Who has applied for SPFL membership?

[lionel hutz]

Because, oh hard of understanding, when said benefactor loses interest & buggers off, it will be the same situation as Aberdeen Bon Accord, Ballingry Rovers, Gretna, Tarff Rovers did face and Celtic Nation (nee Gillford Park) are now facing - being stuck with a large number of players on contracts they haven't a hope of being able to honour nor even afford the expected compensation payment required to annul; to say nothing of any bills to outside suppliers.

In short, after the untold damage they will have done to other clubs by rigging the league, Brora Rangers will then fold - bye bye to the only sizeable local amenity the locality has as the liqudator flogs it for more holiday homes for Home Counties Hooray Henrys and Henriettas.

All this, just so some pigmy plutocrat could have his jollies. As Viscount Melbourne and Spiderman put it, with great power comes great responsibility. If you want to go play at being God, get Civilization or Football Manager or Cities... whatever. At least then others won't be left to pick up the pieces when you get bored.

Wasn't it Spiderman's uncle Ben that said that?

[Fly Cup]

And your comments regarding 'ad hominem' attacks are positively hypocritical, you shitgibbon

Excellent use of the much-underused insult "shitgibbon".

Hats off.

[RabidAl]

^Chapeau!

Bit of a myth that Brora players are on big money. The attraction for ex professionals is new careers in the oil industry.
While I don't like to see clubs buying the title it has made a change Brora winning, rather than the big money backed Aberdeenshire teams . I'm sure the status quo will resume in a season or three.

Reading an article about Brora in the Sunday Herald today, interviewing Stuart Kettlewell about their situation. He says:

'People seem to think that boys are getting paid all sorts, and money-grabbing, but I can categorically say that isn't the case. It is more about boys looking to the future, getting a good job, and finding a football club that fits hand in hand with that.'

Which pretty much supports what you're saying about them not actually paying huge money, and players going there with an eye to their future. He then comments on the pyramid-promotion situation:

'This was all voted on two years ago but what has happened with Brora is, not that it has spiralled out of control, but that they have hit greater heights than everybody thought they would at the time'

'We are maybe punching above our weight and I think ideally the chairman would have liked to have built the infrastructure of the club a little bit more. It is sensible what he is saying. Gretna are maybe the prime example of clubs growing too far too soon, and throwing money at things. I think that is the only point which is being made.'

All of which is basically what I have been trying to say.

[Jimmy Shaker]

What did the chairman think was going to happen when he started recruiting players from top flight clubs to play in the fifth tier of football?

It's not entirely Brora's fault, I'll admit, as their growth has come at a time when Locos, Cove, Buckie, Forres and Huntly - four of whom are recent league winners - have all fallen behind the new sides from Formartine and Turriff, neither of whom seem to be able to manage a proper 34-game title challenge. Plus there's Nairn, who HAVE spent money, but are barely in the top half of the table.

[RabidAl]

Sounds like they didn't expect the success to come so quickly, which maybe it has for the reasons that you've mentioned. Seems like the pyramid is their nemesis anyway!

[mo83]

As a montrose fan I hope we get brora in the play offs.I was reading they were unbeaten in the league this year.what's other clubs take on brora what's their strengths?Do montrose have a chance?

[WaffenThinMint]

Excellent use of the much-underused insult "shitgibbon".

Hats off.

Just a pity all he did was trawl (troll?) through my backposts & copy my patter. Originality isn't his strong point - desperation for attention is.

(And for the benefit of a certain failed Junior forum moderator, a post four years before RA joined & thus never saw proves the sum total of zip)

To sum him up, I'll call in an expert witness:

No, it isn't yet another dreary thread from RabidAl... although who knows, he may not be a nutter but actually a high-ranking SPFL official...

When you had HibeeJibee calling your shitgibbonry out, you know it really is you that's the f**k up, not everyone else.

^Chapeau!

