin never eased up during a game if they were coasting to an easy 5-0 or 6-0 win at home. Did they? That was never going to bite them on the arse later on? If they are disliked now, they be even more disliked next season because of their Chairman's comments in the press. Clubs will take great delight in keeping them in the HL and watch Mackie have another public cranial detonation. You just hate seeing it. I think there has been a general dislike from day one in the HL when everyone objected to our very public statements of ambition to get out of this league . It appears that is not the done thing in these parts. Clubs have taken great delight in trying to keep us here for 3 seasons already. Another one won't make any difference. -4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 30 minutes ago, theoriginalhedge said: I think there has been a general dislike from day one in the HL when everyone objected to our very public statements of ambition to get out of this league . It appears that is not the done thing in these parts. Clubs have taken great delight in trying to keep us here for 3 seasons already. Another one won't make any difference. Another ‘one’. Mate, it’s over. This is it for you guys now. -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingTON Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Perhaps if Brechin had shown the faintest morsel of ambition to build a competent football side in 2017/18 - instead of trying to leech off the rest of the Championship and producing the worst performance in SPFL history - then they wouldn't have plunged out of the leagues and braying about their sense of injustice over Strathspey's fixture list now. A terrible, wee shame that. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 (edited) 1 hour ago, theoriginalhedge said: I think there has been a general dislike from day one in the HL when everyone objected to our very public statements of ambition to get out of this league . It appears that is not the done thing in these parts. Clubs have taken great delight in trying to keep us here for 3 seasons already. Another one won't make any difference. Constantly whining about how shit the Highland League is might have something to do with it. I'm not talking about all or most Brechin fans, its mainly you. I've enjoyed my trips down to Glebe Park and had a friendly reception, but it makes no odds to me whether you go or stay. P.S. If you hadn't lost every game against your 2 closest rivals you'd be whining about getting pumped by some pretendy club like East Kilbride by now. Edited May 1 by welshbairn 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 Wouldn't take a whole lot of digging to find examples of Brechin fans talking down to everyone else on a weekly basis in the first season, TBH. The unpleasant episode following a postponement at Rothes featuring one of the more simple-minded Brechin posters whining like a bitch about a calloff and how unprofessional it all was only for someone at Rothes to make him look a complete piece later on. Now Brechin have Kevin Mackie dragging his ass across the carpet on the regular, it's open season on these clowns. Fucking idiots. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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