Brad Bobley

Hope you manage to get a sponsor sorted that you were looking for on Twitter. Incredible amount of work to be doing for no incentive.

The only difficult I can foresee with that is how the team to be promoted to the WoS would be nominated. Winner of all Premier Leagues in the geographical region play a semi and a final? SPAFA GGP Caley Ayrshire? Runs into some problems if the winner of SPAFA or the Caley is one of the Stirlingshire region teams but solutions could be found.

Definitely one division then. That’s 15 teams, with a few yet to confirm (BSC & Harestanes).

I think it has to be just one division, unfortunately. A lot of games, yes, but having a maximum of 18 teams isn't particularly conducive to allowing two divisions.

Oh, dear. Well done to Garrowhill. A fantastic achievement.

Parkhall resigning at the end of the season. Another gone from SPAFA.

I might be wrong, but did Josh from Rossvale not have involvement with AS Airdrie previously? I could be miles off with that. Bailey Hanlon transitioning Kilsyth to the WoS another one of note.

The Lesmahagow > Lanark & Royal Albert suited perfectly geographically, and came at the right time for all involved. I don't know if there's many top amateur sides now who would find themselves in as convenient a position. As you say, the top amateur teams could and would dismantle a lot of teams in the Third Division and Fourth Division. I've said it lots of times before, but the actual gap in quality isn't that vast.

Sad to see but the gulf in quality from the top two or three to the bottom of SPAFA next year doesn't make for a very productive or meaningful setup, in comparison with the likes of the Caley, where, for example, this season, there's still five teams who can win the league. I'm just glad they'll be able to build for the future with the 19s and 21s teams they've got on board, and hope that this is only a speed bump in a longer road to recovery. 19 confirmed for next season (with the asterisk denoting rumblings of calling it a day, but only rumours): Castlemilk OBC Steins Thistle Greenock HSFP Pather Oban Saints Chryston Arthurlie Harestanes* Port Glasgow Inverclyde Parkhall* Neilston* Baljaffray Kings Park Rangers Glenvale Carlton Eddlewood Cardross Port Glasgow OBU BSC Glasgow* --- Best case scenario is a league of 10 and a league of 9, maybe? Massive risk with such a small league that one or two resigning means you'll end up with an extremely short season.

Semi finals: Sandys vs Garrowhill Thistle 22nd April - 8pm - New Douglas Park & Steins Thistle vs Cupar Hearts 26th April - 7:30pm - Falkirk Stadium A large 'luck of the draw' element, but the only West team left from the GGP. No West Caley teams, no West SPAFA teams, no Ayrshire teams. A big turn up for the books, that is. Another season where the four semi finalists are from four different league associations.

I think it’s probably too early to say. This is the first real season that they’ve been under SAFA jurisdiction. SPAFA seem to be making a lot of progress with the 19s, and have developed a 21s league for next season too. Not sure how the Caley are getting on with theirs, but seems yet another wedge has been driven between the setups. It would make much more sense have 19s and 21s under the same umbrella, but maybe that’s just me. Having 19s and 21s within SAFA is great, but don’t see the benefit of having them under two different sub-associations.

For sure, and I don't have an issue with this. But the clubs need to have a pathway into playing football beyond 18s, which the SAFA now offers. When they apply, and require to have an adult team, and don't get accepted, the SAFA pathway makes sense, no? We always talk about player pathways through WoSDL and there isn't really a focus on club pathways. I think this move is a step in the right direction towards that end. Youth team becomes too old > joins SAFA to build foundations to > join WoS. In instances where youth teams want to go straight from 18s to WoS - I really can't see it happening. Teams going from 19s and 21s straight to amateur get eaten alive, so will only be magnified exponentially going straight into the WoS, albeit they would have more room for recruitment and lack of restrictions with ages. I feel like we're going round in circles, so I'll leave it at that!

I really hate to keep labouring this point, however… Community Youth Clubs NEED to have somewhere to go while they wait on an opportunity to join the WoS. Naturally, they will join the SAFA which makes perfect sense. Flippantly, clubs that don’t exist do need to go somewhere. They need to be registered to something (if above 19s, then it needs to be an SAFA affiliation), or else is there any point in existing? Again, I agree with your final point, but to gain the necessary accreditation, amateur affiliation, regardless of anyone’s opinion of the setup, makes perfectly logical sense, in the interim at least.

