Trapdoorwatch 2017-18

[HibeeJibee]

Reportedly HL have declared they won't finish ontime...



... Evening Express saying they've asked for quick decision on an extension:

ttps://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/sheran-hopes-for-quick-answer-after-talks-on-extension-to-the-season/

Edited March 30, 2018 by HibeeJibee

[HibeeJibee]

Confirmed by SFA.

In turn SFA have delayed Semi-final 1st leg by 7 days, onto 2nd leg day Saturday 28th April - with 2nd leg now on Tuesday 1st May. Evidently the Final under SPFL auspices remains as set on Saturdays 5th and 12th May.

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/pyramid-play-off-dates-confirmed/?rid=13929


Not as bad as 10/11-day delay called for earlier this month in the Aberdeen Press & Journal - but still a real blow to LL champion and boost to 10th in SPFL2.

[Jack Burton]

Lowland league winners at home on the Tuesday night which is the right thing seeing as the Highland league fucked up.

[HibeeJibee]

That is a compensation, albeit perhaps Cove would get most players off work that day and bring them down the day before?

However LL champion will have had a fortnight off, versus Cove playing steadily right up to Semi-Final... then after 2 legs in 4 days, whoever wins faces (most likely) Cowdenbeath who've had a clear week to prepare.


HL release Cove's revised schedule, which actually finishes Tuesday 24th April, not even Saturday 21st April.

Run-ins for likely contenders:

 

              Cowdenbeat   |      Cove      |   East Kilb.    Spartans

                           |                |

                           |                |

Sat 31 Mar    Stenh’r(H)   |   Fort W.(A)   |   LTHV   (H)   E. Stir(A)

 mid-week     Montr’e(H)   |Rot.(H)  Str.(A)|   Whiteh.(A)   Dalbeat(A)

Sat 07 Apr    Clyde  (H)   |   Clachn.(H)   |   BSCG   (A)   Gretna (A)

 mid-week                  |   Fraser.(A)   |

Sat 14 Apr    Peter’d(A)   |   Brora  (A)   |   S. Univ(A)   E. Stir(H)

 mid-week                  |   Forres (H)   |
Sat 21 Apr    Berwick(A)   |   Wick   (A)   |
 mid-week                  |   Nairn  (H)   |
Sat 28 Apr    Annan  (H)   |   SF 1L  (H)   |   SF 1L  (A)   SF 2L  (A)

 mid-week                  |   SF 2L  (A)   |   SF 2L  (H)   SF 2L  (H)

Sat 05 May    Fin 1L (A)   |   Fin 1L (H)   |   Fin 1L (H)   Fin 1L (H)

 mid-week                  |                |

Sat 12 May    Fin 2L (H)   |   Fin 2L (A)   |   Fin 2L (A)   Fin 2L (A)

Red = EOS Qualifying Cup Final

Edited March 30, 2018 by HibeeJibee

[surely not!]

That is a compensation, albeit perhaps Cove would get most players off work that day and bring them down the day before?

However LL champion will have had a fortnight off, versus Cove playing steadily right up to Semi-Final... then after 2 legs in 4 days, whoever wins faces (most likely) Cowdenbeath who've had a clear week to prepare.


HL release Cove's revised schedule, which actually finishes Tuesday 24th April, not even Saturday 21st April.

Run-ins for likely contenders:

 

              Cowdenbeat   |      Cove      |   East Kilb.    Spartans

                           |                |

                           |                |

Sat 31 Mar    Stenh’r(H)   |   Fort W.(A)   |   LTHV   (H)   E. Stir(A)

 mid-week     Montr’e(H)   |Rot.(H)  Str.(A)|   Whiteh.(A)   Dalbeat(A)

Sat 07 Apr    Clyde  (H)   |   Clachn.(H)   |   BSCG   (A)   Gretna (A)

 mid-week                  |   Fraser.(A)   |

Sat 14 Apr    Peter’d(A)   |   Brora  (A)   |   S. Univ(A)   E. Stir(H)

 mid-week                  |   Forres (H)   |
Sat 21 Apr    Berwick(A)   |   Wick   (A)   |
 mid-week                  |   Nairn  (H)   |
Sat 28 Apr    Annan  (H)   |   SF 1L  (H)   |   SF 1L  (A)   SF 2L  (A)

 mid-week                  |   SF 2L  (A)   |   SF 2L  (H)   SF 2L  (H)

Sat 05 May    Fin 1L (A)   |   Fin 1L (H)   |   Fin 1L (H)   Fin 1L (H)

 mid-week                  |                |

Sat 12 May    Fin 2L (H)   |   Fin 2L (A)   |   Fin 2L (A)   Fin 2L (A)

Red = EOS Qualifying Cup Final

A travelling HL team will likely miss a player or two for a midweek game through work commitments, although likely to then have each member of their squad not work at all on day of game. Contrast that with the LL winner likely to have a full squad to choose from but with most having done a ‘days shift’ first

[cowdenbeath]

2 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

Confirmed by SFA.

