New clubs in the East of Scotland

[Footballfirst]

17 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

That was obvious to everyone and said by the likes of the LL reps in media interviews at the time. That's why VoL were sending out panicked statements worried about getting relegated.

It didn't change the fact that the title contending teams had played at most 12 games. The main proponents I saw for declaring on PPG were Leith Athletic at First Division level and  with others more concerned with the idea of settling into divisions instead of another year of Conferences.

Promotion without relegation could have been accommodated in the LL and the EOS Premier League if there was a will to do so.

[FairWeatherFan]

12 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

Promotion without relegation could have been accommodated in the LL and the EOS Premier League if there was a will to do so.

Think it was Dundonald that put forward the PPG idea and it was about setting up Divisions and not Conferences.

No one had a crystal ball that this was going to happen. It's no real surprise that the Colt idea only became public knowledge a day after Kelty won 2-0 in the 1st leg of the SPFL2 Play-off.

[Dev]

57 minutes ago, Anychance said:

if we had voted to finish the season points per game the old firm wouldn't have been able to join the lowland as we could of promoted from the premier but we stupidly voted null and void. i bet the boy fraser was rubbing his hands when he seen that.

Ironically the FA in England has recently reversed two seasons worth of Null and Void decisions so that it can go ahead with "non-league" restructuring.

It has invited clubs to apply for promotion based upon adding up the last two season's league results and then dividing to get to PPG over the two seasons.

[patriot1]

https://www.stenhousemuirfc.com/2021/05/12/stenhousemuir-and-syngenta-form-strategic-partnership/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
 

it’s good to see it’s not just a ground share at ochilview.

[Stag Nation]

34 minutes ago, the tin man said:

Hibs young 1s push stenny young 1s down pecking order so syngenta develop them the strategic partnership stenny do
 

Please try again in English.

[the tin man]

Stenny have a strategic partnership with hibs that gets them youth players so the young 1s at stenny get sent to syngenta as part of there partnership

[FairWeatherFan]

Still some ill feeling from Bo'ness United around the formation of Bo'ness Athletic.

https://www.linlithgowgazette.co.uk/sport/football/boness-united-chairman-iain-muirhead-has-deep-concerns-about-formation-of-rival-senior-team-boness-athletic-3235416

Quote

Muirhead, speaking exclusively to the Journal and Gazette, voiced his fears that his Lowland League outfit have been joined by the newly formed Bo’ness Athletic – formerly Linlithgow Thistle and Bo’ness United Juniors – who will join the East of Scotland ranks at three tiers below the ‘big’ team.

“It’s going to be a big concern that we cannot continue to push forward with another club vying for the same things in the same area,” Muirhead said.

"I totally realise that we’re on a different platform to them, they’ve got to go into the bottom league and we’re in the top league.
 
"But no matter how you skin a cat, you have got to look for opportunities of sponsorship, opportunities of collecting money for various different ways to run a football team.

"There’s no money man behind us and there’s no money man behind them.

"So that’s going to have to come within the local community area.

"If you’ve got two senior teams within a small catchment area trying to look for the same sponsorship, the same fans, the same merchandise sales, treasure chests, there is going to be an issue somewhere down the line because – especially in these pandemic times – companies can’t sponsor two teams.”

Muirhead said that, when Bo’ness United Junior FC was formed from the amateur team two years ago, his club had lobbied its members to say that as the main BU team had gone senior, then the other club could fill the void in the juniors.

"They were very much looking at completing a pathway for possibly younger people within the Bo’ness area to go up through the levels,” he added. "There were a few discussions about it with our members and concerns were raised that – if it came to a situation where we had to move back to the junior game if the seniors didn’t work out for us – what would happen then?

"And basically the juniors said they would have to bow out, disband, go back amateur or whatever it may be at that time because there wouldn’t be room for two junior clubs within a town the size of Bo’ness.

