West of Scotland Football, What Is The Future?

[Tutankhamen]

1 minute ago, MacGafraidh said:

That’s a fair point but having read the Junior forum for years, there is an appetite for playing teams close to them. 

Who exactly do you support?

[Ginaro]

46 minutes ago, MacGafraidh said:

Once the first season goes by, clubs should almost be in their place in the tiers.

I would love to see it form out like this...

WOS Premier
WOS First

WOS Second (split regionally)

any new clubs file into the Second league until that’s full and build a new level when we have too many clubs

Assuming the structure goes back to a 16-team Premiership and Championship, that leaves 35 teams for a regional divisions below (12/12/11). Here's what I think that could look like - split into North/Central/South. I worked out the clubs who would likely have played in Leagues One and Two had next season continued as normal and put them in the regional leagues, along with the four new clubs.

[MacGafraidh]

1 minute ago, Tutankhamen said:

Who exactly do you support?

Me, Dundee United but have lived in the states for 13 years. Used to visit junior games when United weren’t playing on a Sunday, usually in and around the Glasgow area.

[Tutankhamen]

Just now, MacGafraidh said:

Me, Dundee United but have lived in the states for 13 years. Used to visit junior games when United weren’t playing on a Sunday, usually in and around the Glasgow area.

Just to clarify, the West Juniors kicked the "Hobbit" shire leagues into touch a couple of years back.

[MacGafraidh]

5 minutes ago, Ginaro said:

Assuming the structure goes back to a 16-team Premiership and Championship, that leaves 35 teams for a regional divisions below (12/12/11). Here's what I think that could look like - split into North/Central/South. I worked out the clubs who would likely have played in Leagues One and Two had next season continued as normal and put them in the regional leagues, along with the four new clubs.

That is pretty impressive and way more comprehensive than my half explained idea, thanks!

1 minute ago, Tutankhamen said:

Just to clarify, the West Juniors kicked the "Hobbit" shire leagues into touch a couple of years back.

That’s a good thing as my idea of football is that we are all competing to play at the highest level possible. I wasn’t a fan that the teams which I viewed as better (the top juniors) and in some cases equal to, had this artificial grade divide.

also if you were a casual observer looking to take in a junior game and were trying to plan it say 3 months out (this was ten or so years ago mind) you had to be Bergerac to figure out who might be playing local at that point as fixtures came out in drive and drabs.

[Tutankhamen]

13 minutes ago, MacGafraidh said:

That is pretty impressive and way more comprehensive than my half explained idea, thanks!

That’s a good thing as my idea of football is that we are all competing to play at the highest level possible. I wasn’t a fan that the teams which I viewed as better (the top juniors) and in some cases equal to, had this artificial grade divide.

also if you were a casual observer looking to take in a junior game and were trying to plan it say 3 months out (this was ten or so years ago mind) you had to be Bergerac to figure out who might be playing local at that point as fixtures came out in drive and drabs.

Non starter a region with a region in the West.

Been there, done it.

Most serious clubs and supporters were happy to see the back of it.

[FairWeatherFan]

Even if they don't split regionally, splitting at a certain point might be on the cards. Division ?? Conferences A and B. Allows for reshuffles with clubs coming and going.

[Raven]

Not the most important point, but could we maybe drop the nonsense naming systems with premierships and championships and 'league one' that's really Div3? Or are sponsors more gullible for this stuff?

[glensmad]

Not the most important point, but could we maybe drop the nonsense naming systems with premierships and championships and 'league one' that's really Div3? Or are sponsors more gullible for this stuff?

Yes please, after the conferences let's have Premier League, 1st Division, 2nd Division, 3rd Division. No "Championship" guff for the 2nd tier, no "League One" crap name for the 3rd tier. It's cringeworthy.

[Raven]

1 minute ago, glensmad said:

21 minutes ago, Raven said:

Not the most important point, but could we maybe drop the nonsense naming systems with premierships and championships and 'league one' that's really Div3? Or are sponsors more gullible for this stuff?

Yes please, after the conferences let's have Premier League, 1st Division, 2nd Division, 3rd Division. No "Championship" guff for the 2nd tier, no "League One" crap name for the 3rd tier. It's cringeworthy.

Hehe you tricked me for a moment there...thought you were agreeing till I read 'premier league'

[MacGafraidh]

I don’t mind premier but championship is padding it a bit!

