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Lowland Trapdoorwatch 2019-20


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14 minutes ago, Cyclizine said:

Well then, astound us with how you would solve this, rather than greeting about "how unfair" it is as you've done in your last few posts which just reek of sour grapes.

You recognise the problems with trying to balance the geography with the population, it is difficult. At least we're now hearing that there are discussions underway with the NCL and NRJFA.

I agree that as it stands, things are inequitable. However, at the time of formation of the current tier 5, the Highland League area has the vast majority of licenced clubs and still did so until fairly recently.

I personally think that we'd have avoided a lot of the current perceived issues if separate North/South feeder leagues had been set up at Tier 5 instead, allowing HFL, EoSFL and SoSFL to feed in at Tier 6, would have avoided a lot of the problems we see now.

HJ got my point which you have acknowledged via his post.

Nae sour grapes here,if ye asked me that months ago there certainly was and I think I had a right to be aggrieved the way it was all handled. 

Now it's quite refreshing to have some atmosphere at our games playing a lot more local clubs. 👍

 

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1 hour ago, Cyclizine said:

I personally think that we'd have avoided a lot of the current perceived issues if separate North/South feeder leagues had been set up at Tier 5 instead, allowing HFL, EoSFL and SoSFL to feed in at Tier 6, would have avoided a lot of the problems we see now.

Water under the bridge now, but that was the original plan, in the dim light of the pyramid's first dawning.

"Highland Regional League" and "Lowland Regional League".

However ultimately HL became tier 5 itself (although Buckie voted against pyramid/Cove 'not present' IIRC).


Veering badly "off topic", btw!

Edited by HibeeJibee
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4 hours ago, newcastle broon said:

Never said dont allow them promotion just needs sorted to prevent the same farce as last season but Aye ok no big deal .May we all find peace and  happiness within the pyramid 🙄 

The SFA have kind of done that with the changes to the Licencing process this year. It should be known by the end of February which clubs will get their licences at the SFA AGM. So you won't be going into April or May wondering what's going to happen.

As detailed below:

4 minutes ago, gaz5 said:

The licencing board meets on the 26th February to confirm which clubs will be forwarded to the SFA board as entry level compliant for their June AGM.

As per the licence process changes late in 2019, that's the order in which things are now to proceed. The February licence board meeting is the last opportunity to be passed by the licence board before being ratified by the SFA in June at their AGM.

Keeps it simple I think, everyone knows what's what and helps the licence guys, so was a positive change to the process.

Pleased to say we've met the criteria as well, including resolving all the observed variances through our audit, so hopefully no more gotchas for us either and we're on track for June SFA meeting.

 

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Dalbeattie Star 0-4 Kelty Hearts
Gretna 2008 0-0 Edinburgh University

image.png.2d6506e7a6d47a7ae7660795e2b46cde.png

Vale of Leithen were idle as BSC Glasgow are on Scottish Cup duty this weekend. They would of been hoping to hear of a Gretna win today, but it wasn't to be and Edinburgh University are now a full 3 points clear.

Elsewhere Brechin City lost and are left 9 points adrift at the bottom of SPFL2. A LL Champion gaining promotion at the expense of Brechin is looking like VoL's best chance of avoiding relegation.

image.png.a886b8ffc0e2615046b53fd6cb4b8085.png

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Vale's next 2 games are home v Gretna then Dalbeattie. Looks like they'll need 4pts/6pts from those.

They did escape relegation in 2017-18 courtesy results higher-up. Having finished 15th they were down until Cowdenbeath went 3-2 up on Cove with 20mins left to save their skins.

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Worst historic points per game average of the current Lowland League sides, all but two teams that have finished below them since 14/15 have gotten relegated, only team without floodlights, bottom three in spectators, come from probably the smallest village in the league, and have only got 8 points from 22 games. 

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After the first 2 seasons of LL it's been a struggle for Vale... over last 5 seasons they've only finished above Threave, Preston, Hawick, Dalbeattie and Whitehill plus of those only Dalbeattie are still here. It should be remembered that in their final EOS Premier campaign (2012-13) they only finished 3pts above relegation and they had only returned to EOS Premier for 2010-11. Prior to that they spent 6 seasons in EOS First Division. So they have actually been sustaining an elevated level for some time.

As you note Innerleithen is also the smallest settlement to be represented in LL except for Rosewell. (I appreciate Caledonian Braves don't represent any geographic place).

It's also true that facilities-wise they alone lack lights and - with Bonnyrigg - seats.

However it's hardly curtains for their stay yet? If they can win either of those next games they could close right up on the sides above them and 4pts or 6pts could put them fully in the mix.

Edited by HibeeJibee
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It remains wrong that there are scenario's that mean no team is relegated.

It means that one season a club can finish bottom and go down but the follow season the bottom team escapes.  It's not consistent.

Mediocrity shouldn't be rewarded.

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The LL have actually made things worse with their rules update for this season, which were updated after the Selkirk debacle.

