New clubs in the East of Scotland

[invergowrie arab]

8 hours ago, JustBecause said:

Initial rumblings are very underwhelming. Remain as Juniors, remain governed by the same administration, no link up with NRSJFA, no link up with NCL, playing the same teams, win the league no promotion(unless licensed) finish bottom no relegation. Where is the difference for the Tayside clubs? 

What are people expecting?

It's a regional league feeding into a higher league so why would they link up with the NCL?

Who else would run it? Can't see the blazers at Forees Mechanics and Wick desperate to administer a Dundee league.

Every club has to be licensed to play at T5

[LongTimeLurker]

12 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

What are people expecting?

Shared cup competitions would be an obvious one. Sadly the SJC is probably on the way out now given the level of fixture overload for the WoS next season so what fills that void? What replaces the East of Scotland Cup now there is no east region south? There is no SCC equivalent in the HL catchment, if the ML is part of the northern pyramid, so beyond the one cup with the north region that is only all in from the last 16 onwards there could be a very repetitive fixture list.

[Marten]

What are people expecting?
It's a regional league feeding into a higher league so why would they link up with the NCL?
Who else would run it? Can't see the blazers at Forees Mechanics and Wick desperate to administer a Dundee league.
Every club has to be licensed to play at T5

Exactly, and there is a key change: the possibility to go for licensing and promotion to tier 5. This would be a great development. I don't think the pyramid would immediately be perfect if the NCL, ML and NRJFA come underneath the HL. But it would be a big step, as compared with a few years ago, all juniors, NCL and a bunch of youth/amateur/new clubs would then be in the pyramid.

I'm not claiming the way to get there has always been great. But imagine this does indeed happen now. It's only 6 years after the first pyramid play-off between Brora and Montrose. It's only 4 years after Kelty's step and Edusport becoming the first ever club to be promoted in the normal way from tier 6 to tier 5 (previously LL spots were filled by application). Let's put things into perspective, nobody would genuinely have expected this all to happen in that time frame back then. So if this all does happen, it would be big and very positive.

No, in no way I'd think the pyramid would in that case be finished. There will still be questions to be answered and improvements to be made. But that will happen over time. The English pyramid is still evolving and they started a hell of a lot earlier than us. This is a great step if it happens and once it's in place, let's further look at improvements.

[Whitburn Vale]

6 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Old men with blazers usually resist change because their top priority is keeping their blazer. How much activity has there been from the north region about becoming a tier 6? At one point last year the NCL were saying it could be implemented for this season if the north region got their act together. Close to a year later....

That's because we've all been in a global pandemic for a year.....

Talks are ongoing but as ever with anything to do with the North,it takes that bit longer,the area involved for one thing is massive.

The NRJFA know the game is up,only them and the Tayside teams remain now in junior fitba.

They have no other choice than take their place under the HL,whether that's along with the Tayside clubs remains to be seen.

[FairWeatherFan]

9 minutes ago, Marten said:

Exactly, and there is a key change: the possibility to go for licensing and promotion to tier 5. This would be a great development. I don't think the pyramid would immediately be perfect if the NCL, ML and NRJFA come underneath the HL. But it would be a big step, as compared with a few years ago, all juniors, NCL and a bunch of youth/amateur/new clubs would then be in the pyramid.

If the remain Junior and go Highland League plan goes ahead, then year one is a pretty busy one.

32 game league season, a league cup, North & Tayside Inter-Regional Cup, and the SJC (otherwise why the fuss about staying Junior).

Year two we've seen from other leagues, there should be those licenced. Which means Scottish Cup added, a champion that's maybe been promoted, and a year working closely with the other Highland pyramid leagues that could easily see further changes. Such as creating new competitions.

 

[EdinburghBlue]

9 hours ago, Pyramidic said:

East of Scotland League gets wave of new applicants:

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/international/east-of-scotland-league-gets-wave-of-new-applicants-3169535

Scotsman journos obviously read Pie and Bovril 

[8MileBU]

8 hours ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

I genuinely wouldn't be surprised to see Armadale go to the amateurs after that fella's antics in here on the "Junior Football - What is the future?" thread. 

