Friend of mine point out this official web link: http://www.welsh-premier.com/news.php?ID=7282

Very sad and seem no reason for this move by our SFA. It gave player chance for higher honour.

Agree,

No doubt it'll come to a money issue

That is an understatement Easty(something new for you ), for me that is nothing short of disgusting and the blazers want to have a look at themselves, particularly those representing the East of Scotland and Highland Leagues. It is so shortsighted - I don't think you have heard the last of this one.

I think (might be wrong) the SFA put about £25k into the squad, a pittance in comparison to the vast amounts of money the English FA put into their set up.

Hopefully something can be done to resurrect the team in time for this years competition.

I was told it cost £20,000 per season to run team which is mainly for hotel meals and coaches at the Semi-pro cup. Scotland do not play other match each year, is left to Highland / EOS selects. If Sfa really so rich with £30,000,000 a season then semi-pro is drop in ocean. Do not understand it. Decision seem very bad.

Editt: And how can Sfa afford £700,000 to play argentina if can not find £20,000 for our semi-pro team. Gordon smith = disgrace. George peat = disgrace. Verry upset at this move.

Attended the 2008 tournament in north Wales - it was great to see the whole Scotland team belt out Flower o Scotland at full volume at a near-deserted Colwyn Bay before the England game. Great pride in seeing three ECFC players in the famous dark blue.

£20k is a small price to pay for this team in my opinion. RIP

Because they'll make a profit on the game overall?

Still, it seems a very petty move, maybe the Scottish Junior team can step into the fold.

Ho ho ho - good one!

Though I do think a united team would be good.

I am not so sure about argentina game - even if 40,000 people turn up the SFA would need £20 profit off every ticket to break even. Average price of ticket is £30 so I am not sure that £10 + sponsor boards and corporate guests will cover all steward police staff lighting fees etc. Maybe big TV deal I admit.

But to turn it all around. If Argentina game does make a profit then why not use tiny bit of it to run the Semi pro team?. If 50p from each ticket was put toward it that would fund the entire operation for a year. I am totally amazed that our own Sfa will harm it own clubs and players in this terrible fashion.

Also you speak of Junior FA stepping in to take the place. Now I have no love of junior clubs and think you are having cake eating in etc. but I admit it would be better to have some Scottish side rather than none. But if you ask me Scotland should be represented by senior player not junior of outside body.

I would also like to now what the Eos league and highland league has been doing in all this. This team was a big sell point for Eos over Third division and Juniors. Would robbie ross for example want to stay at edinburgh city if can no longer play for Scotland team???? Officials need to fight corner.



If junior FA can come up with £10,000 then may be this would be option. Then may be highland and Eos leagues put in £5,000 each???? But I wonder if have those kinds of money each year. Even if did would have to be funny selection system. Each group having 3 or 4 player in final team. Would be much better if Sfa just stump up tiny cash for it. Has any one from Sfa said why can not find £20,000????

Why does it need to be so expensive? The SJFA's biennial jolly doesn't bankrupt our association.

Yes cumonthelucknow but we all now that SFA are not broke for £20,000 for semi pro team. If it needs be £20,000 any way. Just another attempt by glasgow blazer boys to under mine football in provinces!!!!

East, I fully agree with your overall point but I don't see any reason to exclude junior players from the Scotland B side. They are Scottish adult males playing in an SFA-affiliated association. Why should they lose out on a cap because they don't play in the Lothians, Borders, D&G or up north? Outside Scotland, the perception is that a Scotland B cap counts for more than a Scotland Junior cap.

I've no idea what the EoSL, SoSL or HFL are doing about this. I hadn't heard about the decision before tonight and haven't been able to ask anyone who might know. It's not on the SFA website yet.

Robbie Ross will progress to an SFL club or even higher level of football at some point, we reluctantly accept that; but he came through the youth ranks at Edinburgh City, and I would guess that neither he, nor any of the other excellent players who were (or are) in City's youth sides, joined the club just for a blue jersey.

If the two squads had met it would have been an interesting game.

Here's the most recent Junior Scotland selection, announced yesterday. Some very good players among them.

