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Who replaces Cove?


RossBFaeDundee

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Remove their licence and burn their park to the ground! That'll learn them.
One of the licence requirements is that you must move to the pyramid, time that this is enforced rather than having yer cake and eating it.
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31 minutes ago, Hampden Diehard said:
12 hours ago, Burnie_man said:
Don't budget for it then, you're hardly going to be relegated. Enter and work towards boosting finances.  I really hope they get their Licence removed if they continue to refuse to move to the Pyramid.

Remove their licence and burn their park to the ground! That'll learn them.

:lol: I said that after the Brora vs Montrose fiasco, didn’t go down well surprisingly!

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8 hours ago, Spyro said:

Fair enough, I wasn’t sure of their motives behind moving from east Juniors to north Juniors. I was more contemplating the possibility of Lochee, Tayport or one of the Dundee junior teams jumping ship, although they seem happy in their own wee super league now

This post from the "Junior football, what is the future?" thread sums up Montrose Roselea's reason for the move:

On 07/02/2019 at 13:01, tellyboy said:

Incorrect. Montrose Roselea have two Aberdeen based players who are both from the town and attend University. Its very hard to attract any players from Aberdeen/Dundee due to travel for an unpaid player even its under 40 miles for both. The bulk of players are Montrose based with 2 from Arbroath and one from Brechin.

The move north was mainly due to the clubs travel in the "Old" East Region. Roselea were mainly in the East Premier League which was mainly Lothians based meaning 200 mile round trips leaving at 10am and returning home at 8pm. The North is mainly Aberdeen based which is 36 miles away and was due to become better thanks to the new Bypass. Dyce which was previously 75 minutes away is now 45 mins meaning Cars can be taken and also reduces costs. The "new" East Region Superleague  looks slightly more appealing with the mainly Tayside feel to it however there is still much Fife & Lothian trips to be done.

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons was competition. In the East Roselea were mainly a bottom half Premier side and did yo yo between the District Leagues. Arguably they would never be a Superleague side although there were two squads who might have just made it. Roselea are on a par with the likes of Culter, Hermes, Bridge of Don Thistle, Dyce ec but Banks o Dee are still that bit further ahead although Roselea did draw with them in the League Cup Semi only to lose on penalties.  Up until a December defeat from BOD Roselea topped the North Superleague. There has been no silverware but every game is competitive and at a level that is good for the club and players.

Finally the years use of Links Park has also been a great success with crowds and Hospitality up. Roselea are now working on an agreement to make the rent of the pitch more permanent. The Community Trust in Montrose is flourishing and Roselea will eventually become the final part of the jigsaw by joining up as a member and add to the Youth, Amateur, Ladies, Over 35s and walking football sections. The CT will also take over Broomfield Park and maintain it for mainly the Amateur and Ladies/Youths but also for Roselea should there be any fixture clashes (there is one on March 23rd)

All in a great move and IMO I think the Tayside clubs should consider the amalgamation as an option (I know a lot still don't fancy it) as the travel to Aberdeen is much improved. I always thought that the pyramid would force the issue and it is heading that way. Roselea made a brave move which was criticised by many but if something is not right and there is a way to fix it why not try it?

 

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4 hours ago, NEFarab said:

As mentioned on the Cove thread, there is now the possibility of Elgin dropping a league and I’m assuming Brechin would opt for the highland league if they faced a 3rd successive drop?

It's not a question of opting. Brechin City would be relegated into the Highland League. All the Angus clubs do.

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37 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

Of course an oddity of Junior regulation saw Roselea play a season in North Juniors West District despite being an east coast port!

Presumably HL's ground rule got liberally applied to Cove's "homeless years"?

Offt! You really went there... low blow :lol::whistle

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38 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

Of course an oddity of Junior regulation saw Roselea play a season in North Juniors West District despite being an east coast port!

Presumably HL's ground rule got liberally applied to Cove's "homeless years"?

