DrumFP Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 There seems to be a worrying trend at the moment of amateur clubs struggling to survive. We've seen a number of highly established clubs fold over the last few years due to lack of interest from players etc. Today our opponents have had to cancel their game against us as they are unable to field a team and this is another highly established club who have been running 28 years and never once been unable to fulfil a fixture. They just can't get enough players to put a team out today. So what is causing the issue with the modern day struggle for amateur sides to survive? Is there just not enough interest from the younger generation in football in general? Are there too many clubs in Glasgow and too many leagues? Are the costs of running a club financially these days just getting too much? Or is it possibly a combination of all? In the Drumchapel area for instance, there's been a lot of work the last couple of years in trying to setup an Under 21s team but there's just not enough interest from players to get it going. Only 10 boys were willing to commit this summer. Does the modern teenager just want to get tattoos, go to the gym and get full of protein? Worrying times for the future of the amateur game so sure imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heeders Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I think a lot of boys also struggle for time a lot of jobs now are shiftwork n very few jobs where all the boys are gaurenteed a saturday off ur right tho is getting harder in ayrshire leagues too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcoach Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 There seems to be a worrying trend at the moment of amateur clubs struggling to survive. We've seen a number of highly established clubs fold over the last few years due to lack of interest from players etc. Today our opponents have had to cancel their game against us as they are unable to field a team and this is another highly established club who have been running 28 years and never once been unable to fulfil a fixture. They just can't get enough players to put a team out today. So what is causing the issue with the modern day struggle for amateur sides to survive? Is there just not enough interest from the younger generation in football in general? Are there too many clubs in Glasgow and too many leagues? Are the costs of running a club financially these days just getting too much? Or is it possibly a combination of all? In the Drumchapel area for instance, there's been a lot of work the last couple of years in trying to setup an Under 21s team but there's just not enough interest from players to get it going. Only 10 boys were willing to commit this summer. Does the modern teenager just want to get tattoos, go to the gym and get full of protein? Worrying times for the future of the amateur game so sure imo. Great, well thought out post sir. Can I ask who your opponents were supposed to be today? Your slant on the lack of Under-21 players in the Drumchapel area to form a team is in the same boat as Campsie Black Watch, who folded last month and they were formed in 1943. Years ago players travelled by bus from Buchanan Street Station on shared cars to get out to Station Road two nights a week for training and a Saturday game. Mr Gerry Marley even brought them in on a Sunday so they could work on things in day light hours. He even had players from Falkirk and Edinburgh signing for Campsie! You highlighting 10 boys interested in the summer sums up a clear lack of commitment. It is, as you have pointed out, worrrying times for the amateur game if there is very little coming through at Under-21 level. * Wellhouse Amateurs also folded during the close season - one year short of 40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boselecta Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I recently made comment on here regarding this subject .On thinking I think that sides with their own park/facilities will be OK but clubs with many good committee members and established names still struggle as its all down to having players.Guys have work ,family commitments and almost all guys pay to play.Top sides who have had success for years who then have a decline in quality players seem to chuck it rather than take a drop in success.Just my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumFP Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 Great, well thought out post sir. Can I ask who your opponents were supposed to be today? Your slant on the lack of Under-21 players in the Drumchapel area to form a team is in the same boat as Campsie Black Watch, who folded last month and they were formed in 1943. Years ago players travelled by bus from Buchanan Street Station on shared cars to get out to Station Road two nights a week for training and a Saturday game. Mr Gerry Marley even brought them in on a Sunday so they could work on things in day light hours. He even had players from Falkirk and Edinburgh signing for Campsie! You