Highland Pyramid

[ham1sh68]

It's been a while since Sunnybank have been a force in the North Juniors. They have been in the First Division for a few years now. Their last Super league title was 2010.

Since the start of the Super league in 2001 the winners have been: 7 titles Banks o' Dee  ( currently untouchable), 6 Culter, 2 Sunnybank, 2 Hermes and in the inaugural season Formartine United.

[Ivo den Bieman]

1 hour ago, Cyclizine said:

Agreed, I always remember Sunnybank as being the big boys back in the day. Banks o' Dee a close second. Culter had a good few seasons 15 years ago or so, but are a distant third.

Yes, a near-death financial experience and a shadow of their former selves since. They sank Albion Rovers in the cup shortly before the financial implosion, as I recall.

[ham1sh68]

14 minutes ago, Ivo den Bieman said:

Yes, a near-death financial experience and a shadow of their former selves since. They sank Albion Rovers in the cup shortly before the financial implosion, as I 

Stilĺ one of only two North clubs to win the Scottish (in the early/mid fifties) along with Banks o' Dee. Perhaps Dee might have a sniff again if is only the rump of the Juniors left in the competition!

[LongTimeLurker]

8 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Don't think they've ever played in the same league and it doesn't look like happening anytime soon, ...

Wick were an NCL team before they joined the HL. Was there really no Thurso team back then?

[FairWeatherFan]

1 minute ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Wick were an NCL team before they joined the HL. Was there really no Thurso team back then?

The current club were only set up in 1998.

[Cyclizine]

3 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Wick were an NCL team before they joined the HL. Was there really no Thurso team back then?

Lots of Thurso teams then and now, but they play in the Caithness Amateur League: Acks, Swifts, Pentland, High Ormlie etc. I think Thurso FC were set up to give local players a winter season at (potentially) a higher level - although the standard in the amateur league is remarkably good for such a small area. Wick Academy's roots lie in the same league. There is rivalry between the two towns, but essentially Academy are the seen as the club for the whole county.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

The incoming Nairn St Ninian manager seems keen on a tier 6.

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/ambitious-nairn-football-club-aim-to-be-top-junior-side-and-look-towards-highland-league-198378

[FairWeatherFan]

9 minutes ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

The incoming Nairn St Ninian manager seems keen on a tier 6.

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/ambitious-nairn-football-club-aim-to-be-top-junior-side-and-look-towards-highland-league-198378

Makes sense for a club like Nairn since the Highland League wouldn't mean much difference to them in how they operate travel wise.

[MacGafraidh]

28 minutes ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

The incoming Nairn St Ninian manager seems keen on a tier 6.

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/ambitious-nairn-football-club-aim-to-be-top-junior-side-and-look-towards-highland-league-198378

What would it take to get the North Juniors interested?

[welshbairn]

2 hours ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

The incoming Nairn St Ninian manager seems keen on a tier 6.

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/ambitious-nairn-football-club-aim-to-be-top-junior-side-and-look-towards-highland-league-198378

Here's the full story. I'd have thought they'd have more chance in the NCL than the Juniors, maybe a bit less travelling too.

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by welshbairn

[tellyboy]

North Region Junior Clubs have voted 19/13 in favour of a Null  & Void Season in line with the East Region Management decision. Wont be popular with all and you can see it from both sides of the argument                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

[welshbairn]

1 hour ago, tellyboy said:

North Region Junior Clubs have voted 19/13 in favour of a Null  & Void Season in line with the East Region Management decision. Wont be popular with all and you can see it from both sides of the argument                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Can't imagine Banks o Dee will be too pleased considering their title wasn't in doubt.

[Bad Wolf]

On 01/05/2020 at 07:54, MacGafraidh said:

What would it take to get the North Juniors interested?

Removal of their champions' Scottish Cup place might be a start.

[Whitburn Vale]

55 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

Removal of their champions' Scottish Cup place might be a start.

Yeah totally agree Bad Wolf,its time the SFA got tough with the north juniors and wheeked their Scottish cup place from them.

I can see no reason why you would want to fart about in an organisation that isn't even interested in you.

[Whitburn Vale]

How can the SFA give a place in the Scottish cup to the anti pyramid North junior champions yet deny the pro pyramid NCL champions a place( Golspie excluded)!!.

How much longer is this farce going to be allowed and tolerated.

[Samsonite]

I understand each league have their own governing body & legislation but I still can believe these lower leagues are null & voiding their league's when there is little to no prizemoney involved and higher divisions in this country and around Europe are declaring league winner's etc, I know it means nothing in the grand scheme of things just personally find it very strange.

For people more informed than myself what is the main stumbling blocks In the North Juniors wanting to become part of the pyramid as in reality it will affect a handful of teams who could potentially make the step up the majority will still play in the same league's albeit under a different name/governing body and against the same teams they always have.

