League Vacancies

[HibeeJibee 8,661]

Spotted this on twitter and SLFL website. Prettymuch as expected/it says on the tin:

http://slfl.co.uk/league-looks-to-expand-for-next-season/

League looks to expand for next season

The Scottish Sun Lowland League is seeking applications from clubs who wish to compete in season 2015/16.

Speaking yesterday (Friday) league Chairman Andrew Waddell said “The Board of the League have determined that there will be an opportunity for clubs to apply for membership for next season.

“The precise number of vacancies will depend on the effect of promotion and relegation into and out of the SLFL.

“I would encourage any clubs who may interested in applying, and will meet the criteria, to make contact with us.”

Applicant clubs must have a club licence from the SFA or have fully-funded plans to obtain such a licence by the end of May 2015.

Applications may be submitted from now until 31^st March 2015.

The Board of the SLFL will consider applications and arrange ground inspections during April 2015.

The final decision regarding successful applicant clubs will be announced during May 2015 as soon as the effect of promotion / relegation and club licensing decisions are known.

Edited January 9, 2015 by HibeeJibee

[Craigyboy 117]

Hopefully the league get a couple of new sides for next season....I am a bit biased but a couple more sides from the west would make it a whole lot more interesting....

[Cicero 443]

Hopefully the league get a couple of new sides for next season....I am a bit biased but a couple more sides from the west would make it a whole lot more interesting....

Unfortunately it is more likely to be less, iif BSC don't get their license by May.

Edited January 9, 2015 by Cicero

[parsforlife 2,255]

Are bsc the only side without a licence?

[Marshmallo 69]

I'm guessing Petershill Park is either licensed/could be easily? If so, Rossvale would be a good team to sound out, they groundshare there and are currently bottom tier in the Juniors. I'm possibly showing my ignorance but it doesn't seem like they have much to lose IMO.

[H Wragg 691]

What do you need to do to get a licence that BSC don't have?

[HibeeJibee 8,661]

Are bsc the only side without a licence?

There were 4 without licenses after the October awards - BSCG, Vale of Leithen and the 2 Unis. According to an article in the Border Telegraph the Unis just had paperwork I's to dot and T's to cross, maybe unsurprising as Stirling use Forthbank and Edinburgh just built a new ground. It added Vale need to undertake £8,000 groundworks. Cove Rangers are also unlicensed.

EDIT:

While the Students have just to sort out their paperwork, it is expected that around £8,000 worth of improvements are still required at Victoria Park before the next review in March, 2015. Manager Mark Lamb told us: “We knew we still had work to do so it didn’t come as a surprise. “We need a new pitch barrier, portable toilets, a disabled viewing area and better signage. “It is something we need to work towards over the winter.” Both Hawick Royal Albert and Coldstream were also refused Entry Level Licences following this latest review.

Edited January 9, 2015 by HibeeJibee

[LongTimeLurker 1,690]

What do you need to do to get a licence that BSC don't have?

Think the problem is that Lochburn Park's dressing rooms and toilets are not up to the expected standard. Their original plan when they applied was Ashfield's Saracen Park, but for whatever reason that didn't work out for them.

[Craigyboy 117]

More likely to be less Cicero?..Are you not very optimistic on BSC Glasgow achieving this?

[Cicero 443]

More likely to be less Cicero?..Are you not very optimistic on BSC Glasgow achieving this?

You will certainly know better than me how close BSC are over this one.

I cannot see there being an applicant with a licence coming from the West this year. BSC do not have one yet and as there is only a few months left to get theirs with perhaps one, or at maximum two, licensing board meetings before the May deadline.

So yes I think it is more likely we will have less clubs rather than more from the West next year.

[js92 3]

Wait... So how does it work for the south of Scotland and East of Scotland leagues, do they not get promoted to the lowland league?

[Voice of Reason 10]

Wait... So how does it work for the south of Scotland and East of Scotland leagues, do they not get promoted to the lowland league?