In turn SFA have delayed Semi-final 1st leg by 7 days, onto 2nd leg day Saturday 28th April - with 2nd leg now on Tuesday 1st May. Evidently the Final under SPFL auspices remains as set on Saturdays 5th and 12th May.

https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/pyramid-play-off-dates-confirmed/?rid=13929


Not as bad as 10/11-day delay called for earlier this month in the Aberdeen Press & Journal - but still a real blow to LL champion and boost to 10th in SPFL2.

I would argue its also an inconvenience to club 42 not knowing if they have to travel to Cove or EK/Spartans until a few days before the game.

[parsforlife]

Pretty unacceptable for it to come to this.  Horrific scheduling by the HL. 

I wonder what the consequences will be? Is it possible for the SFA to take action against a league(fines etc?), seen suggestions that it might be more extreme than that( A sfa run league being set up in the north) 

This can't be allowed to happen again.

[cowdenbeath]

8 minutes ago, parsforlife said:

Pretty unacceptable for it to come to this.  Horrific scheduling by the HL. 

I wonder what the consequences will be? Is it possible for the SFA to take action against a league(fines etc?), seen suggestions that it might be more extreme than that( A sfa run league being set up in the north) 

This can't be allowed to happen again.

They should play their League Cup at the end of the season like the LL do, even when the fixtures started to pile up for Cove they still gave them cup games ahead of league ones.

[Jacksgranda]

Much as I would be a fan of the Highland League, I think they should have been told that if their champion hadn't been declared by the agreed date the play-offs would proceed without them.

[Toby]

12 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

Much as I would be a fan of the Highland League, I think they should have been told that if their champion hadn't been declared by the agreed date the play-offs would proceed without them.

In most cases, that might be what they want.

[HibeeJibee]

Metaphorically: the HL has a shorter candle, and is also burning it more fiercely at both ends.

There are many more games to fit in... 34 league games instead of 30. For eastern sides there is an extra local cup... the Aberdeenshire Shield. They also play their League Cup during the season... not at the end alongside the playoffs. Every round of their League Cup, plus the finals of the Aberdeenshire Cup and North of Scotland Cup (western sides), have priority over league games... in SPFL & LL only national cups have priority.

They also suffer far more postponements. So far this season SPFL2 clubs have had 25 league games + 1 cup-tie postponed =  26 ... LL clubs have had 21 league games + 17 cup-ties postponed =  38 ... HL clubs have had 95 league games + 15 cup-ties postponed =  110  (and a further 9 league games got cancelled by some of those postponed cup ties which as noted have priority).

Partly the above will be as there are 0 plastic pitches in HL. In contrast 5 out of 10 clubs in SPFL2 and 8 out of 16 in LL have artificial turf. It's not impervious to snow or very low temperatures but does avoid waterlogging, cutting-up and most frosts.

 

1 hour ago, cowdenbeath said:

I would argue its also an inconvenience to club 42 not knowing if they have to travel to Cove or EK/Spartans until a few days before the game.

That's a fair point and also for travelling fans of course. Equally (unless you train Tuesdays) your full coaching staff and even players will be able to scout the opposition on the Tuesday night.

It's also inconvenient for whoever wins... no doubt a lot of provisional preparations can be made, but whoever prevails will only have 3 days to arrange a huge match.

Edited March 30, 2018 by HibeeJibee

[Jacksgranda]

6 minutes ago, Toby said:

In most cases, that might be what they want.

Maybe so, but I still think they should have been told if they couldn't get the league finished by the necessary date - tough tittie.

[FairWeatherFan]

35 minutes ago, Toby said:

In most cases, that might be what they want.

Collectively it doesn't seem to be though. The Highland League wanted to stick to 18 teams and something like this puts them under scrutiny.

[Toby]

3 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Collectively it doesn't seem to be though. The Highland League wanted to stick to 18 teams and something like this puts them under scrutiny.

I'm talking more in respect of the attitudes of previous Highland League Champions (notably Brora and Buckie), who have, to the untrained eye at least, appeared lukewarm to the prospect of promotion. Not the League themselves over their format.

[cowdenbeath]

55 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

Metaphorically: the HL has a shorter candle, and is also burning it more fiercely at both ends.

There are many more games to fit in... 34 league games instead of 30. For eastern sides there is an extra local cup... the Aberdeenshire Shield. They also play their League Cup during the season... not at the end alongside the playoffs. Every round of their League Cup, plus the finals of the Aberdeenshire Cup and North of Scotland Cup (western sides), have priority over league games... in SPFL & LL only national cups have priority.

