Boris57

One of the points made by Leith but no explanation given!

That's only half the story. Other 2 rescheduled games allocated to 20 Jan, a cup date in EoSL calendar. Leith told to play 23 Dec - a free date in EoSL calendar. Leith tie the furthest apart travel distance wise by a long way. Rediculous to ask a team to travel 7 hour round trip 2 days before Xmas. Throw in the difficulty in accessing a bus for 23 Dec & the cost (a lot higher than was being asked for the bus when first attempt to play game was cancelled ON THE DAY). Threave, a WoSL club, do NOT have a WoSL fixture on 20 Jan. They are due to play Stranraer Reserves that day in a SoSL cup competition. South Cup sec has been extremely uncommunicative in responding to Leith's requests for an explanation. Quite why a WoSL team are playing in a minor SoSL competition is a puzzle in itself. South Cup sec, who lives not far from Castle Douglas where Threave play, is part of the SoSL Board & is sec for the SoSL minor cup competition too. Interestingly there are NO SoSL fixtures scheduled for tomorrow & only 3 in WoSL. Not surprising given players etc under pressure with families etc so close to Xmas. I would have thought South Cup took preference to a minor local cup never mind the SoSL/Wosl conflict. Leith have been treated appallingly & have had little back up from the EoSL who weren't even in possession of all the fixture facts until yesterday &Thursday). I think Threave have saw an opportunity to gain an advantage as soon as Leith queried the date & have enrolled a friendly face in the shape of the South Cup sec to insist on the game being played 23 Dec. Whole thing stinks.

Anyone know when the first round draw is after this weekend's prelim 2 ties? Assume it's probably Monday but nothing on SFA social media etc to confirm? date or time etc

Thanks. Noted.

Are the attendances for EoS games recorded anywhere? Last season they appeared on Twitter but I can't find anything similar for the current season.

Noted. Appreciate comments & guidance. Thanks.

None whatsover - it's brilliant! I was just messaging to try to get permission to possibly use it on a programme cover. I never just use graphics or photos etc without the permission of the owner.

Sent you private message re map graphic.

Take your point about bedding in but the pitch itself, fully marked, has been in place since later last year - can't be precise about date but have it in mind (through peeking in from Marionville Road when passing) that it was circa October. Of course it won;t have been played on before City's first two games & I did notice from watching Arbroath highlights that there were wee clouds of the plastic beads rising as players were running. First trip there tomorrow so will get a closer look & hear what players think re surface.

The seaten stand is indeed limited to 499 but FC Embra will also have access to the two upstair "hospitality" area that overlook the pitch - the windows can b seen in the photos, just above the stand roof level. One can hold circa 50 to 60, the other circa 20 to 30.

https://fb.watch/dRGQotOqrk/ First Division Leith Athletic return to Meadowbank for 2022/23 season.

Answer to your question re stand is yes. And it is 499 seats. Deliberate planning I understand as 500 seats or above brings into play additional safety requirements. Windowed area just above stand roof is potential hospitality area with room for around 50 to 60 punters.

I didn't see the Tweet complaining about the venue being so close to Crossgates but would just like to make it clear that Leith Athletic had NO issues with the choice of venue. New Central Park is a first class venue with excellent facilities for players & spectators alike. Leith have played there twice in the past, once in a League fixture, once in a cup tie (pumped both times by the way although we were robbed in the League game!). Kelty was an obvious choice if the game was to be played on Fife side & had say Ainslie Park been selected this side of the Bridge then the same "geographical" advantage could have been levelled in reverse (but I'm sure it wouldn't have been from my discussions with our counterparts at the Rose). I suppose it would have been say "neutral" to maybe choose a West Lothian venue but as I say no need from a Leith point of view. The fact that it was just down the road from Crossgates made no difference to logistics for getting to the venue. Obviously Leith had arranged a bus but I know Crossgates had too (in fact I understand they had more than 1 arranged so their young teams could get to game too). EoS cup finals are played on Sundays for a number of (good) reasons including maybe attracting a better crowd with fewer other games that day. However, Sundays are becoming busier fixture-wise these days too with further demands on potential venues (e.g. SWFL fixtures). Speaking for Leith we'll just look forward to taking part in the showpiece game when it is re-arranged WHEREVER it is played & I'm pretty sure The Rose lads will be the same.

Leith never trailed in their game & in fact led 2 nil before the visitors pulled it back to 2-2 with Leith snatching a late winner. Having said that I can understand if there might have been some confusion with the scoring as shown on the EoSL website as when the late winner went in I inadvertently texted the score through to the EoSL as "2-3" rather than "3-2" which I only realised when I went to text in fulltime score a few minutes later. For which I apologised - error all mine. Combination of excitement & fat thumbs!!!