Iain Ross - Lochee United
Marc Graham - Linlithgow Rose
Stuart MacDonald - Cumnock
Mark Robertson - Linlithgow Rose
Rodger Duffin - Hill of Beath
Tom Courts - Kelty Hearts
Chris Cruickshank - Pollok
Brian McKeown - Beith
Calum Hardie - Pollok
Mark Crilly - Irvine Meadow XI
Charlie Cargill - Lochee United
Kris Doolan - Auchinleck Talbot
David Hamilton - Irvine Meadow
Bryan Dingwall - Pollok
Robert Downs - Pollok
Jim Lister - Bathgate
Colin Strickland - Whitburn

In what way? the SJFA are affiliated to the SFA and the SJFA Secretary sits on the SFA Executive committee.


When you say "Scotland" what do you mean? we already have a team that plays at Hampden. If you're talking of a Scotland Semi-Pro team, then Junior players are semi-pro as well, there is no difference.

B side? I've been to a few Scotland B games but they dont involve any non-league players!

If the SFA are going to run a semi-pro side it should be selected from EVERY semi-pro league in Scotland - that includes the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions where appropriate. The National Game XI (i.e. England) pulls from clubs equal to and in some cases greater than anything found in the SFL.

This used to happen a while ago I believe. Time to bring it back - a genuine Scottish semi pro rather than the half-baked and exclusive entity it is just now.

I remember in the mid 80s that the semi-pro team was made up of 1st and 2nd division players.

Ian McPhee and Jimmy Liddell both made the squad.

Dont know when they changed it to the HL,EoS and the SoS leagues.

Shame to see it go.

If I recall correctly it was resurrected in 2001 but the South of Scotland League were excluded (or did they withdraw?) within a few years. It has been an East of Scotland / Highland League select for a number of years now.

Agree with previous comments, it should be a select side made up of the best players regardless of what grade of semi-pro/part-time football they play with the priviso that a minimum % come from each grade eg. 25% SFL, 25% HFL, 25% EoS, 25% Junior.

Make it something that players actually aspire to, they play in the same kit as the full Scotland team and play Internationals at Senior grounds.

I would agree with that like Glasgow Loon I can remember the sides in the late 70s and the 80s had a few Cowden players in them.
As long as a player is part time and good enough for it shouldn't matter what league they play in, seems daft to have a semi pro side and not include players from the SFL and also i'm sure some of the junior players would be better/equal to EOS and HL.
Give the Engish their due they must at least take it seriously while in typical SFA fashion they don't give a feck as it is only players from "wee teams."

My wee team has 4 former guys playing SFL3 this year, particularly pleased that Mosh is top scorer in SFL3.

Given the state of Scottish football in terms of full time employment opportunities I would be concerned for the prospects of the really good EoS and HFL players getting into a team that was open to all semi pro SFL players.

Meant to say - they are all still guys not "former guys" - former players would have been better!

Shouldn't the concern be putting out a side that is reflective of the part-time sides in Scotland? Why should the SFA fund a vanity trip for the HFL/EOS?

Maybe the SFA have no interest in a part-time side at all, but I'm sure there would be more interest country-wide in a part time select that genuinely contained the cream of the lads who don't rely on football as their main occupation.

Fair point Jamie but my take on that would be that the SFL players have chosen to take "Longmuir's Shilling" and have a route into international football, probably most realistically at the B level.

But I don't see it as a vanity project for the non league boys but a chance to play representative football at their level.

Think it's about time that some South of Scotland League players were considered rather than just a select few. Don't understand fully why the SOSL would opt out of such a team in 2001, only raises the profile especially if player from that league is selected. As previously quoted this team will be representing every level of Scottish Semi-Pro players.

BJ Fairhurst was certainly selected for the 1st tourney, I can't recall why the South withdrew after this.

It isn't B level though - if anything it's C level. 'B' Internationals are the bridging point between U21 and the A squad.

The team is known as Scotland Semi Pro - it should reflect its name in that case. The best part-timers in the country can be found in leagues other than the Highland League & Juniors etc...

If it is to be a non-league select, call it that - Scottish Non League. Right now all it is is an EOS/SHL Select.