Junior football, what is the future?

[craigkillie]

15 hours ago, locheeboy said:

I am posting Mr Maxwell's email again maybe someone out there can check with the SFA if it is indeed fact

That email is dated 25th October, and says that the Scottish FA will publish the statement "in due course". We're now 5 weeks on from that date, and there hasn't been a peep from the SFA.

[superbigal]

The amazing point in the email is that the structure "could be in place" for next season for the East and West Juniors.

However the comment regarding the North makes out they have never been considered in either the last 5 months let alone 5 years.

I quote again "Discussion will also BEGIN blah blah north of the country.

That word begin when you have had a PWG for 5 years is frankly nothing short of astonishing

 

 

Tom Johnston does have history of course in proposing the East/West Super Duper league while simply ignoring the existence of the likes of Banks O Dee

 

Edited November 28, 2018 by superbigal

[GNU_Linux]

The amazing point in the email is that the structure "could be in place" for next season for the East and West Juniors.
However the comment regarding the North makes out they have never been considered in either the last 5 months let alone 5 years.
I quote again "Discussion will also BEGIN blah blah north of the country.
That word begin when you have had a PWG for 5 years is frankly nothing short of astonishing
 
 
Tom Johnston does have history of course in proposing the East/West Super Duper league while simply ignoring the existence of the likes of Banks O Dee
 

Im not overly familiar with junior football up north but i'd agree it seems like its been an afterthought of the SJFA for a long time

[Burnie_man]

2 hours ago, superbigal said:

The amazing point in the email is that the structure "could be in place" for next season for the East and West Juniors.

However the comment regarding the North makes out they have never been considered in either the last 5 months let alone 5 years.

I quote again "Discussion will also BEGIN blah blah north of the country.

That word begin when you have had a PWG for 5 years is frankly nothing short of astonishing

Tom Johnston does have history of course in proposing the East/West Super Duper league while simply ignoring the existence of the likes of Banks O Dee

Also raises the question as to how the SJFA - if they are to enter as an Association - can enter the Pyramid with some regions/members but not others?

WRJFA enter next season and effectively become a Senior league, yet the NRJFA continue as Junior whilst discussions take place? Mindboggling.

[GNU_Linux]

Also raises the question as to how the SJFA - if they are to enter as an Association - can enter the Pyramid with some regions/members but not others? WRJFA enter next season and effectively become a Senior league, yet the NRJFA continue as Junior whilst discussions take place? Mindboggling.

 

Theres also the North Caledonian league which seems to have been never brought up or discussed. Its technically a 'senior' league albeit by historical anomoly (something to do with it hosting HL reserves in its past iirc).  

 

 

[cmontheloknow]

27 minutes ago, GNU_Linux said:

Theres also the North Caledonian league which seems to have been never brought up or discussed. Its technically a 'senior' league albeit by historical anomoly (something to do with it hosting HL reserves in its past iirc).  

 

 

And the thing that distinguishes it further from the amateur game is that its players are registered on SFA Non Recreational forms, usually Non Contract and Amateur.

[Hillonearth]

4 hours ago, GNU_Linux said:

Theres also the North Caledonian league which seems to have been never brought up or discussed. Its technically a 'senior' league albeit by historical anomoly (something to do with it hosting HL reserves in its past iirc). 

I believe in the medium term a couple of NCL sides harbour HL ambitions, but amalgamating them  with the SJFA North would do nobody involved any favours, with teams potentially being required to commit to regular 450-mile round trips from Aberdeen to the likes of Thurso, Halkirk and vice versa. It also raises the question of just who'd subsidise say a Hall Russell United or Aberdeen East End to travel to Kirkwall for a league game!

The leagues really cover two distinct areas of the country, with the NCL based along the stretch of coast between John O'Groats and Invergordon (in the SOUTH!), whereas the SJFA North is mostly situated within a 20-30 mile radius of  Aberdeen with another group of sides along the Moray coast  Saying those two areas are geographically congruent is the same kind of thinking that maintained the senior pathway for the SJFA West was covered by the South of Scotland League...

Possibly two parallel north and south leagues might work playing off for promotion to the HL- can't see them lumping together to form a coherent whole though.

Edited November 28, 2018 by Hillonearth

[GNU_Linux]

I believe in the medium term a couple of NCL sides harbour HL ambitions, but amalgamating them  with the SJFA North would do nobody involved any favours, with teams potentially being required to commit to regular 450-mile round trips from Aberdeen to the likes of Thurso, Halkirk and vice versa. It also raises the question of just who'd subsidise say a Hall Russell United or Aberdeen East End to travel to Kirkwall for a league game!

The leagues really cover two distinct areas of the country, with the NCL based along the stretch of coast between John O'Groats and Invergordon (in the SOUTH!), whereas the SJFA North is mostly situated within a 20-30 mile radius of  Aberdeen with another group of sides along the Moray coast

Possibly two parallel north and south leagues might work playing off for promotion to the HL- can't see them lumping together to form a coherent whole though.

The way Id see it is the North Juniors would cover everything between Aberdeenshire & Inverness and the NCL everything north & west of that. Only issue is the NCL or whatever name it takes would be a small league as outwith the NCL all other clubs in the area are playing welfare or amateur in the summer (excluding the HL clubs).

 

[Whitburn Vale]

I'll hav a drink of whatever the dale baffoons are on!!

