Fort William 2021-22 Thread

[welshbairn]

2 minutes ago, Cyclizine said:

What a brass neck the Fort committee have. This omnishambles is entirely of their making. They could've raised concerns about being asked to play away earlier in the season. Some might say if they actually put some effort into having a playable pitch, this could've been avoided. If they thought they were in the right about player eligibility, they should've played the games under protest. By withdrawing, the have lost all credibility, not that they had much to start with.

I'm not even sure they have a committee anymore, the chairman seems to be running it as a one man show.

[Jimmy Shaker]

Absolute fucking circus of a club. A whole week to come up with that statement? And all they've done is bait their moronic social media following, and - predictably - it's worked. 

[San Starko Rover]

Could have played both legs at Claggan Park and listed a team from their ineligible players and it would still have been double figures for BoD.  FW need to go down regroup and stop embarrassing themselves with this pish.  

[RH33]

I'll start this post by saying I haven't spoken to dad all week, therefore what I'm about to post is solely my opinion. I also know that many of you know what FW is like.

Pitch; after several years of large numbers of postponements costing clubs and leauge money, is it any wonder a decision was taken at the start of the season, especially with uncertainty of COVID around, too ensure there wasn't a massive backlog games. Especially with play off date to be met, had it been tight at the bottom. 

A retired referee in my opinion is more than qualified. In fact I'd bet the secretary's dug would know that the pitch wasn't playable. It was also a pre inspection. They could've made an effort before the actual inspection.

I'm going to say this and I maybe shouldn't but the club were granted disponsation on Friday afternoon by Maxwell at the SFA. However they didn't answer the calls made to tell them and the next thing was the withdrawal. 

For context, my dad was the depute at the high school I went too, involved in politics and football all my life. As such we all have pretty thick skins as used to people not agreeing with him.

But that statement which basically calls dad clueless and a lier has really fucked me off. Yes he's not some infallible Saint who makes mistakes. 

But he spent hours trying to help fort William that week and for them to publically say such things, safe in the knowledge that dad is too dignified to reply sums up the board of FW.

Hopefully they boycott the end of season dinner and the rest of the leauge can celebrate them fucking off to NCL. Whom I feel sorry for as many good people involved there too.

Grumpy old fart he may be, but a lier and ignorant of the leauge rules he is not.

/Rantends

[Jacksgranda]

[TheScarf]

1 hour ago, RH33 said:

I'll start this post by saying I haven't spoken to dad all week, therefore what I'm about to post is solely my opinion. I also know that many of you know what FW is like.

Pitch; after several years of large numbers of postponements costing clubs and leauge money, is it any wonder a decision was taken at the start of the season, especially with uncertainty of COVID around, too ensure there wasn't a massive backlog games. Especially with play off date to be met, had it been tight at the bottom. 

A retired referee in my opinion is more than qualified. In fact I'd bet the secretary's dug would know that the pitch wasn't playable. It was also a pre inspection. They could've made an effort before the actual inspection.

I'm going to say this and I maybe shouldn't but the club were granted disponsation on Friday afternoon by Maxwell at the SFA. However they didn't answer the calls made to tell them and the next thing was the withdrawal. 

For context, my dad was the depute at the high school I went too, involved in politics and football all my life. As such we all have pretty thick skins as used to people not agreeing with him.

But that statement which basically calls dad clueless and a lier has really fucked me off. Yes he's not some infallible Saint who makes mistakes. 

But he spent hours trying to help fort William that week and for them to publically say such things, safe in the knowledge that dad is too dignified to reply sums up the board of FW.

Hopefully they boycott the end of season dinner and the rest of the leauge can celebrate them fucking off to NCL. Whom I feel sorry for as many good people involved there too.

Grumpy old fart he may be, but a lier and ignorant of the leauge rules he is not.

/Rantends

I think your dad and the rest of the HL committee have done more than enough to help Fort over the years.  Bending over backwards for them when they could've just told them to get to fuck out of the league several times over the years.  It's a pity his tenure has ended with this sorry episode.

For all the Oxford City Inbreds FC and Brexitville Academical FC fans on Twitter saying Fort have been treated like shit by the HL, you can rest assured there are thousands who can't wait to see the back of that joke club and I feel sorry for the NCL having to deal with their fucking shite now.

[RH33]

10 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

I think your dad and the rest of the HL committee have done more than enough to help Fort over the years.  Bending over backwards for them when they could've just told them to get to f**k out of the league several times over the years.  It's a pity his tenure has ended with this sorry episode.

For all the Oxford City Inbreds FC and Brexitville Academical FC fans on Twitter saying Fort have been treated like shit by the HL, you can rest assured there are thousands who can't wait to see the back of that joke club and I feel sorry for the NCL having to deal with their fucking shite now.

I'm not on twitter or FB but had a look at their public post on FB and the sympathy from locals was zero.

[LongTimeLurker]

2 hours ago, RH33 said:

.....I'm going to say this and I maybe shouldn't but the club were granted disponsation on Friday afternoon by Maxwell at the SFA. However they didn't answer the calls made to tell them and the next thing was the withdrawal....

This would be on the goalkeeper angle no doubt. Difficult to see what grounds they have for appeal if they chose to withdraw. Sounds like they were trying to find a procedural way for the playoff not to happen in a similar manner to the antics that surrounded the Club 42 playoff when Brechin City were involved. Not having their ground ready for the second leg would fit on that.

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Passing through town today on my travels. Thought I'd take a wee detour by Claggan Park. Can't get too near the pitch as they have finally locked the gates.