One of the best Saturday morning teams, both historically and also this season. A shame. But, unfortunately, no team folding is surprising nowadays. Hope all their players manage to find new clubs.

I understand your point with being 'obligated', but they really don't have any other choice if they want to continue playing. The only circumstance, I can think of, where SAFA obligation might become a problem is when an 18s team wants to go straight to the WoS, which is never, ever going to happen, for a plethora of reasons.

I would've thought there does need to be an alternative. A team who apply might wait years to be accepted. What are they expected to do then? Just sit and wait without playing? Amateur provides an opportunity to keep the same team together and continue playing whilst waiting for the opportunity to open up for them to join the WoS. Youth teams with aspirations to join the WoS will naturally become amateur anyway (as alluded to in the 19s/21s point previously), so I don't quite understand what the issue is with them being affiliated with the SAFA, mainly to keep playing, develop facilities and work toward meeting the required criteria. I agree with you in that opening the WoS up is probably a more productive, long-term solution, but that's not going to happen any time soon. St Pat's have recently been accepted into the Caledonian League. I'm aware that might only be temporary with their aspirations, but I don't think they'll apply for the WoS this year. Not sure if there's a list of teams who will apply, depending on what happens with St Peter's. A friend of mine drew up a proposal to send to the SAFA. Don't know if he ever got round to it, but here's a screenshot with a rough idea of what he was suggesting (notably only afternoon teams because of the nature of the WoS being afternoons): That would definitely need some tweaking, but don't think it's miles away. Naturally, a structure like that would easily funnel into the WoS/EoS.

Definitely a good shout for Ayrshire based teams, but don't think I can see a world where teams from North and South Lanarkshire are travelling away down to Dumfries and Galloway every second week. I suppose it's not completely out the question, mind you, but I think it's unlikely.

Quarter final draw now confirmed: Annbank v Garrowhill Balgonie Scotia v Steins Greenock HSFP v Cupar Sandys v Glenburn Ties to be played on Easter Saturday, the 30th of March... The less said about that scheduling, the better. I fancy an Annbank victory, followed by 3 away wins.

A lot of ‘what’s the point in needing to go amateur first’ comments. What is the alternative? 19s and 21s now fall within the SAFA, so are classed as amateur. If not part of the SAFA, where do they go/what do they do prior to applying for (and being accepted into) the WoS? Is the suggestion to apply for the WoS when you’re 18s/19s then hope that you’re accepted by the time your players are now too old to play in those age groups? What is the stop gap if you’re not accepted? A genuine question and not one to ruffle anybody’s feathers. More questions than answers in respect of not joining amateur leagues. A lot of snobbery about amateur but you’d probably find that the top 20 amateur teams in the West would hold their own in Division 4.

At the risk of going off topic here, but I agree with most of that. Flogging a dead horse is a good way to put that. I wonder if there’s a correlation between the two remaining SPAFA teams in the Scottish Cup and the opposition they’ve been up against this season. I’d say there probably is. Two undoubtedly extremely strong teams but not having too many ‘tough’ games throughout the course of the season has certainly worked in their favour when contrasted with the other big hitters (St Pat’s, Bannockburn, Gartcosh, Castlemilk, et al.) all playing each other fairly regularly. Due to the restructure/merge, Greenock HSFP and Steins have unfortunately found themselves in an extremely boring and turgid league. I hope the prospects get better for SPAFA but unfortunately have a feeling this season is the beginning of the end of anything meaningful.