That would be my guess. One rule for existing members but not for applicants i'm guessing. Wonder where I have seen that recently :whistle

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8 hours ago, Highland Capital said:

Halkirk United talked about a long term goal of HL membership when they opened their new ground a few years ago but as far as I'm aware haven't mentioned it since.  Say they did join though, what kind of standard would they be?  You'd imagine most of the good local players get hoovered up by Wick Academy and maybe to a lesser extend Brora.  They'd be working off scraps and probably be somewhere around Fort William's level.

 

7 hours ago, NEFarab said:

I’m almost certain Halkirk don’t meet the stadium requirements to enter the HL (no floodlights I think).

You’re right about the probable standard they’d be at, the population density is so low in that area that there just aren’t enough people to support a second HL club and any player of a decent standard is at Wick and many people from the area go to Wick games anyway cause there is nowt else to do. 

By the same token I’m sure I read Brora were against getting promoted to the SPFL (or I’m sure they were accused of chucking it when they had a good shot at promotion) and they are just backed by a wealthy owner and are probably just about close enough to Inverness to attract players.

As for potential new HL clubs, any sizeable town either already has a HL club or SPFL club in some cases and the only way new clubs are going to enter the league is if they are backed financial by someone with a bit of wealth (expect the possible except of BoD in the future).

The NCL expansion thread has loads more info on the futures of clubs north of Inverness but I’d wager it’s unlike any will enter the HL expect maybe Golspie but even that is unlikely.

As mentioned on the Cove thread, there is now the possibility of Elgin dropping a league and I’m assuming Brechin would opt for the highland league if they faced a 3rd successive drop?

 

Halkirk would never be able to sustain a HFL side, realistically. The place is tiny. You're right that Wick are the de facto Caithness side, any clubs stepping up would dilute an already shallow player pool. Thurso have been mentioned on and off, but the same issue applies to them. I think Halkirk (and Thurso) are happy enough in the NCL at the moment.

Morrison Park in Halkirk is pretty good, they had a benefactor about 5 or 6 years ago who spent some cash: they've floodlights and an enclosure, but it's not enclosed and the changing rooms are a walk away. It would take a reasonable amount to do up to licence standards. That's not to say that it couldn't be done though if the NCL becomes a pyramid league and Halkirk fancy a crack at the Scottish Cup. At the moment there's no route into it for them at all.

I can't really think of any North teams outwith the HFL who would step up. Most of the bigger towns already have a team or are close to another. Unless there's a change in attitude from some of the NRJFA sides, I think the HFL will be at 17 for a while, unless someone comes down from above...

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16 hours ago, Burnie_man said:

Don't budget for it then, you're hardly going to be relegated. Enter and work towards boosting finances.  I really hope they get their Licence removed if they continue to refuse to move to the Pyramid.

But then you're not going to be winning as many baubles! The Dee are in a total sweet spot at the moment (bit like the SoSFL clubs). They get automatic Scottish Cup entry, play in the (senior) Aberdeenshire Cup, Shield and League and win pretty much every North junior trophy going. Big fish in small pond, all very familiar... I do wonder how long it'll be before their licence is reconsidered, be interesting to keep an eye on Golspie and Girvan too.

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1 minute ago, Cyclizine said:

But then you're not going to be winning as many baubles! The Dee are in a total sweet spot at the moment (bit like the SoSFL clubs). They get automatic Scottish Cup entry, play in the (senior) Aberdeenshire Cup, Shield and League and win pretty much every North junior trophy going. Big fish in small pond, all very familiar... I do wonder how long it'll be before their licence is reconsidered, be interesting to keep an eye on Golspie and Girvan too.

Given the SFA's current approach to meeting licencing conditions, it's long overdue that BoD, Golspie, Glasgow Uni & Girvan etc are challenged on their future plans of joining the Pyramid.  the latter two can perhaps point to the WRJFA and say they are waiting on developments, but the former two clearly have no intention of joining the HL.

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3 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

It's not a question of opting. Brechin City would be relegated into the Highland League. All the Angus clubs do.

