Cyclizine Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Seems that Golspie have achieved the SFA Entry Licence. So that's 20 licenced non-league teams in the Highland region now - although I can't see the Sandy Stables HFL2 back on the cards yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Are cove licenced? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclizine Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 Are cove licenced? The link above to the list of currently licenced clubs says yes - not sure how though (although the current SFA president having links to the club may give you an answer...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Cove and Vale of Leithen got licensed last month to complete the Highland and Lowland leagues... alongside Hawick Royal Albert of the EOS League, and Wigtown & Bladnoch of the SOS League... Coldstream (EOSL) and Glasgow University (Caledonian AFL) were licensed at the end of last season and Civil Service Strollers (EOS League) at the start of this season... It appears from that link that Golspie Sutherland of the North Caledonian League have now joined them so leaving only 4 SFA members clubs still to achieve their licenses before the deadline next summer. Those 4 are Burntisland of the EOS League; St Cuthbert and Newton Stewart of the SOS League; and Girvan of the Juniors, formerly of the SOS League. First 3 are known to be working towards their licences - although I don't think Newton Stewart have any cover up yet - and I imagine Girvan are though they and Golspie were the 2 clubs you never seemed to hear anything about. Of course some non-members are said to be pursuing licences as well including Duns, Edusport Academy and Haddington Athletic. I have to say I'm surprised the glorified bike shed at Golspie qualified but I suppose you can fit 100 people under it!! http://nonleaguescotland.org.uk/golspie.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranaldo Bairn Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 How will these developments affect the Scottish Cup next year, HJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclizine Posted October 30, 2015 Author Share Posted October 30, 2015 How will these developments affect the Scottish Cup next year, HJ? Fully licenced teams qualify directly for the first round and skip the qualifying rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Northerner Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I have to say I'm surprised the glorified bike shed at Golspie qualified but I suppose you can fit 100 people under it!! They seem to be pragmatic rather than dogmatic on the licencing committee. Which is nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranaldo Bairn Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Fully licenced teams qualify directly for the first round and skip the qualifying rounds. Yes I know that, but if you look at the numbers, are there not too many for the current 18 R1 ties? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 You are correct. There would be 37 licensed clubs looking for places in R1... not to mention the need to provide at least 1 place for qualifiers (i.e. even if you had all 7 and made them play fully 3 preliminary rounds you need at least 1 space for the winner of those preliminaries). EDIT: Plus as noted I'd fully except most of the remaining 4 unlicensed members to succeed by next year. Total: 38-42 clubs. However there are only 18 ties in R1, room enough for only 36 clubs. Clearly, the entry points or byes will need adjusted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Presumably the easiest way of is to give byes to top 3 or 4 of tier 5 rather than top 2? Does that work? Or have i fucked up ( its 10 on a friday night, i'm allowed to make these mistakes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 You've f*cked up. Putting more clubs into R2 would mean they weren't playing in R1, correct - but it would correspondingly reduce the number of clubs able to progress from R1. For example: doubling the number of byes from 4 to 8 would necessitate reducing the number of R1 ties from 18 to 14 - i.e. from 36 clubs to 28 (which with the 4 clubs receiving the byes would total 32 instead of 36 overall). You'd want to reduce the number of byes, or the number of clubs eligible to enter at R1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Bollocks, you are meant to let me get to bed before pointing that out. Providing byes only to tier 5 champs should work, providing no more clubs are licensed between now and next years comp starting. Pleass tell me thats right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 Golspie would be a welcome addition to the list of possible away days. It's not quite as far as Brora and it's a bit less of a lifeless shithole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 I have to say I'm surprised the glorified bike shed at Golspie qualified but I suppose you can fit 100 people under it!!http://nonleaguescotland.org.uk/golspie.htm That's taking the piss and calls into question the SFA's willingness to exclude any of its traditional full members. Would have thought that if any North Caledonian team actually deserved licensing, it was Halkirk rather than Golspie given the amount of money that has been spent on their ground in recent years and their reported willingness to apply for HL membership if the two division restructure had happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 They seem to be pragmatic rather than dogmatic on the licencing committee. Which is nice I would have said it was almost the other way around... Presumably you can physically get 12 x 9 or so under the Golspie cover and therefore it's met the criteria - even if there is no chance of those in the back part being able to see due to it having no steps!! Meanwhile, at least according to the Peebleshire News, the main reason for Vale of Leithen's final delays in getting their licence was that their enclosure was only certified to hold slightly under 100 (figure of 88 rings a bell) - but at least they could all see as it's stepped!! Vale had to do building works on it and in the wake of that have actually decided to turn it into a seated stand too. Bollocks, you are meant to let me get to bed before pointing that out. Providing byes only to tier 5 champs should work, providing no more clubs are licensed between now and next years comp starting. Pleass tell me thats right? Yes... that would allow you to have 20 ties in R1. However, it only works if none of the remaining 4 clubs obtain their licence - nor indeed any new clubs like Duns, Haddington or Edusport - and you're happy for the qualifiers to play preliminaries down to only 1 place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsforlife Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 I would have said it was almost the other way around... Presumably you can physically get 12 x 9 or so under the Golspie cover and therefore it's met the criteria - even if there is no chance of those in the back part being able to see due to it having no steps!! . IIRC the green guide only allows a maximum of 3 deep for flat standing . with complying with the green guide a requirement i'd be interested in the decision. Seems they can comply with the green guide and provide cover for 100, but not at the same time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 The easiest way to sort the Scottish Cup seeding is to have all Championship sides enter in R3, rather than having the top 4 enter at R4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTG Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Surely the HFL has to find a mechanism for opening up the bottom end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Surely the HFL has to find a mechanism for opening up the bottom end? It wouldn't be that hard. Unfortunately all the thinking seems to be about splitting the HL into 2 leagues of ten which would piss me right off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityDave Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Nothing wrong with the traditionalist stance, but the HL is now level 5 North on the pyramid and is open at the top for teams to play off against a Lowland rival to see who will take on the bottom club in League 2. I think the league committee are thinking about the top end of the league and the possibility of who could fall into the HL and softening that blow. With this in mind a HL Premiership might not be a bad idea and maybe once this goes through then the HL might start looking at the other end. A 2nd HL division might be a good entry league for clubs coming up from the Juniors and given the track record of clubs joining the HL from the Juniors it has to be considered at some point. Looking at the HL right now... of the top 4 teams in the league this week 3 of them are ex juniors who have joined within the last 30 years (2 within the last 6 years). 7th place Inverurie Locos have also added much to the league since joining from the Juniors. At the time of applying for the HL two of the three clubs that eventually joined in season 2009/10 were outside the Superleague and Turriff were struggling near the foot of the Superleague, now within 6 years 2 of the three are in the race for the HL title and a shot at promotion to the Scottish League. Its very possible the likes of Culter and Banks O' Dee if allowed in could also follow in the footsteps of Formartine and Turriff and become top teams in the HL in the near future and compete eventually for a place in the SPFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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