LOWLAND LEAGUE - Strongest it's ever been! What's You View?

[gwd440]

17 minutes ago, newcastle broon said:

Vale of Leven are a 3rd division West of Scotland side Vale of Leithen are in the East 1st division.

Strollers joined to make up the numbers to a 16 team league, maybes you need to do a bit due diligence as well 

Oops. Rookie mistake, now corrected.

The point I'm making is that Strollers weren't there originally, but are now.

I agree they joined to make up the numbers, but that was also the year that Threave decided to drop down. So, although they weren't a direct replacement, they did strengthen the league that year (unlike Hawick who only lasted a couple of years.).

[Highland ITFC]

12 hours ago, Spyro said:

I would guess Cowdenbeath just behind, then an absolute dogfight between Lithgow, Stirling Uni, CSS and maybe Albion if they don't have a traditional 1st season implosion 

Thinking that Cumbernauld may well deliver a decent top-half-of-the-table showing this season, given that they finished the last very strongly over the last couple of months or so, & look to have retained all their own players that delivered that.  

[ScottishLoon]

Any realistic strikers that forfar athletic should be looking at in the league? Asking for a we've probably missed out on players and increasingly anxious about where goals are coming from friend.

Edited June 12, 2023 by ScottishLoon

[Omnishambles]

17 hours ago, Spyro said:

I would guess Cowdenbeath just behind, then an absolute dogfight between Lithgow, Stirling Uni, CSS and maybe Albion if they don't have a traditional 1st season implosion 

I can see Gala having a decent season as well

[Jordi1977]

It was always going to become a stronger league. And it's going to continue to get stronger as the slow upwards filter continues with teams entering. 

It was initially set up with a few decent sides and a lot to make up the numbers (and absolutely no disrespect to them... without them, no LL and no pyramid so the numbers NEEDED made up).

The bigger junior teams and the falling club 42s along with some of the others getting investment has made it a significantly stronger league than day 1.

There is more to come when eventually some of the West teams move up... and really, the LL needs a couple of them to get there.

There are still a couple of teams that seem weaker than the others to drop out...

It's probably getting close to the question of... will a promoted to SPFL team come back down to LL before one of the Club 42s drops any further?

Just need to lose some B-teams to make it actually exciting!

[Connor7]

I have said it before on this forum, but the Lowland league has the potential to be one of the best leagues in the country. 
 

In the next 5-10 years the Lowland will be made up of the best West and East (old junior teams) plus you will have the SPFL teams who are already there. Plus more that will be relegated. 
 

I just wish they would increase the relegation in the Lowland, you could be seeing 1 team each from the West and East Leagues coming up this year. Which would allow teams to find there level.
 

Some teams are clinging on to their Lowland status due to the 1 team relegation.

Edinburgh uni or Gretna to go next.

[PossilYM]

1 hour ago, Connor7 said:

I have said it before on this forum, but the Lowland league has the potential to be one of the best leagues in the country. 
 

In the next 5-10 years the Lowland will be made up of the best West and East (old junior teams) plus you will have the SPFL teams who are already there. Plus more that will be relegated. 
 

I just wish they would increase the relegation in the Lowland, you could be seeing 1 team each from the West and East Leagues coming up this year. Which would allow teams to find there level.
 

Some teams are clinging on to their Lowland status due to the 1 team relegation.

Edinburgh uni or Gretna to go next.

Doubt you'd hear again of the likes of Broomhill after getting relegated.

First thing a name change would be needed in the Wosfl.

The parent club is still around in the Wosfl.

They wouldn't be a top Wosfl club, maybe division 3 or 4 at best.

[CityDave94]

3 hours ago, Connor7 said:

I have said it before on this forum, but the Lowland league has the potential to be one of the best leagues in the country. 
 

In the next 5-10 years the Lowland will be made up of the best West and East (old junior teams) plus you will have the SPFL teams who are already there. Plus more that will be relegated. 
 

I just wish they would increase the relegation in the Lowland, you could be seeing 1 team each from the West and East Leagues coming up this year. Which would allow teams to find there level.
 

Some teams are clinging on to their Lowland status due to the 1 team relegation.

Edinburgh uni or Gretna to go next.

Edinburgh Uni and Gretna on the conveyor belt of doom. Neither of them will better 20 points next season.

It will also take a few years for relegated clubs from the LL to not have back to back relegation and stablise in the EOS or WOS Premier Leagues. I'd suspect both Edinburgh Uni and Gretna when they go down will end up relegated the following season, maybe again the next season before they find their level.

 

[Ginaro]

20 minutes ago, approximately dave said:

Edinburgh Uni and Gretna on the conveyor belt of doom. Neither of them will better 20 points next season.

It will also take a few years for relegated clubs from the LL to not have back to back relegation and stablise in the EOS or WOS Premier Leagues. I'd suspect both Edinburgh Uni and Gretna when they go down will end up relegated the following season, maybe again the next season before they find their level.

Yeah minus 6 points for both given Dalbeattie are away.

Bit hard for Gretna to be relegated again from the SOS though  Edinburgh Uni nowhere near as bad as VOL, and they beat two EOS Premier teams in the Qualifying Cup so they will have a chance of avoiding back to back relegations IMO.

