rockson

There aren't any parallels. In 2008-9 we were never top until about three games to go. We were playing catch-up. This season was my first in over 50 years of watching Sons we've been top of the table for so many weeks. I'd wager it won't happen again in my lifetime.

Given our recent performances against these three teams* and our record I'm more worried about the Stranraer game. *McGeever's sending off at Forfar was disastrous but that last minute Stenny goal at Ochilview could be what costs us though.

I thought he was always going to have a shot.

Good luck with that. In European terms clubs from small nations like Scotland are an irrelevance

I think you'll have it for a bit longer than till the weekend.

I don't know. To win all four games in hand is a fairly big ask. Though winning three would see them equal on points.

I've only seen him at the East Fife game - and he was totally ineffective.

And how many of RB Leipzig's side played in their B-team?

Day 1 was when the Lowland League was set up, though.

Since Albion Rovers and Bonnyrigg Rose still have to meet again Saturday's three points mean we cannot now finish last. My prime target for this season has been met. Anything else is a bonus.

There have been many comments on this on various threads. There are at least as many arguments against B teams as for. That they will likely tilt the balance even more in favour of the OF is reason enough to object to them.

At the Rock the clock never seems to move.....

If it won't provide a team capable of winning the playoffs then there's no problem with it lying at Tier 6 then, since it's not an effective barrier to anyone else doing so.

The only ones that haven't been in a higher division in the recent past are Annan and Elgin. Also, I doubt any team relegated from the SPFL has lacked the ambition to go back up, they just haven't managed to attract players good enough to do it. For which there are understandable reasons, not least what I presume is players' unwllingness to join them.

In that case it would be unlikely to provide a side capable of winning the play-offs for the Lowland League so there would be no point in being in it.

It should give relegated SPFL clubs a better chance of returning to the SPFL.. That would mean they would have to attract good enough players to win the league they get elegated into - which hasn't happened so far (but might in Brechin's case.) As is stands SPFL clubs relegated into the Lowland League - most of whose players will be out of contract, being on one-year deals - seem to face a big problem in persuading enough good new ones to join a sinking ship. Granted a Lowland club returning to the SPFL may occur in future but it doesn't look likely right now for precisely the reason above.

Presumably though he knew he had a contract or he wouldn't have asked for it? And surely he would have signed one or he couldn't play?

Are you a BInos fan in disguise?

But why not include Annan and Elgin in that, then? Does snobbery not extend to them? Don't be ridiculous. The teams have to play whoever the SPFL says they should.

If they get promoted they get promoted. (And they'll probably deserve it.) They most likely wouldn't get past Brechin though. And what's the difference in going to Forthbank to play them rather than the Binos?

Bottom tier SPFL clubs have players who are - mostly - on one-season contracts. (A result of Bosman.) Why should these teams be expected to bounce straight back up when the supposedly "stronger" players who took them down in all probability won't stay around for the next season? They're effectively starting from scratch - as Cowdenbeath had to at the start of this season - whereas the teams they will now be competing with are more likely to have a reasonably settled squad.

In the cases of E Stirling, Berwick and Cowdenbeath it clearly doesn't.

I refer you to my previous answer:- Being relegated out of the SPFL immediately makes a club less attractive to players. This is for a club that has been on the slide (East Stirling a possible exception to that, since they perennially tended to struggle) and so less likely even to keep the players they had - who weren't good enough in any case. Parachute payments don't alter any of this.

They'll possibly get back up this year. But theyr'e in the Highland League so difficult to compare their case with E Stirling, Berwick and Cowden.

If League Two was significantly stronger than the Lowland League then you'd expect the clubs to bounce back immediately but not one team has gone down and won the Lowland League and, this season, the teams aren't even close. Being relegated out of the SPFL immediately makes a club less attractive to players. This is for a club that has been on the slide (East Stirling a possible exception to that, since they perennially tended to struggle) and so less likely even to keep the players they had - who weren't good enough in any case. Being promoted tends to mean higher crowds and a higher budget. Hence being relegated means a lower budget and lower crowds. Is it any wonder no team has yet gone back up? It would be a miracle of sorts if one ever does bounce back straight away.