New clubs in the East of Scotland

[Casey Jones]

3 hours ago, TheLad said:

I understand why some of these teams didnt want to make the effort.
Bathgate for example. Decent pitch, nice wee ground but no one cares. Hardly any supporters, a tiny committee and , as with many clubs, not that well off. The team gets worse every year and so a West Lothian wee league will be less costly and they are not pissing anyone off by staying.

Fauldhouse looked for a wee while that they were showing some ambition but I think that fell away latterly.

Whitburn (still the biggest potential of the 3) are so staunch with their junior loyalty that I'm not surprised, just disappointed. This would have given them the kickstart that is needed there.

Populations:

Bathgate - 20.4k v Musselburgh 21.9k

Whitburn 10.5k v Haddington 10k

Fauldhouse 4.7k v nothing close (relating to football town/village)

I hear what you say about Bathgate, but as a supporter of local football (in terms of this forum) it disappoints me greatly. Be in no doubt, Musselburgh could have folded two years ago. But, locals took over the responsibility of the club with the backing of the supporters. The results have been hugely rewarding albeit we still have a way to go. Next year the club will apply and hopefully be successful with gaining its SFA licence.

Whitburn, with a great old ground, and noticeable improvements. Haddington, a team with a smallish home support, but a club with a top notch committee who gained their SFA licence this year.

Four clubs with lots of similarities, all four in central belt, not a huge mileage between them, but with a bit if different ‘man management’ at the helm, the two East Lothian clubs have shown that they can move away from the Junior set up and hopefully see the transition prosper. All four clubs want the same - increased support and the from the opposite tangents West / East are going, the East teams seem to be prospering better.

Fauldhouse have a great history, which seems to be whimpering to a stall. Looks to have a great set up with the the tuck shop / wee bar / good changing rooms and last season a big effort to get the pitch up to a better standard.

Are Fauldhouse going to resemble a Harthill club who went into a temporary abeyance a few years back; and perhaps same with Whitburn and Bathgate? It is these clubs/towns choices but sometimes, like Musselburgh, it needs a tough decision made at the top.

Hope I am wrong with the West Lothian set up.

[GordonS]

1 hour ago, morley said:

I see an article by Gordon Smith in the Herald today once again bringing up this stupid suggestion of reserve teams being added to the SFL and regional top leagues. Paints a picture how these premier reserve teams will save the part time lower SFL teams by brining big crowds, and calls out the tunnocks Cup as an example of this. Yet he shows no recognition at all, probably not aware, of the massive changes going on in the lower non leagues of the pyramid and now with the WoS league joining the pyramid, and fails to recognise as pointed out on here that the Premier colt teams do not bring big crowds at all in the Tunnocks cup. What a load of rubbish which has been thrown out by every league every time it comes up. May it say it will be new senior clubs getting promotion from through the pyramid into the spfl which will revitalise the lower league game in Scotland, and not B teams of Premier sides. Get the idea thrown out and hope the top leagues don't entertain this stupid idea in a knee jerk reaction due to the covid19 crisis. 

Bloody hell.

Anyone who's been paying any attention at all would have seen that, not only do the youth teams bring no additional fans, they positively suppress attendances. You just have to check the attendance figures each round to see that.

Genuinely and literally, Gordon Smith has shown he has as much understanding of these issues as a pot of stew.

[morley]

9 minutes ago, GordonS said:

Bloody hell.

Anyone who's been paying any attention at all would have seen that, not only do the youth teams bring no additional fans, they positively suppress attendances. You just have to check the attendance figures each round to see that.

Genuinely and literally, Gordon Smith has shown he has as much understanding of these issues as a pot of stew.

Here was me thinking you were Gordon Smith? 

[Junior Pub League]

Just now, morley said:

Here was me thinking you were Gordon Smith? 

Smith speaks more sense.

[GordonS]

8 minutes ago, morley said:

Here was me thinking you were Gordon Smith? 

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but calling me Gordon Smith really hurts.

[PastyMan]

45 minutes ago, Casey Jones said:

Populations:

Bathgate - 20.4k v Musselburgh 21.9k

Whitburn 10.5k v Haddington 10k

Fauldhouse 4.7k v nothing close (relating to football town/village)

.......

Fauldhouse have a great history, which seems to be whimpering to a stall. Looks to have a great set up with the the tuck shop / wee bar / good changing rooms and last season a big effort to get the pitch up to a better standard.

Are Fauldhouse going to resemble a Harthill club who went into a temporary abeyance a few years back; and perhaps same with Whitburn and Bathgate? It is these clubs/towns choices but sometimes, like Musselburgh, it needs a tough decision made at the top.

Hope I am wrong with the West Lothian set up.

Casey, the obvious comparison (for me) is Fauldhouse 4.7k v Blackburn 4.7k

Apologies for repeating a post I made in the Fauldhouse thread just a couple of months back but it feels a hell of a lot longer!
 

Quote

I've been thinking about this post because I have, for quite different reasons, a strong affection for both Fauldhouse and Blackburn and have followed their development for a number of years.

They have become quite different clubs. Blackburn is a community football club. Alongside the 1st team there is a successful U20s, women and girls teams, boys teams across most age groups. Blackburn's ground will be a hive of activity most days of the week. I like Blackburn's management of all this and pushing forward with ground developments with an eye on possible future licensing requirements. On the pitch Blackburn regularly have a number of players who have come through their own boys clubs (and now the U20s) and are competing now at a higher level than they have ever achieved previously and, fingers crossed, hopefully they can keep this up even on their shoestring budget.  I know Fauldhouse have a dedicated committee and management team but the focus of the club feels much more limited to, or focused on, the next fixture.

