Dev

……. so maybe 6 out of the 7? That would be a big boost to the league. Any likely newcomers close to licencing already?

Presumably any assets would revert back to the SFA?

If a club wishing to enter the EoS played at Grangemouth Stadium but made alternative appropriate arrangements for fixtures which clash with Athletics uses wouldn't that work? Indeed two clubs could make the stadium work on a ground-share?

The Scottish Welfare FA 1983/4 Handbook lists 28 affiliated leagues: Aberdeen Sunday Aird & District Alexander’s Buckie & District Commercial Central Echt & District Forth & Endrick Glasgow Glasgow Hospital Grangemouth Inverness Lochaber Montrose Montrose & District Nairn Newmachar & District Peterhead Peterhead Sunday Ross-shire Scottish Transport Stirlingshire Stirling & District Strathspey & Badenoch S.I.S.A. (Fife) Strathclyde Upper Deeside Upper Donside Others which had gone by then were: Glasgow Unemployed Youth Lothians Strathspey (not Strathspey and Badenoch)

Have you ever been to a Welsh Premier League match? Many full time pros have come from this Pub League!

Yes. The right quality coaches and facilities are very important in all of this. This is why club licencing has a role to play as these aspects are covered there. I think that the structure of the leagues depends upon the nation concerned. Every football nation is different and should choose a framework which is best for itself. If it is economic to have "X" clubs in a "Y" tiers structure in one nation then it is, by definition, affordable. However, that structure may not work elsewhere. Horses for courses. I don't think that it has a serious impact on the success or otherwise of national teams. The coaching and facilities will have an affect.

Does the completed work need to be inspected/seen by the SFA Licence people before the deadline? Or will something in writing from e.g. the contractors do the job?

Junior football, what is the future? The existence of Junior football, as well as Amateur and Welfare, is a symptom of the lack of forward thinking which has been allowed to play a part in Scottish football for many years. That is partly due to the tribal nature of the country and the “us and them” attitudes even when there’s really no difference at all between people. Daft! I say it’s a symptom only, as it’s not the cause of the national teams under-performing for many years. That’s down to this “us and them” attitude. Looking for differences instead of recognising that everyone’s the same really! There have been those in the SFA who’ve banged their heads against brick walls trying to drag others into the 21st Century but they’ve not been given the support. Scotland has the talented people, more than enough, indeed. Look at classic examples of national success and improvement with extremely limited numbers of players to choose from e.g. Iceland and Wales. These nations wised-up twenty years ago and realised that they had to because they would be buried otherwise. They realised that, in any competitive game, the national team could only field eleven players at a time, plus substitutions and back-up Reserves, so maybe 22 – 25 needed for a national squad. They knew that they had to target that number of kids coming through for each generation of kids. They didn’t go far beyond that so they focussed on the best. That’s why Iceland and Wales have groups of talented youths and under-age teams coming through the system – maybe half a dozen from each group will make it into the Pro scene and that is enough to maintain a healthy 22 – 25 national squad for ever. They also made a point of early identification of talented young players born elsewhere but who are qualified through parentage or via grand-parents. They made a pitch for these talents as soon as they were identified and gave them high quality free coaching with national age-group squads. This gave these exiles reason to buy into the national “brand” and most retain that loyalty thereafter despite pressures from larger countries e.g. England to join them. Both Iceland and Wales focussed on identifying the young kids who had the necessary qualities i.e. Aptitude, Athleticism and Attitude. Must have all three. They made a coaching network covering their countries which searched out all of the kids who had these ingredients and they gave them the opportunity to receive high quality coaching. Others were integrated from outside the nation as mentioned above. They then monitored their progress as they grew older. Any kids with talent were identified. The coaching network also helped the kids to be identified by senior clubs so there are pathways through to the top level of the game – across western Europe – not just at home. The top league structure in Iceland and Wales is not so important for bringing through talent although these leagues have turned up youngsters who fell through the net as far as talent identification is concerned. Some move on to full time professional clubs and make careers out of it. Owain Tudor Jones of Inverness Caley Thistle is one Welsh example. He came through the much maligned Welsh top league. Tom Bradshaw who ended up with Millwall is another. There have been lots over the years. The ultimate point here is, in my view, the very existence of artificial “Grades” in Scottish football is archaic and a sign of a failure to keep up with the times. England abandoned the Amateur status years ago. Northern Ireland re-structured its’ football and Wales is doing the same at present. Interestingly these all included lengthy consultations with all interested groups. These groups felt included so progress was made and not blocked. That’s where all of this links back into the topic of this thread: Junior football, what is the future? Scotland has more than enough talent to succeed in the European and World Cups. It just needs sorting. Maybe Petrie and Maxwell will be the boys who can bring about the necessary changes. Support them, advise them, correct them if needs be but don't sit on hands moaning!

