Shannon

This season is the worse Meadow team I can remember to have so many big losses. Can see another relegation next season if we don't manage to build a far better squad together. Been far too many of our best players been sold to our league rivals on the cheap and replacements been of a far poorer standard. Need some clever investment in playing squad & big changes at the club or we will languish in 1st - 2nd Divisions...

If Broomhill do eventually go down will they even want to kick about the West of Scotland Leagues?

Article in the Scottish Daily Mail today on game at Keanie Park. Hugh MacDonald always does some really good coverage on a Monday - seen him at a few games in recent years.

I am sure they have been looking at potential locations to relocate to in the future going by posts I have seen on here and Twitter. Plus they own their ground so can do what they want to it or sell it then move elsewhere if they wish to and don't need councils permission to allow them to upgrade their ground. Their Junior Cup Final run will give them some cash to spend if needed plus will get some locals back watching them. Gartcairn really don't take criticism well at all.

It's a shame that potentially whoever finishes 3rd bottom whether it is Glenafton or Arthurlie or Kirkintilloch Rob Roy will lose their place in the league to a Gartcairn who don't think twice about spending £15-20,000 on a player or two but won't install permanent toilets or won't spent that to have decent catering facilities. Dunterlie may have seen better days but you can get a pie and a refreshment and a really good view of the game & shelter from the elements. All should be normal at our level. The 4g cage grounds are just brutal and I know plenty supporters will just avoid going if Gartcairn/ Benburb / Drumchapel away.

If a ref gave two penalties like that against my team I'd be absolutely furious. The first one the Shotts defender clearly has his hand close into his body and in a natural position then second one the goalkeeper doesn't even make contact with the Thorniewood striker who clearly dives. Should really be linesman in midweek games on First Division though to help out ref as only a few games on in the West midweek?

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1 v 1 Cumnock Juniors Troon 1 v 3 Glenafton Athletic Whitletts Victoria 1 v 3 Shotts Bon Accord Glasgow Perthshire 1 v 2 Kilsyth Rangers Bellshill Athletic 2 v 1 Threave Rovers Glenvale 5 v 1 Saltcoats Victoria

Hurlford away and St Cadocs at home now are massive games for Beith. Any more dropped points here will give Talbot and others hope although I feel 6 points in these two games will have Beith nearly there...

They finish their season on 8th June - providing no further postponments! Bridge of Don Thistle (scottishjuniorfa.com)

I see the only 2 teams to apparently apply to East of Scotland League is Livingston Reserves and Gala Fairydean Rovers reserves. Maybe the East of Scotland League should be trying to make the application process for them easier and the league more attractive . If West has 80 clubs the East should match up so it is a balanced pyramid before West accept more new teams? Seriously I do think bottom 2 divisions could increase to 18 teams as less likely to go to later stages of cups if Newmains and a couple of others can sort their pitch issues out. If a good candidate like Annbank with a more than suitable facility then happy to see them back but less so if another caged 4g ground.

The crowds doesn't include anyone who doesn't pay eg under 12s, club officials or others who get in for free. Although I think Darvel Legend may be hinting at some Talbot fans in hospitality or perhaps elsewhere not getting a ticket so not counting in the official crowd but still paying £10/5.

Two Scottish Junior Cup semi final ties with well over 1000 at each first leg shows that despite the moans on here about it fans still enjoy the competition and brings out a lot of fair weather supporters, neutrals to give clubs their biggest or if not one of biggest gates of the season. You won't get another competition at our level that can bring out as many supporters as the Scottish Junior Cup when you get to the later rounds. Unfortunately the South Challenge Cup and West of Scotland Cup doesn't capture the imagination and attention of the average supporter as much as Scottish Junior Cup and The Scottish Cup too as such well known competitions with great histories.

