Jump to content

Junior football, what is the future?


Burnie_man

Recommended Posts

7 hours ago, sniffer said:

Big meeting tonite for the juniors at inverkeithing , actually Cant believe some clubs never attended as there were instructed to do so as the importance of the topic , Blackburn being one, ignorance comes to mind.

Clubs weren't instructed to do anything, they were invited - it was optional. 

But from what I've been told, given the hostility shown towards the EoS and the sheer arrogance of those at the 'top table', it was probably for the best that some clubs didn't attend.

At least a commitment was made to join the pyramid - maybe not next season, or the season after that but the next one again - they'll do their best to try anyway.

And don't even think about applying for a Club Licence because it's virtually impossible.

Allegedly the SFA, Highland League and SoS are OUTRAGED at the East of Scotland league for canvassing clubs to join.

Take home summary: More scaremongering, more vows, the Juniors are Better Together. 

Blackburn: Go for it - life is short, make the most of it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Che Dail said:

Clubs weren't instructed to do anything, they were invited - it was optional. 

But from what I've been told, given the hostility shown towards the EoS and the sheer arrogance of those at the 'top table', it was probably for the best that some clubs didn't attend.

At least a commitment was made to join the pyramid - maybe not next season, or the season after that but the next one again - they'll do their best to try anyway.

And don't even think about applying for a Club Licence because it's virtually impossible.

Allegedly the SFA, Highland League and SoS are OUTRAGED at the East of Scotland league for canvassing clubs to join.

Take home summary: More scaremongering, more vows, the Juniors are Better Together. 

Blackburn: Go for it - life is short, make the most of it!

No wonder so many clubs are taking the lifeboat, the junior "grade" is doomed if that's the attitude from those at the top.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Edinburgh Junior League was a strong league in various incarnations pre 1900 but the perennial problem of lack of pitches meant it disappeared around the turn of the century. It was revived for a time pre WWI but never made a comeback afterwards when the Midlothian League assumed prominence . A few Edinburgh clubs were members pre WW2 but afterwards they never returned with only a brief appearance by Edinburgh City after they left the SFL upto the mid 50's until Edinburgh Utd were founded in 1985.
 

So did you enjoy watching the football then just as much as now? :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Che Dail said:

Clubs weren't instructed to do anything, they were invited - it was optional. 

But from what I've been told, given the hostility shown towards the EoS and the sheer arrogance of those at the 'top table', it was probably for the best that some clubs didn't attend.

At least a commitment was made to join the pyramid - maybe not next season, or the season after that but the next one again - they'll do their best to try anyway.

And don't even think about applying for a Club Licence because it's virtually impossible.

Allegedly the SFA, Highland League and SoS are OUTRAGED at the East of Scotland league for canvassing clubs to join.

Take home summary: More scaremongering, more vows, the Juniors are Better Together. 

Blackburn: Go for it - life is short, make the most of it!

Obviously you weren’t at the meeting, I personally found it very worthwhile and lots of points for discussing.  There was an element of arrogance and scaremongering at times but that is no different to the “if the juniors don’t join the eosl now, you will join at tier 7,8 or 9” scenario when in fact no decisions have been made.

An assurance was given by the SJFA who are in dialogue with the SFA that they will work towards joining a “pyramid” for end of next season.  They also accepted when pushed from the floor that they need to  keep to this timeline.  The SFA Stewart Regan have previously stated that the juniors will join at tier 6 and assurances this is still the case are to be sought and a plan agreed at the egm.

For me Its up to the clubs now, they basically stay with the juniors for another year and trust the SJFA and SFA to amalgamate to some sort of agreed pyramid or they don’t trust this to happen and move across now under there own accord.

There was a stronger together theme throughout the evening which you can’t really argue with but as said each club needs to decide the best course of action they believe. 

What is clear to  is that failure for the SJFA to deliver on pyramid inclusion for the end of next season will for me be a final blow to the juniors and a complete incompetence which will destroy the grade.

There was also an acceptance from the top table that this should have been addressed and engaged with some time ago but we are where we are the next few months to a year will either see massive change or the demise of our junior football.

A twist or stick scenario 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Che’s post was a pretty accurate account from where I was sitting.

Bluebell, or any of the other clubs moving...can you confirm at what point the EOS canvassed your club about making an application. This was a complete lie from TJ.

