Dev

It's OK! The Yanks will help the fight against Putin & Co. Won't they? Um! Perhaps not.

Just read on the Non League Matters web site about a club, Newport FC, Isle of Wight, in England, which sold their ground for redevelopment. If only Rosyth had received the same treatment from the local planners as Newport has had. A condition of the Planning Consent meant that the redevelopment of their existing ground is reported as: "....... the new football ground has to be in use before the retail park can open. "

It wouldn't do that if any licenced clubs interested in getting promoted needed to apply for promotion by a deadline each season .

OK. This won't happen but I thought I would add it to the list of ideas. [a] At present, (with a few exceptions) all clubs outside Levels 1 to 4 can only enter if they have a club licence. Shouldn't this be changed so that all clubs from lower levels of the pyramid down to the WoS/EoS/SoS/Mids/North Juniors/NCal have the right to enter if they wish? Don't force them to enter if they don't want to but make sure that any home tie they get is played on a ground which meets a minimum standard. Ties could be played over a long week-end in order to make more grounds available i.e. Fri-Mon so four games at some grounds. It would bring the Big Cup to smaller clubs and communities. Another thing would be to seed the Scottish Premier Division clubs so that when they enter the competition they would be kept separate in the draw so they would be drawn against clubs from the lower divisions. Then give the home advantage to the lower club. That would give the supporters of lower clubs the chance to see the "big names" playing at their ground. Again bring the Cup to lower clubs.

In a perfect world the SFA would standard issue advice available to all clubs on this sort of matter as all too many clubs have had significant issues over the years. However, not much chance of that!

There's mention on the Non League Matters site that the EoS received a couple of enquiries from potential new clubs for next season but they don't meet the League's requirements. Anyone able to add to that? Which clubs etc.

There's also the affect on relegations due to the possibility that one club comes down from the Lowland League with none going up in return if an EoS club doesn't win the play-offs.

Best look forward not back. The game's 90 minutes not just highlights after all. Anyone any idea of the prize money for losing the match compared to getting to the final? Cannot see anything about that anywhere on-line.

Failed to get an early goal which would have made TNS change their game plan. Complete lack of pace when going at their defence was a problem and the defence looked vulnerable whenever TNS attacked because they did have some pace. Next season that will be a problem in the Championship unless there's a few new faces.

However, when the SFA alters rules and regs the leagues need to comply and that, as I see it anyway, is the reason why competition rules and regs are checked annually. Particularly in the case of the pyramid leagues.

You may be right about that but isn't it, instead, that the SFA approve the rules of all competitions prior to the next season rather than simply just checking out any changes which a competition wishes to make to its' rules and regs? There's a world of difference between the two things.

Thanks for that. It does seem strange that, allegedly, the LL has been told by the SFA that it cannot grow to include more than 16 non B team clubs but the SFA still allows the LL to continue with minimal potential relegation places. Likewise the SPFL rules and regs need to be approved annually by the SFA but the SFA makes no move to prevent the SPFL from continuing with minimal potential relegation places. Of course, this is nothing whatsoever to do with the SFA. How come?

Thanks. Does this also mean that the LL cannot alter the relegation arrangements with Tier 6 Leagues without the written consent of the SFA?

Is it really factually accurate that the SFA has a veto over the number of non B team clubs in the LL ? Just asking as it has been mentioned lots of times.

Whilst you may have a good point there is it really likely that any person or organisation referred to is likely to want to hold themselves up to scrutiny whether in a Court of Law or in the Media? Answer: No. Not a chance.

Some good points made here. Cannot wait for Bankies and similar clubs to get up into the Lowland League and bring about the simple changes to the league which would make a much needed positive difference.

Really! It's not that difficult - unless anyone wants it to be. Of course, if the Lowland League was just capable of dealing with an 18 or 19 team league season, then it could expand temporarily by one or two or even three clubs. That would help wouldn't it? However, 16 is the max number even though the antics of the Board in letting B teams in have shown that 18 or 19 can be coped with ..... and if they can cope with the odd number of 19 clubs then maybe 20 could be the max number.

What's complicated about two or even more clubs being relegated to the same division given that clubs relegated in turn from consecutive lower divisions would already know that is a possibility and would be fighting to avoid potential relegation spots? It's what the pyramid is about i.e. merit linked to minimum facilities at each level. Come on this isn't that hard to understand is it?

