West of Scotland Football, What Is The Future?

[glensmad]

Or the other big clubs who ground share like Queen of the South/Heston Rovers

The Lowland League chairman's own club BSC Glasgow have always ground shared.

[FairWeatherFan]

26 minutes ago, Referee021 said:

The release of fixtures is a challenging scenario. 
 

If you take into consideration how many teams ground shared in the old west juniors, it surely must be far higher than that of any comparable Sos, LL, HL & Eos leagues. 
 

• Alloa (SPFL)/BSC (LL)
• Spartans (LL)/Edinburgh City (SPFL),
• Cumbernauld Colts (LL)/Clyde (SPFL),
• East Stirlingshire (LL)/Falkirk (SPFL)
• Stirling University (LL)/Stirling Albion (SPFL)

I think are the current arrangements in the LL. Plus a variety of others previously. It always gets managed.

It will probably be easier to arrange as most of the groundshares within the WoSFL are self contained to the one league body.

[Guest]

The release of fixtures is a challenging scenario. 
 
If you take into consideration how many teams ground shared in the old west juniors, it surely must be far higher than that of any comparable Sos, LL, HL & Eos leagues. 

Perhaps this will be a key consideration for how the 4 new divisions are formed. However, within one season that could all be up in the air and end up with a top division with at least 3 clubs ground sharing as they have no ground of their own, which I find completely unacceptable and ought to be mandated by the new league as an issue which must be addressed. 

It is relatively straight forward for one of the teams to be given a home game and the other an away. There is also the ability to play on other days, like some LL clubs have done, either Friday night (if a ground with lights) or a Sunday.

There are multiple ways to manage a groundshare. I'm not sure whats unacceptable about it, clubs have managed these things for years, as have fixture secretaries.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

The only issue I have with groundsharing is when ye end up like a situation Gretna/Motherwell had where it just ruined the pitch and led to cancellations and call offs which affected the fixtures for both sides toward the season's end. But aren't all those groundshares listed on astroturf pitches? Even if the fixtures come out with both clubs at home on the same weekend one can be pushed back to the Sunday or Friday night easily enough.

Edited April 21, 2020 by AsimButtHitsASix

[glensmad]

The only issue I have with groundsharing is when ye end up like a situation Gretna/Motherwell had where it just ruined the pitch and led to cancellations and call offs which affected the fixtures for both sides toward the season's end. But aren't all those groundshares listed on astroturf pitches? Even if the fixtures come out with both clubs at home on the same weekend one can be pushed back to the Sunday or Friday night easily enough.

Or even back to back games to give the four sets of supporters a bonus.

If it's ok for Celtic to ground share with Queen's Park for a while, then I'm sure it's ok at WoSFL level too.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

8 minutes ago, glensmad said:

Or even back to back games to give the four sets of supporters a bonus.

If it's ok for Celtic to ground share with Queen's Park for a while, then I'm sure it's ok at WoSFL level too.

Always wondered why back to back home games isn't done more often. If Greenock Juniors shared with Morton at Cappielow for a year I don't think I'd stick around for their game every weekend but I might do every now and then (presuming I could nip out to the Norseman for a pint inbetween). Ye'd imagine it would be beneficial to the smaller team.

ETA: I might be more keen on it for away days. If I'm paying to go down to Dumfries or through to Alloa for the day I might decide two games is better value

Edited April 21, 2020 by AsimButtHitsASix

[Referee021]

It doesn’t give great strength to an argument to compare to Italy. We’re in Scotland and we’re concerned for the Scottish game. 
 

Ground sharing should be a temporary solution to the issue, not the de facto norm.

It is not as simple as having one team play away and the other at home the following week. To infer that it is that simple is quite simply laughable.  

[glensmad]

It doesn’t give great strength to an argument to compare to Italy. We’re in Scotland and we’re concerned for the Scottish game. 
 
Ground sharing should be a temporary solution to the issue, not the de facto norm.
It is not as simple as having one team play away and the other at home the following week. To infer that it is that simple is quite simply laughable.  

