Junior football, what is the future?

[craigkillie]

1 hour ago, Doonhamer1969 said:

It could just be the case of course that a lot of 5he smaller clubs are dithering or just not putting out public statements.

Some of the smaller clubs barely have any web presence.

[archieb]

13 minutes ago, davie talbot said:

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC CLUB STATEMENT

As most of out members and fans are aware of we were in talks to incorporate the junior set up into the SFA, but eventually the pyramid talks collapsed, sonafter long discussions on social media, group text and live feeds Glenafton Athletic has decided to apply for the proposed new league set up for next season.
There will be a new West of Scotland management committee formed and the it will be taken forward for presentation and as existing members of the Scottish junior FA we still will be eligible to continue to compete in the Scottish Junior Cup , but may be some alterations to suit the new league set up.
This is an enormous opportunity for our club to participate in this new exciting venture and challenge, all applications must be in for 7th April then to be ratified by the SFA in early June, but in the meantime we will keep everyone updated and release any information as it comes available.
So everyone please stay safe and healthy and hope we return to some normality in the near future

Yours in sport John Stewart (Glenafton Athletic Secretary)

Surprised that this hasn't been mentioned here or did I just miss it

Another rather confused statement but I THINK they're saying they've applied to the WoSL??

(Sarcasm alert)

[FairWeatherFan]

From FitbaNorth credit to HammersXI

Quote

All North clubs are being asked their views on a couple of proposals

1. what should happen with this season as the likelihood, under the current circumstances, of any football before June will be very very slim which then means the season would continue possibly through past the start of next season unless teams were asked to play at least 3 times a week. A couple of suggestions are null and void or places based on average points system which would allow promotion/relegation.

2. The West Junior Clubs want to form a West of Scotland League which would mean leaving the Juniors and forming a new association, however they still want to be affiliated to the Juniors so they can take part in the Scottish Junior Cup with the proviso that the West of Scotland League Fixtures take precedent. They also want no replays, which the North Region has previously recommended but were rejected by the West at the time.

 

[Bad Wolf]

There is IMO quite a big difference between pointing and laughing at people you think are talking complete bollocks, and "hounding" them into doing things they don't want to do. I fully support the right of Armadale to do whatever they want with their club, of course, but at the same time I'd be very grateful if someone could post their Twitter statement (as I'm not signed up for it) so I can have a good laugh (and doubtless mark a few entries on my Junior Statement bingo card).

[archieb]

10 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

There is IMO quite a big difference between pointing and laughing at people you think are talking complete bollocks, and "hounding" them into doing things they don't want to do. I fully support the right of Armadale to do whatever they want with their club, of course, but at the same time I'd be very grateful if someone could post their Twitter statement (as I'm not signed up for it) so I can have a good laugh (and doubtless mark a few entries on my Junior Statement bingo card).

I think this is the tweet being referred to:

https://twitter.com/thistle_c/status/1243559633987538944?s=20

[honestman54]

26 minutes ago, archieb said:

I think this is the tweet being referred to:

https://twitter.com/thistle_c/status/1243559633987538944?s=20

Its a dreadful tweet

[Dev]

1 hour ago, davie talbot said:

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC CLUB STATEMENT

As most of out members and fans are aware of we were in talks to incorporate the junior set up into the SFA, but eventually the pyramid talks collapsed, sonafter long discussions on social media, group text and live feeds Glenafton Athletic has decided to apply for the proposed new league set up for next season.
There will be a new West of Scotland management committee formed and the it will be taken forward for presentation and as existing members of the Scottish junior FA we still will be eligible to continue to compete in the Scottish Junior Cup , but may be some alterations to suit the new league set up.
This is an enormous opportunity for our club to participate in this new exciting venture and challenge, all applications must be in for 7th April then to be ratified by the SFA in early June, but in the meantime we will keep everyone updated and release any information as it comes available.
So everyone please stay safe and healthy and hope we return to some normality in the near future

Yours in sport John Stewart (Glenafton Athletic Secretary)

Surprised that this hasn't been mentioned here or did I just miss it

https://www.facebook.com/glenaftonathletic

Well spotted.

[Bad Wolf]

45 minutes ago, archieb said:

I think this is the tweet being referred to:

https://twitter.com/thistle_c/status/1243559633987538944?s=20

Thanks! Short, but sour. Packing such a lot of pig-headed wrongness into fourteen words is strangely impressive, though. Jim Traynor could learn much from that geezer.

[GordonS]

2 hours ago, DiamondOwl said:

I used “Junior” as the adjective to define the level of the players playing the football. Similarly, I could have written “Kids” football or “Amateur” football. It’s all football. The word “Junior” has been used for over 100 years to describe a level or grade of football in Scotland. Many teams and players are happy to see that continue and are happy to call themselves “junior” and play in a Junior Football League. I hope that’s cleared that up for you.

I'm afraid it hasn't, no. 'Amateur' means they don't get paid more than expenses, and 'Kids' means they have to be under a specified age for each level. What does 'Junior' mean?

Other than the word 'Junior', what's the actual difference between a league, a club or a match under the WRSJFA and the EOSFL?

2 hours ago, DiamondOwl said:

 

To reply to both.... I stated "It's all football".

I didn't say there was any major difference between senior non-league football and junior football, did I?

The bottom line is that some clubs see no reason to throw away their junior history and are happy to continue to be defined by that grade/level.

Surely it's up to them if they want to continue to stay loyal to what they see as their identity?

Can you explain what's meant by 'identity'?

And can you say how a match between any two of the 63 members of the WRSFA is different from the same two teams playing each other in the WOSFL?

