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They had over 20 clubs prior to the lowland league.

Hopefully there's a range of options being discussed with the SFA here as a full merger would be more appealing to most.

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I'm not expecting it any time soon but if a number of junior clubs were to join the East of Scotland League then they'd have to make some changes.  There is only one promotion spot from the EoS (and that involves a playoff against the SoS).  If you had more than one of the top junior clubs joining then I'm sure they wouldn't be too keen on spending more than a season in the EoS.

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11 hours ago, gogsy said:

Are there any of the eleven teams currently in the league in any danger of not being in it next season?

(not including Lothian thistle if they win the league)

And Preston and either Hawick or Selkirk to get relegated from Lowland league or nobody to get relegated from lowland league still a possibility?

There was talk of Burntisland going juniors but the recent chat about Kelty etc would presumably mean the loss of their license if they did. 

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13 hours ago, stanley said:

I'm not expecting it any time soon but if a number of junior clubs were to join the East of Scotland League then they'd have to make some changes.  There is only one promotion spot from the EoS (and that involves a playoff against the SoS).  If you had more than one of the top junior clubs joining then I'm sure they wouldn't be too keen on spending more than a season in the EoS.

Presuming it would be some of the bigger Junior teams moving over would that be much of an issue? The "sting" of being stuck in the EoS league would be tempered by the fact yer still playing the same opposition with the same derbies?

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There was also a lot of rumblings about Ormiston going back to the juniors too. Could be a very interesting off-season this year.


http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/15180583.Historic_day_for_East_Lothian_football_as_club_to_play_last_game_at_their_current_home/?ref=mr&lp=4

Looking to go down licencing route, though they don't seem to be getting much work done for £600k. No toilets, catering, enclosure or fencing in the ground.

It could be that some juniors are tempted over by progression, ability to use floodlights and fixture lists while some seniors go the other way.

I'd also imagine that Hutchie Vale will be desperate to come up this year as the competition in the EoS might be about to get tougher
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2 hours ago, calmac25 said:

 


http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/15180583.Historic_day_for_East_Lothian_football_as_club_to_play_last_game_at_their_current_home/?ref=mr&lp=4

Looking to go down licencing route, though they don't seem to be getting much work done for £600k. No toilets, catering, enclosure or fencing in the ground.

It could be that some juniors are tempted over by progression, ability to use floodlights and fixture lists while some seniors go the other way.

I'd also imagine that Hutchie Vale will be desperate to come up this year as the competition in the EoS might be about to get tougher

 

Was at their last home game and yeah not a lot of work had been done, other than the metal fencing round the ground. The pavilion should be built over the summer. 

Judging by the article it would appear they are keen to stay in the EOS.

Either way I agree that there may well be movement both ways which in turn will hopefully herald the beginning of a merger at least of sorts.

As you say, Hutchie Vale will be desperate to come up tho progress a little slow there facilitieswise too. Would be great to see sides of the calibre (and facilities) of Kelty head to a Lowland League East if the league is separated after this season, or at least the EOS if the LL remains in its current form.

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As noted above there isn't any limit on the number of clubs that can join EOSL. As recently as 2013 there were 26 clubs - indeed for few days it might even have been 27, technically, depending when LL officially commenced - arranged in 2 divisions.

Historically the biggest it got under 1 division was 18 clubs although often the season had to be abandoned incomplete... Following EOSL reconstruction in 1987, the biggest either of the divisions got was 14 clubs... Since reverting to 1 division again the biggest has been 16 clubs.


While looking up the above I noticed the unusual arrangements which pertained for 2 seasons in the mid-1960s to cope with more than 16 clubs. In one season the clubs sub-divided into 2 parallel pools, the top and bottom halves of which then combined in 'A' and 'B' sections. (Interestingly despite this the Border pool was not completed... although no club ended-up in the wrong section... and neither were either section!). Following season the winners of the 2 parallel pools simply held a playoff for the title. Hawick seem to have prevailed both times.

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On 11/04/2017 at 18:14, HibeeJibee said:

As noted above there isn't any limit on the number of clubs that can join EOSL. As recently as 2013 there were 26 clubs - indeed for few days it might even have been 27, technically, depending when LL officially commenced - arranged in 2 divisions.

Historically the biggest it got under 1 division was 18 clubs although often the season had to be abandoned incomplete... Following EOSL reconstruction in 1987, the biggest either of the divisions got was 14 clubs... Since reverting to 1 division again the biggest has been 16 clubs.


While looking up the above I noticed the unusual arrangements which pertained for 2 seasons in the mid-1960s to cope with more than 16 clubs. In one season the clubs sub-divided into 2 parallel pools, the top and bottom halves of which then combined in 'A' and 'B' sections. (Interestingly despite this the Border pool was not completed... although no club ended-up in the wrong section... and neither were either section!). Following season the winners of the 2 parallel pools simply held a playoff for the title. Hawick seem to have prevailed both times.