In your opinion. Not in mine.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

5 minutes ago, Referee021 said:

Ground sharing should be a temporary solution to the issue, not the de facto norm.

Which clubs see ground sharing as the de facto norm?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

It doesn’t give great strength to an argument to compare to Italy. We’re in Scotland and we’re concerned for the Scottish game. 
 
Ground sharing should be a temporary solution to the issue, not the de facto norm.
It is not as simple as having one team play away and the other at home the following week. To infer that it is that simple is quite simply laughable.  

Aye ok.

[Dev]

2 hours ago, Referee021 said:

The release of fixtures is a challenging scenario. 
 

If you take into consideration how many teams ground shared in the old west juniors, it surely must be far higher than that of any comparable Sos, LL, HL & Eos leagues. 

Perhaps this will be a key consideration for how the 4 new divisions are formed. However, within one season that could all be up in the air and end up with a top division with at least 3 clubs ground sharing as they have no ground of their own, which I find completely unacceptable and ought to be mandated by the new league as an issue which must be addressed. 

When preparing fixtures clubs are paired up so one is home and the other away on the same day e.g. the OF. It's standard practice throughout sport not just football. 

I'm all for ground sharing. It's a fuller use of the facilities which are available instead of having them standing idle every other Saturday. Many clubs in lots of sports do this even if it's sharing with the reserves or amateurs or youth.

Why not use it to allow more clubs to play at the highest level they can achieve e.g. more clubs moving up to the pyramid leagues if they wish to?

Edited April 21, 2020 by Dev
.

[Tutankhamen]

Highland League farce will need to be dealt with long term.

[BANKIEBILL]

1 hour ago, Referee021 said:

It doesn’t give great strength to an argument to compare to Italy. We’re in Scotland and we’re concerned for the Scottish game. 
 

Ground sharing should be a temporary solution to the issue, not the de facto norm.

It is not as simple as having one team play away and the other at home the following week. To infer that it is that simple is quite simply laughable.  

I think you mean imply and groundsharing is here to stay so you had better get used to it 

Edited April 21, 2020 by BANKIEBILL

[Ped]

I actually think if the 2 teams are from the same town or city I think groundsharing is a great way forward for alot of areas I think its when teams ground share miles outwith there town or area 

[Guest]

It doesn’t give great strength to an argument to compare to Italy. We’re in Scotland and we’re concerned for the Scottish game. 
 
Ground sharing should be a temporary solution to the issue, not the de facto norm.
It is not as simple as having one team play away and the other at home the following week. To infer that it is that simple is quite simply laughable.  

And your experience of managing a groundshare, fixturing around a groundshare and any other associated potential issues is what exactly?

Obviously you must have said experience to make the point laughable.

[Marten]

1 hour ago, Tutankhamen said:

Highland League farce will need to be dealt with long term.

There are talks going on between the HFL, NCL & NRJFA. The latter is rumoured to not be in a hurry at all whilst the HFL seems to be willing to introduce relegation. What more can the HFL do?

[Bad Wolf]

3 hours ago, glensmad said:

Or even back to back games to give the four sets of supporters a bonus.

If it's ok for Celtic to ground share with Queen's Park for a while, then I'm sure it's ok at WoSFL level too.

It actually wasn't ok, it was part of the great conspiracy against Celtic, and therefore bad. Very bad.

[jimbaxters]

3 hours ago, Referee021 said:

It doesn’t give great strength to an argument to compare to Italy. We’re in Scotland and we’re concerned for the Scottish game. 
 

Ground sharing should be a temporary solution to the issue, not the de facto norm.

It is not as simple as having one team play away and the other at home the following week. To infer that it is that simple is quite simply laughable.  

How's it no'?

[Guest]

How's it no'?

Much better than my retort [emoji1]

[Tutankhamen]

3 hours ago, Marten said:

There are talks going on between the HFL, NCL & NRJFA. The latter is rumoured to not be in a hurry at all whilst the HFL seems to be willing to introduce relegation. What more can the HFL do?

Dissolve