I've forgot his name. Someone tag him in for a laugh

Despite his wild outbursts on here and Twitter etc, I’d be very surprised if they went to the amateurs. That would be the end of them. That said I suspect your tongue was firmly in your cheek when you said that.

[LongTimeLurker]

9 hours ago, Whitburn Vale said:

.....They have no other choice than take their place under the HL, ...

They do very much have a choice again now that Tom Johnston is not pushing for the SJFA entering intact.  Remember they have already told the SFA  board they weren't interested in the past at least once when Maxwell & Petrie tried to organise HL catchment PWG meetings to mirror what was happening in the central belt.

The north region could simply stay out of the pyramid given they are a glorified amateur league with little to no spectator interest and few of the clubs appear to be interested in the concept of progression to the HL. There are still rumblings to that effect appearing on social media when people from south of Stonehaven start getting evangelical about the iminent implementation of tier 6 feeders probably based on what they see on P&B:

 

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by LongTimeLurker

[Whitburn Vale]

Why would they want to remain a glorified amateur league, when the Highland league is actively encouraging them and the NCL to slot in beneath them ?

There has been discussions because I know certain people involved in the process.

 Banks o Dee are licensed and the reasons they have been cold about the HL was down to not being admitted back in the day plus they're the big gun in the North juniors but I'm hopeful of their involvement in the HL in years to come,as they have much to offer.

As for people in the south wanting everything to fit nicely in,as I've said with everything in the North it takes that bit longer for things to be done(just look at the new Aberdeen bypass).

 I am a supporter of Deveronvale football club and love HL football and regularly travel north and put my money into it,relegation could affect the Vale in yrs to come but I believe it's only right there is promotion in and out of the HL.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Whitburn Vale

[FairWeatherFan]

2 minutes ago, Whitburn Vale said:

Why would they want to remain a glorified amateur league, when the Highland league is actively encouraging them and the NCL to slot in beneath them ?

There has been discussions because I know certain people involved in the process.

 Banks o Dee are licensed and the reasons they have been cold about the HL was down to not being admitted back in the day plus they're the big gun in the North juniors but I'm hopeful of their involvement in the HL in years to come,as they much to offer.

As for people in the south wanting everything to fit nicely in,as I've said with everything in the North it takes that bit longer for things to be done(just look at the new Aberdeen bypass).

 I am a supporter of Deveronvale football club and love HL football and regularly travel north and put my money into it,relegation could affect the Vale in yrs to come but I believe it's only right there is promotion in and out of the HL.

When it comes to the inner workings of the North Juniors it's very much a mystery.

You had the HL talking up the prospect of a pyramid with the NCL & North Juniors a year ago, only for the North secretary to come out saying it was still too early in the process.

On a podcast you had the interim President from Dyce saying they'd had a few meetings but he hadn't been involved, and that the costs of improvements is one of the reasons there isn't too much interest. A few months later Dyce were joining the Aberdeenshire FA and looking to install floodlights.

 

[LongTimeLurker]

10 minutes ago, Whitburn Vale said:

Why would they want to remain a glorified amateur league, when the Highland league is actively encouraging them and the NCL to slot in beneath them ?

How active is that encouragement really? Are Fort William, Lossie, Strathspey Thistle and co really eager to open up the trapdoor? It's the NCL that make the most noise about it and the HL have to be seen to be receptive to it to some extent so their officeholders will say the right things when asked but something that should have been relatively easy to agree and implement is being dragged out for a very long time now. Compare and contrast with how quickly the WoS unfolded after the LL announced they would help launch it even with COVID unfolding as the backdrop.

[Whitburn Vale]

Stroll on !!!

It's been dragged out because there has been and still is a global pandemic ongoing and as I have said twice now,things up north take that bit longer !!!!!!!!!

They have to be receptive to it because they are part of the pyramid !!