"That was conveyed to a hall full of 80-odd members of Bo’ness United (in sping 2019) who basically own the club, because I’m only a custodian put in charge by them.

"What happens if they (Bo’ness Athletic) start a treasure chest draw tomorrow?

"We have had that ongoing for the last 15 or 20 years and done very well. For the people of Bo’ness it’s quite an in thing now.

"So that is obviously going to impact us.”

On the field, there is the possibility that local footballers could be snapped up by Bo'ness Athletic instead of Bo’ness United.

Muirhead said: “In terms of the football situation, will they probably look for the same players as we do? Possibly.

"We are well aware that we are at the higher end of the East seniors and they are at the lower end.

"But what happens if they have a great couple of years and they’re up there?

"What happens if they’re in the same league in five years time?

"What happens if they go and get their SFA membership?

"The two teams are playing at the same park (Newtown Park) as well.

"The opportunity of this club originated to be attached to the name Bo’ness United, to be part of a pathway, now they have changed their name and gone their own way.

"I have been involved in Bo’ness United Football Club since the age of two.

"My mum and dad had been part of the club and were life members of the club, they’re both now deceased.

"I’m not going to roll over and let another club muscle in on something that my mother and father worked hard for 25 years to build and I’m trying to continue that.

"And also other members of the committee.

"I feel very shafted by this that they have gone with our name, used our name for three years, got players on the back of our name and telling them that if they do well at the juniors then they’ll go to the seniors.

"It was also an agreement that they were going to be a feeder team. We asked for a player five times and never got him.”

 

[Deanburn Dave]

BU chairman clearly annoyed with how the situation has developed. Makes a lot of good points but ultimately it's up to the BU's to rise to the challenge and show they are the big team in Bo'ness.

Re licencing I would be hugely surprised if Bo'ness Athletic don't apply for their licence in the next few years. They apprar to be an ambitious bunch.

[8MileBU]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Still some ill feeling from Bo'ness United around the formation of Bo'ness Athletic.

https://www.linlithgowgazette.co.uk/sport/football/boness-united-chairman-iain-muirhead-has-deep-concerns-about-formation-of-rival-senior-team-boness-athletic-3235416

 

An excellent statement by Iain, and to be fair he’s just telling it exactly like it is.

The only bit that might be wrong is the bit about there being “no money man” behind Bo’ness Athletic but only as I believe they prefer the term “sponsor”.

Since their days as Linlithgow Thistle Ams came to an end there’s been no end of stories coming from that side of the flints regarding the true intent of the then newly formed BUJFC, the wealth of their “sponsor” and mutterings of them “doing a Kelty”. The poster Auld Heid certainly seemed to have plenty to say on here (and probably everywhere) about the ambitions and intent of BUJFC and I believe some weren’t happy at him “letting the cat out the bag” so to speak.

Edited May 13, 2021 by 8MileBU

[8MileBU]

30 minutes ago, Deanburn Dave said:

BU chairman clearly annoyed with how the situation has developed. Makes a lot of good points but ultimately it's up to the BU's to rise to the challenge and show they are the big team in Bo'ness.

And rightly so. Literally every point he makes is valid.

Yes, ultimately it is up to the BU to rise to the challenge, but ultimately they should they have never been lied to or been put in a position where they may now have to compete for resources in a small community of Bo’ness’s size.

BU Junior Athletic Thistle can continue spinning that yarn about being a Junior side that had their hand forced, but given the fate of the East Juniors was a given before they were formed - their story is utterly transparent bullshit, plain and simple. 

Edited May 13, 2021 by 8MileBU

[LongTimeLurker]

It was disappointing that EoS members would vote this mob in under these circumstances against the wishes of a fellow EoSFA member.

[Deanburn Dave]

Bo'ness Athletic may have found entry to the EoS trickier had they tried to join in isolation but they were swept in with the Tsunami of the West Lothian Juniors.