Whats it called.....delusion,fantasy,pish?

Just like whitburn,you boys get yourself ready for the east of scotland league next year and the big bad pyramid 

[FairWeatherFan]

The North Caledonian League could always continue their mixed Senior/Amateur existence outside the pyramid. There would be nothing to stop individual clubs moving into a pyramid league if they felt they had the wherewithal to compete at that level.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

2 hours ago, GNU_Linux said:

The way Id see it is the North Juniors would cover everything between Aberdeenshire & Inverness and the NCL everything north & west of that. Only issue is the NCL or whatever name it takes would be a small league as outwith the NCL all other clubs in the area are playing welfare or amateur in the summer (excluding the HL clubs).

 

I know folk aren't overly keen on a three way split but NCL covering the Highlands, North Juniors doing the old Grampian region and East Juniors (north of Tay) as a Tayside league seems fairly sensible to me. I understand the NCL would be the poorer cousin of the three but it would keep clubs in that area going and in the pyramid with the chance of progression as opposed to dipping back into the amateur/welfare game and I always figured the point of the pyramid was to give all clubs the chance of progress and raising the standards across the country.

[glensmad]

It is my understanding that the SJFA Secretary and Assistant Secretary recently met with representatives of the SFA, Lowland League, the South of Scotland League and (significantly) the East of Scotland League to discuss standardisation of discipline issues, also player registrations and to discuss how fixture scheduling would have to be timed and arranged to accommodate the play-offs for promotion to the Lowland League.

This is my own personal opinion based on what I understand has already happened, but it looks to me like all parties are moving ahead on the basis of the West Region and East Region juniors joining the pyramid as of this summer.

[GNU_Linux]

It is my understanding that the SJFA Secretary and Assistant Secretary recently met with representatives of the SFA, Lowland League, the South of Scotland League and (significantly) the East of Scotland League to discuss standardisation of discipline issues, also player registrations and to discuss how fixture scheduling would have to be timed and arranged to accommodate the play-offs for promotion to the Lowland League.
This is my own personal opinion based on what I understand has already happened, but it looks to me like all parties are moving ahead on the basis of the West Region and East Region juniors joining the pyramid as of this summer.

Do you know if such a meeting has occured between the NRJFA & the Highland League?

Positive step meetings have taken place on the matters. If however the two leagues in the east is going head then its beyond dissapointing and sheer lunacy.

[glensmad]

8 minutes ago, GNU_Linux said:

Do you know if such a meeting has occured between the NRJFA & the Highland League?

Positive step meetings have taken place on the matters. If however the two leagues in the east is going head then its beyond dissapointing and sheer lunacy.

I have no information on any discussions regarding the North Region.

[GNU_Linux]

In my interpritation its possible that the east solution isnt set in stone. As the meeting was between the sjfa and leagues and not the junior regions & leagues it may indicate the meeting was to get things in line for the west. I can't see the EOS & its members caving to another league its area (they hadnt just over a month ago re: the EOS minutes).

[AlanCamelonfan]

1 hour ago, glensmad said:

It is my understanding that the SJFA Secretary and Assistant Secretary recently met with representatives of the SFA, Lowland League, the South of Scotland League and (significantly) the East of Scotland League to discuss standardisation of discipline issues, also player registrations and to discuss how fixture scheduling would have to be timed and arranged to accommodate the play-offs for promotion to the Lowland League.

This is my own personal opinion based on what I understand has already happened, but it looks to me like all parties are moving ahead on the basis of the West Region and East Region juniors joining the pyramid as of this summer.

That may be the case but it lies in the detail that they could be saying clubs in eosfl territory have to move. Eosfl keep saying they are fighting it and we know  TJ is only interested in the west

[AlanCamelonfan]

13 hours ago, Whitburn Vale said:

I'll hav a drink of whatever the dale baffoons are on!!

Whats it called.....delusion,fantasy,pish?

Just like whitburn,you boys get yourself ready for the east of scotland league next year and the big bad pyramid 

Do you think whitburn will join eosfl

[Burnie_man]

It is my understanding that the SJFA Secretary and Assistant Secretary recently met with representatives of the SFA, Lowland League, the South of Scotland League and (significantly) the East of Scotland League to discuss standardisation of discipline issues, also player registrations and to discuss how fixture scheduling would have to be timed and arranged to accommodate the play-offs for promotion to the Lowland League.
This is my own personal opinion based on what I understand has already happened, but it looks to me like all parties are moving ahead on the basis of the West Region and East Region juniors joining the pyramid as of this summer.

This was the last PWG meeting. No further progress was made with regard to consensus or agreement about ERJFA/EoS. It was re-iterated that the EoS is the route to the Pyramid in the East, and that the HL/LL boundary has not moved.

The talks about disciplinary, fixtures etc is sensible given the likliehood of the West moving en-masse into the Pyramid, it doesn't mean there is any agreement of what happens in the East, and there is no discussion on future of the North yet as far as I am aware.

My understanding is there is a lot of horse trading going on, so to speak.

[glensmad]

Do we think it is possible that the West Region could join the pyramid this summer under the auspices of the SJFA, but the other regions stay outside the pyramid for now ?

Would the SJFA allow that to happen ?

[Beenzon-Toste]

What is the EOSL scared of? According to what's been said they've already got the cream of the Juniors in their set-up. What's left in the ERSJFA surely won't trouble them in the play-offs.