Junior football, what is the future?

[Marten]

6 hours ago, ArabAuslander said:

It's clearly not solidarity as they're just dragging their heels.

Tayside solution Tier 6 feeder to HL, alongside North Super and North Caley. Allows an ambitious club like Broughty the chance to play in the HL and go and try their luck if they want whilst also leaving the vast maj of Tayside clubs playing in the pyramid formally but playing the same sides they were last season (might also convince Montrose Roselea to transfer back into a Tayside tier 6 league)

EDIT: How do I put LTL on ignore/mute it's honestly getting embarrassing at this point.

Agreed, it's just an excuse to delay stuff. And indeed, that could be a solution to Tayside. With "solution" I'm talking about being in a proper feeder so we can apply for a license etc. Not just "you can apply to the HFL".

Edited January 20, 2020 by Marten

[LongTimeLurker]

1 hour ago, Marten said:

Agreed, it's just an excuse to delay stuff. And indeed, that could be a solution to Tayside. With "solution" I'm talking about being in a proper feeder so we can apply for a license etc. Not just "you can apply to the HFL".

The recent BBC website story about shifting the HL:LL boundary provides a glimmer of hope that it may soon be possible for all the remaining Tayside clubs to apply to the EoS even if SJFA entry doesn't happen through Option Z. Beyond that whether the SJFA or EoS are to blame is a bit like arguing over whether the chicken or the egg came first. The only thing that actually matters is that they have completely incompatable postures that cannot be reconciled, which means the SFA as the national association have to find a way to force/persuade one of them to do something they don't want to do, if there is going to be any progress. For the last 18 months or so the SFA's actions have been in line with the posture of the SJFA. Even after last year's fiasco they still haven't told the SJFA to drop the idea of entering the pyramid intact despite the north region clubs telling them they weren't interested in being a tier 6 league and even after the way that the east region stopped operating a single superleague this season. That suggests that the powers that be at Hampden want to force this through one way or another.

Edited January 20, 2020 by LongTimeLurker

[ham1sh68]

There was a meeting last week involving representatives of the HFL and the NRJFA at which the North Juniors expressed a willingness to join the Pyramid as a feeder for the Highland League ( although the vast majority of clubs would not qualify to accept promotion should they win any play-off, Banks o'Dee currently being the only exception). It is understood that the North Caledonian League would also be involved in this set up but there has been no official notification of their commitment yet.

The tone of the meeting was such that it appears the SFA want this regional solution to the Pyramid question resolved quickly and it appears that there may be a willingness on all sides for this to be in place for the start of next season.

This would not cause a great upheaval in the North with only Banks o'Dee in a position to be promoted through the Pyramid but it may well affect long time strugglers Fort William who could possibly find themselves en route to the NCL if their fortunes do not improve.

In the long run however, there would be a great incentive for those North Juniors with enough ambition to better themselves and progress up the ladder.

[Ray Patterson]

43 minutes ago, ham1sh68 said:

There was a meeting last week involving representatives of the HFL and the NRJFA at which the North Juniors expressed a willingness to join the Pyramid as a feeder for the Highland League ( although the vast majority of clubs would not qualify to accept promotion should they win any play-off, Banks o'Dee currently being the only exception). It is understood that the North Caledonian League would also be involved in this set up but there has been no official notification of their commitment yet.

The tone of the meeting was such that it appears the SFA want this regional solution to the Pyramid question resolved quickly and it appears that there may be a willingness on all sides for this to be in place for the start of next season.

This would not cause a great upheaval in the North with only Banks o'Dee in a position to be promoted through the Pyramid but it may well affect long time strugglers Fort William who could possibly find themselves en route to the NCL if their fortunes do not improve.

In the long run however, there would be a great incentive for those North Juniors with enough ambition to better themselves and progress up the ladder.

It's the sensible option as it gives sides like Clach and Fort the hurry up and that losing 10-0 every week isn't acceptable - although Fort have massively improved this season. Gives the likes of Aberdeen Uni an incentive to play at a higher level. Also means that BOD can not just win North Super at a canter every season as well.

[Burnie_man]

54 minutes ago, ham1sh68 said:

There was a meeting last week involving representatives of the HFL and the NRJFA at which the North Juniors expressed a willingness to join the Pyramid as a feeder for the Highland League ( although the vast majority of clubs would not qualify to accept promotion should they win any play-off, Banks o'Dee currently being the only exception). It is understood that the North Caledonian League would also be involved in this set up but there has been no official notification of their commitment yet.

The tone of the meeting was such that it appears the SFA want this regional solution to the Pyramid question resolved quickly and it appears that there may be a willingness on all sides for this to be in place for the start of next season.

This would not cause a great upheaval in the North with only Banks o'Dee in a position to be promoted through the Pyramid but it may well affect long time strugglers Fort William who could possibly find themselves en route to the NCL if their fortunes do not improve.

In the long run however, there would be a great incentive for those North Juniors with enough ambition to better themselves and progress up the ladder.

Good news.  The ERJFA North clubs can now seek a link-up with the North Region to ensure Pyramid entry for next season and access to Licencing.

ERJFA South clubs join EoS,  West moves en-masse. 

No need to tamper with HL/LL boundary or the LL.  Job done.......

Edited January 20, 2020 by Burnie_man

[LongTimeLurker]

Just now, Burnie_man said:

Good news.  The ERJFA North clubs can now seek a link-up with the North Region to ensure Pyramid entry for next season and access to Licencing...

