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Junior Football needs to evolve or it will die


pollokfan87

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Ardeer have played 5 league games since the start of the season and have only played 2 meaningful games since 17th Oct = a total farce,one of many in the junior game . Don't try and kid on that this is a semi professional sport.There is nothing professional about the powers that be in the junior game. It's glorified amateur stuff all round. "Big" teams should look to their future now while they still have somebody to play against.

Why have Ardeer only played 5 games?

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I know this is a well trodden path but with summer football there seems to be 3 problems.

1. Players needing holidays when schools are off. Solution 2 week break in july/aug.

2. Too many games to fit into 7-8 months. Solution scrap the league cup or the west cup and ET.

That leaves the argument about league sizes but with the lesser cups scrapped the west superleague could be expanded to 14 or even 16 hopefully leading to more flair and blooding of younger players.

The pyramid issue is one where I see no quick fix. Clubs basically need to decide if they want the extra travel for the carrot of drawing a big club in the Scottish. This can already be done from within juniors without having to play teams like Elgin and Annan in the league.

Outside the top two professional divisions there should be regionalisation. There is no reason, beyond ego, for teams at that level to be making 300 mile + round trips for games. It could be easily managed and it would mean keeping plenty of the local rivalries going. The Scottish Cup could remain open from the early rounds meaning the carrot you describe is still there.

Don't forget that no other respectable grade of football operates in the summer.

Depends on how you define respectable. I would say that for as long as junior football remains outwith any pyramid structure in the Scottish game, then summer football is something to be looked at. Within a pyramid then the whole grade needs to work off the same calendar.

The lack of fixture list is a joke though. That still remains the most obvious and basic thing that would do a lot for the junior game.

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Depends on how you define respectable. I would say that for as long as junior football remains outwith any pyramid structure in the Scottish game, then summer football is something to be looked at. Within a pyramid then the whole grade needs to work off the same calendar.

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The pyramid will come in time and it will integrate willing junior teams, as much as that will bother the traditional 'junior' fans.

Think the solution would be for more clubs to invest in better pitches and floodlights. Not sure how much that would cost but i'm sure the top 10/15 clubs could manage that.

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i notice that since Blackburn received funding for the new facility you have become an advocat for all clubs who haven't been so fortunate to sort themselves out . However I hear the new building is unsustainable energy wise ( big mouth at WLC telling tales) many clubs are upgrading facilities at their own cost ,which takes time . Try not to be so judgemental .

I think the President of the club has already responded to this, whatever Blackburn have now has come from years of hard work, hard work that any club can themselves put in to improve facilities. I note you didn't respond.

However to your last point, who is being judgemental? Is it judgemental to agree with the original article that facilities at many of the so called bigger Junior clubs are frankly appalling? I think everyone knows that some clubs prefer to put money into players pockets than provide basics like decent toilets (or just toilets), a pie hut, a bit of cover. If Blackburn can do it, any club can do it, and thankfully a few are going down that road.

I see Armadale are visiting tonight for a friendly, hope you can pop along and speak to the committee about how they got to where they are.

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That's another thing that is good about summer football. They are off for 2 months when there isn't any football on TV for them to watch.

If you get people to go to a game the chances are they will enjoy it because the product for the price is really good. My dad always rubbished the juniors when I said come to a game but then he eventually came along and he really enjoyed it and has been to a few. Kids would be the same I'm sure. Kids will love the fact they can get so up close and personal with actual footballers.

Junior football struggles a lot because of the amount of football on TV at the weekends so we need to take advantage of the times where there is no TV on offer and just so happens the weather is a lot better

We need to play more football in the summer months and less football in the winter months. Winter break and a shorter close season. Start in mid July, bring the Junior Cup forward and start it in August, stop before Xmas and resume early Feb, close the season mid June.

Long term, take steps to encourage/force clubs to install floodlights, starting at the top end.This will lead to fixture lists.

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As the other poster has said mate more games would be played due to better weather so the season wouldn't be forced to go on for so long due to postponements etc.

Have 2 months off December and January or however long it may be.

Not my figures but can be checked. With Christmas and New Year blank days, (2 played on New Year Sunday) the total number of games victim of the weather is 356. That is from 1st Saturday in November to 24th January. The Scottish has been lucky after only two surviving on 17thJan, with two victims and one draw on Saturday. The draw will only have three games waiting on a winner.

With regional early rounds saving clubs £thousands on 3/500 mile round trips and top leagues excluded to R3 we could start with a far more interesting Scottish than exists at present.

Rossvale confirmed the huge gap between North Region and East/West with their 6-1 thrashing of top rated Stonehaven.

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Early regional rounds will not stir interest. The reason why the Junior Cup is the one everyone looks forward to is ties against clubs outwith your region. That said, giving Superleague clubs a bye in the first rounds when there are already byes, has merit.

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Early regional rounds will not stir interest. The reason why the Junior Cup is the one everyone looks forward to is ties against clubs outwith your region. That said, giving Superleague clubs a bye in the first rounds when there are already byes, has merit.

Maybe letting the LL/HL teams participate in this tournament could be a way forward?

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An all-in non-league knockout trophy would be a great idea, and would also give a clear indication where the various setups are in relation to each other in terms of strength.

And having already been up to Wick for a game this season, I can only second that I wouldn't be wanting them out of the hat anytime soon.

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An all-in non-league knockout trophy would be a great idea, and would also give a clear indication where the various setups are in relation to each other in terms of strength.

And having already been up to Wick for a game this season, I can only second that I wouldn't be wanting them out of the hat anytime soon.

Is there a voting system on here? Be interesting to see if the idea of combining The Junior Cup and LL/HL Cups in a one cup comp would be viable.

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Some of the people involved in running the Highland League are more anti-Junior than some of our less informed SPFL-supporting posters on here. I mentioned this as a possibility to a 'beak' in the WRSJFA maybe 8/9 years ago and got laughed at for even suggesting Highland would be interested.

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Some of the people involved in running the Highland League are more anti-Junior than some of our less informed SPFL-supporting posters on here. I mentioned this as a possibility to a 'beak' in the WRSJFA maybe 8/9 years ago and got laughed at for even suggesting Highland would be interested.

Changed days now. Think there is an appetite for some sort of cup set up.

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Changed days now. Think there is an appetite for some sort of cup set up.

I don't think there is in the Lowland League. The junior cup just doesn't have same magic for the non-league seniors as it does to the juniors. I feel that it would be seen as just another cup competition with long journeys and scant rewards.

We are guaranteed entry to the "big" Scottish which can be fairly lucrative not to mention getting some of the money back spent on travelling. What does the Junior cup offer if you are not interested in the sentimental value.

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I don't think there is in the Lowland League. The junior cup just doesn't have same magic for the non-league seniors as it does to the juniors. I feel that it would be seen as just another cup competition with long journeys and scant rewards.We are guaranteed entry to the "big" Scottish which can be fairly lucrative not to mention getting some of the money back spent on travelling. What does the Junior cup offer if you are not interested in the sentimental value.

A chance to win something.

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I don't think there is in the Lowland League. The junior cup just doesn't have same magic for the non-league seniors as it does to the juniors. I feel that it would be seen as just another cup competition with long journeys and scant rewards.We are guaranteed entry to the "big" Scottish which can be fairly lucrative not to mention getting some of the money back spent on travelling. What does the Junior cup offer if you are not interested in the sentimental value.

A winnable trophy? Certainly more appeal then every other cup outwith big Scottish and league cup. I'd love to see this happen

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