Both teams had Meadow well beaten this season at Meadow Park and was more noise from the players than the fans & committee who were lucky to get into double figures despite scoring some great goals. We will have far bigger away supporters from almost all teams in the First Division next season unless Caledonian Locos get promotion. They may get some more home fans but very few travel compared to teams like Hurlford, Darvel and others that are slagged on here for having no fans when they actually bring at least 50 or even much more depending on time of year / how they are doing.

Interesting point in the Podcast I picked up was that Drumchapel lost money from South Challenge Cup despite winning it. Scottish Junior Cup Finalists should earn at least £20,000 plus not including home games / hospitality etc. Sounds like may do 50/50 split next season for Junior Cup semi finals for SJFA / clubs if voted through.

With rumours of South Challenge Cup being optional perhaps the thinking is 18 team leagues. 2 more home games for clubs but make that Cup optional for teams like Talbot etc who already have enough games and cups they are involved in. Then opens up more spots for 4th Division for likes of Annbank to come back if they want. Would need more midweek games at start of season and an earlier start date to league. But perhaps one of ideas to get more money to the clubs as I know the reason Cowdenbeath voted for B teams that 15 home league games wasn't enough and wanted 17/18 guaranteed home league games as they had in SPFL Two? Just a thought?

Yeah I know St Mirren Park will be getting re-laid but in an ideal world I think that would be best place for the final this season as a change from Rugby Park, good size for expected crowd, all seated SPFL modern ground and not too far for most clubs to travel - some Talbot / Darvel fans may disagree but been plenty of finals at Kilmarnock in last 20 years. It seems like Cumbernauld offering far cheaper rent for the stadium than anywhere else for games so seems like all finals at our level will be played there going forward for the foreseeable future.

But it wont be the final. It very much looks like both semi finals should be very well attended. Whoever gets to the final I reckon will be at least 3,000 at Cumbernauld -although St Mirren Park / Rugby Park would have been a far better option this season with teams involved in my opinion.

Beith Juniors 2 v 0 Benburb Hurlford United 1 v 3 St. Cadocs Thorniewood United 1 v 1 Blantyre Victoria Cumbernauld United 4 v 1 Muirkirk Juniors Glasgow United 2 v 1 Dalry Thistle Giffnock 3 v 2 Easterhouse

Surely could extend league by 1 week to 10 days to allow likes of Shotts and Newmains to fit their games in so not playing Monday, Wednesday and Saturday or worse from now until 11th May. Need some flexibility below the Premier when no play off date from First Division to Third Division with our weather and pitches. Probably a good idea to give likes of Shotts and Newmains more home games before November next season. I know it's a minefield!

It would be interesting if all West teams had to take part in Junior Cup what kind of team Clydebank would put out if drew Talbot / Pollok / Beith etc or just stick their under 20s out. I don't think that will happen but I can see Alex McDowall either making it mandatory or West clubs being given more financial incentives for taking part which wouldn't be a bad thing if prize money goes up further although they will need to find the prize money from somewhere...Tin hat on but at least Junior Cup is being transparent about prize money while with South Challenge Cup I havent a clue what each club gets if anything?

I dont think people trust the Lowland League to have 3 up and 3 down as so against even having guaranteed 1 relegation place never mind 3.

I could see LL2 being an extension of East of Scotland League so West teams need to be very careful and not find themselves all but relegated again if East teams push for this and we go down a tier minus Clydebank or whoever wants to go to LL2.

Lowland League wouldnt agree to 3 up and 3 down from LL1 and LL2 and I wouldnt trust them at all. B teams are very unappealing to be playing for all West and East of Scotland teams. Also one of the teams who would benefit from LL2 would be Blackburn United who would far more likely be a East Premier team after removing the top 6 or 8 teams from it so I can see why Burnieman is pushing this idea.

See you next season. Can you all just let Johnstone Burgh be promoted. Please and thank you Be a few grounds I have never been to or not for years like St Rochs, Renfrew and Maybole... Should be interesting games v Ardrossan, Kilbirnie and Kilwinning at least next season for us in what I am sure will be a tight competitive league.