HibeeJibee

Tbf if other countries haven't League Cups that's their problem?

Great shouts here mate. You really had your finger on the pulse. Very well done.

Assuming that Premiership 'B' teams, English 5th tier, Welsh, Northern and Republican Irish teams continue... next season's HL & LL sides will be: Cove Rangers, Brora Rangers, Fraserburgh, East Kilbride, BSC Glasgow and Kelty Hearts. If they still invites 4th places - making them play off v 3rd places to get into the competition proper - Formartine Utd and Spartans also feature.

You have to take part in the Scottish Cup, South Challenge Cup, and Lowland League Cup (unless you are in the playoffs as they run concurrently)... In theory we could resign from the EOSFA, to avoid playing in the EOS Qualifying Cup, but I'm not really sure what the point would be: it would just mean a few blank weekends dotted throughout the season, fewer games and so fewer opportunities to make gate and hospitality income, and so on. 'Shire did not join up - I think due to the punishing game-by-game rentals they were facing at Ochilview - but that would actually turn your logic round as they failed to rebound and gradually slumped away (2nd > 4th > 6th), while Edinburgh City, East Kilbride and Spartans have all won LL while entering the tournament. This chat is getting ahead of ourselves, though. Still 180mins or 360mins (390mins?) football to play.

I'm clearly not "delighted" to be facing them but if we end-up in them I've got no complaints. As I observed a few days ago: in any other level finishing bottom would mean going straight down, so having an opportunity to rescue the situation in a playoff is a bonus compared to any level above (and indeed below in context of the gallows humour of talking about what sits under LL). In recent years we have sunk toward the level that East Stirlingshire formerly occupied, and Cowden took on for the last couple of years. If you're the worst side in the league you've no excuses. As I also mentioned a few days ago: as I understand it the club not been inclined to see promotion widened beyond the current arrangement. Of course, that minimises chance of going down, but if you do go down to HL/LL the boot is on the other foot and the chance of getting back is equally minimal. If we end up in playoffs and lose then, again, there can be no complaints about that.

There are 2 further levels under LL in our part of the country - new EOSL Premier Division under LL, and EOSL First Division of conferences under that. Even if the worst happens it'd take a remarkable collapse to ever be facing LL relegation. More sobering is the fact that in 2 different cups - the South Challenge Cup and EOS Qualifying Cup - we could draw the likes of Eyemouth or Tweedmouth next season, if relegated to LL .

Tbf, none of the playoff finals have been anything but tight. Montrose were going out of the league to Brora until Marvin Andrews intervened with under 15mins left. East Stirlingshire lost to Edinburgh City via a penalty 3mins from time. Cowdenbeath v EK went all the way to penalties. Cowdenbeath beat Cove with the odd goal in 5 although some outrageous refereeing decisions played their part. If there is any reliance on that - "anything can happen" - it is tempered by realising Edinburgh City spanked Cove, and Cove spanked Spartans, in previous SFs. It can be over before 2nd leg.

Its certainly unfortunate. Apparently: (1) a club resigning ceases to be a member of the league, but (2) the rules currently say the club finishing 'bottom' of the league - not '16th' - is relegated. New wording was voted on, in February (IIRC), but wasn't then granted the necessary approval.

Schedule: Wednesday 24th April Second Round Bonnyrigg v Edinburgh Utd Saturday 4th May Third Round Penicuik v Linlithgow* Sauchie v Newtongrange Saturday 11th May Third Round Bonnyrigg/Edinburgh Utd v Jeanfield (Wed 15th May if Bonnyrigg and/or Jeanfield in LC Final) Tranent v Broxburn (Wed 15th May if Tranent in LC Final) Fourth Round Ormiston v Crossgates Saturday 18th May Fourth Round Bonnyrigg/Edinburgh Utd/Jeanfield v Bo'ness (Wed 22nd May if Bonnyrigg in EQC Final on this date) Sauchie/Newtongrange v Tranent/Broxburn Musselburgh v Penicuik/Linlithgow Friday 24th May Semi-Finals (1 tie Wed 29th May if involves Bonnyrigg) Saturday 1st June Final

Took in Edinburgh Utd v Broxburn Blackburn. Mad game. Utd should've led at HT with more pressure and missing several great chances. Then forced a top save, up other end Blackburn score, thereafter one-way traffic. Sobering conclusion for Heriot-Watt. They got their draw v Camelon. Had they beaten Edinburgh Utd last week they've have made Premier.

Think it's very interesting that 6th + 7th in Conference A are Leith + Coldstream... 7th in Conference B is likely to be LTHV... 6th + 7th in Conference C are Preston + Heriot-Watt Uni. In every conference there was a "big 4" no-one expected to falter, but when it came to finishing above Dunbar, Sauchie and Blackburn (and Crossgates who have surprised many) the old EOS sides fell just short. Just being the operative word... Leith + Coldstream (hampered by deduction) trail noticeably, but LTHV may finish 1pt adrift, Preston by GD, and HW by 2pts.

So after last-day drama we finally know the Title Round Robin make-up, including a midweek Midlothian derby: Saturday 27th April Penicuik Athletic v Broxburn Athletic Wednesday 1st May Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic v Penicuik Athletic Saturday 4th May Broxburn Athletic v Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Any game which ends in a draw goes to a penalty shoot-out for a bonus point, to lessen the chance of a dead heat. In the unlikely event 2 or all 3 teams are tied on points, goal difference, goals for, head-to-head result, away goals, and away goals in head-to-head result, then Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic would be champion, on the basis of having the best record in the conferences - their points total being 67pts in comparison to 66pts for Broxburn and 63pts for Penicuik. Although few - none? - would've thought of it as such, their closing league wins over LTHV and Eyemouth could yet pay dividends.

The Times, The Telegraph and The Scotsman are reporting Scot Gemmill is currently considered favourite. He has supposedly "had a successful stint with the U21s and is highly regarded among the SFA hierarchy". https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scot-gemmill-a-gamble-worth-taking-for-scotland-27d6727x8 https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/strong-favourite-emerges-for-scotland-job-and-its-not-malky-mackay-or-gordon-strachan-1-4911534 There is also a suggestion he and Mackay may jointly be given temporary charge for the June games as an 'interim measure'. https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/other-football/malky-mackay-scot-gemmill-could-16152892

Tendency has been to retain names. Raith has never included Kirkcaldy though Morton added Greenock in 1990s. Clyde stuck with the river and eschewed Cumbernauld. Partick didn't become Maryhill Thistle. Hamilton Academical, Forres Mechanics, Inverurie Loco Works, Wick Academy, Burntisland Shipyard, Dumfries YMCA, etc. etc. have all kept their suffixes.

Stirling Albion looked at becoming "Stirling Meerkats" under a sponsorship deal but SFL discouraged it as unseemly, IIRC.