beith19

The best team, they win the league every year.

We had a relatively poor start as well last year, we were around 9th after the first 7 games and were struggling not having a regular keeper.

The folk that wrote Talbot off earlier in the season clearly don't have much memory or knowledge of this level. Winning runs wins leagues, it is as simple as that. Pollok in mid-2000s had a poor start but their quality shone through and they had an incredible run. We had an incredible run January onwards last year blowing a lot of teams away. Premier is definitely improving in quality each year and getting more competitive. Bankies have an incredible squad, they just need to recover from their blip that all teams have and go again but as they always say the first big trophy is the hardest to win. Difference in our players mentality after winning the West back in 2009 was quite marked, always good enough but knowing/proving they could was key to future success.

Purely from a personal viewpoint. Reasons for promotion: Progression of club, Football and players of a higher level, More exciting matches, Bigger crowds and more income to help club grow Don't have anywhere near enough knowledge of Lowland League to comment properly but my main concern would be promotion to LL would result in lower crowds, less money coming in and increased costs (travel 100% a lot more in costs and time, unless a Glasgow based club in current set-up, East Ayrshire a bigger increase than North Ayrshire) and less fans following you away from home. If you have the ambition to go to League 2 and beyond then that could be worthwhile to suffer in short term. The big fish in little pond shout is so common but most fans want to see their team winning most weeks with a chance of winning a trophy and most Prem teams are capable of that in the WOSFL. For my team, would I love to see my team progress into league football - 100% but without serious new investment I don't think it would be sustainable for a lot of clubs our size and we'd all find our level again, never mind the potentially increased new licensing requirements. The make up of the LL is the West club's own fault no doubt about it, I remember the original letters coming in to clubs about it but it is less appealing currently. A LL with Bankies, Talbot, Pollok, Linlithgow, Bo'ness etc sounds far more appealing but the first clubs will be the ones to potentially suffer financially.

To be fair it is probably is an exceptional season in that regard with the fixtures drawn up and for certain teams being most or all home games postponed due to cup draws. Highlighted previously by other clubs and not looking for sympathy or blaming anyone, eg Beith had a home league game on 26/8 v Talbot and next home league game was 13/1, nearly 5 months later. That isn't a regular occurrence in normal seasons and it does put a hit to your finances. We had 6 home cup ties which definitely helped us but none were big crowds - Bonnyton, Arthurlie, Benburb, Broomhill, Rob Roy, Glasgow Utd.

Loads of guess work and assumptions going on here. Pollok have historically been regarded as a well run club, maybe that has changed and maybe it hasn't. Cash flow is one of the main killers of a business regardless if they are profitable or not and it is too easy to say you should just have money set aside. If your main source of your income is matchday income and Pollok will have better than most if not all - then a few sponsors not paying you, no home league games for a while impacts you especially if you have a sizeable wage bill going out every month with nothing coming in. Say you have £10 to 20k (vary as you will) going out each month in wages - few months of that going out with no income along with the other club costs and most will struggle.

Wouldn't write off St Cadocs for the title, they've sneaked up to the top like we did last year. Way too early to call anyway - we've got 18 games to play, could go great could go badly

Thanks to Yoker for their hospitality on Saturday, a stark reminder and I mean zero disrespect to a visit when we are playing Clydebank. Yoker clearly need more volunteers to help them out and a lot of clubs at this level are a few bad seasons from struggling to operate/compete. A nice wee touch on entry with the free christmas chocolates and hope they as a club begin to thrive. Be thankful for the good days while they last as most of us know they don't always last that long for a lot of our clubs. Important to not get too arrogant.

Shannon - that is the worry! Now I stay in Cumnock so midweek to Glenafton suits me just fine and better than a home game but not for any other Beith fan I know! We can all have a legitimate right to moan about fixtures when it's just our own club - ie we're in middle of 6 away league games on the trot. But when you use common sense and know it is because of Kennie rescheduling the fixtures the best he can and how cup ties fall etc you drop the paranoia pretty quickly. Ignore the noise Kennie!

Well done to Darvel last night, probably best footballing team we've played. Close game, missed plenty of chances and our keeper had a few cracking saves as well. Heart always sinks a bit seeing a team with Leishman in it, hard to beat.

No paranoia at Beith on this for the record, Kennie can only do what he can with all clubs in mind and when you factor in ground sharing issues then he's really got a thankless task. The improvement from say 10 years ago is immeasurable and us not yet having floodlights only makes it harder.