They don't appear to have been at this meeting and only the NCL is being mentioned as an additional feeder to the HL. That snippet of info and the BBC website story about the move that is underway to get the HL:LL boundary shifted should tell you something.

[Burnie_man]

2 hours ago, Marten said:

Agreed, it's just an excuse to delay stuff. And indeed, that could be a solution to Tayside. With "solution" I'm talking about being in a proper feeder so we can apply for a license etc. Not just "you can apply to the HFL".

A combined North Super/Tayside top division would be a pretty strong competition, and a good grounding for HL entry if the Champions were licenced.  Also a good environment for relegated HL clubs to drop into.

Below that Tayside and North Regions operate as normal.

[Burnie_man]

16 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

They don't appear to have been at this meeting and only the NCL is being mentioned as an additional feeder to the HL. That snippet of info and the BBC website story about the move that is underway to get the HL:LL boundary shifted should tell you something.

There isn't a "move" to get it shifted.  Petrie has asked for views on the boundary, nothing more at this stage.

A former Tayside region club already play in the north.

 

[FairWeatherFan]

The PWG split into HL/LL subgroups in November 2018.

The Highland subgroup has never included the East Region. As the SJFA are still pushing for entry into the Lowland.

This all happened before the HL/LL boundary was even discussed by the PWG. The fact that the East Region weren't included last week isn't indicative of anything. The boundary hasn't been changed and the discussion hasn't even taken place over it yet.

 

[LongTimeLurker]

6 minutes ago, Burnie_man said:

There isn't a "move" to get it shifted.  Petrie has asked for views on the boundary, nothing more at this stage....

You are splitting hairs with that. The boundary would need to be shifted before Option Z can work as a solution because part of it is that the ERSJFA becomes a feeder to LL East, so there's at least one reason why that issue has to be dealt with right now before Brechin City as a potential Club 42 gets taken into consideration as a second. Rod Petrie isn't doing it on a whim in the absence of a wider context.

[Burnie_man]

2 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

You are splitting hairs with that. The boundary would need to be shifted before Option Z can work as a solution because part of it is that the ERSJFA becomes a feeder to LL East, so there's at least one reason why that issue has to be dealt with right now before Brechin City as a potential Club 42 gets taken into consideration as a second. Rod Petrie isn't doing it on a whim in the absence of a wider context.

It's not splitting hairs, it's fact. 

Stop peddling suppositions and guesses as fact.  You clearly don't want Tayside to be in the HL area and will resort to twisting anything that might prevent that.

[LongTimeLurker]

It's not my posts you need to worry about, because my views don't matter in the big scheme of things. It's what Rod Petrie and the SFA are doing that matters and their actions are fully consistent with implementing Option Z ASAP. Over and out for a few hours.

[Burnie_man]

8 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

This all happened before the HL/LL boundary was even discussed by the PWG. The fact that the East Region weren't included last week isn't indicative of anything. The boundary hasn't been changed and the discussion hasn't even taken place over it yet.

Correct, and Petrie has asked for feedback on the boundary line from the individual leagues.

[Burnie_man]

1 minute ago, LongTimeLurker said:

It's not my posts you need to worry about, because my views don't matter in the big scheme of things. It's what Rod Petrie and the SFA are doing that matters and their actions are fully consistent with implementing Option Z ASAP. Over and out for a few hours.

You haven't a clue what Petrie and the SFA are thinking or doing, nothing is consistent with implementing any of the options 

[Marten]

42 minutes ago, Burnie_man said:

A combined North Super/Tayside top division would be a pretty strong competition, and a good grounding for HL entry if the Champions were licenced.  Also a good environment for relegated HL clubs to drop into.

Below that Tayside and North Regions operate as normal.

With the south of Tay ERJFA having pushed regionalisation and likely to pretty much disappear soon with more clubs moving over, that would be a better solution than just having the same few clubs in a small area to play against. No disrespect to the other ERJFA north sides, but playing the same teams all the time and rarely travelling outside of Tayside will get boring soon.

[Marshmallo]

42 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

It's not my posts you need to worry about, because my views don't matter in the big scheme of things. It's what Rod Petrie and the SFA are doing that matters and their actions are fully consistent with implementing Option Z ASAP. Over and out for a few hours.

You're at the wind up now surely.

[Burnie_man]

19 minutes ago, Marten said:

With the south of Tay ERJFA having pushed regionalisation and likely to pretty much disappear soon with more clubs moving over, that would be a better solution than just having the same few clubs in a small area to play against. No disrespect to the other ERJFA north sides, but playing the same teams all the time and rarely travelling outside of Tayside will get boring soon.

Tayside clubs are effectively disconnected already from football in the Lothians, Fife and even Perth. The next sensible step is to strengthen ties with the North Region, they already participate in the same Regional cup as north Junior sides so it's not as if it's an alien land to them.

[AlanCamelonfan]

44 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

It's not my posts you need to worry about, because my views don't matter in the big scheme of things. It's what Rod Petrie and the SFA are doing that matters and their actions are fully consistent with implementing Option Z ASAP. Over and out for a few hours.

I cant wait for you to be wrong again lol 

[GNU_Linux]

Absolute scenes when the north beat the west into the pyramid

[FairWeatherFan]

50 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

It's not my posts you need to worry about, because my views don't matter in the big scheme of things. It's what Rod Petrie and the SFA are doing that matters and their actions are fully consistent with implementing Option Z ASAP. Over and out for a few hours.

ASAP being 2021-22 at the earliest. Hope they don't rush it!