Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Are we sure about this HJ? It seems to me that it might be super at Junior level (although even the juniors on here don't seem to rate it), but will it be good enough for the licensing board? I cannot see the board using their "discretion" on this one. It could open up a whole can of worms. The one side of the stadium is OK if a bit long on the tooth, a real classic old stand and covered terrace next to it. That said, think a poor mans Cowdenbeath and you get an idea what its like. The other three sides are almost uninhabitable although I doubt that's a worry with the crowd they are likely to get. The real issue is with the pitch dimensions as others have said, I'd also question whether the pitch can cope with a game every week through winter, the track is angled towards the pitch (meaning you run down a slight incline for throw-ins and corner kicks) so it must have an effect when it's raining. As for attracting the local populace, Petershill and Glasgow Perthshire are near neighbours. Last season I went to the Ashfield v Petershill match in the West Superleague, a derby, but there were little more than 100 there. Will they turn out for Lowland League matches against Selkirk and Stirling Uni? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 According to non-league Scotland the pitch at Saracen is 50 yards wide, meaning its about 10 meters too short for licensing, can the speedway loose that off the track?, if not is it possible to loose that from at one of the sides and move everything across abit if it isn't possible to do it evenly. The pitch doesn't look particularly long either but apparently the main reason for the lack of width is that the speedway needs wide corners, if that's the only reason it could be possible to make the pitch slightly shorter in order to allow more width. If none of theses things are possible then either there has been a major f**k up somewhere, or this is only a temporary solution with something concrete on the horizon such as use of a license suitable venue, work in place for their "own" ground or somewhere like Hamilton crescent. Or it is known the speedway is moving out. I have no idea if any of those things are probable or even possible , just a bit of brain storming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I am annoyed that ambitious Duns and Coldstream have not been allowed in, but good luck to the two that made the grade. As for the junior clubs, have to admit that before I started reading Pie and Bovril, I don't think the term crossed my mind more than once or twice a year. Just not part of football culture down here. Whether they deserve to be part of the nation's football culture at all, I doubt, as they don't seem to have much of a plan to improve football from grassroots up. Nothing like generalisations! the Junior game has been part of the fabric of Scottish football for a century and very much ingrained in our football culture which can still attract four figure crowds for big cup games. Perhaps that explains why getting them to make significant concessions to become part of a pyramid is so hard to swallow for those who run the game. As for ambition, well my club have just moved to a new ground, have youth teams from age 5 upwards, have girls teams and even have floodlights.......Haddington also have a great community set-up, that's just two clubs in the same lowly Junior division. Maybe you need to pay more attention Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Some pics from my visit, make your own mind up about the pitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Are we sure about this HJ? It seems to me that it might be super at Junior level (although even the juniors on here don't seem to rate it), but will it be good enough for the licensing board? I cannot see the board using their "discretion" on this one. It could open up a whole can of worms. I'm meaning that it's a proper stadium by anyone's measure, which is a criticism people have levelled at some LL venues: this venue can't be decried as a "fenced-in park". I don't see why they would have joined, and the assessors admitted them, if this is their planned ground but it couldn't hit the criteria? That would be daft? Unless I've misunderstood what other posters mean. Also we've a speedway track at Shielfield - same league actually - and Berwick Rangers are licenced. As for ambition, well my club have just moved to a new ground, have youth teams from age 5 upwards, have girls teams and even have floodlights.......Haddington also have a great community set-up, that's just two clubs in the same lowly Junior division. Maybe you need to pay more attention Out of interest did Blackburn consider joining the Lowland? As for attracting the local populace, Petershill and Glasgow Perthshire are near neighbours. Last season I went to the Ashfield v Petershill match in the West Superleague, a derby, but there were little more than 100 there. Will they turn out for Lowland League matches against Selkirk and Stirling Uni? I know it's not what you're getting at - but you could say that gives BSC Glasgow less ground to make up to become a competent outfit? EK have already started building a support from similar backstory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 a poor mans CowdenbeathDoes not compute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I'm by no means an expert on speedway, but Saracen Park is an 319 metre track, Shielfield is 368, which presumably means Berwick's pitch dimensions are larger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cicero Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I have to admit that before I started reading Pie and Bovril, I don't think the term crossed my mind more than once or twice a year. Just not part of football culture down here. Whether they deserve to be part of the nation's football culture at all, I doubt, as they don't seem to have much of a plan to improve football from grassroots up. Totally disagree with you here Mancini. The juniors are as much a part of Scottish football as any other grade. In large areas of Scotland they are a major part of the local community. Many clubs have excellent football in the community programmes, I just do not like their attitude to promotion from their grade preferring to remain big fish in small ponds. I believe that if they were integrated with the rest of Scottish football then football in the country as a whole will improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Does not compute. LOL,close your eyes and try to imagine.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancinirules Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Nothing like generalisations! the Junior game has been part of the fabric of Scottish football for a century and very much ingrained in our football culture which can still attract four figure crowds for big cup games. Perhaps that explains why getting them to make significant concessions to become part of a pyramid is so hard to swallow for those who run the game. As for ambition, well my club have just moved to a new ground, have youth teams from age 5 upwards, have girls teams and even have floodlights.......Haddington also have a great community set-up, that's just two clubs in the same lowly Junior division. Maybe you need to pay more attention Aye, exceptions testing the rule... Have to admit that if I hear one more "four figure crowd" suggestion I may have to buy yet another lap top having thrown this one against the wall. Read my lips: "Ah'm no bothered". Rangers and Celtic get big crowds too, but they have nothing to do with football as it needs to be in the future. As an aside, Burnie, I always assume you are going to be a Burntisland fan then I am overly disappointed when I read yer posts! Sort it aht! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I'm meaning that it's a proper stadium by anyone's measure, which is a criticism people have levelled at some LL venues: this venue can't be decried as a "fenced-in park". I don't see why they would have joined, and the assessors admitted them, if this is their planned ground but it couldn't hit the criteria? That would be daft? Unless I've misunderstood what other posters mean. Also we've a speedway track at Shielfield - same league actually - and Berwick Rangers are licenced. Out of interest did Blackburn consider joining the Lowland? I know it's not what you're getting at - but you could say that gives BSC Glasgow less ground to make up to become a competent outfit? EK have already started building a support from similar backstory. Think you'll find it is a fenced In park, just the facilities are outside that fence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I'm meaning that it's a proper stadium by anyone's measure, which is a criticism people have levelled at some LL venues: this venue can't be decried as a "fenced-in park". I don't see why they would have joined, and the assessors admitted them, if this is their planned ground but it couldn't hit the criteria? That would be daft? Unless I've misunderstood what other posters mean. Also we've a speedway track at Shielfield - same league actually - and Berwick Rangers are licenced. Out of interest did Blackburn consider joining the Lowland? I know it's not what you're getting at - but you could say that gives BSC Glasgow less ground to make up to become a competent outfit? EK have already started building a support from similar backstory. To the best of my knowledge, joining the LL has never been discussed at the club. They are still very much getting the community club and facilities up and running and on a sound footing. As for Broomhill crowds, you can never tell but I'm willing to bet they are going to have a bit of a task on their hands. Look at Spartans, they do a lot of work in their local community which does not really have competing football clubs, and they can't break 100 regularly. It doesn't bode well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancinirules Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Totally disagree with you here Mancini. The juniors are as much a part of Scottish football as any other grade. In large areas of Scotland they are a major part of the local community. Many clubs have excellent football in the community programmes, I just do not like their attitude to promotion from their grade preferring to remain big fish in small ponds. I believe that if they were integrated with the rest of Scottish football then football in the country as a whole will improve. It was a personal view, but I don't think I've ever stood in the rain at Woodside Park or Happer Park or Home Park (pronounced Hume if the locals have any sense of history) or Yarrow Park or any other bleeding park, and someone has said, "aye reet, Mancini, if only t'Auchinleck Talbot were playing it would be fair dinkum" (sorry, not sure what junior fans sound like, never met one) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Aye, exceptions testing the rule... Have to admit that if I hear one more "four figure crowd" suggestion I may have to buy yet another lap top having thrown this one against the wall. Read my lips: "Ah'm no bothered". Rangers and Celtic get big crowds too, but they have nothing to do with football as it needs to be in the future. As an aside, Burnie, I always assume you are going to be a Burntisland fan then I am overly disappointed when I read yer posts! Sort it aht! They are not exceptions though, many Junior clubs are going down the community route, Broxburn Athletic are another who now have a great facility and many youth teams, and Bathgate Thistle. These are just clubs that spring to mind in the local vicinity. The definition of ambition does not have to mean pyramid. The attendance reference was to illustrate that Junior football is very much part of Scottish football culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 It was a personal view, but I don't think I've ever stood in the rain at Woodside Park or Home Park (pronounced Hume if the locals have any sense of history) or Yarrow Park or any other bleeding park, and someone has said, "aye reet, Mancini, if only t'Auchinleck Talbot were playing it would be fair dinkum" (sorry, not sure what junior fans sound like, never met one) But then don't you play with funny shaped balls down that neck of the woods..............? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calmac25 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I grew up in the centre of Edinburgh reading the pink thinkong that seniors are men and juniors were boys and wondering why the pictures were of fat old men! I'd seen signposts for fanciful places like newtongrange and penicuik but it wasn't til I had too many children and had to move to the sticks that I realised its all just football. It all depends on where you live as to what grade is seen as bigger. I've watched 6/7 of the Midlothian teams this year. Best experience has been at whitehill but wish they all played each othet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Nothing like generalisations! the Junior game has been part of the fabric of Scottish football for a century and very much ingrained in our football culture which can still attract four figure crowds for big cup games. Perhaps that explains why getting them to make significant concessions to become part of a pyramid is so hard to swallow for those who run the game. As for ambition, well my club have just moved to a new ground, have youth teams from age 5 upwards, have girls teams and even have floodlights.......Haddington also have a great community set-up, that's just two clubs in the same lowly Junior division. Maybe you need to pay more attention Have you used them for any League games recently... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnie_man Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Have you used them for any League games recently... No need, we've finished our season without a backlog so no midweek games required. Livingston Reserves have though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomhill Ultra Posted April 29, 2014 Author Share Posted April 29, 2014 As for attracting the local populace, Petershill and Glasgow Perthshire are near neighbours. Last season I went to the Ashfield v Petershill match in the West Superleague, a derby, but there were little more than 100 there. Will they turn out for Lowland League matches against Selkirk and Stirling Uni? Yes exactly I would have thought the club need to keep as close to their own area ie Broomhill, Partick, Knightswood, Anniesland as possible and build from there. Saracen surely can't be a long term plan? If it is then sack the board! Wonder if a link up with clydebank (why have they not applied btw?) or drumchapel amateurs at the duntocher hibs ground would have any mileage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simplistic Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Burnie, I'm struggling to think of many games we had less than 100 at this season, however I will grant that we would like to get more. Hoping the publicity in the Sun will help get more attention. I don't think Ashfield is a permanent solution. I'd hazard a guess at it being a single season there as they work on their own ground. They will have been visited, probably more than once, so those in charge must have seen something. Let's be honest, turkey's are turkey's no matter what the league and therefore they won't have voted in something they fear could be bad for the league. Rather than sneer lets see what comes of it. EK are superb and one of the better supported teams in the LL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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