The club have already invested a good bit of time and money into progressing ground ownership and getting licensed - transfer to a new trust etc but the legal issues are very frustrating for all involved. Sadly no exciting or interesting alternative reasons. As for promotion, can't even think about that in October or we'd fall flat on our face.

Our best player on Saturday was Scot Rough, Talbot's best was Neill McPherson so that tells it own story. We definitely have goal scorers in our team but Talbot seem to be lacking an abundance of them for the first time I can remember. Both teams showed lots of effort and some great play from both as well at time although I did we think we had that extra bit of quality on the day. On another day it could easily have been a 5-4 game. The Talbot keeper might not be Leishman but don't think he looked like a weak link either. As soon as it clicks or maybe a quality addition up top (hard with the prices quoted) and all will be well again and you can wipe the smug grins off folk who've never won a real trophy yet.

Individually week by week I'm sure it is easy to pick better fixtures in isolation but if you do over the period of a season it can't happen - somebody will be upset. No one would want their team playing their bigger games midweek but have to say over the piece since Kennie has been involved there has been a lot more fairness and equity in how it has been done and he has taken things into consideration. Folk forget he takes more things in to consideration than just their own team/division. Sometimes it can seem unfair but c'est la vie. Fast forward 3 months, jeez oh Kennie why are Beith playing blah blah at that time Personally I love it when Beith are playing away at Talbot, Cumnock, Glenafton midweek as easier travel for me! But a bunch of other Beith fans hate it.

The guy is no oddball and is a decent guy. If you don’t like his posts then fair enough but just put him on ignore - bit much to say seek help & alcoholic insinuations.

Thanks for running it, although I think all points after the first week should be null and void!

Irvine Meadow XI 1 Clydebank 3 Troon 3 Kilwinning Rangers 0 Rutherglen Glencairn 2 Shotts Bon Accord 0 Whitletts Victoria 2 Neilston 2 Glasgow United 1 Renfrew3 Lesmahagow Juniors 1 Lanark United 2

Gartcairn 2 Drumchapel United 0 (SCC) Shotts Bon Accord 1 Johnstone Burgh 2 St. Roch’s 2 Thorniewood United 1 East Kilbride Thistle 1 Bellshill Athletic 3 Lesmahagow Juniors 3 Newmains United 1 Kello Rovers 3 Saltcoats Victoria 0

Glenafton Athletic 2 Cumnock Juniors 1 Hurlford United 2 Darvel 1 Rutherglen Glencairn 2 Drumchapel United 1 Cumbernauld United 1 St. Cadoc's 3 Maryhill 2 Kilsyth Rangers 0 Lanark United 1 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 2

Beith Juniors 1 Troon 0 Cumnock Juniors 1 Irvine Meadow XI 2 Drumchapel United 2 St. Cadoc’s 2 Glasgow United 1 Greenock Juniors 2 Vale of Leven 0 Finnart 3 BSC Glasgow 1 Rossvale Academy 3

Saturday 8th April Cambuslang Rangers 1 Darvel 5 Cumnock Juniors 3 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1 St. Cadoc’s 2 Rutherglen Glencairn 1 Renfrew 4 Craigmark Burntonians 2 Larkhall Thistle 2 Lesmahagow Juniors 3 Threave Rovers 2 West Park United 2 Saturday 15th April Arthurlie 2 Kilwinning Rangers 2 Hurlford United 2 Petershill 1 Whitletts Victoria 0 Benburb 2 Maybole Juniors 1 St. Anthony’s 3 Newmains United 1 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 3 Easterhouse 1 Thorn Athletic 1

It's all good, one of our fans bought our licence in Turkey when he was over getting his teeth and hair done.

Glenafton Athletic 0 Auchinleck Talbot 1 Kilwinning Rangers 2 Petershill 1 Clydebank 1 Darvel 1

Didn't know about the slaughterhouse, but Sandylands Caravan park next to Saltcoats as well always stands out

Beith Juniors 3 Arthurlie 0 Largs Thistle 2 Darvel 1 Bonnyton Thistle 1 Rossvale 0 Muirkirk Juniors 2 Ardeer Thistle 1 Royal Albert 1 Carluke Rovers 1 Campbeltown Pupils 3 Glenvale 1