highlighting 10 boys interested in the summer sums up a clear lack of commitment. It is, as you have pointed out, worrrying times for the amateur game if there is very little coming through at Under-21 level. * Wellhouse Amateurs also folded during the close season - one year short of 40. Today we were meant to be playing Balmore. This is the first time in their 29 years that they've never been able to fulfil a fixture. Really hope they manage to pull together as it's a cracking wee club run by a great bunch of guys. I also heard about the Campsie issue as well and when you see giants of the youth game like Knightswood and Campsie going down the drain you know the baws almost burst. Heard through the grapevine also that Chryston are struggling too and have been unable to fulfil their last few fixtures. Another team who have been going for a long time. It's bloody depressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heeders Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Agreed mate xbox/plsystation era wen i was s boy it was just fitba got 2 wee boys 6 and 8 n trYIng to get them to go out n play is a nightmare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleslie99 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I agree it's a worrying trend, think it's a number of issues tho. Work has already been mentioned, guys work shifts and can't afford to take Saturdays off every week, my team has same problems, never have same starting 11 2 weeks on trot. Money as well, the cost of pitches is extortionate, think the general charge for guys to play is a fiver, make that another fiver for training once or twice a week and u are at £40/50 a month. For a lot of people that's a lot of money so something has to give and it's generally non essentials such as football. This goes down to boys club level where parents can't afford to get the kids playing every week so don't send them. The computer games that kids play obviously stop them getting out as does the pressure to succeed by some parents, if u watch any youth game u will see ridiculous shouts constantly from parents. It should be fun and inexpensive for kids but unfortunatly this isn't the case anymore. It's sad to see clubs such as wellhouse fold as they have been around for many years. It's going to continue to happen though, 4 clubs in my league folded midway through last season for various reasons. Scottish footballs hierarchy is at fault in my opinion, cost needs to come down for a start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I suspect there are lots of reasons behind it... Changes in work patterns, and social expectations of boyfriends/husbands/fathers, can make it harder to commit Saturday afternoons to playing football. Improving attendances in the SPFL must be attracting some men away, too. Costs - particularly to hire pitches and training facilities - are often high and the economic situation of recent years will have caused that to be an issue for some people as well. I am also of the impression that decreasing numbers of men in the 20-40 age bracket are interested in football, compared to a few decades ago when it seemed like every boy and young man had the bug. Senior clubs also have more U20 teams than ever, and we have an U21 grade of football whereas in most countries you'd go into adult football at 18. Even things like the size of benches in Senior/Junior football... 18 can be involved per club whereas it was once 11. However - are numbers of Saturday amateur clubs meaningfully decreasing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1982 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 This is the same as my team. We won the league and got to the east of scotland cup final last season and today we couldn't get 11 players. A lot of players moved on to better things partly because of the success of last season but I thought we would have attracted more this season. We are struggling to find players and it's looking likely we will fold if Wednesday's training doesn't produce decent numbers. I have heard of a few other teams in the same boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missi03 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Aye heeders it's all a sign o the times can you see the look on kids faces no if they got a ball a fit a top n a pair o fitba boots on Xmas morning as you got in my day up to park if weather was ok every 1 wanting to use there new ball don't see weans playing fitba the way my generation did after school 20 a side now it's very hard to keep a boys club gone financial prices councils charge for parks referees fees kits ect and it goes up through the ranks all the way to senior level weans don't have same interest now it shows in our Big clubs international team we are now one of the minnows modern technology is a lot to dae with it imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heeders Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Exsctly mate went to school wae boydy folk can slag him all he wants we were ae drinking geztin mad wae it hr had s cola sll that