The disparaging comments from TJ about the standard in EOS was really disrespectful as were the comments regarding distance of travel....I mean who wants to go to Tweedmouth!!!! try going from Dunbar to Kirriemuir for example. What’s the difference.

The juniors have a great product at a competitive price and the most coveted trophy in the land .....so good that TJ can’t even get a sponsor for the cup.

TJ can’t be trusted to deliver anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If clubs can't be bothered to turn up then get them to f##k, better off without them.
Contempt and a lack of respect for other junior clubs.
One good thing should be not having to read their pish on this juniors forum, however we shall see.

[emoji23]
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Khufu2 said:

Punishment isn't really a very good rationale for constructing a pyramid which supposedly meant to place the better teams above the poorer ones.

Good morning Sire,

maybe reply to me when you get your own vocabulary and can form coherent responses,

until then keep creating new accounts to post the same things,

regards

Jason

Edited by Jason King
Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, bluebell1 said:

The SFA Stewart Regan have previously stated that the juniors will join at tier 6 and assurances this is still the case are to be sought and a plan agreed at the egm.

When discussions took place when the pyramid was first established, that was the SFA's plan. (And if I recall correctly, the SJFA were unhappy with that, as they felt the juniors should be at tier 5)

Interpreting that as a promise that at any time in the future the juniors could simply attach themselves at tier 6 seems a bit optimistic. It seems a bit more complicated now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, bluebell1 said:

Obviously you weren’t at the meeting, I personally found it very worthwhile and lots of points for discussing.  There was an element of arrogance and scaremongering at times but that is no different to the “if the juniors don’t join the eosl now, you will join at tier 7,8 or 9” scenario when in fact no decisions have been made.

An assurance was given by the SJFA who are in dialogue with the SFA that they will work towards joining a “pyramid” for end of next season.  They also accepted when pushed from the floor that they need to  keep to this timeline.  The SFA Stewart Regan have previously stated that the juniors will join at tier 6 and assurances this is still the case are to be sought and a plan agreed at the egm.

For me Its up to the clubs now, they basically stay with the juniors for another year and trust the SJFA and SFA to amalgamate to some sort of agreed pyramid or they don’t trust this to happen and move across now under there own accord.

There was a stronger together theme throughout the evening which you can’t really argue with but as said each club needs to decide the best course of action they believe. 

What is clear to  is that failure for the SJFA to deliver on pyramid inclusion for the end of next season will for me be a final blow to the juniors and a complete incompetence which will destroy the grade.

There was also an acceptance from the top table that this should have been addressed and engaged with some time ago but we are where we are the next few months to a year will either see massive change or the demise of our junior football.

A twist or stick scenario 

 

Stewart Regan isn't here anymore, and even if this claim  from TJ about Regan offering level 6 of the pyramid is true, the SJFA obviously didn't want it, and failed to do the deal.  Also, at that moment in time, did SJ advise Junior clubs about this opportunity ?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Seriously, you don't understand why Blackburn weren't there?
Dear god.


Evidently not [emoji2]

The meeting sounds just exactly like I would expect it to be, a touch of Whaes Like Us, a healthy dose of scaremongering over the SFA Licence, and disparaging comments towards the EoS. It's the TJ playbook, I hear we even got Larry the Lamb from Lochee going on about the Forfar wage bill, surprised he never pulled the £150k toilet card out if his back pocket like the old days.

If TJ really claimed the EoS canvassed Junior clubs with regards to joining then he is lying.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, bluebell1 said:

Obviously you weren’t at the meeting, I personally found it very worthwhile and lots of points for discussing.  There was an element of arrogance and scaremongering at times but that is no different to the “if the juniors don’t join the eosl now, you will join at tier 7,8 or 9” scenario when in fact no decisions have been made.

An assurance was given by the SJFA who are in dialogue with the SFA that they will work towards joining a “pyramid” for end of next season.  They also accepted when pushed from the floor that they need to  keep to this timeline.  The SFA Stewart Regan have previously stated that the juniors will join at tier 6 and assurances this is still the case are to be sought and a plan agreed at the egm.

For me Its up to the clubs now, they basically stay with the juniors for another year and trust the SJFA and SFA to amalgamate to some sort of agreed pyramid or they don’t trust this to happen and move across now under there own accord.

There was a stronger together theme throughout the evening which you can’t really argue with but as said each club needs to decide the best course of action they believe. 

