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Junior football, what is the future?


Burnie_man

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Late night round-up.

39 Clubs which have Applied so far/have said that they will be applying:    
Premiership (12) Championship (12) League One (8) League Two (6) Others (1)
Auchinleck Talbot Arthurlie Bellshill Athletic Ashfield Drumchapel Utd PYM
Beith Juniors Blantyre Victoria Glasgow Perthshire Forth Wanderers  
Clydebank Cambuslang Rangers Greenock Juniors Johnstone Burgh  
Glenafton Athletic Cumbernauld United Kello Rovers Newmains United  
Irvine Meadow XI Darvel Larkhall Thistle Vale of Clyde  
Kilbirnie Ladeside Gartcairn Juniors Maryhill Vale of Leven  
Kilwinning Rangers Kilsyth Rangers Port Glasgow Juniors    
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Neilston Juniors Royal Albert    
Largs Thistle Petershill      
Pollok Renfrew      
Rutherglen Glencairn Shotts Bon Accord      
Troon Whitletts Victoria      
         
         
25 West Juniors: Not known to have applied so far:      
Benburb Craigmark Burntonians Ardrossan Winton Rovers Annbank United  
Cumnock Juniors Dalry Thistle Carluke Rovers Ardeer Thistle  
Hurlford United Irvine Victoria East Kilbride Thistle Lugar Boswell Thistle  
Rossvale St Roch's Girvan Maybole Juniors   
    Lanark United Muirkirk Juniors  
    Lesmahagow Juniors Saltcoats Victoria  
    Shettleston St Anthony's  
    Wishaw Juniors Thorniewood United  
      Yoker Athletic  

 

 

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So....now that this is (almost) sorted, what about the bloody North ?!

Serious point....

As it stands.....(or will shortly be)

Highland+feeder(s)     17 clubs.

Lowland +feeders       143+ clubs                                                                            (Probably)

Just a smidgen lopsided.

Edited by Doonhamer1969
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5 hours ago, superbigal said:

When do we expect the rump of the juniors and the sjfa to actually endorse the rogue west plan to stay in the junior cup.
The silence from TJ , the east and the north is astonishing as the west juggarnaut gathers pace.

I don’t think that’s astonishing in the slightest. ‘Standard’ or ‘Expected’ might’ve been more apt words.

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3 hours ago, Shanner said:

That this pish sorted out now? 

I firmly believe once the west gets sorted,many of the obstacles in north will sort them selfs out.then maybe then we can have a unified non league setup which will benefit the whole of Scottish football.no matter what name we wish to call it.i for one am delighted the west clubs have decided to join the pyramid set up i honestly think they will really enjoy it,after football is football when ever we get to play it.

Edited by Lowland team
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22 minutes ago, Doonhamer1969 said:

So....now that this is (almost) sorted, what about the bloody North ?!

Serious point....

As it stands.....(or will shortly be)

Highland+feeder(s)     17 clubs.

Lowland +feeders       143+ clubs                                                                            (Probably)

Just a smidgen lopsided.

"Lopsided"..........

In addition to talking to the Highland League, during 2019, the North Caley League has also  met with a senior representative from the SFA, and advised him that its clubs are interested in joining the pyramid. The meeting, held earlier this year, was described as "positive".

Further discussions were expected to take place (next month), but may be affected by the virus (?).  It is unclear whether the North Juniors will be involved.

Not yet heard any confirmation of the date, for the further discussion(s).  

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7 hours ago, honestman54 said:

Being pedantic, this is wrong also as there are two conferences of 12 teams below the EOS Premier.  There is (for this season) NO division 1

There is - the EOS First Division Conference A & B are the official names for each conference. ;)

3 hours ago, archieb said:

They've also got the number of playoff spots in the SPFL Championship, League 1 & League 2 incorrect (should be 3, not 1). 

No, the wikipedia image is correct - there's one promotion spot and another promotion spot via a playoff.

