Arthurlie1981

I don't disagree but having worked for the council for a number of years things like these are always impacted by NIMBYs and that would have been obvious the St Cadocs before the entered the league. I also don't only blame St Cadocs for this, the league have to accept some responsibility for things like this.

Im sure he is playing just for the honour of being coached by Maxi!!

So going by your logic no 1 is allowed to criticise another team as it is jealousy? As I have said above and in other threads club should not only be spending money on players but also facilities (and have laid out suggestions on how it could/should be done). I have no problem with what Darvel are doing, Burgh are doing or any other clubs who are spending on both, in fact they should be congratulated for it. But the problem I have with St Cadocs and previously Rossvale, is spending money when not putting anything into facilities and moving to grounds that are a fair distance from their home or in Rossvale's case creating a new identity altogether. If clubs have people putting money in it should be welcomed and not scorned but it should also be put into improving facilities and not hiring somewhere 10 miles from your home.

Bankies deserved it and the game changed with the big number 7 coming on as he was unplayable. Thought Bens started well but really offered nothing up front when on top and Bankies deserved the equaliser which was a cracker. Thought it was heading to pens until the 7 took over. Just a word on the 2 Bankies fans behind the goal. I am all for supporting your team but some of their shouts at players on both teams during a development squad game were cringeworthy. I am pretty sure drink was involved given the amount of empty cups around them but it was still cringeworthy.

Heard a rumour that someone else with money has come in as well. Something to do with the new manager.

The Scottish Football Partnership provides funding to clubs to help improve facilities but it always annoyed me this is skewed towards clubs with licenses and the General Fund (which is less) is there for clubs who have not. That doesn't really help clubs move towards Licence, although as famous supermarket says every little helps!

The horse hasn't left the stable, the league can change the constitution to do what I set out above. It is then for the clubs to vote for or against these changes. If they vote to approve then clubs have a set amount of time to have these things in place or be relegated to a division of where their ground is suitable. Clubs cannot be rewarded by putting money only into the playing staff we also have to drive improvements in ground conditions and facilities.

On you 1st point, the whole point of being a league official is to look at all of these issues and horizon scan (nice policy term there lol!!) for future issues such as these. The whole point in being an office bearer, whether in the league or at a club is to look for problems before they have happened, which in this case they have not. And I am not aiming this at new clubs, this would be grandfathered in for all clubs and these should be attainable for most clubs.

I am in favour of having different standards at the different levels (similar to the English non league set up). Here is an example off the top of my head. Tier 10 (Div 4) Secure ground tenancy within a ground no more than 2 miles from your home area, ground with a barrier around it, catering and toilet facilities in the vicinity of the ground. Show that you are making the club part of the community through links with other community organisations. Tier 9 & 8 (Div 3 & 2) As above but with the addition of a covered enclosure and improvement to toilet and catering facilities Tier 7 (Div 1) As above but with stepped terracing and be showing that you are working towards your licence with an agreed timeframe with the league Tier 6 (Premier) As above and and SFA Licence Clubs would be relegated if they do not make these improvements within 1 season of entry into the league. This would stop clubs coming in and spending their way to the top while not having either the facilities (Rossvale/Loccos) or using someones else's while spending cash on the players (St Cadocs) Whatever anyone thinks of Darvel (and by the looks of it Burgh) at least they are spending the cash and making improvements to their facilities so I have no problem with them doing what they do. I know this probably isn't the right thread but it worries me that 2 new clubs can enter and make their way up the leagues without the necessary infrastructure off the park.

I think the league are reaching that point now where I believe you cannot have a new ground share unless it is on an astro. The mess that is Guys Meadow during the season is shocking. Where I have a problem is clubs leaving the area they are from to move to a ground share well outwith their area. That's what does not allow you to build a fan base. I have seen St Cadocs a few times this season and the home support was negligible and that is, in part, due to the over 16 mile round trip to where the club are from. No clubs should have been or should be in the future accepted without a viable home ground within a decent distance of where they are from and with an achievable plan to meet certain standards within an agreed timeframe.

That is some memory you have!! They must have been really struggling that night. Ewan Chester was the head scout (and a Barrhead boy!!)

