ex-german exile Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 I've just realised that there are league games on Wednesday 22nd, hence the quarters finals being on Monday 20th.So the solution to avoid playing Monday, Wednesday and Saturday in May is to play Monday, Wednesday and Saturday in August [emoji15] [emoji15] I know the fixtures are a thankless task, but at least in May clubs still involved in several competitions can decide how they wish to prioritise rotating their squad.IMO the decision to have the semifinals on a Monday night added to the fact that the group matches are all played within five days will result in clubs treating it with less importance than other competitions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmontheloknow Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 This cup should have been thrown in the bin and the knockouts retained. At least they brought some variety to the fixture list. For some clubs their last cup match of the year will be in the autumn (SJC R1/2 KO, WoS R1 KO). You'd then have 4 or 5 additional match dates in Aug/Sept to get some league games played to compensate for the more haphazard, unpredictable fixtures late on caused by a knockout cup. Maybe the West should be (in future, should one exist!) be held over til spring. I really think they'll be missed as we substantially increase the number of (what will be meaningless for a significant portion of the league) league games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kennie Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 There is only one Monday where all clubs are involved and it is the second game of the season, when I'd expect teams would have a fit squad of players to pick from. Unless of course they're all done in from playing 3 games a week pre-season. All teams start with Saturday 28th, Monday 30th, Wednesday 1st, Saturday 4th, Wednesday 8th, Saturday 11th (no Midweek), Saturday 18th, Wednesday 22nd, Saturday 25th, (no Midweek) Saturday 1st September The group winners play-off is on Wednesday 15th and 16 teams will have a fixture, the others wont. On the second Monday with fixtures it only affects 8 teams. The Semi-finals are on a Wednesday not the Monday. This only affects 4 teams and all others are idle, meaning they have a full weeks interval between Saturdays. In my opinion this is an easier start, it is structured and programmed better than what can happen at the other end of the season. All teams have had plenty of notice to put whatever they need in place to get these games played. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glensmad Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Thanks Kennie, my only query was why the quarters were on a Monday, I hadn't noticed the league fixtures that Wednesday at that point. I have no problem with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRICEY Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 I would like to have seen the semis held back a few weeks once the season had settled down and played at neutral venues under lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicotina Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Had to laugh at a fellow lok supporter saying the west should be held over to the spring considering we played our 1st rd tie in November then the 2nd rd on 12 may last season lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrshire_nomad Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Kudos to Kennie and transparency!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutankhamen Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Surprising how many fans don't know Ayrshire and Central sectional league cups have been amalgamated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iPhone Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Never mind amalgamated, they should have been obliterated!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 Can you play trialists in the group stages or signed players only? Knockout games are signed players only from last 16? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theesel1994 Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 You can also play trialists in the last 16 round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmontheloknow Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 10 hours ago, nicotina said: Had to laugh at a fellow lok supporter saying the west should be held over to the spring considering we played our 1st rd tie in November then the 2nd rd on 12 may last season lol Yes it has been badly scheduled in the past but the general point I am making is that as a grade we are used to a reasonable balance between league and cup fixtures. That balance will not be there this season. Ok East did away with the many cups themselves but retained their region-wide plus an additional KO (either Fife & Lothians or North & Tayside) which kept things fresh. In 17-18, Kennoway's last cup tie was on 27/1, followed by a run of 14 league games to see out the season. West sides all had cup ties in March / April. I know why this has been done but I just feel the cup free 2nd half of the season is something that clubs will find a bit odd and dare I say boring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutankhamen Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 The reason for all the cups was to pad out 22 game local leagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmontheloknow Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 3 minutes ago, Tutankhamen said: The reason for all the cups was to pad out 22 game local leagues. Not arguing that but all I am saying is that the Sectional/Pre Season Friendly Cup Unless You Win it dates could have been used for league games and we could have retained a KO cup for the spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutankhamen Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 9 minutes ago, cmontheloknow said: Not arguing that but all I am saying is that the Sectional/Pre Season Friendly Cup Unless You Win it dates could have been used for league games and we could have retained a KO cup for the spring. Your average club is losing one Saturday to the sectional league cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutankhamen Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 At one time the Central Sectional League Cup group stage was home and away. You might have have 6 or 8 games depending how many teams were in the section. A lot of teams would use the section as a series of friendly games. Friendly games as such would attract zero crowd as there was no way of getting the word out in pre social media days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmontheloknow Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 11 minutes ago, Tutankhamen said: Your average club is losing one Saturday to the sectional league cup. It's 3 dates guaranteed for almost all. That could be 2 league games and a cup tie for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutankhamen Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 1 minute ago, cmontheloknow said: It's 3 dates guaranteed for almost all. That could be 2 league games and a cup tie for all. True, the sectional games are a hang over from last century. Would be interesting to know when the likes of the Ants won a League Cup section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrellburn Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 53 minutes ago, Tutankhamen said: The reason for all the cups was to pad out 22 game local leagues. In the 50's we had a 30 game league programme plus Scottish, West, Central League, Pompey, County cups, all of which could have any number of replayed ties. Sixty + fixtures in a season for some junior clubs was not at all unusual. Not asking for a return to these days but somehow it was done, and how we enjoyed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutankhamen Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 8 minutes ago, garrellburn said: In the 50's we had a 30 game league programme plus Scottish, West, Central League, Pompey, County cups, all of which could have any number of replayed ties. Sixty + fixtures in a season for some junior clubs was not at all unusual. Not asking for a return to these days but somehow it was done, and how we enjoyed it! Although it's never been fully explained why the crowds completely collapsed within 15 years. Or why midweek cup replays with afternoon kick offs were kicked into touch. One of my earliest memories was Shettleston playing on a Wednesday afternoon in front of a couple of thousand punters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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