Going by the list @Dev has updated, here's a map of those who have applied for the WOS (black dots). Thought there might a certain area holding out but it seems there's a good spread of applicants across the region.wos.jpg

Edited by Ginaro
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8 hours ago, Ginaro said:

Their pyramid is out of date though - a better representation would be this, assuming everyone moves over to the WOS and 8 clubs join the EOS.

pyramid.png

 

3 hours ago, archieb said:

They've also got the number of playoff spots in the SPFL Championship, League 1 & League 2 incorrect (should be 3, not 1). 

 

46 minutes ago, Ginaro said:

No, the wikipedia image is correct - there's one promotion spot and another promotion spot via a playoff.

I beg to disagree, and stand by my original comment. The image doesn't say "promotion spot via a playoff", because that is NOT what is on offer and it is NOT guaranteed (as it is in England) because the team in the higher division may win the play-offs. It says "promotion play-off spot" which suggests eligibility for the play-off process, for which there are THREE places. 

Take another look at the image:

At Tier 4, there is 1 relegation play-off spot in SPFL2 and at Tier 5 two promotion play-off spots, 1 each in the HL and the LL. Total 3 taking part in the play-off process.

At Tier 5 there is 1 relegation spot in the LL and three promotion play-off spots, 1 each in EoSL, SoSL and WoSL totalling up to 3 teams eligible for the play-off process.

For consistency, the SPFL should say 3 promotion play-off spots (OR the HL & LL should say 0.5 each and the EoSL, SoSL and WoSL each say 0.333333333333333333333 which would be silly!)

Edited by archieb
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On 29/03/2020 at 15:51, cmontheloknow said:

Mids don't cause much of a conflict in geographical integrity and are pretty close to all the Lanarkshire teams. Ultimately a merger between SoS and WoS could be a viable destination- provided there was regionalisation at the lowest tier.

Mid-Annandale (in Lockerbie) would be faced with a fair old trek to get to any of the Lanarkshire clubs Jamie.

UPPER Annandale (in Moffat) are far closer to the likes of Lesmahagow and Lanark, comparable to their distance from Kirkconnel (Kello).

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4 hours ago, Robert James said:

"Lopsided"..........

In addition to talking to the Highland League, during 2019, the North Caley League has also  met with a senior representative from the SFA, and advised him that its clubs are interested in joining the pyramid. The meeting, held earlier this year, was described as "positive".

Further discussions were expected to take place (next month), but may be affected by the virus (?).  It is unclear whether the North Juniors will be involved.

Not yet heard any confirmation of the date, for the further discussion(s).  

The fact that the North Juniors have sent a communication out asking clubs views on the future of the current season and the planned changes to the Junior Cup with no question about their participation in the pyramid suggests they aren't involved.

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6 hours ago, archieb said:

Mid-Annandale (in Lockerbie) would be faced with a fair old trek to get to any of the Lanarkshire clubs Jamie.

UPPER Annandale (in Moffat) are far closer to the likes of Lesmahagow and Lanark, comparable to their distance from Kirkconnel (Kello).

Uppers play in a school field and Mids would face less travel time (IMO) to Lanarkshire than they would to the far end of Wigtownshire. Horrible roads. With my folks down there I (pre lockdown) was driving down that way a lot. The M74 north is a dream compared to the A75!

Edited by cmontheloknow
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Does this sound sensible?

46 or 47 out of 52 expressions of interest from the juniors by the initial deadline to get an invite to the EK meeting = 46 WRSJFA + Fauldhouse

Drumchapel United are a known applicant = 48

Remaining four probably = Glasgow Uni, Bonnyton + 2 more from SoS?

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4 hours ago, patriot1 said:

...with no question about their participation in the pyramid suggests they aren't involved.

That's a reasonable inference if attitudes are the same as in the south, but the HL may not have a problem with having an SJFA affiliate as a tier six feeder.

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29 minutes ago, honestly united said:

It's quicker to go from Gretna to the centre of Glasgow than it is to Newton Stewart. Dumfries to Glasgow is also quicker than Dumfries to Stranraer due to the roads

The West/South structures should really be merged into one. We don't need three feeders at tier 6 in the Lowland area, and if we do then it doesn't make sense to have the current South league being one of those.