[Connor7]

29 minutes ago, approximately dave said:

Edinburgh Uni and Gretna on the conveyor belt of doom. Neither of them will better 20 points next season.

It will also take a few years for relegated clubs from the LL to not have back to back relegation and stablise in the EOS or WOS Premier Leagues. I'd suspect both Edinburgh Uni and Gretna when they go down will end up relegated the following season, maybe again the next season before they find their level.

 

Would Gretna play in the EOS or go to the South? Would they get a choice? 

[CityDave94]

1 minute ago, Ginaro said:

Yeah minus 6 points for both given Dalbeattie are away.

Bit hard for Gretna to be relegated again from the SOS though  Edinburgh Uni nowhere near as bad as VOL, and they beat two EOS Premier teams in the Qualifying Cup so they will have a chance of avoiding back to back relegations IMO.

Gretna definately chosing the SOS rather than EOS where they previously played before the Lowland League was formed?

Its unlikely that if Edinburgh Uni get relegated next season they will play in the EOS with most of these players plus there is a whole year and a few months since their wins in the cup. Long time in football.

[CityDave94]

5 minutes ago, Connor7 said:

Would Gretna play in the EOS or go to the South? Would they get a choice? 

Threave Rovers who could play in the SOS league are now playing in the WOS Leagues.

I would suspect Gretna might have a choice to play in the WOS league instead since it did not exist as a feeder league pre Lowland League and Gretna 2008 didn't want to play in the SoS back then. Maybe someone could tell me if the quality in the SoS League has improved since then?

We will find out in a season or two.

I don't think the South of Scotland League is a good stand alone feeder league to the LL, I would like to see something like a merger between the South and West to solve the quality difference but that would be up to the clubs.

[southerner]

On 11/06/2023 at 11:06, PossilYM said:

You think Talbot and/or others from Banjo Country genuinely want to leave the Wosfl?

Yes and maybe show a bit of respect to other areas that banjo patter is tragic.

[PELE]

On 11/06/2023 at 20:06, Yodanumber1 said:

It’s a 2 horse race with EK and Tranent followed by Berwick , we won’t be near it 

Don't want to tempt fate, but we (Cowden) are looking like we will be vastly improved on the season just ended. All the new signings look decent, not just a few of them. The business we are doing and the speed at which we are doing it is something I have never seen in all the years supporting the club. All of this was arranged before we were given the shock cup invite as well. It's well and truly like night and day compared to last season. We won't know of course until we start actually playing matches again, but if things go well, we could be a serious challenger. Not something most of us thought would be the case.

[PELE]

39 minutes ago, approximately dave said:

Gretna definately chosing the SOS rather than EOS where they previously played before the Lowland League was formed?

Its unlikely that if Edinburgh Uni get relegated next season they will play in the EOS with most of these players plus there is a whole year and a few months since their wins in the cup. Long time in football.

Yeah. Edinburgh Uni must be really unpredictable. I assume, maybe wrongly, that they only field current students, assuming they don't already play for another team (our best player from last season is an Edinburgh Uni student). Is there a rule re who can play for them?

Uni of Stirling are a bit different, as they attract some decent players, as they specialise in sports courses.

[Ginaro]

22 hours ago, approximately dave said:

Gretna definately chosing the SOS rather than EOS where they previously played before the Lowland League was formed?

Its unlikely that if Edinburgh Uni get relegated next season they will play in the EOS with most of these players plus there is a whole year and a few months since their wins in the cup. Long time in football.

Well unless something has changed they will be going to the SOS (confirmed by the league over the past few years), and even less likely to go EOS as they've resigned as an EOSFA member and joined the South Counties FA.

[lithgierose]

On 11/06/2023 at 20:06, Yodanumber1 said:

It’s a 2 horse race with EK and Tranent followed by Berwick , we won’t be near it 

My team boness united   you spelt athletic wrong

[newcastle broon]

13 hours ago, Ginaro said:

Well unless something has changed they will be going to the SOS (confirmed by the league over the past few years), and even less likely to go EOS as they've resigned as an EOSFA member and joined the South Counties FA.

When did they resign G ?

A proper pyramid should have them relegated to West Premier just like when East relegated clubs go they go East Premier.  

 

 

[Ginaro]

3 hours ago, newcastle broon said:

When did they resign G ?

A proper pyramid should have them relegated to West Premier just like when East relegated clubs go they go East Premier.  

Just recently, they were not in the EOS Qualifying Cup draw and instead in the SCFA Cup draw.

Problem is, so long as the SOS is at tier 6 then it's probably better for them, as they'd likely get flushed straight down through the WOS Premier. 

[Guest]

On 12/06/2023 at 22:14, approximately dave said:

Threave Rovers who could play in the SOS league are now playing in the WOS Leagues.

I would suspect Gretna might have a choice to play in the WOS league instead since it did not exist as a feeder league pre Lowland League and Gretna 2008 didn't want to play in the SoS back then. Maybe someone could tell me if the quality in the SoS League has improved since then?

We will find out in a season or two.

I don't think the South of Scotland League is a good stand alone feeder league to the LL, I would like to see something like a merger between the South and West to solve the quality difference but that would be up to the clubs.

The West and South cannot now merge. The West have pulled up the drawbridge and are in the process of filling the moat with fire breathing crocodiles. Braverman could learn a thing or two from them.