I never realised that. Not too bad for the Shire clubs but a pain for the teams west and north. 

Edited by NEFarab
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Just now, NEFarab said:

I never realised that. Not too bad for the Shire clubs but a pain for the teams west and north. 

Everyone North of the Tay bridge falls into the Highland League catchment area. Gives you 11 clubs now out of the 42 in the SPFL.

Aberdeen, Dundee, Dundee United, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Ross County, Peterhead, Elgin City, Arbroath, Montrose, Brechin City, Forfar Athletic and now Cove Rangers.

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36 minutes ago, NEFarab said:

I never realised that. Not too bad for the Shire clubs but a pain for the teams west and north. 

Not really, Far North and West clubs wouldn't be using the A96 anyway. It's only 20-30 mins longer getting from Inverness to Dundee as it is to Aberdeen.

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7 minutes ago, Cyclizine said:

Not really, Far North and West clubs wouldn't be using the A96 anyway. It's only 20-30 mins longer getting from Inverness to Dundee as it is to Aberdeen.

Brechin is over half an hour from Dundee though.

Quickest way for the Northern clubs would be through the Cairngorms I’d assume and I’m not sure that road is overly quick.

 

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The biggest places in Highland, Moray or Aberdeenshire without an SPFL or Highland League side.

Thurso

Westhill

Ellon

Stonehaven

......or how about an island team such as an Orkney or Stornoway club?

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3 minutes ago, tarapoa said:

The biggest places in Highland, Moray or Aberdeenshire without an SPFL or Highland League side.

Thurso

Westhill

Ellon

Stonehaven

......or how about an island team such as an Orkney or Stornoway club?

Won't the new Aberdeen stadium be on Westhill's doorstep?

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21 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

Ahead of the HL/LL portion of the play-off the Banks O'Dee chairman said they don't expect an invite and it's too short notice for them to budget for a HL campaign. Now they've got a year to think it about it, I wonder what their next excuse will be?

They regularly beat top HL sides in Cup games on their current budget, they'd easily make the top half. 

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26 minutes ago, ArabAuslander said:

Stonehaven is a side I've heard/seen mentioned a few times on here, I think there's a new 4G pitch next to their ground as well. However, I don't think they have any intention of going senior.

Not a chance. They just got relegated and the 4G wouldn't be compliant for senior football.

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6 hours ago, Cyclizine said:

 

Halkirk would never be able to sustain a HFL side, realistically. The place is tiny. You're right that Wick are the de facto Caithness side, any clubs stepping up would dilute an already shallow player pool. Thurso have been mentioned on and off, but the same issue applies to them. I think Halkirk (and Thurso) are happy enough in the NCL at the moment.

Morrison Park in Halkirk is pretty good, they had a benefactor about 5 or 6 years ago who spent some cash: they've floodlights and an enclosure, but it's not enclosed and the changing rooms are a walk away. It would take a reasonable amount to do up to licence standards. That's not to say that it couldn't be done though if the NCL becomes a pyramid league and Halkirk fancy a crack at the Scottish Cup. At the moment there's no route into it for them at all.

I can't really think of any North teams outwith the HFL who would step up. Most of the bigger towns already have a team or are close to another. Unless there's a change in attitude from some of the NRJFA sides, I think the HFL will be at 17 for a while, unless someone comes down from above...

I have always toyed with the idea of a Halkirk/Thurso/Pentland team in the HL.

Yes it would initially have an effect on Wick (and Brora), but there’s a lot of good players up there who aren’t interested in trips to Aberdeenshire with the couple of games “that really mean something” when they get local games against the best local players in the Amateurs.

With 2 Caithness teams (possibly with 1 or 2 of the best players from Orkney in a new Pentland team), with Brora as well, you almost create a mini-league and a bit of meaning to the lower-half obscurity that Wick often find themselves in.

It will take time and a bit of encouragement, but they should push each other on...

Edited by Spyro
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