Reading an article about Brora in the Sunday Herald today, interviewing Stuart Kettlewell about their situation. He says:

'People seem to think that boys are getting paid all sorts, and money-grabbing, but I can categorically say that isn't the case. It is more about boys looking to the future, getting a good job, and finding a football club that fits hand in hand with that.'

Which pretty much supports what you're saying about them not actually paying huge money, and players going there with an eye to their future. He then comments on the pyramid-promotion situation:

'This was all voted on two years ago but what has happened with Brora is, not that it has spiralled out of control, but that they have hit greater heights than everybody thought they would at the time'

'We are maybe punching above our weight and I think ideally the chairman would have liked to have built the infrastructure of the club a little bit more. It is sensible what he is saying. Gretna are maybe the prime example of clubs growing too far too soon, and throwing money at things. I think that is the only point which is being made.'

All of which is basically what I have been trying to say.

Was it f**k. As already stated, in March you were all for punishing Brora for threatening to not fulfil their play off fixture, come April you did a complete about turn & "Leave Brora alone you big bullies!" was suddenly your new clarion call.

What changed your tune - the old story wanting to be on the side of a "winning team"?

Back in January 2013, the Caley Thistle support were raising eyebrows over Brora suddenly being able to acquire the services of former ICT youngsters Russell Duncan, Dale Gillespie, Stuart Golabek, Andrew Greig, Richie Hart, Richard Hastings, David Hind, Ally Ridgers and Zander Sutherland - all of whom would easily have attracted interest from Tier 3 sides at the very least. There was much crap from Brora about their reasons being wanting to stay living & working locally, but considering the Highlands has been hit far worse than other parts of the UK by the recession, the story didn't add up when plenty of Highlanders - let alone those interested in football - were flitting south trying to find ANY sort of work.

Brora Rangers are a financially doped club, & all the denials & whataboutery fool no one. No player interested in a long term future in the game would willingly go to some fleapit outfit of negligible facilities for training or infrastructure (which they're dragging their heels still over improving) for any other reason than having a big wad of cash waved at him. Anyone claiming otherwise is kidding no one on but themselves.

Enjoy the ride Brora fans (real & transient), because it will be devil take the hindmost once His Nibs gets bored with his new toy.

[welshbairn]

Just a pity all he did was trawl (troll?) through my backposts & copy my patter. Originality isn't his strong point - desperation for attention is.

To sum him up, I'll call in an expert witness:

When you had HibeeJibee calling your shitgibbonry out, you know it really is you that's the f**k up, not everyone else.

Was it f**k. As already stated, in March you were all for punishing Brora for threatening to not fulfil their play off fixture, come April you did a complete about turn & "Leave Brora alone you big bullies!" was suddenly your new clarion call.

What changed your tune - the old story wanting to be on the side of a "winning team"?

Back in January 2013, the Caley Thistle support were raising eyebrows over Brora suddenly being able to acquire the services of former ICT youngsters Russell Duncan, Dale Gillespie, Stuart Golabek, Andrew Greig, Richie Hart, Richard Hastings, David Hind, Ally Ridgers and Zander Sutherland - all of whom would easily have attracted interest from Tier 3 sides at the very least. There was much crap from Brora about their reasons being wanting to stay living & working locally, but considering the Highlands has been hit far worse than other parts of the UK by the recession, the story didn't add up when plenty of Highlanders - let alone those interested in football - were flitting south trying to find ANY sort of work.

Brora Rangers are a financially doped club, & all the denials & whataboutery fool no one. No player interested in a long term future in the game would willingly go to some fleapit outfit of negligible facilities for training or infrastructure (which they're dragging their heels still over improving) for any other reason than having a big wad of cash waved at him. Anyone claiming otherwise is kidding no one on but themselves.

Enjoy the ride Brora fans (real & transient), because it will be devil take the hindmost once His Nibs gets bored with his new toy.

At the latter stage of their footballing lifespans I think they were looking to combine playing football and starting new careers. The huge wages offered in the lower regions of the SPFL must have passed them by. I'm not quite sure if you're making out Brora are the new Gretna or are too chicken/sensible to be the new Gretna.