[Dev]

2 hours ago, spit said:

Cumnock have applied for there licence so must have applied for senior status,

The list includes statements made on web sites, Twitter, Facebook etc or which have come from officials of clubs.

It seems obvious that Cumnock and Girvan have applied but it needs some sort of verification ……...

[Dev]

30 Clubs which have Applied so far/have said that they will be applying:
Premiership (6)	Championship (11)	League One (8)	League Two (4)	Others (1)
Clydebank	Arthurlie	Bellshill Athletic	Ashfield	Drumchapel Utd PYM
Glenafton Athletic	Blantyre Victoria	Glasgow Perthshire	Newmains United
Kilwinning Rangers	Cambuslang Rangers	Greenock Juniors	Vale of Clyde
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy	Cumbernauld United	Kello Rovers	Vale of Leven
Pollok	Darvel	Larkhall Thistle
Rutherglen Glencairn	Gartcairn Juniors	Maryhill
	Kilsyth Rangers	Port Glasgow Juniors
	Neilston Juniors	Royal Albert
	Petershill
	Renfrew
	Whitletts Victoria
Not known to have applied so far:
Auchinleck Talbot	Craigmark Burntonians	Ardrossan Winton Rovers	Annbank United
Beith Juniors	Dalry Thistle	Carluke Rovers	Ardeer Thistle
Benburb	Irvine Victoria	East Kilbride Thistle	Forth Wanderers
Cumnock Juniors	Shotts Bon Accord	Girvan	Johnstone Burgh
Hurlford United	St Roch's	Lanark United	Lugar Boswell Thistle
Irvine Meadow XI		Lesmahagow Juniors	Maybole Juniors
Kilbirnie Ladeside		Shettleston	Muirkirk Juniors
Largs Thistle		Wishaw Juniors	Saltcoats Victoria
Rossvale			St Anthony's
Troon			Thorniewood United
			Yoker Athletic

[Dev]

Some clubs don't have web sites or, if they do, they don't keep them up to date. Not all clubs use social media. This applies especially to WRJFA clubs from League Two. It also applies, more generally, to the West Lothian Junior clubs.

Some clubs like to keep things to themselves.

This means that the list isn't complete and won't be until the League goes public with an announcement of clubs which will form the league. It won't announce clubs which may have been rejected or those which expressed an interest but didn't apply.

If anyone is able to give a clue as to the number of current applications that would be interesting.

[BMan]

Passed Central Park,Whitburn on a "daily" walk the other day and to my astonishment heard work being undertaken I.e the sound of a stihl saw.
Looked thru the turnstile next to the social club and it looks like Whitburn are putting an entrance or turnstile into and behind the "shed" on the Lomond Crescent side of the ground.
All in all in the last few yrs at Central park theres been new changing rooms erected,new steel main gates with "Central Park 1934" on them also a 40 seater stand plus 2 new dugouts and now the new entrance/turnstile into the shed.
Seems a lot of work being done just to stay where they are in the ERJFA!!

There are pics on their Facebook page showing the enclosure has been completely refurbished inside. New slabbed paving over 5 or 6 steps. No longer a death trap, looks very good, a lot of work by the looks of it.

[Doonhamer1969]

18 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

I'm not sure that one word would describe their position. However, It seems very much in line with the five stages of grief, somewhere between "Denial and Isolation" and "Anger"

Next season they may go through the "Depression" stage, and then enter the "Bargaining" stage with the EOSFL to see at what tier they can enter the pyramid, and finally "Acceptance" of what they are offered at tier 8 or whatever.

By then it will be Tier 9.....

[archieb]

2 minutes ago, Dev said:

This means that the list isn't complete and won't be until the League goes public with an announcement of clubs which will form the league. It won't announce clubs which may have been rejected or those which expressed an interest but didn't apply.

Why are you proliferating this fake assertion when it has been categorically denied umpteen times that any applicant clubs will be rejected?

[Doonhamer1969]

17 hours ago, Southcroft said:

What about the Ian Dury?

He didn't apply.

He's a bit of a Blockhead......

[Ian38018]

Just now, Doonhamer1969 said:

He didn't apply.

He's a bit of a Blockhead......

Well, at least that's one reason to be cheerful.

[Doonhamer1969]

1 hour ago, FairWeatherFan said:

From FitbaNorth credit to HammersXI

 

....'which the North Region has previously recommended but were rejected by the West at the time...'

I.e. 'We told you so !'

[Hillonearth]

10 minutes ago, Dev said:

Some clubs don't have web sites or, if they do, they don't keep them up to date. Not all clubs use social media. This applies especially to WRJFA clubs from League Two. It also applies, more generally, to the West Lothian Junior clubs.

Some clubs like to keep things to themselves.

This means that the list isn't complete and won't be until the League goes public with an announcement of clubs which will form the league. It won't announce clubs which may have been rejected or those which expressed an interest but didn't apply.

If anyone is able to give a clue as to the number of current applications that would be interesting.

It won't be complete until the closing date of 7th April....anecdotally, I know of another four or five clubs who have definitely applied,  but it's down to them when or indeed if they make it public. I've heard, again anecdotally, that it's now north of 40 applications.

Let's not forget those who we might class as "reluctant" potential applicants...possibly those who didn't initially express an interest and who don't particularly want to move but will probably do so out of expedience when they realise just how little will be left behind if they don't...

[sdr71]

24 minutes ago, archieb said:

Why are you proliferating this fake assertion when it has been categorically denied umpteen times that any applicant clubs will be rejected?

Clubs from outwith the WRJFA might be rejected.