Any club interested in becoming new mwmbers of the Highland League or 15 clubs again?

I would hazard a guess at Strathspey or Banks O Dee

Banks o' Dee have apparently applied for SFA membership, so they could be going for it eventually. They've already joined the senior Aberdeenshire FA and play against senior teams in ADFA competitions.

i know

I can probably guess that by the name, but I was giving the original poster some more information.

ok sorry mate.

Personally i think Banks O Dee have by far the best setup in junior football in the North.(they also have a better facilities than most current HL clubs)
Whether another team from the Aberdeenshire area would get voted in is another matter.

They certainly seem to have a decent set-up at Banks o' Dee and they seem to be quite forward-thinking given their in-roads into the ADFA. I did hear that they do have quite a pro-Junior ethos at the club though, and would be reluctant to leave the Junior set-up - not sure if that is true or not though. I've only driven past their ground, so don't know it in detail, but it seems smart enough and the upgrade required for SFA membership would be do-able. Also think Hillhead/Aberdeen University's facilites at Keith Park are very good, although I haven't been to a game there since the days of Bon Accord.

Personally I would prefer either a city team such as Banks o' Dee or a club from a community new to senior fitba such as Stonehaven or Ellon to come into the SHFL. Not sure that there is any sort of greater infrastructure up north to facilitate a team from that part of the country so would think that Strathspey Thistle is a long shot.

Hillhead would be a no goer as they dont own the ground , the Uni owns it. If the Uni decided to throw them off for some reason Hillhead would be fcuked.

Aye, that's why I listed Keith Park as Hillhead/Aberdeen Uni. Although that said, I think there would be several SHFL clubs that don't own their ground - mind you, I think that's why Clach are in such trouble these days!

There was a story doing the rounds 6 months ago or so that Aberdeen University (owners of Keith Park) were going to put in an application to both the SFA and SJFA.

Re: Banks O'Dee - I don't think they made themselves too popular with the SJFA by playing 1st teamers in the Aberdeenshire Shield / Cup. From what I heard, the SJFA (naively) thought they'd only play their development/reserve squad in it.

I heard that they were looking at membership of the SFA (they used to be until about 20 years ago or so) - whether that entails a longer term plan to get into the SHFL or not I don't know. They have joined the ADFA though and took part in this season's Aberdeenshire Shield (getting beat 4-1 by Banks o' Dee).

Ah yes, I forgot they'd joined the ADFA.

Having read the full-page article in Saturdays Scotsman, it seems that most HFL clubs are pretty upset at the suggestion of Cove or Huntly (or anyone else) leaving for the SFL. And that they are on the look-out for a 16th club (which has some obvious benefits, and some obvious difficulties). Quite whether any major amateur or junior will step-up is a different point.

http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Highland-c...join.3975533.jp

I wonder what bull-a-thon Bill Leckie thinks of that? Maybe he should consider there is practically no interest in joining the SFL (in its current form) in the non-leagues (except at a few clubs) when he uses that pathetic argument to lambast the Juniors who have a successful regional system just now and which could be incorporated, with SFA control, into an integrated and sustainable set-up.

Maybe Huntly should give more thought to winning Highland League games than an SFL election.

The simple fact is: clubs might be interested in a regional form of a pyramid, but from the views shared with the Scotsman, very few clubs would be interested in stepping beyond that, even if it were in place.

Surely, however, half the problem is that the leagues are all over the shop as regards quality and finance as well. Just as teams at the top of the HFL are better than teams at the bottom of the SFL Third Division, so certain Junior clubs are better than teams at the bottom of the HFL, as are some Amateur clubs, while many Amateurs are better than weaker Juniors, as are the top Welfare clubs, while these same top Welfare clubs are better than many of the weaker Amateurs...easy ...

A pyramid, possibly involving breaking the current Third Division clubs into the regional leagues, would let every club play at the right level, in a competitive environment, with the choice about moving up or not. The Scotsman article was full of HFL clubs complaining about losing derbies v Elgin - if we had a pyramid, they'd be playing in the same division as Elgin......

I think its actually quite impressive we have approaching double-figures of senior non-leaguers looking at the vacancy, as most of them are currently playing in leagues where the crowds and the competition is light years away from the SFL level.

I still haven't heard a positive argument, about why the scattered status quo is better than forming some kind of pyramid...

Eh? Who? Huntly (maybe) and Cove Rangers. Who else has come out to say they're interested apart from Spartans? People run off Gala etc but have they revealed an interest? Annan are the best candidate imho - have they revealed an interest?

Whats the point in a pyramid system if you have the choice over whether or not to go up if you win the league? Thats more or less the system we have now.

Theres not really much point in a pyramid at the moment now the Scottish Cup is open to all. That was always the benefit of being elected to the league, and now its been removed as a carrot theres little else a league place has to offer. I don't know where you read about dozens of clubs wanting a league place - there are very few HFL clubs seriously considering it.

If there was a pyramid scheme in place, half the HFL would be playing in a league above Elgin and half would be playing in a league below.

No more Aberdeenshire teams. Cove should be thrown out and Strathspey and Thurso should join.

If I was a betting man, I would put a decent sum on Annan applying for any vacancy. Spartans will also go for it. Preston are strong contenders, they have applied before and things aren't any worse in the SFL now than they were then. I rated Gala, until the recent rumour that their floodlights are broken and they don't have the funds to replace them currently. (This rumour could be b*llokcs btw). The Meadowbank situation has hampered Edinburgh City's hopes. Do remember - some clubs are playing it quiet for deliberate reasons.