I've no doubt Fauldhouse would benefit from moving away from the shrinking East Juniors pool but I'm not as convinced they would be in as good a position as Blackburn to take advantage of the other benefits of EoS football.

 

[honestman54]

Have I missed who the 9th team in the EOS is?

[patriot1]

12 minutes ago, honestman54 said:

Have I missed who the 9th team in the EOS is?

It's not been announced. But there definitely is a 9th.

[patriot1]

Can anyone remember how long it took for the names to come out last year? From memory it took a while. 

I believe the EGM is on the 30th April. Will we find out before then?

[San Starko Rover]

4 hours ago, morley said:

I see an article by Gordon Smith in the Herald today once again bringing up this stupid suggestion of reserve teams being added to the SFL and regional top leagues. Paints a picture how these premier reserve teams will save the part time lower SFL teams by brining big crowds, and calls out the tunnocks Cup as an example of this. Yet he shows no recognition at all, probably not aware, of the massive changes going on in the lower non leagues of the pyramid and now with the WoS league joining the pyramid, and fails to recognise as pointed out on here that the Premier colt teams do not bring big crowds at all in the Tunnocks cup. What a load of rubbish which has been thrown out by every league every time it comes up. May i say it will be new ambitious senior clubs getting promotion from through the pyramid into the spfl which will revitalise the lower league game in Scotland and help close the gap to the Premier league, and not B teams of Premier sides. Get the idea thrown out and hope the top leagues don't entertain this stupid idea in a knee jerk reaction due to the covid19 crisis. 

It's an utter myth too, they bring no crowds to the Challenge cup games, LL, EOS, WOS would be a better addition to the Challenge cup and SPFL than the Colt teams.  I've yet to meet a fan outside the Premiership who thinks Colts are a good idea.  I hope we continue to block them and swap the Colts in the Cup for more HL/LL teams.  

[San Starko Rover]

2 hours ago, GordonS said:

Bloody hell.

Anyone who's been paying any attention at all would have seen that, not only do the youth teams bring no additional fans, they positively suppress attendances. You just have to check the attendance figures each round to see that.

Genuinely and literally, Gordon Smith has shown he has as much understanding of these issues as a pot of stew.

He'll probably point to the Semi-final ICT v Rangers Colts as the example where a few Rangers fans took an interest as they might win something while ignoring every other round where as you say they actually have a negative effect on crowds as the other teams fans just stay away.  We've played Ross County Colts twice and the attendance from RC was a joke.  

Edited April 4, 2020 by San Starko Rover

[Ginaro]

1 hour ago, patriot1 said:

Can anyone remember how long it took for the names to come out last year? From memory it took a while. 

I believe the EGM is on the 30th April. Will we find out before then?

There were only three applicants and all were known before the end of March deadline. Took until the end of April at the EGM to confirm that only Glenrothes were accepted https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/football/glenrothes-strollers-bid-join-east-scotland-league-rejected-juniors-accepted-979226

We think there's nine applicants but there's three clubs who haven't announced this season, really only one of which we are speculating about.

Edited April 4, 2020 by Ginaro

[GordonS]

50 minutes ago, San Starko Rover said:

He'll probably point to the Semi-final ICT v Rangers Colts as the example where a few Rangers fans took an interest as they might win something while ignoring every other round where as you say they actually have a negative effect on crowds as the other teams fans just stay away.  We've played Ross County Colts twice and the attendance from RC was a joke.  

I was at Hearts v Ross County in the Challenge Cup last season - it was a nice night and I was at a loose end - in an attendance of 344.

That ICT semi final still had an attendance 500 lower than ICT's league average. Last season they got more than a thousand for their First Round tie at home to Dunfermline. The idea that Rangers were a draw in the semi final is very obvious guff. 

[BMan]

There were only three applicants and all were known before the end of March deadline. Took until the end of April at the EGM to confirm that only Glenrothes were accepted https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/sport/football/glenrothes-strollers-bid-join-east-scotland-league-rejected-juniors-accepted-979226
We think there's nine applicants but there's three clubs who haven't announced this season, really only one of which we are speculating about.

There are 9 applicants;

Kennoway Star Hearts
Thornton Hibs
Kirkcaldy & Dysart
Lochore Welfare
Lochgelly Albert
Rosyth
Newburgh
Luncarty
Edinburgh South

Eyemouth United have also indicated they will be rejoining.

[honestman54]

5 minutes ago, BMan said:

There are 9 applicants;

Kennoway Star Hearts
Thornton Hibs
Kirkcaldy & Dysart
Lochore Welfare
Lochgelly Albert
Rosyth
Newburgh
Luncarty
Edinburgh South

Eyemouth United have also indicated they will be rejoining.

So that really means 10 additional clubs for next season?

[patriot1]

1 hour ago, honestman54 said:

So that really means 10 additional clubs for next season?

10 additional clubs is right. 

Are Edinburgh South confirmed as the ninth applicant? 

[San Starko Rover]

Anything been said about Luncarty and the boundary? 

[LongTimeLurker]

They have acknowledged receipt of the application, which wasn't what happened two years ago when other clubs north of the boundary inquired about it. They were told they couldn't apply.

[BMan]

They have acknowledged receipt of the application, which wasn't what happened two years ago when other clubs north of the boundary inquired about it. They were told they couldn't apply.

What clubs?

[AlanCamelonfan]

4 minutes ago, BMan said:

29 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

They have acknowledged receipt of the application, which wasn't what happened two years ago when other clubs north of the boundary inquired about it. They were told they couldn't apply.

What clubs?

Carnoustie apparently