Yes it has its faults, including promotion / relegation all the way through. ........ so why doesn't EKFC vote accordingly and do something to bring about a modern pyramid arrangement with the next tier down in the pyramid? Serious reply please.

Surely, if any club enters any league it is committing to fulfilling its' fixtures. If it fails to do that then there is a penalty of some sort and that does not mean penalising the club they were supposed to have been playing against. A Vote of no competence in the League's Board is long over-due. However, there must be enough capable people willing to put themselves forward to replace the out-goers, otherwise you get more of the same!

There were vacancies on the LL committee weren't there? No matter how poorly the league is run if the clubs cared enough these vacancies would be filled. It's a poor show even by anti B team clubs. They need to get their people on-board - yesterday. No use moaning if they don't. The league need new blood running it asap.

It may be one provocation too far.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/12/comment-un-high-commissioner-human-rights-volker-turk-attacks-ukraine PRESS RELEASES OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Comment by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on attacks in Ukraine 29 December 2023 Non-official UN languages: Ukrainian Українська (PDF) “I am shocked by yet another full-scale set of coordinated missile and drone attacks by the Russian Federation across Ukraine during the night of 28 to 29 December. The massive assault struck densely populated areas in many cities and towns, including Kyiv, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Sumy, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia. The attack also affected a wide range of civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, a maternity hospital, schools, kindergartens, parks, a metro station, and a shopping mall, as well as energy infrastructure. Electricity was cut in several regions, following damage to transmission lines. At least 23 civilians were killed and 134 were injured. Rescue groups are still searching for people trapped under the rubble of residential buildings. International humanitarian law explicitly prohibits attacks deliberately targeting civilian objects, as well as indiscriminate attacks, under any circumstances. I call again on the Russian Federation to cease its attacks on Ukraine immediately, and to strictly respect all the rules of international law relating to the conduct of hostilities.”

Just found this via NewsNow. This looks like we are heading for a major escalation via NATO. Couple this with the statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (see next post). https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/12/29/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-russias-aerial-assault-on-ukraine/ THE WHITE HOUSE DECEMBER 29, 2023 Statement from President Joe Biden on Russia’s Aerial Assault on Ukraine Overnight, Russia launched its largest aerial assault on Ukraine since this war began. This massive bombardment used drones and missiles, including missiles with hypersonic capability, to strike cities and civilian infrastructure all across Ukraine. Strikes reportedly hit a maternity hospital, a shopping mall, and residential areas—killing innocent people and injuring dozens more. It is a stark reminder to the world that, after nearly two years of this devastating war, Putin’s objective remains unchanged. He seeks to obliterate Ukraine and subjugate its people. He must be stopped. In the face of this brutal attack, Ukraine deployed the air defense systems that the United States and our Allies and partners have delivered to Ukraine over the past year to successfully intercept and destroy many of the missiles and drones. The American people can be proud of the lives we have helped to save and the support we have given Ukraine as it defends its people, its freedom, and its independence. But unless Congress takes urgent action in the new year, we will not be able to continue sending the weapons and vital air defense systems Ukraine needs to protect its people. Congress must step up and act without any further delay. The stakes of this fight extend far beyond Ukraine. They affect the entirety of the NATO Alliance, the security of Europe, and the future of the Transatlantic relationship. Putin has not just attempted to destroy Ukraine; he has threatened some of our NATO Allies as well. When dictators and autocrats are allowed to run roughshod in Europe, the risk rises that the United States gets pulled in directly. And the consequences reverberate around the world. That’s why the United States has rallied a coalition of more than 50 countries to support the defense of Ukraine. We cannot let our allies and partners down. We cannot let Ukraine down. History will judge harshly those who fail to answer freedom’s call.

Was the vote for the B teams done by a Show of Hands or a "Secret" Ballot? Would it have made any difference either way? Surely clubs should push harder for changes to the promotion/relegation situation and call for an EGM to at least open up the movement of clubs between the LL and Tier 6 Leagues. Doing that would keep up the pressure for change and put clubs "on the spot" and maybe this "battle" could be won sooner rather than later.