stulch

The even more ridiculous thing, in my humble opinion is that rather than an extra tier, if anything, they need one less tier. The Championship, League One and League Two becoming two leagues of 16 (with two extra clubs being promoted to make up the numbers). I wonder if that would have got to a vote? (The Premiership needs 16 as well but that's definitely not going to happen with the ugly twosome involved.)

Part of my thinking was also with the Highland league being slower to offer a promotion spot it (I know they'd give reasons for that) and no actual play-off of yet, and also with them in danger of getting stagnant again I thought it was something worth considering. Personally, I'd consider second but you wouldn't want a team not going for the title as they knew they'd already done enough for the play-off. I definitely wouldn't want to give Fort William a leg-up after their Highland league record, and you could argue they brought the Highland league into disrepute last season for the play-off. Like all of the pyramid though, the sooner teams find their level the better. A far from perfect suggestion I know and I understand why you disagree.

Yeah, I did say possibly third though and if they're not good enough they'd get beaten in the Highland play-off. 17 points is a lot though.

It's a shame in a way, that if there are no licensed Sixth tier Highland region champions at all they don't allow any second place licenced teams to play-off, and possibly if there are no licensed second placed teams any third placed teams (I definitely wouldn't go any further down the leagues though). At the end of the day, if they're not good enough, they'd be beaten in the play-off by the bottom side in the Highland league. There's the potential at the moment of teams with little intention of getting a license in the near future, for whatever reason, and maybe being able to invest a little more money into their playing squad than licenced teams, of blocking licensed teams who are trying to progress. Whilst also giving a lifeline constantly to a really poor side in the Highland league.

So what's the latest on the league 3 proposal? Have the leagues discussed it formally yet? What's the next step? Obviously I'm hoping it dies a death...

One presumes no new applications then?!

It's a shame that only three are now going down as four would have mixed up the third division more but I suppose that's fair. I was sorting hoping an extra team would be promoted though even without an EoS net loss of one...

Twenty-six by the time the SFA have finished.

Deadline 31st March for new applications? Any more news/rumours with that just over three weeks away?

Ohh, they've probably managed it!

And if league 2 are happy with not playing every team frigging four times a season but concerned about the reduction in fixtures increase it to 18 or twenty! There's now enough clubs in the pyramid! FFS though, I won't hold my breath. Guess what? There'll also be more league teams for Premiership teams to loan players out to get some experience in proper frigging conditions rather than some artificial hodgepodge of a then compromised league.

Yes, it sounds like it!

Not anything anyone wouldn't have said before but with the Juniors having finally all joined the pyramid. They should just expand league 2 to 16 (no B teams). There's now more clubs in the system so potentially enough quality for that now. Of course won't happen as B teams are the only motivation for change which of course is ridiculous.

Under normal circumstances I'd describe that plan as hilarious but it's just shows the sad state of their thinking! Just imagine 7th in a ten team league getting promoted. The promoted team could even be goal difference away from being relegated!

It's just hit me how few games are now left but I suppose it is mid-February and of course they have to be finished for the Highland play-off. Down to a three horse race for that play-off?