Thought it would be useful to share this circulation: ATTENTION ALL CLUBS Amateur clubs in the West of Scotland will soon have an opportunity to join the Scottish football pyramid after an agreement between the West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) and the Scottish Amateur Football Association (SAFA). The agreement means that when a vacancy arises for a club to join the West of Scotland Football League, perhaps due to the Premier Division champion club being promoted to the Lowland League, that the vacancy could be filled by an amateur club, from the Scottish Amateur Football Association (SAFA), that satisfies all the necessary stadium and other criteria required to join the WoSFL. Any SAFA amateur club, based within the defined geographical boundary of the League, that wishes to apply for membership of the WoSFL will now be able to do so at any time via the wosfl.co.uk website. There, all the information will be available, including a copy of the stadium criteria clubs will be required to meet and the League constitution. Clubs will also be able to complete an online self-assessment form to start the process. A visit from a delegate of the WoSFL will highlight any aspect of the application that needs to be improved, including the stadium criteria and once the club has satisfied the requirements, they will be placed on an accredited list clubs eligible to join the League. When a vacancy arises, those clubs on the approved list will be invited to make a presentation to a panel made up of both the WoSFL and the SAFA to determine which club will fill the vacancy. The agreement also means that any youth club that wishes to become a member of the WoSFL must in the first instance, join their local SAFA League or Association. After they have been members of the Scottish Amateur FA for a season, they will then be eligible to apply to become an accredited club to join the WoSFL. SAFA President, Iain Cowden, said that this agreement was a positive step that allowed those progressive amateur clubs an opportunity to make the step into senior football, while allowing open dialogue with member clubs to assist them going forward. “This agreement is great news for all amateur clubs in the West of Scotland who may have ambitions of progressing into the pyramid system of Scottish Football whilst at the same time protecting the status of the Scottish Amateur FA in the West of Scotland, in that clubs out with our organisation who wish to join the pyramid system, must become a member of the Scottish Amateur FA before they can become eligible to apply to the West of Scotland League.” “This is an excellent opportunity for our clubs, and I believe that this is a blueprint that could be replicated elsewhere in Scotland for the benefit of our national game.” Matt Bamford, Chairman of the West of Scotland Football League agreed and stated that football is the winner from this agreement. “This agreement is a win/win for both the League and for amateur football. It allows clubs to achieve the minimum criteria for membership of the WoSFL so that they have everything in place when a vacancy arises.” “It also protects the amateur game and benefits not only progressive amateur clubs but also youth clubs with a defined pathway into senior football should they so desire.” - Promising I think. A good incentive for ambitious amateur teams in the West to progress and not have a 'dead-end'. I know there is a similar-ish and informal set up in place already, but good to have it in writing, and a recognised pathway. A progressive step, IMO. I envisage that the EoS will follow suit.

I presume that’s in jest at the comment I made a few weeks ago. A lot of time for that, because it clearly annoyed you. I couldn’t care less if there were any Caley teams left but if you’ve got a hardon for SPAFA, it won’t be for much longer as SPAFA will be lucky to be in existence next year at this rate… etc, etc. Strangely fancy Garrowhill to cause an upset against Drumchapel Utd. As far as I understand, they gave a very good account of themselves and were unlucky not to win the game outright. As for a winner… I fancy an Ayrshire or Cupar to retain.

Travelling from Stirlingshire to Lanarkshire on a Sunday would be somewhat misguided without a financial incentive, I would've thought!! Oban, of course, had a team in GGP previously, so I wonder, if true, if they feel the GGP offers more than what SPAFA can provide.

Harestanes, I believe, are struggling for a team. I really hope they manage to get back on their feet. Neilston also rumoured to be going 35s, though unsure if this will run alongside their SPAFA team, or completely moving across and resigning from their current setup. I had heard about Castlemilk OBC going to mornings too. It's going to be a very lonely league for Oban, Arthurlie, Greenock HSFP and Steins next year if all those changes happen.

I can't answer on behalf of Gazza but I know of a good few teams transitioning to 35s next year, some merging with other teams, etc. On the other hand, I've heard a few WoS 20s teams are either going 21s or going Saturday mornings. Naturally will get half a dozen new teams on the Saturday morning circuit as well, starting from scratch. This time of the season is typically when unfulfilled fixtures increase exponentially and already starting to see that. Fixture backlog, injuries, people moving to other teams, among a whole list of other things, don't produce a cohesive environment for a lot of teams to prosper, unfortunately. I'd imagine unfulfilled fixtures spells the beginning of the end for a lot of teams.