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Second Division


It's Me

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Made up of which clubs?

Not enough clubs licensed to fill a second division, and if a licence isn't a requirement for the second division then it's just the EOS but in a wider area (especially if no West Juniors involved)?

And if the West Juniors are involved, they'd surely be better as WOS to avoid extra travel until up to the LL proper?

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8 hours ago, It's Me said:

Anyone heard anything about the lowland league starting a second division. 

Was at Ainslie Park at the weekend and overheard a conversation about the prospect of a second division, maybe even as early as next season......................

Lowland League 2 ... 

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Before the bulk of East Juniors joined the EoSFL this year, I thought a Lowland League 2 would be something that the Lowland League would push for as an attempt to raise standards and possibly attract some Junior clubs into the pyramid.

With the strength of the EoSFL now I don't see it as necessary. As the Eastern clubs are largely on board, it should start to sway more West of Scotland clubs to joining the pyramid set up to balance things out geographically.

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With the Working group supposed to have met last Friday, perhaps things are starting to move? Or is this a way to make sure that the Juniors don't drag their heels?

I do not know, but would a new Division Two be a potential escape route for any West Juniors which may be looking to move on from the Juniors rather than be subject to continuing rule by the current Junior set-up in a new West of Scotland League run by them?  

If there was sufficient interest from the west then maybe this is WOS (I.e. Division 2 West) by the front door with the cream from the EOS moving up to a Division 2 East? Pure speculation though.

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2 minutes ago, It's Me said:

The guys on Saturday seemed to think the majority of current lowland league clubs wanted a second division. 

Surely they already have entry requirements so it should be fairly straightforward to do. 

 

It makes sense for them as what's below is a work in progress and dependent on the SJFA or West Juniors breaking away en masse. Neither option is something they can really plan for and the current pyramid structure is now too heavily slanted to the East of Scotland. Lowland League Two gives them control of the situation.

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Just now, It's Me said:

The guys on Saturday seemed to think the majority of current lowland league clubs wanted a second division. 

Surely they already have entry requirements so it should be fairly straightforward to do.

The entry requirements just now are you must hold an SFA licence. Only 12 teams currently hold a licence south of the Tay outwith the LL - and of those really only two or three are the required standard and would want to play in a semi-national league. A few more that want to play in the LL are trying to achieve one.

So they'd need to relax the requirements for the second division. Sounds a bit like the Junior's Lowland Superleague that popped up at the end of last season....

2 minutes ago, stanley said:

Lowland League division one east and west could be a good option going forward if enough west clubs get involved.

The east is already in place below the LL, if they get enough west clubs just start a West of Scotland senior league!

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12 minutes ago, stanley said:

Lowland League division one east and west could be a good option going forward if enough west clubs get involved.

Problem is if they don't have enough teams for a WoSFL they maybe don't have the numbers for a LL Division One West.

A Lowland League 2 could pass because:

  • Limits the number of Junior clubs likely to move to the pyramid, so the SJFA and Junior diehards are happy.
  • SoSFL moves a tier down and intact, so they're happy.
  • Lowland League clubs facing relegation get a buffer division to stay in the same basic structure.
  • Theoretically LL2 could be made up of 16 current EoSFL, so the EoSFL could be split in its opinion of it.

EDIT: It also plays into the idea of a balanced regional structure.  LL-LL2 and HL-HL2

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So going by current standings you could have a Lowland League 2 of

Whitehill Welfare

Bonnyton Thistle

Hulford United

Auchinleck Talbot

Clydebank FC

Cumnock Juniors

Largs Thistle

Pollock FC

Glenafton Athletic

Newtongrange Star

Penicuik Athletic

Bonnyrigg Rose

Boness United

Preston Athletic

Broxburn Athletic

Musselburgh Athletic

 

 

 

 

 

 

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So going by current standings you could have a Lowland League 2 of
Whitehill Welfare
Bonnyton Thistle
Hulford United
Auchinleck Talbot
Clydebank FC
Cumnock Juniors
Largs Thistle
Pollock FC
Glenafton Athletic
Newtongrange Star
Penicuik Athletic
Bonnyrigg Rose
Boness United
Preston Athletic
Broxburn Athletic
Musselburgh Athletic
 
 
 
 
 
 
Isnt that whole idea of the EoS Premier?
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Makes sense from a LL standpoint. If Welfare go down they aint coming back up anytime soon with the quality in the EoS Premier and a few other clubs might feel the same so having a bit of a "buffer" might be in their best interests. Maybe the proposed WoSL isn't happening soon enough for a few clubs in the West Juniors. Throw in a coupla SoS teams and the best of the rest of the EoSFL Conferences?

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It's a smart play from the Lowland League to break any potential stalemate around the WoS.

They can't create one if there aren't the clubs interested, LL2 is the next best thing. Then you saw some East Juniors move partly to avoid being left behind.

Having to start at tier 7 or below might prompt doubting West Juniors that a tier 6 WoS is the better option.

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19 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Makes sense from a LL standpoint. If Welfare go down they aint coming back up anytime soon with the quality in the EoS Premier and a few other clubs might feel the same so having a bit of a "buffer" might be in their best interests. Maybe the proposed WoSL isn't happening soon enough for a few clubs in the West Juniors. Throw in a coupla SoS teams and the best of the rest of the EoSFL Conferences?

Does it though? If Whitehill are in a league with the top ex-Juniors then they aren't getting out of that one in a hurry either. Would dropping to the EoS Premier next season really put them in a worse position than if they were in LL2, the difference being the weaker 8 EoS teams were replaced by the top West Juniors?

Though I suppose if you threw in a couple of SoS teams that would be one way of making sure Whitehill didn't finish at the bottom...

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Just now, Ginaro said:

Does it though? If Whitehill are in a league with the top ex-Juniors then they aren't getting out of that one in a hurry either. Would dropping to the EoS Premier next season really put them in a worse position than if they were in LL2, the difference being the weaker 8 EoS teams were replaced by the top West Juniors?

Though I suppose if you threw in a couple of SoS teams that would be one way of making sure Whitehill didn't finish at the bottom...

Thinking it more of a financial buffer. Lowland League II would have, theoretically, a bit more about it in sponsorship than a EoSPL and would appear more marketable. Would see them remain in a set up that they're used to.

Or the LL might be feart (unlikely) that the best of the West might get what they're asking for and given equivalency with the LL or shoehorned into it. A 2nd division just below will let them say "Aye. Bang them in the 2nd division. Nae bother"

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11 minutes ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Thinking it more of a financial buffer. Lowland League II would have, theoretically, a bit more about it in sponsorship than a EoSPL and would appear more marketable. Would see them remain in a set up that they're used to.

Or the LL might be feart (unlikely) that the best of the West might get what they're asking for and given equivalency with the LL or shoehorned into it. A 2nd division just below will let them say "Aye. Bang them in the 2nd division. Nae bother"

But about sponsorship is probably right. 

Think the problem is the SJFA/TJ turned up to the PWG presenting a united front that wanted all the super leagues at tier 6 with the SJFA intact as a body.

At which point LL2 is the only way to balance the pyramid with the club membership already in it. LL2 is essentially EoS Premier under an acceptable branding and can get 3/4 promotion/relegation spots between the divisions without showing a regional bias.

The SoS/EoS balancing act can then be moved down a tier. 

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