Tier 4 - Restrictions.

[patriot1]

1 hour ago, GordonS said:

I think you're very definitely in a minority there. Are you generally opposed to the current restrictions or is it just football?

Kelty, Bonnyrigg and Brora aren't being denied opportunities by the "professional pyramid", they may be denied opportunities by a massive, unprecedented pandemic that has killed 80,000 people in the UK so far.

Lets hope the restrictions work, we're back playing by the end of March and those clubs get a crack at play-offs. If not, my own preference this time is to pick up where we left off no matter how long the shut-down, and have a truncated season afterwards. But at the end of the day it's only part time football. 

I definitely support the current restrictions. In fact I had my first vaccination today(I work in social care, I’m not over 80!!).

i would completely agree that we should pick up where we left off. In fact I said we should have done that last season.

Where I disagree is that Kelty and Brora were let down by the pyramid last season as Brechin used the pandemic to save their skins. Don’t forget Kelty were declared league champions so Covid or not should have had the chance of promotion. And I have no doubt that given the chance Brechin will do the exact same this year.

[grinderbrokeyourhearts]

4 hours ago, AlanCamelonfan said:

But they did so no luck. Bet all the rose faithful have tore up their posters of herdy 

Not a chance. Herdy is a club legend and delighted he’s got Camelon back competitive where they belong.

im supporting Camelon tonight. Hope you win and have a good cup run.  

[The Hologram]

4 hours ago, AlanCamelonfan said:

But they did so no luck. Bet all the rose faithful have tore up their posters of herdy 

unlike yourself Herdy welcome at Prestonfield any time 

[GordonS]

1 hour ago, patriot1 said:

I definitely support the current restrictions. In fact I had my first vaccination today(I work in social care, I’m not over 80!!).

i would completely agree that we should pick up where we left off. In fact I said we should have done that last season.

Where I disagree is that Kelty and Brora were let down by the pyramid last season as Brechin used the pandemic to save their skins. Don’t forget Kelty were declared league champions so Covid or not should have had the chance of promotion. And I have no doubt that given the chance Brechin will do the exact same this year.

Kelty would have had to play Brora, then the winner play Brechin, to decide which league each was playing in just before the season started. All of the play-offs through all the leagues were cancelled. I think it was harsh and it could have gone the other way but not unreasonable in all the circumstances.

Glad you've had your first jab, must be making you sleep a bit easier

[Strathman]

14 hours ago, GordonS said:

Kelty would have had to play Brora, then the winner play Brechin, to decide which league each was playing in just before the season started. All of the play-offs through all the leagues were cancelled. I think it was harsh and it could have gone the other way but not unreasonable in all the circumstances.

Glad you've had your first jab, must be making you sleep a bit easier

A difference with the other play offs being cancelled is that teams like Falkirk and Edinburgh City had the opportunity to win promotion via their own league. Brora and Kelty, as part of the same pyramid, were denied this. Surely that can’t be allowed to happen again even if seasons have to be extended.

[GordonS]

8 hours ago, Strathman said:

A difference with the other play offs being cancelled is that teams like Falkirk and Edinburgh City had the opportunity to win promotion via their own league. Brora and Kelty, as part of the same pyramid, were denied this. Surely that can’t be allowed to happen again even if seasons have to be extended.

Falkirk had the normal notice of the division they were going into and could cut their cloth accordingly. There's a pretty big drop in income between the Championship and L1. I don't know if there's a similar drop from L2 to the HL or LL, but if there is then getting a week or two's notice that you'd going into it would be pretty grim. How could you sign players for the coming season without knowing what sort of budget you'd have? I've got sympathy both ways on this one, there were no right answers. 

We're definitely now in the place where there should be automatic relegation from L2, though it still leaves the issue of the HL-LL play-off. But the SPFL can't agree on what biscuits to have with coffee so there's bugger all chance of them agreeing to any systematic changes.

[AlanCamelonfan]

12 hours ago, GordonS said:

Falkirk had the normal notice of the division they were going into and could cut their cloth accordingly. There's a pretty big drop in income between the Championship and L1. I don't know if there's a similar drop from L2 to the HL or LL, but if there is then getting a week or two's notice that you'd going into it would be pretty grim. How could you sign players for the coming season without knowing what sort of budget you'd have? I've got sympathy both ways on this one, there were no right answers. 

We're definitely now in the place where there should be automatic relegation from L2, though it still leaves the issue of the HL-LL play-off. But the SPFL can't agree on what biscuits to have with coffee so there's bugger all chance of them agreeing to any systematic changes.