needs said. Diff world now mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco30 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Played balmore in a cup few weeks ago , struggled for a team had a defender on the park must have been late 40s early 50s and no subs struggled big time ???????? sad seeing teams going down the drain but as you say wains don't want to go out and play football in the rain they would rather be stuck in front of the computer ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holsten Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 The 21s in west is still fairly healthy even without campsie and the prem standard is decent West of Scotland 21's Youth Football League No Premier Pld W D L GF GA Pts 1 Rutherglen Glencairn 3 3 0 0 12 3 9 2 Tower Hearts 3 3 0 0 11 3 9 3 St Peters Giffnock North 3 2 0 1 9 5 6 4 Goldenhill BC 3 2 0 1 4 3 6 5 Bonnyton Thistle 3 2 0 1 5 5 6 6 EK RR Youth 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 7 Antonine BC 3 1 0 2 4 6 3 8 Harmony Row YC 3 1 0 2 2 4 3 9 Pollok Juveniles 3 1 0 2 5 11 3 10 Rossvale BC 2 0 0 2 1 3 0 11 Claremont AFC 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 12 Wishaw W Wanderers 1 0 0 1 2 5 0 13 Johnstone Burgh 2 0 0 2 0 5 0 14 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 No First Division Pld W D L GF GA Pts 1 Albion Rovers FCBC 3 2 1 0 10 7 7 2 West Park United 2 2 0 0 14 3 6 3 Steins Thistle 2 2 0 0 9 1 6 4 Barrhead Arthurlie 3 2 0 1 10 6 6 5 Holytown Colts 3 1 1 1 6 9 4 6 Bishopton Juniors 2 1 0 1 8 6 3 7 Victoria FC 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 8 Port Glasgow BC 2 1 0 1 5 4 3 9 Maryhill Juniors 3 1 0 2 7 10 3 10 Milngavie BC 3 1 0 2 4 11 3 11 Broomhill SC 1 0 0 1 3 4 0 12 Giffnock SC 2 0 0 2 2 10 0 13 Vale of Leven 3 0 0 3 4 13 0 14 Glasgow University 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 No Second Division Pld W D L GF GA Pts 1 Johnstone Burgh Youth 3 3 0 0 12 2 9 2 St Mungos 3 2 1 0 8 2 7 3 Renfrewshire Thistle 3 2 1 0 13 8 7 4 Hamiilton Academicals Inverclyde 2 2 0 0 11 1 6 5 Castlemilk BC 2 2 0 0 5 1 6 6 Grahamston 2 1 0 1 6 6 3 7 Glentyan Thistle 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 8 Ashfield FC 2 1 0 1 2 4 3 9 Baljaffray Thistle 3 1 0 2 4 11 3 10 Dunbeth FC 1 0 0 1 3 6 0 11 Erskine YC 3 0 0 3 5 9 0 12 Drumchapel Amateurs 2 0 0 2 3 7 0 13 Campsie FC 2 0 0 2 3 10 0 14 St Andrews BC 2 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missi03 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Big kris good guy used to watch him up at the park a net up hitting shots in fae all areas on the park worked hard to get where he did you wid think that wid encourage them to gie it a go n reach that level no they canny be bothered wae all that that's what guys are up against trying to get boys in to play boys club football even getting a amateurs is hard in my playing days most guys worked Monday to Friday sometimes a sat/morning shift workers were in the minority turned full circle now midweek games are a nightmare and playing sat/wed/sat eats into clubs funds it's hard on guys working hard to raise cash to keep teams going money is tight folk canny chuck it away willy nilli that's the sad facts of life wish I could still play yet to many birthdays past for that now lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heeders Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Not the most talented but mosr commited boy i know is big boydy, friday night in tar-b wrre on the mad dog or ot bucky hes having s juice look at us all scrsping a licvingc hes playedc cl n is a millionaire, nice one one big boydy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cannybefukd Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 heeders ,bed time mate!Give up,we need a fucking translator,noo,haha,guaranteed you will have a laugh when you get up,reading your posts,(assuming she's no done away with you in your sleep) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missi03 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Think you have been on both them last night heeders n bidy wid have a wee glass o the best red wine LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geo87 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I thought golden hill 21s had folded as well, the amateur team in safl are also on the verge of folding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Js1982 Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 It's a dying shame the number of teams folding. There are numerous reasons but unless the safa it the affiliated leagues start to lookinIto it then I'm afraid the amateurs will keep suffering . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumFP Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 I thought golden hill 21s had folded as well, the amateur team in safl are also on the verge of folding Surely not? I heard they got a great result last week in a friendly against Drum Amateur Colts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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