Pyramidic

The WOSFL are surprisingly quiet. Hope that there are no issues of concern re new applicants and that a new Development Division can be seamlessly formed for the 2021/22 season.

Good question. Would Brechin City have to join the SJFA if consecutive relegations saw them plummet to the Midland League?

Junior association and junior membership and football will continue great news for all involved and many excellent football administrators from the juniors being more and more involved. Delighted. The SJFA as an organisation might more fittingly be described as the Grampian and Tayside FA given their reduced footprint. In that respect they would not be that different than the EoSFA. But I do acknowledge the remnant Junior Cup and the considerable assets held by the SJFA.

But I wonder what will happen if there are any south of Tay non-EOS applicants including one club located in the Perth suburbs. Would the embryonic ML direct them to the EOS? A decision needs to be ratified on the Tay boundary and the administrative area of the new league at the outset in order to prevent irregularities and disharmony.

I am confused! But of course it was April fool!

Speculation should keep us going over the next 4 weeks. If we think about the best 4 clubs in the East Region North and those that would have the most to lose if the ML initiative “turns turtle” I would go for: Broughty Athletic Carnoustie Panmure Lochee United Tayport

JustBecause has reported on the ML thread that 4 Tayside clubs have applied to join the EOSFL. I wonder who in addition to FWE. Just covering themselves or committed applicants?

This is quite a significant update. Are the 4 clubs just covering themselves in case the ML is not delivered or is there a genuine desire to join the EOSFL?

Only a few hours to go for the submission deadline for applications. At the moment only three of the eleven applicants have publicised their application as far as I know: Kilbride Thistle Harthill Royal Harmony Row Youth Club

Always good to get some informed feedback glensmad. Do we know if the Tay boundary issue is being addressed with a definitive administrative area being identified for the ML. If it is ignored it could come back to bite us with future disharmony.

At long last the whole saga is reaching its natural conclusion. I thought that I would have a feeling of triumphalism but instead there is a general sadness and despair that Junior officials through a mixture of neglect and self-interest allowed the grade to stagnate and decay. I now realise that with motivation, innovation, general updating and the introduction of new blood that Junior grade could have moved seamlessly as one into the National Pyramid. The East Region, a fully functioning regional pyramid, would probably not have been carved in two and the likes of Lochee and Tayport etc could still have enjoyed their occasional trips to Linlithgow et al. I wonder how history will reflect on the wasteful demise of the Junior grade. It could have been so different.

Look what can happen when an Amateur set-up moves to the WOSFL: Thistle Poised For Off-The-Field Club Expansion 30 MAR 2021SCOTTISH AMATEUR FOOTBALL NEWS Kilbride Thistle AFC have given notice of their intention to expand and introduce new ideas at the Club, writes Tom Scott. There are seven different categories which would require volunteers, and anyone interested should send West Kilbride Officials a DM via their Social Media platforms. The list reads as follows: 1. Social Media / YouTube Team. 2. A Charity Team. 3. Coaches. 4. Scouts. 5. Expansion of Sports Science. 6. Physiotherapy Department. 7. General Committee Members. Source: https://scottishamateurfootballnews.com/2021/03/30/thistle-poised-for-off-the-field-club-expansion/

Agreed.

Interesting. It says play-offs between Pyramid Levels 5 and 6 not automatic promotion and relegation. Am I reading too much into the statement?

Brilliant stuff. The future looks bright!

It is being reported on another thread that there are now 11 applications to join the WOSFL for the 2021/22 season which suggests that there may be enough clubs to form a separate “development division”. One of the applicants is rumoured to be from Argyll. Any other prospective clubs only have until this coming Wednesday to get their applications in.

It is being reported on another thread that there are now 11 applications to join the WOSFL for the 2021/22 season which suggests that there may be enough clubs to form a separate “development division”. One of the applicants is rumoured to be from Argyll. Any other prospective clubs only have until this coming Wednesday to get their applications in.

