Junior football, what is the future?

[Budandavodka]

I think the point here is if there are games called off in August, September, October and November - and there will be - if you don't have floodlights then you don't have any wiggle room as you can't play catch-up in midweek.

in the months of March and April you could play 8-10 games, May, June, July and August you could play say 6 games per month, that's us up at around 32-34 game Mark, leaving 12 weeks of September, October and November to complete season. semi finals of east, west and Scottish could be played at senior grounds under floodlights in October,-one off games? finals in November again at senior grounds..maybe a bit radical but must surely be worth a try even for a few seasons given not many games in December being played.

[archieb]

5 minutes ago, Budandavodka said:

2 hours ago, Goalie Hamish said:

I think the point here is if there are games called off in August, September, October and November - and there will be - if you don't have floodlights then you don't have any wiggle room as you can't play catch-up in midweek.

in the months of March and April you could play 8-10 games, May, June, July and August you could play say 6 games per month, that's us up at around 32-34 game Mark, leaving 12 weeks of September, October and November to complete season. semi finals of east, west and Scottish could be played at senior grounds under floodlights in October,-one off games? finals in November again at senior grounds..maybe a bit radical but must surely be worth a try even for a few seasons given not many games in December being played.

Even if this daft plan was a way to get all necessary fixtures completed I wonder what the effect would be on running costs and attendances.

[Budandavodka]

Even if this daft plan was a way to get all necessary fixtures completed I wonder what the effect would be on running costs and attendances.

in your eyes daft maybe not so in some others, what is the effect on running costs and attendances just now with no games for some clubs in 5 weeks, some clubs not being able to train due to Astros being frozen over etc. changing and playing in summer months may attract younger generation of fans to the games, who in all honesty wants to bring their kid to a game in December, January and February when the rain etc is coming down side ways in freezing conditions...

[parkcircus]

Since October we’ve had 5 league games called off, we’ve only played 9, one call off due to Scottish tie.

Its not rocket science to play an outdoor sport when the weathers better.

Its easier to water a park in the summer than thaw it in the winter.

This thread is called “What’s the future?” Going by most of the comments is the thread is it to just leave it the way it is and hope it’ll turn round by its self?

We’re now looking forward to 5 Home games in January

[Goalie Hamish]

3 minutes ago, parkcircus said:

This thread is called “What’s the future?” Going by most of the comments is the thread is it to just leave it the way it is and hope it’ll turn round by its self?

 

No sure you're read much of the thread then

Summer fitba is impossible without floodlights, and let's face it, it's no going to happen. Stay in sync with the rest of Scottish fitba and join the pyramid, there's yer future.

Edited December 19, 2017 by Goalie Hamish

[clash city rocker]

Have cut and lined Merksworth Park in the past. Even Dalry Thistle would have a match in June and July lol

[parkcircus]

8 hours ago, clash city rocker said:

Have cut and lined Merksworth Park in the past. Even Dalry Thistle would have a match in June and July lol

They did play their  Ardagh games this season at Home

[parkcircus]

10 hours ago, Goalie Hamish said:

No sure you're read much of the thread then

Summer fitba is impossible without floodlights, and let's face it, it's no going to happen. Stay in sync with the rest of Scottish fitba and join the pyramid, there's yer future.

As I said “stay the same”

the SFA aren’t making any moves to integrate the Juniors, the SJFA laughed it off at the AGM, although the West Region AGM did mention that it was coming, sooner rather than later.

It takes 3 years to get a change made to the SFA website, now long do you think it’ll take for the pyramid to be changed 

[Goalie Hamish]

1 hour ago, parkcircus said:

As I said “stay the same”

the SFA aren’t making any moves to integrate the Juniors, the SJFA laughed it off at the AGM, although the West Region AGM did mention that it was coming, sooner rather than later.

It takes 3 years to get a change made to the SFA website, now long do you think it’ll take for the pyramid to be changed 

Well you just said it, change is coming. The SJFA are talking about it. They are allegedly talking to the SFA about it. Kelty got the ball rolling and now more clubs are talking the same.

That is yer future, in 5-6 years time we’ll look back and wonder why it took so long. Forget summer Junior fitba, it’s not going to happen.

[kabjo]

Scottish football is in a downward spiral take the next 2 weekends 23rd 30th teams given an option to play or not to play surely if the junior game aim is to look more professional it's to drop these silly options easter weekend will be the same along with September weekend when many clubs are pushing the game forward locally only to be knocked back when other clubs refuse to play forcing teams to play 3/4 games in a week at the end of the season no wonder the juniors are seen as the joke of Scottish football when the game is run like a full show .

[parkcircus]

3 hours ago, kabjo said:

Scottish football is in a downward spiral take the next 2 weekends 23rd 30th teams given an option to play or not to play surely if the junior game aim is to look more professional it's to drop these silly options easter weekend will be the same along with September weekend when many clubs are pushing the game forward locally only to be knocked back when other clubs refuse to play forcing teams to play 3/4 games in a week at the end of the season no wonder the juniors are seen as the joke of Scottish football when the game is run like a full show .

We requested a fixture for the 23rd and didnt get one and now been denied two match permits for friendlies, we've Santa coming up for the kids and had planned on making a day of it for the community but the West Region put the boot into that. Maybe the pyramid is the way forward

[kabjo]

We requested a fixture for the 23rd and didnt get one and now been denied two match permits for friendlies, we've Santa coming up for the kids and had planned on making a day of it for the community but the West Region put the boot into that. Maybe the pyramid is the way forward

This is a prime example a progressive club getting punished by a bunch of blazers that have no vision of the future or atleast the next 2 weeks.

