Cyclizine

The Lewis & Harris and Uist & Barra Leagues would be the logical BBC Alba choices, Shirley?

The HFL play league fixtures midweeks early doors to get games in the bank. They'll still have midweeks at the end though to clear the backlog. Note all the teams have floodlights, though, so it's practical to play winter cup matches midweek too. In an integrated league system, they'd be playing the exact same teams in the same areas. For the majority of junior clubs, a pyramid changes nothing, just the glass ceiling at the top. Remember, West sides have voted to scrap the Central and Ayrshire districts next season, how do you think clubs will cope with this?

There'd have to be a massive culling of the cups, replays etc. Countries that play summer seasons have fewer matches and seasons that run roughly March-Nov. Given currently the season is July-June, that's a massive number of games to lose. There'd still be postponements that would have to be made up. I'm not fully against it, but it would need a radical redesign of the setup for what is comparatively little gain.

You've never been to Cromdale, then?

Reserve and colt teams in leagues with first teams is fine at the kind of amateur level where it's primarily recreational football for the benefit of the players. Once you get to high-end amateur, semi-pro and professional it's unfair and discourteous to the first teams in the league.

Crivens, you'll be suggesting using the Devil's Illuminations next!

You're confusing two separate things: the "Stables plan" of adding two teams and splitting 10-10, which was voted down a couple of years ago and the more recent decision on what to do if the Lowland team is promoted and a North side come down. That decision was to play with 19 - if a repeat occurred then they would split. Were a licenced team outwith the HFL apply to join, why do you think they would be refused? It's all academic anyway, BoD and Golspie aren't going to be applying anytime soon and there's no other licenced clubs in the pipeline.

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Probably next year given they've just started filming series 7. Looks like Tintin's still around. http://www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18670230.html

There's a lot of speculation about how the teams were chosen. There was always going to be a Highland team and Strathspey were the only option. In theory Badenoch & Strathspey was an untapped resource so a team representing the area made sense. Unfortunately the potential hasn't materialised. The story with the Shire sides and BoD is a little murkier, but the fact BoD didn't appear to put much effort into their application compared to Turriff and Formartine is fairly well reported. Turriff have been a good addition, jury out on Formartine...

You need to be licenced to join the HFL. There's only two licenced teams that could join. One has stated they're not interested, the other hasn't said anything publicly, but I'd be surprised. If a licenced club wants to join, the HFL can't stop them.

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Will you stop persisting in this myth that the HFL is a closed shop - yes, there is no direct relation or promotion to the league, but it is patently possible to join it by application and there is a plan for what happens if numbers exceed 20. Anything else is speculation, nobody has applied to join, saying that it's the league must offer invites is simply not true. This statement that the SFA have decreed no more than 18 tabs is just wrong. Clubs moved from the HFL to the national leagues because of the historical imbalance in the geography, before 1993 the only league team in the historical HFL footprint was Aberdeen! BoD may have been 'livid', but they still have not attempted to join and given their chairman has ruled out out, why would you argue otherwise?

I think when you're taking about this level, it's the regular home support that's important, away support is so variable and distance is only one of a load of factors influencing this. Regionalising at the third or fourth tier just isn't palatable for current clubs, there's no evidence regional leagues significantly reduce travel given the geography of Scotland. If clubs thought it would be beneficial, they'd be doing it already!

Development loan players can play for their U20s and loan club as well

Exactly this. The HFL already has a plan that once they exceed 20 clubs they will split, this was announced a couple of years ago. Since then, no-one has been relegated and no-one has applied. It's not a closed shop!

I agree there should be a North feeder, however there simply aren't the interested clubs at the moment, it's a similar situation to the West: until clubs come out for it, the status quo will prevail.

Yet attendances in League 2 are on average significantly higher than Highland, Lowland and Junior leagues. Prices are set to create the maximum pounds per spectator, sponsorship brings in enough cash, you're not going to get a significant increase in attendance or takings playing regionally. If clubs though it made financial sense, we'd already be doing it!

This. The BoD chairman has come out saying they've no interest in joining the HFL. No other NRJFA sides are interested. The HFL has a contingency plan to split if there's more than 20 teams. Golspie are the only other licenced team, the chances of them ever wishing to join the HFL are slim to negligible. Yes, the Highland/Lowland split is inequitable, but it is a chicken and egg situation - there's not the number of licenced teams in the Lowland region at the moment. Realistically, there should be four regional divisions for an equal split by population anyway.

They've got 14 day s to serve the registered keeper with a notice of intended prosecution. Presuming that's you and the address is right, then you've got away with it. If the address is wrong and they've sent out the NIP then it is deemed served and if you don't respond naming the driver you'll be done for not providing, which is 6 points and fucked insurance.

Scotland is small, most clubs are clustered in the central belt, with a few outliers. The majority are within an hour or two of each other. The 3rd and 4th tier clubs have shown that can easily compete nationally over many years, regionalising then isn't going to make a vast difference to travel anyway.

You should have a look at Golspie Sutherland's park, Isa. Another licenced team for you to froth at the mouth about...

The opportunity was an artificial pitch either at Claggan or the Black Parks. It was built in a cage at the high school. Fixture backlogs, player shortage, local apathy, board leaving. They're stuck between a rock and a hard place. There's nothing official, but if you check out the chat on FitbaNorth the feeling is continuing in the HFL next season is highly unlikely, sadly.

They could probably manage as a NCL team again, less fixtures, lower standard, local players. With the board leaving, unless there's a sudden surge of interest, I think it's the end of the road, sadly. Shame as, you're right, Claggan is a fantastic ground.

I suspect Fort William won't be around in the HFL next season, either.