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22 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

but the HL may not have a problem with having an SJFA affiliate as a tier six feeder.

Some of the chat around the North side of thins is that it will be a simple play-off between licenced NCL v. North Superleague champions. Presumably with a sole licenced champion being promoted unopposed. Then the HL sticking with 20 clubs as their single division cap, so no relegation to worry about for quite some time.

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Muirkirk on Facebook:

CLUB STATEMENT: Those who follow non-league/junior football will be aware of clubs being faced with a significant choice going forward. The main choice facing junior clubs was to join the West of Scotland Football League as part of the Scottish Football Senior Pyramid or remain within the present Scottish Junior Football West Region.

We at Muirkirk are deeply proud of our ‘Junior’ history, what junior football means to our local communities, what it stood for during the times of local industry and therefore this really was a decision that we took our time over making. We are aware that the club has strong roots steeped in history where some wonderful players have graced our pitch however, we feel we must move with the times and protect the future of Muirkirk Junior Football Club as well as celebrating the past.

Protecting the future means we have made an application to the West of Scotland Football League whilst retaining our SJFA membership which will see us still competing in the Scottish Junior Cup each season as well as competing in the Scottish Football Pyramid.

It is clear, after many meetings and consultations that Junior Football clubs will be moving en mass and we would hope that will mean we will continue to maintain the same rivalries, friendships and footballing battles as before but with a new and exciting pathway for us all to follow.

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1 hour ago, honestly united said:

It's quicker to go from Gretna to the centre of Glasgow than it is to Newton Stewart. Dumfries to Glasgow is also quicker than Dumfries to Stranraer due to the roads

 

Absolutely, and I reckon the main reason there was no interest a few years back from current West teams in joining the SoS when we were being told that "the South covers the West"...

The hinterland of D&G is a spectacularly badly-connected part of the country even in 2020...even what look like shortish journeys can vary wildly thanks to the not-great A-road nature of the place. I was down at Lochmaben's new park at the start of this season...took me 80 minutes from Hamilton to Dumfries via the X74 bus, and a further 30-35 minutes to travel the eight miles from Dumfries to Lochmaben thanks to the local bus being caught behind a tractor for a couple of those miles!

 

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56 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

That's a reasonable inference if attitudes are the same as in the south, but the HL may not have a problem with having an SJFA affiliate as a tier six feeder.

Probably a correct assumption, as there aren't any  geographical integrity 'clashes' between the North Juniors and the North Caledonian League.   Neither Associations have any intention of extending their catchment area into the other Associations' territory, because of the distances involved,  the travel costs, and length of journey times 

There are no junior clubs whose ground is in Inverness, or the North & West Highlands, and Islands. Likewise, no NCL clubs are situated in the North Junior Region. 

With one minor exception....... HLF club Nairn County are members of the North Caledonian Association, and its Development XI  play in some of the North Caley cup competitions. Whereas Nairn St Ninian Juniors are members of the NRJFA .

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5 minutes ago, Hillonearth said:

 

Absolutely, and I reckon the main reason there was no interest a few years back from current West teams in joining the SoS when we were being told that "the South covers the West"...

The hinterland of D&G is a spectacularly badly-connected part of the country even in 2020...even what look like shortish journeys can vary wildly thanks to the not-great A-road nature of the place. I was down at Lochmaben's new park at the start of this season...took me 80 minutes from Hamilton to Dumfries via the X74 bus, and a further 30-35 minutes to travel the eight miles from Dumfries to Lochmaben thanks to the local bus being caught behind a tractor for a couple of those miles!

 

You can get tractor delays on the A75 too - was stuck behind one for 15 mins last year. And (unless I am more deluded than usual) they also have cow traffic lights in at least one place as well.

And lots of aggressive lorries (going to and from Cairnryan) who know the road too well.

Edited by cmontheloknow
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