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!!!

Wee bit harsh on the dressing room front chief. Assume you're referring to half-time & the late opening which was embarassing to be fair but looks like it was down to a misunderstanging on the Peffermill groundstaff's part. They were ready to open the dressing rooms at the appointed time (locked during play for obvious reasons) but when nobody appeared after circa 10mns or so they assumed, wrongly, that the teams/ref had elected to stay at the pitch & opted for a quick turnaround with it being an evening KO. The reason for the 10 minutes or so "gap" was partly due to the slightly delayed KO (circa 5mns) owing to late arrival of some of the visiting team (understandable with traffic at the bridge & in the city at the best of times - daft to have teams travelling long distance midweek) & partly due to the 5mns delay owing to serious injury to the Leith keeper inside the first minute after being clattered (think it was same player who picked up a yellow in 2nd half for same thing on sub keeper!). Keeper eventually taken to hospital with serious shoulder injury). Stats? Scourge of the modern game - along with likes of term "project" & VAR. Yip, I'm a grumpy auld git & fitba traditionalist. Only one stat that counts - number of baws in the back of the net! That said, fully accept St Andrews played VERY well on the night, put Leith on the backfoot for long spells & will understandably be a wee bit peeved that they didn't get at least a draw on the night. But that's fitba. Leith dug in deep & defended well (aye with the help of the woodwork a couple of times) but went close more than once, woodwork included, to a second goal. Great game to watch. Total commitment from two good sides who both look likely to be in the mix for the key top two spots as a long season progresses. Fully accept it is our responsibility, even as tenants, to ensure that everything is in order (dressing rooms, pitch, etc) on a matchday but sometimes circumstances just go against every effort to get it right (I'd be tearing my hair oot if I had any left!) but I apologised to a Saints official on the night & happy to do so again here.

Fair point re 65 & I'll take your advice on board re clear signage at the gate for next season - in the process of ordering new signs now. Re turnstile opertors at SPFL - trouble in the Premier Division is that most games are tickets in advance (at least that's the case with Hibs aways & suspect it's same for Hearts, Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen too). Obviously not all games "sell out" & there is sometimes cash turnstiles on the day (although not at category A "risk" games). The way Hibs apply it is away tickets are initially only sold to season ticket holders & even when it goes to open sale you must be on database. So if you buy in advance then Hibs will only give you ticket that complies with age data they hold. If you take the chance where there is a cash gate on the day then obviously you can take a chance on getting through the concession gate (and yes, I've done it!). Anyway, genuinely sorry you had the bad experience at a Leith game. If you come back to a Leith game in future make yourself known (I'll be the chap with the fuller figure selling the programmes!) & I'll sort you out with a complimentary programme by way of apology.

Sorry to hear that & a bit surprised. I'm usually at the gate selling the match programme. Normally very flexible on the gate regarding concessions & take peoples' word if there's an age query, especially with youngsters. My experience with SPFL games (watching Hibs) is that cut-off for concessions is 65 not 60. That's certainly the case at Easter Road & vast majority of aways (I think maybe St Johnstone were only one offering 60 as cut-off). I'm 62 myself so can only assume that like me you're a very young looking over-60 .....!!!! Genuinely sorry you had a bad experience at a Leith game. Just as a footnote, as I say I am 62 now but whether I am helping with the gate or just selling the programme etc plus I have one of the club's EoS Officials passes, I still pay my way in at every home game as every penny is a prisoner at this level. And I pay the £5 full rate, not the concesionary amount as I took it to be 65. In fact, thanks to the Tory robbers running this country you could argue it should be 66 as that is when I have to wait until for my pension!

For Leith Athletic's games this season it was £5 & £3 concession (which was basically senior citizens - no official policy on kids but basically if clealy school age let in free).

Leith Athletic produced a programme (mainly 16 pages, couple 20 pages) for every home competitive game last season (albeit one issue was a "double-header" with 2 homes in 3 days). Plans well in hand to issue again this season. I know that Tweedmouth Rangers also intend to issue this season. Think Musselburgh also issued last season - sort of teamsheet that folded into 4 pager I believe. Hopefully do at least the same this season. So, at least 6, maybe 7 out of the 13 clubs.

Interesting that the 3 "conference" winners will have a "round-robin play-off" to decide overall Champions. From my Leith Athletic records I have details of when there was such a "play-off" to decide the Scottish League, Div 2 Champions at the end of the 1914/15 season. Cowdenbeath, Leith Athletic & St Bernard's all tied on 37 points & the League decided on a 3-way play-off on neutral grounds over 3 Saturdays. 10 April Cowdenbeath beat Leith 2-1 at East End Park; 17 April Leith beat St Bernard's 2-1 at Easter Road; 24 April Cowdenbeath beat St Bernard's 3-1 at Easter Road. So, Cowdenbeath declared Champions. Not sure what would have happened mind if say two clubs tied on points etc in play -off. Guessing something along those lines planned for EoS next season but maybe condensed into 1 week.

Correct re Penicuik Athletic winning EoS Lge in 31/32 & again in 38/39 but they were not founder members. EoS Lge started 1923/24 with Penicuik Athletic taking part from 30/31 when they finished as runners-up.