If the winners of the East and South both have licences, there is a play-off and the winner is promoted. If either has a licence that team is promoted. If neither has a licence then there is no promotion or relegation.

[Hillonearth 5,227]

Think the problem is that Lochburn Park's dressing rooms and toilets are not up to the expected standard. Their original plan when they applied was Ashfield's Saracen Park, but for whatever reason that didn't work out for them.

Must admit I've not heard about any issues regarding the dressing rooms, although to be fair I'm not up on what the criteria are.

There are issues with the toilets in as much as there aren't dedicated women's/disabled facilities at Lochburn. Women or the disabled are free to use the ones in the adjoining social club or pavilion when we're playing, so no problem exists for us, but in the slightly more regimented milieu of the LL I understand that could easily pose a problem.

[mvch 0]

A few clubs in the LL who's toilets or changing rooms aren't great

[Craigyboy 117]

Cicero....I hope you will be proved to be wrong. With 2 meetings of the SFA Licensing to go we would be hopeful of getting it. The last I heard there was only the problem of the toilets that had to be situated inside the changing rooms. Not an insurmountable issue in my opinion.

We also had a firm out to fix issues with our playing surface and that should be done once we get a break in the weather. So we can only hope that once these 2 issues are addressed we would be ok.

[Cicero 443]

Cicero....I hope you will be proved to be wrong. With 2 meetings of the SFA Licensing to go we would be hopeful of getting it. The last I heard there was only the problem of the toilets that had to be situated inside the changing rooms. Not an insurmountable issue in my opinion.

We also had a firm out to fix issues with our playing surface and that should be done once we get a break in the weather. So we can only hope that once these 2 issues are addressed we would be ok.

I am truly glad to hear you are not far away. I wasn't having a go, just fearing the worst.

We need a bigger presence in the West.

[HibeeJibee 8,661]

When you look back the LL started out with only 3 licensed clubs and a 2yr deadline for everyone else. Since then 7 more have got licensed. And if the press reports (and Craigyboy) are correct - of the remaining 4 there are 2 finishing the paperwork, some specific ground issues at Vale, and a changing room issue at BSCG.

That's not actually bad going just past 3/4 mark, time-wise; and will be even if someone unfortunately does fail.

[tamthebam 9,589]

There were 4 without licenses after the October awards - BSCG, Vale of Leithen and the 2 Unis. According to an article in the Border Telegraph the Unis just had paperwork I's to dot and T's to cross, maybe unsurprising as Stirling use Forthbank and Edinburgh just built a new ground. It added Vale need to undertake £8,000 groundworks. Cove Rangers are also unlicensed.

EDIT:

While the Students have just to sort out their paperwork, it is expected that around £8,000 worth of improvements are still required at Victoria Park before the next review in March, 2015. Manager Mark Lamb told us: “We knew we still had work to do so it didn’t come as a surprise. “We need a new pitch barrier, portable toilets, a disabled viewing area and better signage. “It is something we need to work towards over the winter.” Both Hawick Royal Albert and Coldstream were also refused Entry Level Licences following this latest review.

I wonder what needs doing at Albert Park- it wasn't the worst place in the world- perhaps the SFA just don't like the idea of the bar at the back of the stand!

[LongTimeLurker 1,690]

Could just be paperwork as with the uni teams. Getting back to an earlier post on teams from the west, Rossvale seems unlikely to me given they didn't apply last time around, but how about Edusport Academy or whatever they are called in the SoS Leagues? There are three licensed plastic pitches in Lanarkshire for potential groundshares.

[Sergeant Wilson 22,020]

Could just be paperwork as with the uni teams. Getting back to an earlier post on teams from the west, Rossvale seems unlikely to me given they didn't apply last time around, but how about Edusport Academy or whatever they are called in the SoS Leagues? There are three licensed plastic pitches in Lanarkshire for potential groundshares.

Edusport are a strange one, even more so than BSC. They represent no community, have no roots anywhere. They could apply to join any league in the country. They only exist to promote players profile and earn agency fees.