Does anyone-else sense that maybe the next resignations will lead to a re-instatement or two? Beginning to sound as though the proverbial may be heading for the fan.

There will be 16 at Tier 6 which is the Premier Division. After that it's Tier 7 so if it's 48 teams you have 16 then say two conferences at 16 each. In theory you might be able to fit in up to 18 teams for both Tier 7 conferences so 52 could be coped with for one season, maybe? Above 52 (seems unlikely) would be difficult. How many league games can be fitted into a season when many clubs don't have floodlights? Three conferences at 12 each would only give 22 league games - not enough without some extras created somehow - perhaps playing each other H & A twice over? 42 games. I hope that all current Juniors wishing to switch will be accommodated - even though some may be below the criteria for newcomers to the league. Plus Eyemouth Utd (if they plan to return this time around).

I've been there too. That's why I get so mad! However, I have seen how these little cliques can be removed - if desired. You just get hold of the rules and the constitution and identify what they have done which doesn't comply and what they haven't done which they should have done. You must have a team of like-minded people in place to step into the shoes though - otherwise the club folds. Throw the rules back at them. A club I was involved with/supported brought in a mate who was a local solicitor and that individual gave some direction which helped a lot. The other angle, of course, is to put together all of the non-compliances and shove them at the SFA - but they must be sent via a solicitor as that's possibly the only thing which may make the SFA sit up and take action.

… but that's what I'm driving at. Get hold of the rules and the constitution and use these to full effect. That needs others of like mind so you have replacement officials and committee ready to step in - otherwise the club would fold if the existing rulers were removed. Not easy.

As I understand it clubs choose which leagues and associations they are in so there's no chance of a contractual binding arrangement with any former league or association. No ties at all. They can go where they please, subject to acceptance at their new destination. It would also be a bit rich for the SJFA or its' leagues to complain about anything given their alleged actions/failures to act. Let alone certain publicly expressed opinions which have been reported in the media.

Well, it's only a few died-in-the-wool Juniors folk who control these clubs. Just a few. Don't stay away. That's what serves them best. Get involved. Get others of like mind involved now. Become members, if you're not already member, and use the constitution to call an EGM and sort it out. Otherwise you are, in effect, just like them. Died-in-the-wool complainers who are ?afraid/can't make things happen even when you feel strongly about it. Action not words. Sorry to be so harsh!

….. and it also avoids the scenario of the Juniors Trojan Horse i.e. reverting to SJFA control once the WoS separates from the Lowland League, maybe as soon as 21/22.

It's a mini SJFA situation so take action to sort it out - or just roll with it and don't complain. Sorry to be harsh but those who share your view need to get together now and either take action or not.

….. and, after all, why would Yoker turn down the opportunity to earn cash from the SFA annual Dividend and from Scottish FA Cup entry?

No, indeed, but how do you guarantee getting the best out of players who don't want to be there any longer? We've all seen teams fall apart because of this.

Maybe it would be a good idea if the organisers, the Lowland League, were able to state how many applications have been received ahead of the 31st March dead-line. Then those clubs which remain "on the fence" would have something to go on before deciding what to do. Indication of the total number of expressions of interest would also help after that dead-line. Maybe that's the plan in any case?

If the new League for 20/21 is going to be a Tier 6 division (and lower) of the Lowland League then it's that league which sorts all of this out. The Tier 6 and below to become a separate league in 21/22.

Many posters have said that the standard of the East (south) Juniors had gone down because players are choosing to go to EoS clubs. Maybe this is what finally makes up the minds for some of these Junior clubs. Player power! Best of Luck JC. Not that you'll need it.

Presumably the conferences will be seeded so that will help a little.

Right enough but if all the leading clubs outside the SPFL and in the Lowland League area were competing for it then it wouldn't be far off and significant as the Junior Cup - albeit after a while and some meaningful commercial promotion activity. After all the Northern Juniors never had any much to do with the Junior Cup - so it is a Lowland competition (apologies to the north of Tay clubs).

Indeed, and the process that's under-way now will allow all West Juniors to move over - but they have the freedom to choose to stay Junior. If they all go then they all go. Simple as that. Doesn't need any compromise in addition to this does it?

…. the same applies to Girvan. Good to see them move too.