[Sure & Stedfast]

3 minutes ago, Deanburn Dave said:

Bo'ness Athletic may have found entry to the EoS trickier had they tried to join in isolation but they were swept in with the Tsunami of the West Lothian Juniors.

The fact BU sent a damning email round all clubs in the association trying to get clubs to vote against BA application, which clearly didn’t work, is as embarrassing for their club as this Chairman’s article. Acting childish throughout and washing laundry in public, where clearly anyone outwith the BU office bearers and a small number of BU supporters, will find tedious at best, is another demonstration of how little anyone actually cares.

Athletic have risen above all this petty “what if they start a treasure chest” nonsense and focused on the development of their club... and maybe ... just maybe... that is why other clubs voted to have them in the East of Scotland.

Let them play football.

 

 

[8MileBU]

1 hour ago, Sure & Stedfast said:

The fact BU sent a damning email round all clubs in the association trying to get clubs to vote against BA application, which clearly didn’t work, is as embarrassing for their club as this Chairman’s article. Acting childish throughout and washing laundry in public, where clearly anyone outwith the BU office bearers and a small number of BU supporters, will find tedious at best, is another demonstration of how little anyone actually cares.

Athletic have risen above all this petty “what if they start a treasure chest” nonsense and focused on the development of their club... and maybe ... just maybe... that is why other clubs voted to have them in the East of Scotland.

Let them play football.

*Inhales sharply through teeth*

Minter of a post. Nobody was ever against them playing football.

[Cyclizine]

I freely admit I don't know the ins and outs of how Bo'ness Athletic Juniors Thistle got their foot in the door at Newtown Park, but I'm not sure two "senior" clubs in one town is an issue, particularly when they're playing several divisions apart.

In my neck of the woods, up north, many of the Highland League clubs have a NRJFA club playing in their town "directly competing". The Juniors (and North Caley) are shortly going to become part of the pyramid as well. Locos and Colony Park, Keith and Islavale, Deveronvale and Deveronside, Forres Mechanics and Thistle, etc. In reality, they're offering different things to players and fans.

Edited May 13, 2021 by Cyclizine

[buboy]

And rightly so. Literally every point he makes is valid.
Yes, ultimately it is up to the BU to rise to the challenge, but ultimately they should they have never been lied to or been put in a position where they may now have to compete for resources in a small community of Bo’ness’s size.
BU Junior Athletic Thistle can continue spinning that yarn about being a Junior side that had their hand forced, but given the fate of the East Juniors was a given before they were formed - their story is utterly transparent bullshit, plain and simple. 

Parasites

[Sure & Stedfast]

3 hours ago, buboy said:

On 13/05/2021 at 19:22, 8MileBU said:

And rightly so. Literally every point he makes is valid.
Yes, ultimately it is up to the BU to rise to the challenge, but ultimately they should they have never been lied to or been put in a position where they may now have to compete for resources in a small community of Bo’ness’s size.
BU Junior Athletic Thistle can continue spinning that yarn about being a Junior side that had their hand forced, but given the fate of the East Juniors was a given before they were formed - their story is utterly transparent bullshit, plain and simple. 

Parasites

Love it. Rent free.

[John S]

Rent free?

Love it. Rent free.

[8MileBU]

18 hours ago, buboy said:

On 13/05/2021 at 19:22, 8MileBU said:

And rightly so. Literally every point he makes is valid.
Yes, ultimately it is up to the BU to rise to the challenge, but ultimately they should they have never been lied to or been put in a position where they may now have to compete for resources in a small community of Bo’ness’s size.
BU Junior Athletic Thistle can continue spinning that yarn about being a Junior side that had their hand forced, but given the fate of the East Juniors was a given before they were formed - their story is utterly transparent bullshit, plain and simple. 

Parasites

Bit harsh lol 

1 hour ago, John S said:

Rent free?

Made no sense to me either.

[LongTimeLurker]

Weasels maybe rather than parasites.