Last season's rules stated that in the case of a Brechin/Kelty swap and a licensed EOS/SOS champion, 16th would be relegated but could apply for the vacant position along with other clubs. A sensible solution back when there were fewer quality licensed clubs. But now with the 16th club being weaker, they are reprieved instead of allowing other clubs like the SOS winner or EOS runners-up a chance.

What should happen is the rows which state "No relegation" should be changed to "bottom club relegated, vacancy for 1 club"

Rules.png

Edited by Ginaro
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10 minutes ago, Ginaro said:

The LL have actually made things worse with their rules update for this season, which were updated after the Selkirk debacle.

Last season's rules stated that in the case of a Brechin/Kelty swap and a licensed EOS/SOS champion, 16th would be relegated but could apply for the vacant position along with other clubs. A sensible solution back when there were fewer quality licensed clubs. But now with the 16th club being weaker, they are reprieved instead of allowing other clubs like the SOS winner or EOS runners-up a chance.

What should happen is the rows which state "No relegation" should be changed to "bottom club relegated, vacancy for 1 club"

Rules.png

I guess the argument they would make is that they're protecting existing members at a period of time that Tier 6 is uncertain. Ideally this is only going to be the set of rules for this season and maybe next.

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1 hour ago, Burnie_man said:

It remains wrong that there are scenario's that mean no team is relegated.

It means that one season a club can finish bottom and go down but the follow season the bottom team escapes.  It's not consistent.

Mediocrity shouldn't be rewarded.

In a perfect system there should possibly be a guaranteed 1 down. 2 down being the default(Play off winner coming from same region as club 42) and 3 down as a possibility. 

If you push things further than that you leave 4th bottom as possibly down which is too much for a 16 team league. Keep things as is and a team who get 0 points can stay up. 

48 minutes ago, Ginaro said:

The LL have actually made things worse with their rules update for this season, which were updated after the Selkirk debacle.

Last season's rules stated that in the case of a Brechin/Kelty swap and a licensed EOS/SOS champion, 16th would be relegated but could apply for the vacant position along with other clubs. A sensible solution back when there were fewer quality licensed clubs. But now with the 16th club being weaker, they are reprieved instead of allowing other clubs like the SOS winner or EOS runners-up a chance.

What should happen is the rows which state "No relegation" should be changed to "bottom club relegated, vacancy for 1 club"

Rules.png

 Nah, it effectively becomes the disastrous voting system that applied in England as the pyramid came into fruition   It means the a club like vale stop thinking about how to get out of their rut but instead spend the next few months courting votes. 
 

the clarity of the current rules is a very good thing, everyone knows the exact situation on opening day what will happen. 

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11 hours ago, Ginaro said:

The LL have actually made things worse with their rules update for this season, which were updated after the Selkirk debacle.

Last season's rules stated that in the case of a Brechin/Kelty swap and a licensed EOS/SOS champion, 16th would be relegated but could apply for the vacant position along with other clubs. A sensible solution back when there were fewer quality licensed clubs. But now with the 16th club being weaker, they are reprieved instead of allowing other clubs like the SOS winner or EOS runners-up a chance.

What should happen is the rows which state "No relegation" should be changed to "bottom club relegated, vacancy for 1 club"

Rules.png

I don’t think vacancy for 1 club is the answer, but it’s probably not an issue if the entire eos premier is licenced?

i think 2 down should be standard along with 1 up. I don’t think 1 up will happen but 2 down/2up from LL2 is possible in the next couple of years if wosfl happens and maybe desireable.

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Once most or all Eos is licensed reckon defo one up one down and second bottom plays runner up in Eos one off playoff final if setup remains the same but then you have other factors like promotion from LL ti spfl so ?? Slot seems to be riding in what the west want to do but can’t wait on them forever to make their minds up 

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3 minutes ago, Kelheart said:

Once most or all Eos is licensed reckon defo one up one down and second bottom plays runner up in Eos one off playoff final if setup remains the same but then you have other factors like promotion from LL ti spfl so ?? Slot seems to be riding in what the west want to do but can’t wait on them forever to make their minds up 

The LL are setting-up the WoSFL for next season, therefore they should at the same time open up an extra relegation spot.

If all three Champions (EoS, SoS and WoS) are Licenced, a three way round robin play-off (as happened in the EoS last season) with the top 2 promoted.  If only two Licenced, no play-off and both promoted.

Edited by Burnie_man
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On 08/02/2020 at 23:41, parsforlife said:

 Nah, it effectively becomes the disastrous voting system that applied in England as the pyramid came into fruition   It means the a club like vale stop thinking about how to get out of their rut but instead spend the next few months courting votes.

the clarity of the current rules is a very good thing, everyone knows the exact situation on opening day what will happen. 

Clarity is good but now everyone knows on the opening day if the Brechin/Kelty scenario comes to pass then nobody will be relegated from the league. Whereas last season it would have meant 16th needing to apply (assuming a licensed champion below).

Obviously it would be better if they were relegated no matter what but courting votes is surely better than no relegation?

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