Jump to content

North Caledonian League Expansion


Robert James

Recommended Posts

56 minutes ago, Snafu said:

Its right in Shinty country right there. Lovat the big team near by so I can't see them compete for the sports fans in the area.

If I get the chance to go to the football in the NCL or North Juniors next season maybe just maybe I might bump into some of the folks that were involved in the past or were involved right up to the end of this season, I'll ask about what's going to happen, if there is still a commitment.

I hope it doesn't go the way Bishopmill Utd or Lossie Utd went or what appears to have happened to Fochabers.

 

 

I talked to the Chairman (not knowing who he was) last season a few times, haven't been much this season. He was saying iirc that it cost £70,000 to set up Lister Park including digging a channel under the Shinty park to provide water to the changing rooms, and it would cost about the same for them to return it how it was. I'd imagine developing Kirkhill will cost a similar amount. So they're looking at having to raise £140,000 potentially.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Snafu said:

That is brutal. You could buy a decent house for £140, 000.

I would worry that if the club could not carry out the work to remove Lister Park and its left up to the council it could put pay to any return for the club in any form.

It's possible they could reuse the fences, changing rooms(which are like portacabins) etc., and the plumbing might be cheaper as I think there's a community centre nearby. Kirkhill seem very welcoming by all accounts as it will give the local youth teams somewhere to play when the drainage is sorted. I don't think it's playable at the moment, could be wrong on this though. And hopefully the Council might be being a bit reasonable over the Bught Park  restoration work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure City have tried all the possibilities in Inverness and been turned down. When they were kicked out of the Northern Meeting Ground in favour of the cricket team the only place they could find to play was in Elgin iirc. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Snafu said:

This is correct, they tried everywhere possible, I asked and even mentioned certain pitches and they had already covered them. They were determined to find a pitch within Inverness. There was no chance City could ground share with Clach and be allowed to go up.

There was almost a deal last summer to ground share with Clach with a new 4g pitch at Grant Street but the grant money was halved by Sport Scotland, and it fell through. A lot of people at Clach weren't keen anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Snafu said:

This would have been another temporary fix just to get the club through the next couple of years and City would have faced demotion to the West Division.

 

There was no mention of that at the time and both the HL and the SJFA signed up to the ground share.

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/News/Groundshare-proposal-with-Clach-could-secure-Inverness-Citys-long-term-future-10012017.htm

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Snafu said:

The SJFA backed it but there's nothing to suggest that the North Region would have allowed City to remain in the Superleague. I wouldn't trust them until there is something more concrete than the backing from someone from the SJFA, like from North Region committee itself. The club had been through tough times and its not unlike the league committee to do their own thing and make some crazy decision that end up costing clubs valuable time and money in having to appeal. Didn't some of the Inverness City committee have to trek all the way down to Hampden to plead their case to the SJFA against being expelled from the 1st Division after City won the league?

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/City-press-on-with-pitch-plans-after-appeal-success.htm

There is no way that Sport Scotland would have offered to fund the new pitch if the SJFA and HL hadn't officially signed off on the deal. It was only when their grant offer was halved that the deal fell through. It's clear from your link that the SJFA call the shots, not the NRJFA.

Edited by welshbairn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Snafu said:

Absolutely true. Its a shame it never went through, a complete let down.

Was there a reason given on why Sport Scotland halved their grant?

Their budget was cut by Holyrood I think. It would have been great for City, quite a few Clach and Caley fans would have probably gone when their teams were playing away. The Clach manager hated the idea though, a plastic pitch and loads of debt so even less to spend on players.

Edited by welshbairn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could be right but they're from well before the Highland entry though, I had them on NLS for years before the new stand etc... I'm actually thinking Burnieman on one of his northern sojourns...? Unfortunately I removed them when the new pics superceded them.

It could well be my pics. Blackburn played in the Junior Cup there in 2002 but I spent long weekends up there in the following years and the pics might be from then.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Banks o'Dee have won the Dominos Pizza North Regional Cup yet again. Meh. Just promote the fuckers. The HL have said there would be no problem coping with a 19 team league if a League 2 team was demoted to the HL. It's getting boring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 22/05/2018 at 16:26, Snafu said:

Its right in Shinty country right there. Lovat the big team near by so I can't see them compete for the sports fans in the area.

If I get the chance to go to the football in the NCL or North Juniors next season maybe just maybe I might bump into some of the folks that were involved in the past or were involved right up to the end of this season, I'll ask about what's going to happen, if there is still a commitment.

I hope it doesn't go the way Bishopmill Utd or Lossie Utd went or what appears to have happened to Fochabers.

 

 

 

Why did NCL club Inverness Athletic leave their original ground at Farr ?

If City can't get a pitch in Inverness, then Athletic will probably have to stay at Muir of Ord, as they won't get one either?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Was trying to see if the North Caledonian had held its AGM this year. Turns out it will be this Saturday. Not too sure there will any new faces, other than the possible return of Balintore that was floated earlier. More traditional sources of recruitment may have led nowhere, so they've given twitter a go.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Was trying to see if the North Caledonian had held its AGM this year. Turns out it will be this Saturday. Not too sure there will any new faces, other than the possible return of Balintore that was floated earlier. More traditional sources of recruitment may have led nowhere, so they've given twitter a go.

 

The divide between "Senior" and "Junior" leagues in the Highlands is ridiculous. Inverness Athletic lost 2 or 3  key players last season in critical matches because their priority was their amateur teams. If Inverness City revive I'd hope they'd join the NCL but only if it's integrated into the non-Aberdeenshire sector of Northern football. Don't give a f**k whether it's called Junior or Senior, doubt if any of of the clubs do either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, welshbairn said:

The divide between "Senior" and "Junior" leagues in the Highlands is ridiculous. Inverness Athletic lost 2 or 3  key players last season in critical matches because their priority was their amateur teams. If Inverness City revive I'd hope they'd join the NCL but only if it's integrated into the non-Aberdeenshire sector of Northern football. Don't give a f**k whether it's called Junior or Senior, doubt if any of of the clubs do either.

An NCL game was unplayed last season because of the Highland Amateur Cup depriving teams  of players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Cyclizine said:

Apparently Highland League officials were present at the North Caley AGM yesterday to discuss the pyramid. No new teams joining this year.

Not losing any clubs is always a bonus. Interesting to see what becomes of the Highland League official being there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...