What is clear to  is that failure for the SJFA to deliver on pyramid inclusion for the end of next season will for me be a final blow to the juniors and a complete incompetence which will destroy the grade.

There was also an acceptance from the top table that this should have been addressed and engaged with some time ago but we are where we are the next few months to a year will either see massive change or the demise of our junior football.

A twist or stick scenario 

 

It boils down to credibility.

As far as I know, nobody from the SFA was there to stand up and verify claims that they are on board with the SJFA program. Why not? Were they even invited?

We've been here before with the "too wee, too poor, too stupid" lines, and people are so gullible that they actually buy into it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Robert James said:

Stewart Regan isn't here anymore, and even if this claim  from TJ about Regan offering level 6 of the pyramid is true, the SJFA obviously didn't want it, and failed to do the deal.  Also, at that moment in time, did SJ advise Junior clubs about this opportunity ?

 

Woops/apologies :  "TJ"  not "SJ"

Let's see what happens when David Baxter and co, hold the meeting with the junior applicants to the EoS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An agreement with Reagan very convenient,  no chance. We had a fair bit of dialogue with him before we moved and this certainly didn’t seem the case. How can TJ come out with that one when A - he stated a few weeks ago he never seen this coming and B - it’s now 12 month since we began our move and he isn’t any further forward. Did he have explain a plan and strategy for the SJFA in joining the pyramid? 

The SFA, SPFL, it’s clubs and the LL have longed for a stronger pyramid and LL for years so Club 42 dropping out go into a 16 club competitive league, having Junior clubs part of the pyramid has been their wish all along. Scottish Cup places being taken away has even been spoken about for non compliance to the pyramid at all levels. The EOS havent canvassed anyone and I would definitely say they are closer to the SFA than TJ and the SJFA so know full well the lie of the land.

To diss Club Licencing is going to do the SJFA and TJ no favours in his negotiating with the SFA, how is this not seen as progression for a football club.

Hals is right though, clubs have a choice to weigh everything up by staying in the status quo or move to the pyramid. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, bluebell1 said:

There was an element of arrogance and scaremongering at times but that is no different to the “if the juniors don’t join the eosl now, you will join at tier 7,8 or 9” scenario when in fact no decisions have been made.

 

There is a difference between people at the top table scaremongering and punters on an internet forum doing so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Khufu2 said:

Punishment isn't really a very good rationale for constructing a pyramid which supposedly meant to place the better teams above the poorer ones.

Whit? The pyramid is based on merit. You join at the bottom and find your level. Who decides what team is "better" in your scenario?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

29 minutes ago, kefc said:

An agreement with Reagan very convenient,  no chance. We had a fair bit of dialogue with him before we moved and this certainly didn’t seem the case. How can TJ come out with that one when A - he stated a few weeks ago he never seen this coming and B - it’s now 12 month since we began our move and he isn’t any further forward. Did he have explain a plan and strategy for the SJFA in joining the pyramid? 

The SFA, SPFL, it’s clubs and the LL have longed for a stronger pyramid and LL for years so Club 42 dropping out go into a 16 club competitive league, having Junior clubs part of the pyramid has been their wish all along. Scottish Cup places being taken away has even been spoken about for non compliance to the pyramid at all levels. The EOS havent canvassed anyone and I would definitely say they are closer to the SFA than TJ and the SJFA so know full well the lie of the land.

To diss Club Licencing is going to do the SJFA and TJ no favours in his negotiating with the SFA, how is this not seen as progression for a football club.

Hals is right though, clubs have a choice to weigh everything up by staying in the status quo or move to the pyramid. 

The SJFA opportunity was when the LL  first started - instead they did nothing.  Now they are trying to shut the gate after the event - clearly the departure of the Fife Upstarts still wasn't enough for them to take the hint.

Personally not a fan of the pyramid concept and never will be - doesn't mean I'm blind to the fact that the alternative is a slow painful death.  Linlithgow are currently struggling with an ageing committee/support who have little or no understanding of the current predicament - because change hasn't been discussed properly and the loudest voices are negative. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did the SJFA specifically address the point of how they are going to take the East clubs into the Pyramid given the existence of the EoS?  Do they still believe that they can simply move the existing East Region under the auspices of the SJFA into the Pyramid in competition to the EoS?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...