Thought I would pop my head in to say "Hello" as we will more than likely be seeing you next year.

[Marten]

Out of principle, I don't go to any competitive games between a B-team and a first team. I avoid the LL B-teams, but also Stranraer reserves & Stirling Uni EOS when groundhopping. If Lochee United were ever to get into the Challenge Cup (we'd first need promotion and then a top 4 finish so if it happens, it will take some time), I wouldn't go to a game against a Premiership B-team even if it was at home.

Some time ago, when I was in The Netherlands my Dutch team Excelsior were playing PSV B at home, so despite not often getting the chance to see Excelsior I didn't go.

Edited May 15 by Marten

[PossilYM]

2 hours ago, An Absolute Imposter said:

You're just showing off now.

It's weird how we can decide what games we want to attend.

I don't go to any LL games, have subconsciously decided to not go to any games above level 6. 

But, have seen in other comps Braves, Cumbie Colts, EK, Gretna. Seen Star regularly but not when they were in LL.

Also go to a number of youth games for Lochar and Threave as well as Galloway Thistle and Saints Colts, but not interested in watching the b teams. 

Plus Stranraer reserves are only team not seen in SOSFL, but if senior squad drop to Tier 6 would make a point of going to games.

Makes no sense, at all.

Did look at Dalbeattie Star this Saturday but i fancied going by train to Dumfries then the 501 bus to Dalbeattie.

Then it turns out there was engineering works so was offered West Coast main line to Carlisle and then being bussed back to Dumfries.

Problem was I'm still waiting on my passport renewal so Carlisle was knocked on the head plus that sounded like a pantomime on the return journey.

The Glasgow Dumfries bus X74, nah the Moffat cul-de-sac in and out pisses me right off.

Nobody was offering me use of a car so rethink for Saturday.

[An Absolute Imposter]

14 minutes ago, PossilYM said:

Did look at Dalbeattie Star this Saturday but i fancied going by train to Dumfries then the 501 bus to Dalbeattie.

Then it turns out there was engineering works so was offered West Coast main line to Carlisle and then being bussed back to Dumfries.

Problem was I'm still waiting on my passport renewal so Carlisle was knocked on the head plus that sounded like a pantomime on the return journey.

The Glasgow Dumfries bus X74, nah the Moffat cul-de-sac in and out pisses me right off.

Nobody was offering me use of a car so rethink for Saturday.

Travelling down here without a car can be like an antarctic expedition, the X74 is okay but long and uncomfortable. The local buses are horrendous, had a few hospital visits at Dumfries Royal over the winter had to plan well in advance to get there and back.

Hopefully Star can make a game of it, feel they won't though.

Dont tell anyone but don't want Star to win playoff; enjoyed having them back in the SOSFL it's been an entertaining season down here.

[PossilYM]

10 minutes ago, An Absolute Imposter said:

Travelling down here without a car can be like an antarctic expedition, the X74 is okay but long and uncomfortable. The local buses are horrendous, had a few hospital visits at Dumfries Royal over the winter had to plan well in advance to get there and back.

Hopefully Star can make a game of it, feel they won't though.

Dont tell anyone but don't want Star to win playoff; enjoyed having them back in the SOSFL it's been an entertaining season down here.

Got the keys for a wee cottage (free) in Springholm over a winter midweek in February.

Early on the Friday morning in darkness i crosses the road to the bus stop. A 23 seater bus arrives. No problem straight into Dumfries. That's until the bus takes a right up a country road passed a caravan park into Shangri-la. Did eventually arrived in Dumfries but what a route. No idea how folk survive down there without a car.

[PossilYM]

56 minutes ago, Marten said:

Out of principle, I don't go to any competitive games between a B-team and a first team. I avoid the LL B-teams, but also Stranraer reserves & Stirling Uni EOS when groundhopping. If Lochee United were ever to get into the Challenge Cup (we'd first need promotion and then a top 4 finish so if it happens, it will take some time), I wouldn't go to a game against a Premiership B-team even if it was at home.

Some time ago, when I was in The Netherlands my Dutch team Excelsior were playing PSV B at home, so despite not often getting the chance to see Excelsior I didn't go.

I respect your principles but i would probably go from the top to bottom leagues in search of a game.

Then you reach the likes of Clyde and the price starts to jump. At one time the price of say Tannadice was a £1 and a Tayside Junior game was 50p. You can forget that now. 

[welshbairn]

1 hour ago, Marten said:

Out of principle, I don't go to any competitive games between a B-team and a first team. I avoid the LL B-teams, but also Stranraer reserves & Stirling Uni EOS when groundhopping. If Lochee United were ever to get into the Challenge Cup (we'd first need promotion and then a top 4 finish so if it happens, it will take some time), I wouldn't go to a game against a Premiership B-team even if it was at home.

Some time ago, when I was in The Netherlands my Dutch team Excelsior were playing PSV B at home, so despite not often getting the chance to see Excelsior I didn't go.

I haven't actually been to a Clach reserves game but would have no hesitation about following them in the North Caley. They were willing and eager participants in the North u20 league, but ended with 2 completed fixtures in the league's last season. The North Caley has traditionally had loads of Highland League reserve teams taking part,  I think you could call it an exception. Not sure about Stranraer, but they might find themselves in a similar position with reserve league options in the South. 