[The Old Northerner]

Why, oh fucking why, does Brown constantly change things at half time when change isn't needed?

The fucking c**t hasn't learned anything from last season. Get the f**k out of my club, you fucking shitgibbon

[RabidAl]

Just a pity all he did was trawl (troll?) through my backposts & copy my patter. Originality isn't his strong point - desperation for attention is.

(And for the benefit of a certain failed Junior forum moderator, a post four years before RA joined & thus never saw proves the sum total of zip)

To sum him up, I'll call in an expert witness:

When you had HibeeJibee calling your shitgibbonry out, you know it really is you that's the f**k up, not everyone else.

Was it f**k. As already stated, in March you were all for punishing Brora for threatening to not fulfil their play off fixture, come April you did a complete about turn & "Leave Brora alone you big bullies!" was suddenly your new clarion call.

What changed your tune - the old story wanting to be on the side of a "winning team"?

Back in January 2013, the Caley Thistle support were raising eyebrows over Brora suddenly being able to acquire the services of former ICT youngsters Russell Duncan, Dale Gillespie, Stuart Golabek, Andrew Greig, Richie Hart, Richard Hastings, David Hind, Ally Ridgers and Zander Sutherland - all of whom would easily have attracted interest from Tier 3 sides at the very least. There was much crap from Brora about their reasons being wanting to stay living & working locally, but considering the Highlands has been hit far worse than other parts of the UK by the recession, the story didn't add up when plenty of Highlanders - let alone those interested in football - were flitting south trying to find ANY sort of work.

Brora Rangers are a financially doped club, & all the denials & whataboutery fool no one. No player interested in a long term future in the game would willingly go to some fleapit outfit of negligible facilities for training or infrastructure (which they're dragging their heels still over improving) for any other reason than having a big wad of cash waved at him. Anyone claiming otherwise is kidding no one on but themselves.

Enjoy the ride Brora fans (real & transient), because it will be devil take the hindmost once His Nibs gets bored with his new toy.

Hi Waffle, another superbly hysterical rant! I haven't a clue what a 'shitgibbon' is, but thought it'd be apposite and you might understand it in the context of that post. I think I saw you abuse mick90 with it on a new thread not that long ago, but I don't really follow you too much since there's never any variety in you patter and it's pretty boring.

Again, I would be in favour of some mechanism that would enable the pyramid play-off spot to be passed down to Turriff or whoever if the likes of Brora don't want to be involved in the national leagues. That's where I'm coming from with regards to the 'punishment' element - it's not for the way they run the club or anything like that. Actually, in that instance, I think I was just trying to keep a thread that I found interesting on the go and I do like the odd argument from time to time.

But you're right in that I do use these forums to shape my ideas on the game, so there are many contradictions no doubt, I am an attention seeker but am not the only one, and HJ isn't wrong about me starting dreary threads and I am certainly a nutter - although luckily for everyone I am nothing to do with the SPFL, SFA, etc.

[RabidAl]

Well Waffle^TM, i've humoured your insults so far - how about you answer my previous question. You seem to think that the way Brora go about things is immoral, so is there only one model for running a football club in your view?

Do you think it's immoral for Ross County and Motherwell, for example, to have owners who spend that bit extra in order to keep them in the top tier? Whilst St.Mirren, who don't have a benefactor, are relegated. Or is it just Brora that you've a thing for at the moment?

I'd prefer it if every club lived strictly within their means, but they're all susceptible to loss of sponsorship, over-reaching by borrowing too much, tv deals going belly-up, etc because most, if not all, clubs are subsidised to a greater or lesser extent - sugar daddy or not. Here's the way things should be, but here's the way they really are.

Also, i'm interested to see how the fees model that Edusport Academy and, possibly, AMsoccer operate works for them in the LL.

As a montrose fan I hope we get brora in the play offs.I was reading they were unbeaten in the league this year.what's other clubs take on brora what's their strengths?Do montrose have a chance?