The pitch doesn't look horrifyingly bad to me. The grass is a touch long but I'm sure they own a lawnmower and could have used it prior to a game.

Hard to tell from a distance how firm the surface is. I'll just say I've seen plenty of games this season played on similar looking surfaces.

Couple of brown patches which look like they could become a issue in wetter weather.

My overall feeling would be the pitch issue was not insurmountable.

[Jimmy Shaker]

The pitch issues - for the sake of the playoffs - were an irrelevance. Other clubs had been sounded out about hosting their home game, which at any rate they’d still seven days to prepare for from the point at which they withdrew. They were due in Aberdeen first and would only have been playing the home leg two days ago. 

And if the name I’ve heard rumoured as the person who inspected the pitch is correct, Fort have zero grounds for calling him unqualified. 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Jimmy Shaker

[welshbairn]

23 minutes ago, Le Tout P'ti FC said:

My overall feeling would be the pitch issue was not insurmountable.

The HL agree.

Quote

The second issue relates to the condition of Claggan Park. It had been decided that, given the events of the season, a pitch and ground inspection should take place to confirm it as a venue for the second leg of the playoffs. That inspection was carried out by a representative of the League who is also a retired referee on the morning of Friday 22nd April and raised some concerns. The Club was informed of these concerns and advised of a way ahead. It was recommended that the club roll the pitch, cut the grass and line it as if for a match, and a further inspection would be undertaken on Tuesday 26th April and all concerned were optimistic about a positive outcome. In discussions, it was apparent that the club was reluctant to accept that advice.

 

[Dev]

3 hours ago, TheScarf said:

I think your dad and the rest of the HL committee have done more than enough to help Fort over the years.  Bending over backwards for them when they could've just told them to get to f**k out of the league several times over the years.  It's a pity his tenure has ended with this sorry episode.

For all the Oxford City Inbreds FC and Brexitville Academical FC fans on Twitter saying Fort have been treated like shit by the HL, you can rest assured there are thousands who can't wait to see the back of that joke club and I feel sorry for the NCL having to deal with their fucking shite now.

Oh! Come on!

The sad part of what you've written is the need to spoil it by throwing in cheap shots. The FW situation is bad enough without that.

[TheScarf]

3 minutes ago, Dev said:

Oh! Come on!

The sad part of what you've written is the need to spoil it by throwing in cheap shots. The FW situation is bad enough without that.

Shut up.

[Dev]

Oh Dear!

There's enough hate on P&B already. No need for more.

Chill out.

[Jimmy Shaker]

Their online support are completely at a loss as to why Fort are in this mess. 

Fort used to be semi-competent, so much as their situation allowed, but in recent years have gone completely to shit. I've said before, their problems are not exclusive. There's 18 clubs in this league (and hundreds of others in the country at the same or a lower level) that will NEVER have enough people willing to help, or enough players, or enough money, or enough support from the community, but they all improve, stagnate, improve, fall back, improve. 

Fort aren't the only isolated club in the league. Wick's location is arguably worse, yet they've been churning out players of a decent standard for years. Fort just cling to 'BUT THE SHINTY!' and hope it papers over the cracks. 

[cowdenbeath]

5 hours ago, RH33 said:

I'll start this post by saying I haven't spoken to dad all week, therefore what I'm about to post is solely my opinion. I also know that many of you know what FW is like.

Pitch; after several years of large numbers of postponements costing clubs and leauge money, is it any wonder a decision was taken at the start of the season, especially with uncertainty of COVID around, too ensure there wasn't a massive backlog games. Especially with play off date to be met, had it been tight at the bottom. 

A retired referee in my opinion is more than qualified. In fact I'd bet the secretary's dug would know that the pitch wasn't playable. It was also a pre inspection. They could've made an effort before the actual inspection.

I'm going to say this and I maybe shouldn't but the club were granted disponsation on Friday afternoon by Maxwell at the SFA. However they didn't answer the calls made to tell them and the next thing was the withdrawal. 

For context, my dad was the depute at the high school I went too, involved in politics and football all my life. As such we all have pretty thick skins as used to people not agreeing with him.

But that statement which basically calls dad clueless and a lier has really fucked me off. Yes he's not some infallible Saint who makes mistakes. 

But he spent hours trying to help fort William that week and for them to publically say such things, safe in the knowledge that dad is too dignified to reply sums up the board of FW.

Hopefully they boycott the end of season dinner and the rest of the leauge can celebrate them fucking off to NCL. Whom I feel sorry for as many good people involved there too.

Grumpy old fart he may be, but a lier and ignorant of the leauge rules he is not.

/Rantends

Don’t know your dad but it’s a cheap shot from FW trying to palm the blame on him.

If someone there knew as much about football administration as he does they would have known the rules resigning players.

[invergowrie arab]

1 hour ago, Dev said:

Oh! Come on!

The sad part of what you've written is the need to spoil it by throwing in cheap shots. The FW situation is bad enough without that.

Take your mewling tone trolling elsewhere. 

It's a Message board not a press release. 

[RH33]

Hiya Rod, Hiya pal.

 

[welshbairn]

Fort chairman gradually moving from denial to acceptance, looks like. Thinks he's done a splendid job since taking over!

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/football/highland-league/4242200/fort-william-chairman-john-trew-upbeat-as-they-dispute-highland-league-relegation/

[WeAreElgin]

Don't back down, don't double down, triple down! Now it's the ex-chairman's fault. What a roaster.