TheScarf Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Brora having to play games at Golspie’s ground now . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 7 minutes ago, TheScarf said: Brora having to play games at Golspie’s ground now . Indeed : 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Meanwhile in Banffshire… 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Brora are a deeply unserious club. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevsmart Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 There's a inspection at Strathspey at 8am ahead of their game v Brechin City 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoriginalhedge Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 14 hours ago, kevsmart said: There's a inspection at Strathspey at 8am ahead of their game v Brechin City Game on 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 18 hours ago, HibeeJibee said: Meanwhile in Banffshire… That one’s off now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherrif John Bunnell Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 It's over a week since the snow melted. They have zero excuse for not getting the pitch ready by now. At least they have that shiny Sun branded luggage though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/6353806/brora-rangers-v-keith-in-highland-league-switched-to-golspie/ https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/6353859/buckie-looking-at-venue-alternatives-after-banks-o-dee-call-off/ Buckie saying Wednesday's tie (also v BoD) in Aberdeenshire Cup R1 similarly unlikely to happen. They're now looking to follow Brora and find other ground(s)... not so easy with Deveronvale's floodlights being knackered and lots of other clubs having lots of games but Forres, Keith, Lossiemouth and Rothes presumably possibles. Having managed just 14 league games (and played only 2 midweeks) in opening 6 months of season... both Brora and Buckie now have to fulfil 20 (about 10 midweek) in closing 2.5 months. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vale Vale Vale Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Well beat in the end. Was playing well first half then gave away two soft goals. Was doing ok 2nd half then folded when Huntly went up 3-0. Couple of hard games coming up for us. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 On 21/01/2024 at 00:42, Bundesliga Boy said: I know it's not the preference of players, but at some point the Highland League (and their Local Councils, where applicable) are going to have to learn to embrace 3G surfaces. Great for the community and helping ensure games go ahead in inclement weather. On 21/01/2024 at 13:40, HibeeJibee said: % 3G pitches: 50% Lowland 42% SPFL (4 divisions) 32% West of Scotland (5 divisions) 25% South of Scotland 25% Midland Juniors 21% East of Scotland (4 divisions) 8% North Caledonian 7% North Juniors (2 divisions) 6% Highland On 23/01/2024 at 11:45, AlbionMan said: In SPFL 1, it’s 90%, we have the only grass pitch in the league. On 25/01/2024 at 17:43, Bundesliga Boy said: Excellent informative graphic, he says much belatedly. Noticed a poll currently running on FitbaNorth where 60% of fans are against having artificial turf in HL. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundesliga Boy Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 10 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said: Noticed a poll currently running on FitbaNorth where 60% of fans are against having artificial turf in HL. Depressing stat HJ that's probably the bi-product of an ill informed media within our footballing community, including some ex players. The often quoted misconception that they've 'never seen a good game on 3G' What utter tosh! Maybe if they watched games outwith the top flight, particularly in the non leagues, then they may form a different opinion. I accept the surfaces aren't always easy on the eye at times on tv and not ideal to have them in the top flight in general, but at this level they are invaluable and fans really need to learn to appreciate all the benefits they bring. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Shaker Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I think we'd rather the clubs in question spent some of their money actually looking after their fucking pitches, how about that. Don't want to go all 'things were better in my day' or anything but I'd guess about half the postponements this season would have gone ahead not all that long ago. It's the other half that's the problem, and thats the ones at Brora and Buckie. The former cheaped out on redoing their pitch in the summer and have taken way, way too long to accept the reality of the situation, while Buckie are reported to have pipes running under their pitch which are leaking but have been unable to stop the leak. 3G/4G pitches are one solution, but so is getting the finger out and doing more than (or even just) the bare minimum in terms of pitch maintenance. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingTON Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 4G is a more reliable solution in the Scottish winter climate than maintaining a grass surface properly though. While the initial investment is a huge stumbling block and would require outside grant funding to finance, there's no reason why a HL club that *could* get access to that upgrade shouldn't make the switch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyro Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Just put some decent draining in, instead of spending £1000's per month on a couple of shite players. My old amateur team managed it and got a lot of games on that would usually be off... It's not difficult! Everyone in the league were quick enough to rip into FW, but 2 of the biggest spenders are the worst example. At least FW had the excuse that they were a headcase of a club, Brora have no excuse and have took the piss for too long now. If Buckie have a burst pipe under their pitch, maybe someone should have had a contingency plan in place by now? 2 midweek games scheduled is a joke too, but I better stop before I upset the HL posse again... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingTON Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 49 minutes ago, Spyro said: Just put some decent draining in, instead of spending £1000's per month on a couple of shite players. My old amateur team managed it and got a lot of games on that would usually be off... It's not difficult! Everyone in the league were quick enough to rip into FW, but 2 of the biggest spenders are the worst example. At least FW had the excuse that they were a headcase of a club, Brora have no excuse and have took the piss for too long now. If Buckie have a burst pipe under their pitch, maybe someone should have had a contingency plan in place by now? 2 midweek games scheduled is a joke too, but I better stop before I upset the HL posse again... Decent drainage is not necessarily enough to maintain a grass pitch, in Scotland, in the middle of winter. You're working with an effectively dornant plant - which in some parts might not see proper sunlight for 3-4 months. I don't disagree that big spenders should focus more on maintenance than spunking it on higher wages to jobbers, but am unsure what 'contingency plan' you'd realistically expect a club at almost any level to have. Dunfermline IIRC have a similar issue with pipes and their pitch in the second tier - it might be solved by next season with investment but can't just be solved now by a click of the finger. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyro Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 1 hour ago, virginton said: but am unsure what 'contingency plan' you'd realistically expect a club at almost any level to have. I agree fixing the problem will take time. They seemed to have known about this pipe, but still wasted everyone's time with a pitch inspection. Would it not have been sensible to move the game to another venue? Surely that can't be a big issue, apart from the cost at the gate to Buckie. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Are Brora and Buckie both currently failing to meet the HL licence requirements just now? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH33 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 11 hours ago, virginton said: Decent drainage is not necessarily enough to maintain a grass pitch, in Scotland, in the middle of winter. You're working with an effectively dornant plant - which in some parts might not see proper sunlight for 3-4 months. I don't disagree that big spenders should focus more on maintenance than spunking it on higher wages to jobbers, but am unsure what 'contingency plan' you'd realistically expect a club at almost any level to have. Dunfermline IIRC have a similar issue with pipes and their pitch in the second tier - it might be solved by next season with investment but can't just be solved now by a click of the finger. Not using builders sand would be a good start... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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