Yeah, i'd say that Montrose have a good chance chief. Hard to know how things will pan out, but your lot seem to be shaping up a bit better at the moment!

[Emfaefifeyahoorsur]

As a montrose fan I hope we get brora in the play offs.I was reading they were unbeaten in the league this year.what's other clubs take on brora what's their strengths?Do montrose have a chance?

[welshbairn]

As a montrose fan I hope we get brora in the play offs.I was reading they were unbeaten in the league this year.what's other clubs take on brora what's their strengths?Do montrose have a chance?

Your wish is granted!

P.S. You have a chance, though I'm hoping Brora are on the phone asking Tokely to come back from working in Angola asap.

[Raidernation]

What was the score.

Notably absent on BBC Sportscotland site

[Sergeant Wilson]

What was the score.

Notably absent on BBC Sportscotland site

Brora won on pens 4-2

[Raidernation]

TY Sarge

[AldoLeon]

What was the score.

Notably absent on BBC Sportscotland site

That's going to be my moan. It was a massive game for the future of Scottish Football - finally the final of the first Pyramid final. And the reason I'm on Pie and Bovril - how serious are Brora on going up to Division Three (League Two)?

[Audaces Fortuna Juvat]

I was at the game yesterday, mainly to notch up another ground and visit my first Highland League ground, and I would think some investement in the ground would be required if they were to go up as there is no terracing, and I suspect they may need more turnstiles to comply with SPFL rules? The socail club was good but lacked variety in their beers.

The standard of football was very hard to judge as the wind was horrendous, and I have NEVER been that cold at a match in May before, although there was very little between the teams on the day. Stand out for me was the Brora winger, number 11 I think? A hard fought battle in dreadful conditions leads me to give credit to both sides, but also leaves me unable to hazard a decent guess as to how either would fare against senior opposition.

As for prices - £8 in was reasonable enough, although Ediburgh City charged £5 for the corresponding game. However, £10 for a mug or £5 for a badge meant no souvenirs for me as I found the prices ridiculous for what was on offer. Most clubs charge £2 or £3 for a badge and £5 for a mug.

[welshbairn]

I was at the game yesterday, mainly to notch up another ground and visit my first Highland League ground, and I would think some investement in the ground would be required if they were to go up as there is no terracing, and I suspect they may need more turnstiles to comply with SPFL rules? The socail club was good but lacked variety in their beers.

The standard of football was very hard to judge as the wind was horrendous, and I have NEVER been that cold at a match in May before, although there was very little between the teams on the day. Stand out for me was the Brora winger, number 11 I think? A hard fought battle in dreadful conditions leads me to give credit to both sides, but also leaves me unable to hazard a decent guess as to how either would fare against senior opposition.

As for prices - £8 in was reasonable enough, although Ediburgh City charged £5 for the corresponding game. However, £10 for a mug or £5 for a badge meant no souvenirs for me as I found the prices ridiculous for what was on offer. Most clubs charge £2 or £3 for a badge and £5 for a mug.

You forget the spectacular 2 dart boards in the social which they are immensely proud of. £8 is the standard gate price in the Highland League, don't see why they should drop it for this game. They had 2 or 3 core players out for the City game, I think Montrose will face a stronger team than City. Here's a picture of the only other landmark in Brora:

[HibeeJibee]

I was at the game yesterday, mainly to notch up another ground and visit my first Highland League ground, and I would think some investement in the ground would be required if they were to go up as there is no terracing, and I suspect they may need more turnstiles to comply with SPFL rules?

They have an entry licence so the ground is fully compliant for SPFL2 (and SPFL1 also). Neither hard standing nor turnstiles are mandatory.

Of course they might want to improve such facilities voluntarily, or from practical necessity, if they do ascend.

A hard fought battle in dreadful conditions leads me to give credit to both sides, but also leaves me unable to hazard a decent guess as to how either would fare against senior opposition.

Just a bugbear of mine but Brora and City play senior opposition every week. They are senior clubs. Our media seem oblivious to this as well, granted .