[welshbairn]

3 hours ago, Samsonite said:

I understand each league have their own governing body & legislation but I still can believe these lower leagues are null & voiding their league's when there is little to no prizemoney involved and higher divisions in this country and around Europe are declaring league winner's etc, I know it means nothing in the grand scheme of things just personally find it very strange.

For people more informed than myself what is the main stumbling blocks In the North Juniors wanting to become part of the pyramid as in reality it will affect a handful of teams who could potentially make the step up the majority will still play in the same league's albeit under a different name/governing body and against the same teams they always have.

Only reasons I can think of are:

1. They're quite happy as they are and don't want to have to think about improving their facilities.

2. Threats of having to get involved with the Tayside region.

3. Banks o Dee's influence.

[FairWeatherFan]

5 hours ago, Samsonite said:

I understand each league have their own governing body & legislation but I still can believe these lower leagues are null & voiding their league's when there is little to no prizemoney involved and higher divisions in this country and around Europe are declaring league winner's etc, I know it means nothing in the grand scheme of things just personally find it very strange.

For people more informed than myself what is the main stumbling blocks In the North Juniors wanting to become part of the pyramid as in reality it will affect a handful of teams who could potentially make the step up the majority will still play in the same league's albeit under a different name/governing body and against the same teams they always have.

Going into this season this had been the North Super League total points since Turriff, Formartine, and Strathspey juniors left for the Highland League. The North Superleague has been a 14 team league the entire time. So it gives a pretty could sense of who are the most successful clubs in the Region in that time.

You'll notice the most successful are all from Aberdeenshire, typically the city itself. Those clubs might be fearful of the Highland League due to the extra travel concerns. As well as the cost of facilities.

The lower you get the more common names you start to see. Deveronside/Deveronvale (HFL), Montrose Roselea/Montrose (SPFL), New Elgin/Elgin City (historic HFL/SPFL), Fraserburgh United/Fraserburgh (HFL), Nairn St Ninian/Nairn County (HFL), Buckie Rovers/Buckie Thistle (HFL), Forres Thistle/Forres Mechanics (HFL). Then one that might slip past people Buchanhaven Hearts/Peterhead (historic HFL/SPFL). Basically the lower leagues of the North Region are from towns or villages that already have a senior side in the mind of the Juniors, or aren't even good enough to make their Super League consistently. 

They'd rather have the 14-9-9 structure because the 9 team leagues given them something to play for, and that's enough for them.

[Cyclizine]

20 hours ago, Samsonite said:

I understand each league have their own governing body & legislation but I still can believe these lower leagues are null & voiding their league's when there is little to no prizemoney involved and higher divisions in this country and around Europe are declaring league winner's etc, I know it means nothing in the grand scheme of things just personally find it very strange.

For people more informed than myself what is the main stumbling blocks In the North Juniors wanting to become part of the pyramid as in reality it will affect a handful of teams who could potentially make the step up the majority will still play in the same league's albeit under a different name/governing body and against the same teams they always have.

 

17 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Only reasons I can think of are:

1. They're quite happy as they are and don't want to have to think about improving their facilities.

2. Threats of having to get involved with the Tayside region.

3. Banks o Dee's influence.

The junior clubs that had the potential to step up to the Highland League have pretty much already done it. Outside of a couple of club in the Superleague, the rest are essentially amateur clubs in level and operation. I suspect many of them don't really feel the pyramid applies to them, but I doubt that many would kick up a fuss if a formal route into the Highland League opened up; I just don't think most would actively campaign for this to happen.  

Any pyramid in the North is always going to be shallower and broader than the south of the country. There are fewer clubs spread over a much larger geographical area. Pragmatically, I think the NCL, North Superleague and a Dundee/Angus Superleague becoming Tier 6 feeders is probably the best solution, I think it's unlikely there'll be automatic relegation from the HFL any time soon, but allowing access to licencing for these clubs allows them to aspire to that, should they wish.

[afca32]

16 minutes ago, Cyclizine said:

 

The junior clubs that had the potential to step up to the Highland League have pretty much already done it. Outside of a couple of club in the Superleague, the rest are essentially amateur clubs in level and operation. I suspect many of them don't really feel the pyramid applies to them, but I doubt that many would kick up a fuss if a formal route into the Highland League opened up; I just don't think most would actively campaign for this to happen.  

Any pyramid in the North is always going to be shallower and broader than the south of the country. There are fewer clubs spread over a much larger geographical area. Pragmatically, I think the NCL, North Superleague and a Dundee/Angus Superleague becoming Tier 6 feeders is probably the best solution, I think it's unlikely there'll be automatic relegation from the HFL any time soon, but allowing access to licencing for these clubs allows them to aspire to that, should they wish.

Exactly this.