Very interesting. Hope the Pyramid Working Group are able to also look in detail at the implications and fairness of Tayport and Scone Thistle looking towards the Midland League as a future abode. Those two clubs also present a tricky situation that needs to be sorted out once and for all. Both clubs historically look towards Tayside as the area where they have been accommodated. However, you could say the same for Jeanfield Swifts, Luncarty and Kinnoull who now see their respective futures south in the EOSFL. Whatever decision is made could have huge implications for a number of clubs. The whole position makes me feel a little uncomfortable.

This is an interesting tweet from the ERSJFA: Is it preparatory groundwork to map the clubs that will participate in the proposed Midland League? Or is it the ERSJFA undertaking a rebranding exercise for their remaining clubs?

Just wondering how the Sauchie Juniors Community FC application will progress. One option would be for the Tullibody Community FC name to re-emerge: Tullibody Community of course is recognised as one of the few Legacy level clubs with reference to the FA Quality Mark standard. Syngenta is another club that has achieved that award. Pure speculation on my part but a name change is to be expected in my view.

Your info would suggest that the big youth set-ups are better equipped to make submissions to join the WOSFL than the top Amateur clubs in the region. It is a shame that the gap between the best Amateur clubs and the WOSFL is so wide in terms of playing facilities as some of their leading clubs would breeze into the semi-professional league in terms of their general playing standard. If a Development Division can be started by the WOSFL for the 2022/23 season at tier 10 it would make a huge difference.

Is the current lack of communication from any quarters by those seeking to initiate the ML a sound strategy or a weakness? I am not sure. Certainly Tayport do not appear to be providing any updates to their followers this time around. From the touch line the whole process appears to lack momentum but another poster indicated that things have moved from 0-100 mph. Overall it presents a rather confusing picture.

Are Tayport FC fully committed to football on the north side of the Tay? This news item has just appeared on their website. Amateur Football returning to Tayport! Tayport Football Club are thrilled to announce that Amateur football is returning to the club and the town. From the start of the 2021/22 season there will be an Amateur team in Tayport again in the form of Tayport FC Amateurs who will be competing in the RJM Sports Kingdom of Fife AFA Division 1. They will play and train at East Common, Tayport, and will play in the same colours as the Junior team. The Amateur team will be part of the club structure, meaning there will be opportunities for players to progress into the first team if they impress for the amateurs. Former English Semi Professional footballer Ryan Anderson, previously with West Allotment Celtic FC and Barnoldswick Town FC, will be player manager of the team. Source: https://www.tayportfc.org/ So the club that we are led to believe are no longer interested in joining the EOSFL and see their future in the embryo ML are really a Fife oriented club after all and wish to put their new amateur side in the Kingdom of Fife AFA Division 1. The move does send out a rather mixed message.

I get the impression that Forfar West End are testing - 1) the robustness of the Tay bridge boundary line, 2) the EOSFL league constitution itself and 3) the overall inclination of the club membership - to establish whether a club north of the Tay can in fact compete in the EOSFL. I see nothing wrong in establishing the position on the ground and the general feelings of the league membership. Perhaps the temperature should have been taken a couple of years ago, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. It could be that Forfar West End would prefer a future playing at a more competitive level in the EOSFL against sides (and friends) that they previously regularly faced in the East Region. It could be that they see that the additional travelling is more than adequately compensated by the higher standard of football in the EOSFL and the ability to achieve promotions or relegations according to performances on the field. It could be that Tier 6 in the ML playing against the same old sides of varying standards is not a particularly attractive proposition (especially in the medium to long term). It could be that they have no ambition whatsoever to play in the Highland League (or the Lowland League). Perhaps these are some of the reasons and influences why they "want away". In a few weeks we should get some feedback on their predicament.

I think that the new teams joining the WOSFL (possibly 5) should do so on the basis that it is a “probationary” first season in the Division 1 Conferences after which they will compete in the bottom tier for the 2022/23 season. However, I feel an exception should be made for Harthill as they are a recognised semi-professional football club and not a “starter” outfit. I suggest that a special case should be made for them even though I would much prefer to see them join the EOSFL.