[parkcircus]

Looks like plans are under way for a West of Scotland league that mirrors the South

[ShahktarYerMaw]

How would that work with promotion into the lowland league, surely im not the only one who sees a three way playoff as damaging to the integrity of it?

There surely needs to be a rethink of the Lowland League relegation numbers. I understood it that only 1 is relegated from a league of 16. That needs to change.

[Unknown Fan]

39 minutes ago, ShahktarYerMaw said:

 

There surely needs to be a rethink of the Lowland League relegation numbers. I understood it that only 1 is relegated from a league of 16. That needs to change.

 

Yeah it seems the next logical step for there to be a West of Scotland tier 6 league in the pyramid.  Half of SoS and EoS play at glorified 3g caged venues, it wouldn't be hard to set up, build it and they will come, if it's a pile of amateur teams and a few Juniors so be it, first come first served.

3 way tier 6 into the Lowland League, no problem there are only a few SoS teams which would even entertain joining the LL SFA licensed or not.  I would say Bonnyton Thistle though at the moment unlicensed would be the team to show interest in moving up if they top the table. 

The SoS is the top amateur, only D&G wide league.  There is no sign of it becoming anything more than a weak feeder league for the LL though it serves it's purpose and it's better to be within the pyramid than outwith.  

In the EoS, Kelty are ready (SFA Licensed) and Lothian THV are more than capable of competing in the LL.  You would think the top 5 or 6 of the EoS are a step above any team in the SoS especially this year so even if the SoS champions are licensed over 2 legs you would think Kelty or a licensed Lothian would have the better of them.  

Ideally and the common sense in time way would be for the West of Scotland Champions and East of Scotland to playoff for a guaranteed place in LL then loser to play SoS Champions, 2 relegated from LL, possible 3. 

Edited December 22, 2017 by Unknown Fan

[Marshmallo]

16 minutes ago, Unknown Fan said:

Yeah it seems the next logical step for there to be a West of Scotland tier 6 league in the pyramid.  Half of SoS and EoS play at glorified 3g caged venues, it wouldn't be hard to set up, build it and they will come, if it's a pile of amateur teams and a few Juniors so be it, first come first served.

3 way tier 6 into the Lowland League, no problem there are only a few SoS teams which would even entertain joining the LL SFA licensed or not.  I would say Bonnyton Thistle though at the moment unlicensed would be the team to show interest in moving up if they top the table.

In the EoS, Kelty are ready (SFA Licensed) and Lothian THV are move than capable of competing in the LL.  You would think the top 5 or 6 of the EoS are a step above any team in the SoS especially this year so even if the SoS champions are licensed over 2 legs you would think Kelty or a licensed Lothian would have the better of them.  

Ideally and the common sense in time way would be for the West of Scotland Champions and East of Scotland to playoff for a guaranteed place in LL then loser to play SoS Champions, 2 relegated from LL, possible 3. 

Could do bottom LL down automatically, SoS/WoS/EoS winners and second bottom LL in two playoff ties. The two winners go up/stay up.

[The Mantis]

53 minutes ago, ShahktarYerMaw said:

 

There surely needs to be a rethink of the Lowland League relegation numbers. I understood it that only 1 is relegated from a league of 16. That needs to change.

 

Nah, it's a lot more complicated than that 

Firstly, 2 can go down, if SPFL Team 42 comes down to the LL and the HL champions go up.

Secondly, it's even less fair that effectively there's only 1/4 of a promotion place up from the LL to the SPFL.

The LL is only in its second season of 16 teams. Unlike the Juniors where the SJFA controls all the divisions of what is one league, the pyramid leagues are all independent with their own boards and sponsors etc. So the only way you fix promotion spots is by negotiation.

At the moment the playoffs between the SoS and EoS represent how strong a bargaining position these leagues have, i.e. not very. If there were a few top Juniors in the LL, the LL would have a stronger bargaining position. At the moment, only Shire have come down and they could be joined by Cowdenbeath, but there's a real possibility that Edinburgh City could go down and we're back to square 1.

[TheLad]

This is a prime example a progressive club getting punished by a bunch of blazers that have no vision of the future or atleast the next 2 weeks.

Haven't heard a single person say anything positive about sjfa top brass.if this is the representatives of the juniors, why would the sfa want to engage with the juniors about moving over into a pyramid? Particularly if sjfa board don't want that in the first place.

Until the top table changes, there will be no change and forward thinking clubs will continue to have to leave of their own accord.

[kefc]

Things could be changing fairly soon if what I’m hearing comes to fruition.

A West Of Scotland League to be formed alongside EOS & SOS at level 6. There’s some big big SJFA clubs in the West in discussions just now and have noted their interest in the proposed new league.

At the last AGM our club was degraded and disrespected from the top man for our decision to move. This separation of clubs and clubs moving from the SJFA could have been avoided years ago if their was vision and forward thinking from the top of the SJFA to get involved in the pyramid and Licencing earlier, sadly they have let the grade decline through the years and their member clubs have been failed.

To not have a sponsor for years for the best and biggest Cup Competition in Scotland outwith The Will Hill Scot Cup tells it all tbh.

 

Edited December 22, 2017 by kefc

[Burnie_man]

Things could be changing fairly soon if what I’m hearing comes to fruition.
A West Of Scotland League to be formed alongside EOS & SOS at level 6. There’s some big big SJFA clubs in the West in discussions just now and have noted their interest in the proposed new league.  

This is encouraging to hear.