They also suffer far more postponements. So far this season SPFL2 clubs have had 25 league games + 1 cup-tie postponed =  26 ... LL clubs have had 21 league games + 17 cup-ties postponed =  38 ... HL clubs have had 95 league games + 15 cup-ties postponed =  110  (and a further 9 league games got cancelled by some of those postponed cup ties which as noted have priority).

Partly the above will be as there are 0 plastic pitches in HL. In contrast 5 out of 10 clubs in SPFL2 and 8 out of 16 in LL have artificial turf. It's not impervious to snow or very low temperatures but does avoid waterlogging, cutting-up and most frosts.

 

That's a fair point and also for travelling fans of course. Equally (unless you train Tuesdays) your full coaching staff and even players will be able to scout the opposition on the Tuesday night.

It's also inconvenient for whoever wins... no doubt a lot of provisional preparations can be made, but whoever prevails will only have 3 days to arrange a huge match.

With having 4 more league games to fit in than the LL it makes it even more of a reason to put league games before cup ties, they seem to be in SJFA mode with that thinking. Although its of their own making not reducing the league to 16 clubs like the LL as the SFA originally wanted but that's a question for another day.

Postponements nothing you can do about that but it still seemed mad to give cup games before league fixtures given their massive backlog of games.

As you say its  inconvenient for who wins along with club 42, probably worse so for the non leaguers who have to arrange a home game, its not ideal last seasons 1st leg at K-Park was all ticket for example if EK got to the final and it was ticket once more despite the new enclosure it would be a hassle for them to sort out ticket sales for them and club 42.

Re taking in the 1st leg no idea what night Berwick train but i'm sure Robbie will get something sorted out

[FairWeatherFan]

19 minutes ago, Toby said:

I'm talking more in respect of the attitudes of previous Highland League Champions (notably Brora and Buckie), who have, to the untrained eye at least, appeared lukewarm to the prospect of promotion. Not the League themselves over their format.

I got that. An individual club might well be happy to throw a playoff, but they're always going to want to provide a champion otherwise they risk the status quo they're trying to protect.

[HibeeJibee]

23 hours ago, cowdenbeath said:

no idea what night Berwick train but i'm sure Robbie will get something sorted out

He'll give you every help he can...



Annan 0-0 Berwick
Cowdenbeath 1-1 Stenhousemuir
Montrose 3-0 Edinburgh City

Brora 3-2 Turriff
Buckie 1-1 Forres
Fort William 2-12  Cove

East Stirlingshire 2-2 Spartans

 

 8   Edin City   P32   W7  D8 L17   29pts, -19

 9   Berwick     P30   W7  D8 L15   29pts, -27

----------------------------------------------

10   Cowdenb’h   P31   W3 D10 L18   19pts

 

 

 

1   Cove        P26   W23 D3 L0   72pts

--------------------------------------------

2   Inverurie   P30   P22 D3 L5   69pts

3   Fraserb'h   P27   W20 D4 L3   64pts

4   Formart'e   P27   W19 D1 L7   58pts, +53
5   Forres      P29   W18 D4 L7   58pts, +31

6   Brora       P25   W16 D2 L7   50pts


 

1   Spartans    P27   W21 D3 L3   66pts

---------------------------------------

2   East Kilb   P27   W20 D5 L2   65pts

3   East Stir   P28   W18 D6 L4   60pts

4   BSC Glas.   P27   W18 D5 L4   59pts

[big al]

You can stop posting league 2 tables, we are 100 per cent bottom after today’s timid draw.

[The Mantis]

10 hours ago, big al said:

we are 100 per cent bottom after today’s timid draw.

Never doubted that, but March has been a good month. I feel Cowden are showing better form coming up to the playoffs than they did last year. I can see Cove struggling over the line against the LL Champions then being completely knackered by the Saturday. 

[San Starko Rover]

Never doubted that, but March has been a good month. I feel Cowden are showing better form coming up to the playoffs than they did last year. I can see Cove struggling over the line against the LL Champions then being completely knackered by the Saturday. 

I can see that happening which is good for Cowdenbeath but not the pyramid. I personally think the HL/LL play off should be 1 game at a neutral venue. I think 10th should be relegated automatically but until this changes it should also be a 1 game final at a neutral venue, the same should apply to all playoff finals. The L2 and Prem teams get far too big an advantage as whoever they’re up against have had to play at least two extra games before the final.

Personally speaking I’d like to see 2 relegated automatically from each tier, no second chances and the the playoffs being what the SPFL Premier have minus 11th placed team.

3rd v 4th (2 legs)
Winner plays 2nd in a 1 game final.

I know this gives 2nd the same advantage I mentioned Cowdenbeath / Prem 11th currently get but that’s to recognise their better season as by rights 2nd should just be promoted. I’d also have the HL and LL champions both promoted (once the LL has the big junior hitters)