Cowden Cowboy

No because neither point 1 nor point 2 above are factually correct

A Leaguelet perhaps?

Sorry can’t really understand all the points you are making and those that you are quibbling over. Changing what? Claims v views - splitting hairs really. You wrote ‘do we think teams like Kelty, Edinburgh City, Bonnyrigg, who are in the SPFL would vote against no relegation from the SPFl2. ’. That presumably is a question but is pretty opaque as to what point it is actually supporting. And I’ve read it a couple of times. I can’t see any case for any governing organisation over and above the SFA (whoever that might actually be) getting involved in a ruling re how many clubs can be in a League. The LL has its rules and these were agreed by it and the SFA including the limitation on clubs. Both parties accepted from the outset that both have to agree any changes - the number of clubs in the Highland League has no direct bearing on that as they have always had a different rule also agreed by SFA.

You make pretty sweeping claims. Simply put the SFA don’t want any more clubs in Tier 5. Thus going to 18 would help in likely increasing ventilation on an ongoing basis from Tier 6 to LL. Nobody is proposing no relegation from L2 so teams like Kelty, etc aren’t being asked to vote for that Why would Sfa and especially the SPFL to the detriment of its own member clubs exercise the pressure you suggest - there is no evidence they are pushing to enhance ventilation to Tier 4. The SFA have stepped back from direct involvement in this area

Why would LL clubs be against an 18 team league when that is their current match programme anyway? Cloud cuckoo land re ‘taking it further’. I don’t recall any club relegated into the LL giving any indication they expected to immediately bounce back. In essence the SPFL already gave a promotion opportunity that did not previously exist - can’t see any real reason why they would wish to be even more generous by extending that with nothing really offered in return.

B - how would the SFA lose? Any LL rule change needs SFA ratification and they have confirmed they will not sanction an increase beyond 16. D - you don’t know if every team relegated wishes they had voted to open up ventilation between L2 and Tier 5. Are the teams who stepped up from Tier 5 agitating for such a change - no evidence of that. Asking current SPFL clubs to make demotion easier doesn’t seem to have much traction as part of an overall rationale.

All good no problem for today

Hardly bizarre and in the rules of the Scottish Cup since var was introduced so all clubs know how this is handled. At VAR ground but not being televised home team can ask away team to share cost or pay for it themselves if they don’t. TV game clubs share cost as var is well covered by fee

Most part time clubs would be delighted to be in Buckie’s position. £24,000 tv payment plus £19,500 exit payment if they lose plus sizeable share of gate money - var payment is readily covered

Back to Cowden biz - an enjoyable win. As the game wore on we were really making the running. Delighted to see Zak rewarded with a couple of goals

No excuses - reasons. 18 team leagues obviously has a direct linkage as was highlighted. The other points highlighted are also of import but instead there is a desire for a mono-issue focus as if it is the B-all and end all (see what I did there?!). I understand readily enough that debating those with rigid views is a waste of time. So will cease doing so. Et Al as far as I recall haven’t made plain any consistent support for B teams but conversely according to you they haven’t hidden it. Anyway enuff already - it’s plain to see that the Bexiteers on here believe they have a monopoly on truth and always know the real reasons behind everything as they confidently present opinions as facts. Not really interested in that sort of pitchfork and flaming torches approach though.

Bexiteer arrogance - you guys have it all figured out and those not falling into line are naive. Such an established, well regarded club maybe earned that reputation by being independent thinking and not one that is just willing to run with the herd and its one true path

On first point CFC vote isn’t based on some sort of belief that SFA will change its mind based on B team vote Your second point is way too simplistic as that decision involved a number of factors as did the more recent one No reason or evidence to be sceptical about that at all.

By the way all 16 clubs should already be well aware that the SFA rejects the LL having more than 16 teams after it proposed a formal rule change to that effect

No I will compare you to Brexiteers - you don’t get to decide that - same as I don’t have a choice about what you write which is purely based on what you prefer to believe rather than any objectivity. Classic Brexit stuff

Well Cowden fans have had plenty of opportunity over the years to judge the Board’s honesty. And seem willing to listen and engage unlike yourself who would be as well putting slogans on the side of buses. It is clear that debating with Bexiteers is entirely futile as most have a fixed, simple view so have no real interest in the debate - just in getting their own way and abusing those who don’t fall into line.

Never been any discussion re a split but a possibility although not too keen on splits. Don’t know if other clubs would want a split and some might be content with just 30 games. Message didn’t go to a select few - around 350 fans in mail shot. That is the core intended audience and we of course were aware that it would then be more widely shared with Cowden fans not on our mailing list plus third parties. Well there is an exercise in populism here. A vociferous group are anti-B teams so want to set the agenda. Many fans don’t want B teams in the pyramid - I didn’t support that but it has already happened. Some fans have no view on the matter or aren’t that bothered or are even unaware of it as opposed to those who are fired up about it. The latter group dominates the debate. That also was the Brexit referendum experience. So I guess if we just fired out a yes/no referendum style poll there would have been a No result from those who actually would vote. However, if we had had time to hold a series of fan meetings to encompass the whole fan base and articulated all the aspects contained in our briefing plus answered questions I would like to think that we would have had the backing of a majority of CFC fans - they also know that CFC is a fan run organisation already plus that we intend to give fans even greater direct influence via the CISS as we go forward. Simply canvassing opinions without any real engagement is a simplistic approach. Most of the Board members, maybe all, aren’t B team in the pyramid supporters but it also isn’t just a simple case of take the cash. I won’t say any more as the subject has already been gone over enough for me. Thanks re congrats on our win yesterday - enjoyed a good old winter football battle at Coatbridge v old foes. Time for a bit of Festive downtime (apart from laundry duties today) and best wishes to you for the Festive season and all the avid readers of this Cowden section of P&B

The SFA didn’t let us into the League Cup it was the SPFL. And both the SPFL and the SFA obviously wanted clubs to vote for the Conference which we were not willing to do. So what you say is nonsensical. The SFA have rejected allowing the Lowland League to have more than 16 member clubs - that’s a simple fact and all the Lowland League clubs are aware of that. There is no if about it.

Self-regard rather than self-respect is the overriding tone of this particular message - and you single out the one club actually willing to put its view out there as cowardly. Jeez-oh

Some fans did express an opinion - the vast majority of Scottish football fans probably haven’t. A football club should know its fans and take full account of their range of views - we always try to do that and do indeed have decent insight into that - the club is run by its fans in the first place.

But that is an issue as narrow narratives don’t properly address the wider perspective and the full range of issues that should be considered by any organisation. How many fans does Scottish football have in total? 500,000? How many of those actually have clearly expressed a view? How many of them have more than a cursory insight into the overall issue/s? It’s fine to be populist and pick up on a single issue that’s how Farage does it with the EU/Immigrants - but I prefer a balanced and rounded debate and perspective. Anyway Best Wishes for the Festive season for all and its encouraging to see how important CFC’s views are viewed on here!

Ah well he now just seems to be the Farage of the Bexiteers. Seems to think he can answer for me. The simple fact is that the club will of course advise its supporters how it voted and its reasons. We are always transparent with our fans.

No it’s not a Lowland League rule - it is allowed under the current B team participation agreement

Sorry don’t understand what you are driving at

None given it was just a couple of months back