There is no doubt that some HL clubs are less keen than others because of relegation issues but the time is coming when they will hav to face up to it Vale included..

Hopeful of an announcement in the coming months regarding the pyramid and getting back up there to see HL football next season.

Mon the Vale 

[FairWeatherFan]

11 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

How active is that encouragement really? Are Fort William, Lossie, Strathspey Thistle and co really eager to open up the trapdoor? It's the NCL that make the most noise about it and the HL have to be seen to be receptive to it to some extent so their officeholders will say the right things when asked but something that should have been relatively easy to agree and implement is being dragged out for a very long time now. Compare and contrast with how quickly the WoS unfolded after the LL announced they would help launch it even with COVID unfolding as the backdrop.

The West Region as a whole got dragged into the pyramid because of clubs like Kilwinning and Clydebank. With many pushing for it already having facilities that could easily meet licencing standards with a little work. There were plenty that were happy sitting outside.

Maybe if the North Region still had clubs like Formartine United and Turriff United in it, or Banks O'Dee hadn't had their fingers burned there would be some clubs actually pushing for it. Instead about a third of the league are clubs from small towns/villages that already have HL/lower league SPFL sides, another 3rd are fighting for scraps from Aberdeen, with the remaining 3rd for the most part having a lot of work to do to get up to licencing standards.

[glensmad]

The West Region as a whole got dragged into the pyramid because of clubs like Kilwinning and Clydebank. With many pushing for it already having facilities that could easily meet licencing standards with a little work. There were plenty that were happy sitting outside.

They weren't dragged into the pyramid because of clubs like Kilwinning and Clydebank. The likes of Kilwinning and Clydebank were going to the pyramid regardless of whether all the other teams came in with them or not. It was the West Region SJFA who "encouraged" all the other teams to join the pyramid.

[FairWeatherFan]

1 minute ago, glensmad said:

They weren't dragged into the pyramid because of clubs like Kilwinning and Clydebank. The likes of Kilwinning and Clydebank were going to the pyramid regardless of whether all the other teams came in with them or not. It was the West Region SJFA who "encouraged" all the other teams to join the pyramid.

It's the same thing. If it hadn't been for those West region clubs pursuing a pyramid entry point, the West Region as it was would still be intact. Leaving plenty of clubs happy with that status quo.

[JustBecause]

40 minutes ago, Whitburn Vale said:

Stroll on !!!

It's been dragged out because there has been and still is a global pandemic ongoing and as I have said twice now,things up north take that bit longer !!!!!!!!!

They have to be receptive to it because they are part of the pyramid !!

There is no doubt that some HL clubs are less keen than others because of relegation issues but the time is coming when they will hav to face up to it Vale included..

Hopeful of an announcement in the coming months regarding the pyramid and getting back up there to see HL football next season.

Mon the Vale 

Nice bit of exposure coming up on BT sport for the Vale. Cracking club. Great people.

[Whitburn Vale]

1 minute ago, JustBecause said:

Nice bit of exposure coming up on BT sport for the Vale. Cracking club. Great people.

Cheers for the heads up JB ...

[glensmad]

16 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

It's the same thing. If it hadn't been for those West region clubs pursuing a pyramid entry point, the West Region as it was would still be intact. Leaving plenty of clubs happy with that status quo.

Yes that's a fair statement.

[Stag Nation]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

It's the same thing. If it hadn't been for those West region clubs pursuing a pyramid entry point, the West Region as it was would still be intact. Leaving plenty of clubs happy with that status quo.

And, arguably, the other clubs following their committee's "encouragement" like sheep.

[glensmad]

28 minutes ago, Stag Nation said:

And, arguably, the other clubs following their committee's "encouragement" like sheep.

I don't think there's any doubt that, when the Lowland League first offered places in a new WoSFL, they didn't expect to get all 63 West Region SJFA clubs applying.

They didn't have a problem with it, but they did nothing to encourage any club to join, they only made the league available and invited applications. All the pressure placed on the clubs to apply came from elsewhere.