Not wanting to nit pick against the rightful point you are making but I think the guy must have been confused as Miko signed for rangers in 1991 and Bobby Russell left Rangers in the mid 80s. But as I said your point is 100% correct imo

Clubs already have them. I’m sure if you ask your club they will tell you.

Went to Gartcairn last season and impressed with what they have done and it certainly wasn't the worst "new ground" I have been too but there was no advertising for where food was sold, confusion with the people on the gate with nobody from Gartcairn really sure if there was food on sale or not and if it is in the area where players get changed then this is only accessible at half time or before the game as you had to walk across the pitch. On top of that I thought there had to be a barrier for where players enter and leave the pitch and if so that negates the ability to access food. The toilets were also in this area so again not very spectator friendly and tbh not very well planned. Again it was last season and maybe that has changed but if it hasn't then this ground is not suitable.

I noticed it back in Jan/Feb they were playing at Stepford and looked through their twitter to see if they made any announcement and the only thing I found was a reply to a poster saying they aren't allowed to say why (in so many words). Surely the league aren't going to allow them to play out of Stepford in the 1st Division? Although tbh not sure what they can do!

Arthurlie have released, Gary Smith, Ryan McGregor, Lance Pearce, Calum Nolan, Ally Miller, Gary Black, Kyle McLachlan and Calum Shields plus Jordan Shelvey is up for transfer.

Firstly, I know it was between Buffs and us for the final relegation spot and as much as I am delighted to be staying up I have been where Buffs fans have been today and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Hope you guys bounce back at the 1st attempt as the club deserves to be in the top league with the improved facilities and work that has been done to achieve a licence.

Massive 3 points for us yesterday and showed great fighting spirit playing with 10 men for around an hour. 1 more win will hopefully see us safe.

Then L2 clubs should be coming out and saying that they do not support this. You have Maxwell and Brown et al all going around saying the L2 clubs broadly support this. If that is not the case then the clubs should grow a pair and say so. The only information we have indicated that they broadly support the conference, if that is not the case they need to say so and debunk this myth. You can't blame people like myself reacting to the only information we have.

They do have a vote though as it needs to go through the SFA AGM where they have a vote.

I am talking about voting them to be allowed to be promoted

As Shannon points out above perhaps they will hope it greases the wheels when it comes to voting in the B teams or perhaps there is some loophole they think they have found that will make it easier to get B teams into the SPFL. The end game here is getting the B teams into the league, nothing more nothing less. Having the B teams play in the LL/Conference is not going to help them develop much more than already happens so what they want is to get they as high up the leagues as possible in a similar vain to Spain. The fact the SFA would prefer to have 4 B teams in the league over LL/HL/EOS/WOS/SOS teams shows exactly how they treat Scottish Football. Not 1 of them cares about the pyramid or integrity. We would be a laughing stock in the football world if anyone actually paid attention to Scottish football in the rest of the world.

I agree that there will be a part of this for L1/L2 clubs looking at Berwick, Cowdenbeath & East Stirlingshire and thinking we dont want a piece of that and if the conference get the go ahead will only have to beat 5 other teams to get promoted. For the OF, Hearts and Aberdeen they get to hoard onto players longer and start exerting pressure onto the the rest of the SPFL to open up for them to be promoted. And to answer and earlier point from the Cowdenbeath fan, the anger towards the LL clubs is that you all keep rolling over and getting you belly tickled and I will bet some ex SPFL clubs will be the first to apply to the Conference given their facilities leapfrogging over the get back to the SPFL. The whole thing shows how shameful Scottish Football is and is not about making it the best product it can be but for making money for those at the very top.

Daily Mail says different. Article is behind a paywall but the press and journal succinctly cover it.

We will look fondly back on the days where joining the pyramid was about removing the glass ceiling, only for the Lowland League and the SFA to put in place another glass ceiling. Now we have talks about changing licensing criteria for the SPFL and I would bet the new Conference League. Shameful from Thomas Brown and his lackeys and shameful from Maxwell and his lackeys (or should that be the OF and their lackey Maxwell?). Scottish Football really is the self preservation society.