[glensmad]

I don’t mind premier but championship is padding it a bit!

The people who unimaginatively chose to copy England with these names don't even realise why England did it in the first place. When the English Premiership was formed, it was a breakaway league from the EFL, so the 2nd tier in England became the top league under the control of the EFL and used the old trophy, hence them calling it the Championship.

When the Scottish leagues were rebranded, some loony thought that the English names were cool and decided to copy them, without asking why they were called what they were.

When the West juniors then did the same it was cringeworthy.

They don't do it in Spain (La Liga and Segunda), Germany (Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2) or Italy (Serie A and Serie B) etc.

Let's get back to something sensible now that we can rid ourselves of that nonsense.

[Tutankhamen]

15 minutes ago, glensmad said:

The people who unimaginatively chose to copy England with these names don't even realise why England did it in the first place. When the English Premiership was formed, it was a breakaway league from the EFL, so the 2nd tier in England became the top league under the control of the EFL and used the old trophy, hence them calling it the Championship.

When the Scottish leagues were rebranded, some loony thought that the English names were cool and decided to copy them, without asking why they were called what they were.

When the West juniors then did the same it was cringeworthy.

They don't do it in Spain (La Liga and Segunda), Germany (Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2) or Italy (Serie A and Serie B) etc.

Let's get back to something sensible now that we can rid ourselves of that nonsense.

SKY Division 1?

[MacGafraidh]

37 minutes ago, glensmad said:

The people who unimaginatively chose to copy England with these names don't even realise why England did it in the first place. When the English Premiership was formed, it was a breakaway league from the EFL, so the 2nd tier in England became the top league under the control of the EFL and used the old trophy, hence them calling it the Championship.

When the Scottish leagues were rebranded, some loony thought that the English names were cool and decided to copy them, without asking why they were called what they were.

When the West juniors then did the same it was cringeworthy.

They don't do it in Spain (La Liga and Segunda), Germany (Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2) or Italy (Serie A and Serie B) etc.

Let's get back to something sensible now that we can rid ourselves of that nonsense.

Couldn’t agree more and thanks for filling me in on the history too. 

[ICTPAISLEY]

The people who unimaginatively chose to copy England with these names don't even realise why England did it in the first place. When the English Premiership was formed, it was a breakaway league from the EFL, so the 2nd tier in England became the top league under the control of the EFL and used the old trophy, hence them calling it the Championship.

When the Scottish leagues were rebranded, some loony thought that the English names were cool and decided to copy them, without asking why they were called what they were.

When the West juniors then did the same it was cringeworthy.

They don't do it in Spain (La Liga and Segunda), Germany (Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2) or Italy (Serie A and Serie B) etc.

Let's get back to something sensible now that we can rid ourselves of that nonsense.

The First Division wasn’t changed to the Championship until 2004.

[glensmad]

The First Division wasn’t changed to the Championship until 2004.

Correct, it was a re-branding exercise, but at least it still made sense at the time as it was the top league under the EFL at the time.

For any league system to have the "Championship winners" not actually winning the top league is just daft, in my opinion.

[MacGafraidh]

I loved the Endsleigh ads when they sponsored the league

 

Endsleigh - we are in a league of our own!

[Blackie Gold]

13 hours ago, nicotina said:

why not play it preseason with the proceeds going to a good cause

The match coincides with the Irvine gala week and has been part of the celebrations for a vast number of years. It's well attended and gives both clubs a good cash injection at the start of the season.  My only suggestion is the put both clubs in the same conference and make the game a league fixture at the same time as the gala. Unfortunately this would probably only last one season, but would give the league and the two clubs time to sort something out.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

Don't think you can alter the conferences just so the Irvine teams get their wee jolly at an exact time of the year. However I would hope and presume if it is important to both clubs then the league and opposition clubs will allow fixtures to be rearranged to allow it to go ahead.

[Blackie Gold]

1 hour ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Don't think you can alter the conferences just so the Irvine teams get their wee jolly at an exact time of the year. However I would hope and presume if it is important to both clubs then the league and opposition clubs will allow fixtures to be rearranged to allow it to go ahead.

At the moment ( don't quote me on it) the possible permetations of the Conferences have still to be decided so there would be no need to alter.  I work in Irvine and this game is very important to the town, and has crowds in the four figures.  I do  agree with the last part of your post.