As always very informative stuff! Cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 07/04/2017 at 20:06, Bundesliga Boy said:

Bo'ness have now issued a statement re licensing and potential league change. Very much echoes Kelty's stance.

My mobe won't allow me to copy and paste link but it's on their official site.

To encourage junior clubs to join the Pyramid via the EoSL (or the SoSL), there need to be some changes to the existing promotion and relegation arrangements. IMO these should be :

* both the EoSL and SoSL champions should (if licensed) gain automatic promotion to the Lowland League, with no play-off required 

* the membership of the LL should be increased from 16 to 18 clubs which would 2 additional places at this level. It would also bring the LL into line with the Highland League

* the bottom 2 clubs in the LL would be relegated each season (assuming there are 2 licensed clubs being promoted from tier 6, as above)

* the bottom club in the SPFL (Div 2) should be automatically relegated each season (with no chance of a play-off reprieve), to be replaced by the winners of the HFL/LL play-off, who would be automatically promoted to the SPFL. Also, with one less play-off hurdle to jump, it would also make it easier for a relegated SPFL club to win promotion back to the Scottish League.

* the second bottom club in the SPFL (Div 2).should enter into a 'relegation/promotion' play-off with the losers of the HFL/LL . Winner takes all.

Greater opportunities for ambitious clubs, increased fan interest, higher financial rewards, etc !  

 

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2 hours ago, Robert James said:

To encourage junior clubs to join the Pyramid via the EoSL (or the SoSL), there need to be some changes to the existing promotion and relegation arrangements. IMO these should be :

* both the EoSL and SoSL champions should (if licensed) gain automatic promotion to the Lowland League, with no play-off required 

* the membership of the LL should be increased from 16 to 18 clubs which would 2 additional places at this level. It would also bring the LL into line with the Highland League

* the bottom 2 clubs in the LL would be relegated each season (assuming there are 2 licensed clubs being promoted from tier 6, as above)

* the bottom club in the SPFL (Div 2) should be automatically relegated each season (with no chance of a play-off reprieve), to be replaced by the winners of the HFL/LL play-off, who would be automatically promoted to the SPFL. Also, with one less play-off hurdle to jump, it would also make it easier for a relegated SPFL club to win promotion back to the Scottish League.

* the second bottom club in the SPFL (Div 2).should enter into a 'relegation/promotion' play-off with the losers of the HFL/LL . Winner takes all.

Greater opportunities for ambitious clubs, increased fan interest, higher financial rewards, etc !  

 

Very much agree.

I think its inevitable that within the next couple of years that two teams will be relegated from the LL provided, as you alluded to, both EOS and SOS Champs are Licensed.

Sadly it's less likely that they'll abolish the Club 42 v HL/LL winner but it's something that really should be looked at.

And lastly they absolutely should take the necessary steps within the next couple of years to ensure that the Highland/Lowland have the same number of teams within each league.  I suspect however this will be achieved through reducing the Highland League by two clubs.  Obviously however there would have to be a link up with the North Juniors to facilitate this, but I can definitely see that happening in the foreseeable future.

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Very much agree.
I think its inevitable that within the next couple of years that two teams will be relegated from the LL provided, as you alluded to, both EOS and SOS Champs are Licensed.
Sadly it's less likely that they'll abolish the Club 42 v HL/LL winner but it's something that really should be looked at.
And lastly they absolutely should take the necessary steps within the next couple of years to ensure that the Highland/Lowland have the same number of teams within each league.  I suspect however this will be achieved through reducing the Highland League by two clubs.  Obviously however there would have to be a link up with the North Juniors to facilitate this, but I can definitely see that happening in the foreseeable future.


The first change that needs to happen is splitting the LL into East and West.

Until that happens, we won't have a pyramid as West Junior clubs will have little interest in playing in a league which is East heavy.
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Agree that's the obvious way to get interested interested top junior clubs in without having to do anything hugely radical at either end and it is probably very much doable on a short time frame given a two division Highland league has already been voted on, but it remains to be seen how keen the SFA and the LL actually are on having the likes of Bo'ness United and Kelty Hearts crashing their party.

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If the only teams from the Juniors that are interested in the Lowland League is lopsided to those in the East Region. A Lowland League 2 seems more likely than splitting Tier 5 into 3 regions.


The demographic shows that we need a split. The LL area has 3 or 4 times the clubs and population that the HL covers.

A LL2 does nothing to solve the issue of a tier 5 league in the West, which is needed if we're to have a fully functioning pyramid involving all semi pro clubs.
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