[An Absolute Imposter]

8 hours ago, PossilYM said:

Got the keys for a wee cottage (free) in Springholm over a winter midweek in February.

Early on the Friday morning in darkness i crosses the road to the bus stop. A 23 seater bus arrives. No problem straight into Dumfries. That's until the bus takes a right up a country road passed a caravan park into Shangri-la. Did eventually arrived in Dumfries but what a route. No idea how folk survive down there without a car.

Springholm; that's the grand metropolis, try the 'back road' after the bridge over the Urr Water. Turn right at the traffic lights head past Palnackie and carry onto Auchencairn, once you come out of Auchencairn and keep heading south west you expect to reach the edge of the world eventually. Some of the encampments along this stretch taking you to Kirkcudbright only see outsiders by accident who take a wrong turn like in an old Hammer Horror.

Out walking the dogs you meet lorry drivers, van drivers, supermarket delivery drivers, all manner of scared and worried faces looking for some weirdly named place that Sat Nav and Google Maps deny exists.

I have a tale of a workman down from Kilmarnock whose, poor soul, van broke down up some narrow track. Why he was up this particular pathway god alone knows as he was the wrong side of Auchencairn from where he needed to be.

I had a great laugh; he took on the persona of a police Sergeant who disappeared in these parts 50 years ago; strangely enough the current Wicker Man effigy was less than a mile away.

My laughter become uncontrollable as he asked where the nearest train station was, about 30 miles away in Dumfries I answered. Bus was the next increasingly worried question, I had seen one earlier that day but not on this track. 

He almost cried that there was no phone signal; not out here I informed him. 

I took pity on this fellow traveller from the mainland and walked him back to get my car, then drove him to Kirkcudbright leaving him with precise instructions on the epic journey that would get him to Dumfries Railway Station and the salvation of a train to Kilmarnock.

I left him standing at the harbour bus stop with a final message; dont talk to anyone other than the driver and do not make eye contact under any circumstances.

He must have reached safety as the van was gone the next time I was over that way.

This is not an unusual occurrence out here at the edge of the world.

[Sermani]

11 hours ago, PossilYM said:

Did look at Dalbeattie Star this Saturday but i fancied going by train to Dumfries then the 501 bus to Dalbeattie.

Then it turns out there was engineering works so was offered West Coast main line to Carlisle and then being bussed back to Dumfries.

Problem was I'm still waiting on my passport renewal so Carlisle was knocked on the head plus that sounded like a pantomime on the return journey.

The Glasgow Dumfries bus X74, nah the Moffat cul-de-sac in and out pisses me right off.

Nobody was offering me use of a car so rethink for Saturday.

It's a bit of a limited service, but try the train to Lockerbie then bus to Dumfries then on to Dalbeattie

[MrFizz]

11 hours ago, welshbairn said:

I haven't actually been to a Clach reserves game but would have no hesitation about following them in the North Caley. They were willing and eager participants in the North u20 league, but ended with 2 completed fixtures in the league's last season. The North Caley has traditionally had loads of Highland League reserve teams taking part,  I think you could call it an exception. Not sure about Stranraer, but they might find themselves in a similar position with reserve league options in the South. 

Yep. No viable alternative for our reserves. It's SoSL or nothing. Especially when you consider the team is local-based players.

Playing in some sort of national reserve/B-team setup just would not be economically possible.

I don't understand the issue people have with this. It's not like we shipped in players from all over and parachuted ourselves into Step 5, with the aid of a little cash to sweeten the deal.

There is a big difference.

[An Absolute Imposter]

9 hours ago, Sermani said:

It's a bit of a limited service, but try the train to Lockerbie then bus to Dumfries then on to Dalbeattie

Don't think he's that desperate to see the Star play; but the Islecroft on a sunny Saturday in May is a very enticing prospect. I'll probably be told to bring dinner home from the Rose Garden after, best Chinese food in the Stewartry.

[GordonS]

And after all that we're right back where we started.

[EdinburghBlue]

On 29/04/2024 at 20:10, EdinburghBlue said:

Well after last Saturday’s 0-2 loss to Forfar I think you need to transfer ownership of this thread to us (Stranraer). 

I must apologise for attempting to wrest control of this thread too soon. 

[MrFizz]

5 hours ago, EdinburghBlue said:

I must apologise for attempting to wrest control of this thread too soon. 

Don't worry 'bout it. Let us retire gracefully, hopefully never to return.

[EdinburghBlue]

3 minutes ago, MrFizz said:

Don't worry 'bout it. Let us retire gracefully, hopefully never to return.

And maybe we should collectively apologise to Lowland League clubs for another year of EK

[MrFizz]

4 minutes ago, EdinburghBlue said:

And maybe we should collectively apologise to Lowland League clubs for another year of EK

Yes. Maybe some chocs and flowers to soften the blow.

[GordonS]

1 hour ago, EdinburghBlue said:

And maybe we should collectively apologise to Lowland League clubs for another year of EK

 

1 hour ago, MrFizz said:

Yes. Maybe some chocs and flowers to soften the blow.

Thanks. Could've been worse. We could have been looking forward to a 10-team conference league with 4 games against EK and 16 games against the four B teams.

Edited May 19 by GordonS