Could still be automatic relegation from league 2 but still have playoff between lowland and highland league 

[FairWeatherFan]

12 hours ago, GordonS said:

Falkirk had the normal notice of the division they were going into and could cut their cloth accordingly. There's a pretty big drop in income between the Championship and L1. I don't know if there's a similar drop from L2 to the HL or LL

There was uncertainty over if it was still a thing, but Berwick Rangers accounts confirmed that there's still a parachute payment for the relegated SPFL side. So prize money wise the difference for finishing bottom couple of places in the SPFL and year one of non-league football is £5-10k. They'd also still participate in the SPFL cups and have the same entry point of the Scottish Cup.

It's then a case of fewer home games, possibility of less matchday revenue. Which might be balanced out with fewer expenses.

Second season the parachute payment halves, and lose entry in the SPFL League Cup and possibly the SPFL Challenge Cup.

Overall i'd say it's becoming a softer landing than what it was in the beginning. Just one none of the SPFL clubs really want as it does change how they operate quite a bit.

[Marshmallo]

12 hours ago, GordonS said:

Falkirk had the normal notice of the division they were going into and could cut their cloth accordingly. There's a pretty big drop in income between the Championship and L1. I don't know if there's a similar drop from L2 to the HL or LL, but if there is then getting a week or two's notice that you'd going into it would be pretty grim. How could you sign players for the coming season without knowing what sort of budget you'd have? I've got sympathy both ways on this one, there were no right answers. 

We're definitely now in the place where there should be automatic relegation from L2, though it still leaves the issue of the HL-LL play-off. But the SPFL can't agree on what biscuits to have with coffee so there's bugger all chance of them agreeing to any systematic changes.

Falkirk made a profit last year and have budgeted for no fans in attendance this year.

[GordonS]

4 hours ago, FairWeatherFan said:

There was uncertainty over if it was still a thing, but Berwick Rangers accounts confirmed that there's still a parachute payment for the relegated SPFL side. So prize money wise the difference for finishing bottom couple of places in the SPFL and year one of non-league football is £5-10k. They'd also still participate in the SPFL cups and have the same entry point of the Scottish Cup.

It's then a case of fewer home games, possibility of less matchday revenue. Which might be balanced out with fewer expenses.

Second season the parachute payment halves, and lose entry in the SPFL League Cup and possibly the SPFL Challenge Cup.

Overall i'd say it's becoming a softer landing than what it was in the beginning. Just one none of the SPFL clubs really want as it does change how they operate quite a bit.

There must be a loss of sponsorship and other payments though, and you can't attract better players in L2 than in the LL.

I think it's a much softer landing than most would think, there was nonsense talked about East Stirling going to the wall. But it's still very difficult to manage at very short notice so I have sympathy for those in that position and I understand why all the play-offs were cancelled.

[junglehenry]

Cannae wait till we can get back training and playing already.

Anybody had the flu this year?

[GordonS]

2 hours ago, junglehenry said:

Cannae wait till we can get back training and playing already.

Anybody had the flu this year?

Go on, enlighten us as to your thinking behind asking that question.

[Ginaro]

Fixture secretary Kenny McLean on a Midlothian radio station [1:15 in the audio below] last night talking about the current situation. Says the LL/EOS/WOS have agreed that if the season can't be finished, they can be called if half the fixtures have been played.

From what I can see only Blackburn/Musselburgh, Dunbar/Tranent, Musselburgh/Newtongrange have played each other twice so far.

 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Ginaro

[Cyclizine]

17 hours ago, GordonS said:

enlighten us as to your thinking

Probably being a bit optimistic there, Gordon

[FairWeatherFan]

1 hour ago, Ginaro said:

Fixture secretary Kenny McLean on a Midlothian radio station [1:15 in the audio below] last night talking about the current situation. Says the LL/EOS/WOS have agreed that if the season can't be finished, they can be called if half the fixtures have been played.

From what I can see only Blackburn/Musselburgh, Dunbar/Tranent, Musselburgh/Newtongrange have played each other twice so far.

 

I wonder if there will be the same desire to get a season completed if relegation after 50% of fixtures comes into play. For promotion you can see people pushing for it, but not so much on the relegation front. Bit of time to get things sorted whatever they plan on doing as the LL Playoff was due to run into the first week of June already.

[GordonS]

39 minutes ago, Cyclizine said:

Probably being a bit optimistic there, Gordon

I'm trying to be less confrontational on the internet but it doesn't come naturally.

[Ginaro]

36 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

I wonder if there will be the same desire to get a season completed if relegation after 50% of fixtures comes into play. For promotion you can see people pushing for it, but not so much on the relegation front. Bit of time to get things sorted whatever they plan on doing as the LL Playoff was due to run into the first week of June already.

No relegation means a 20 team league though and even more clubs relegated to get back to 16.

Kenny didn't mention the word split but he did say something about top and bottom, so if you can't complete 34 games the next best thing is for 24/25.

[FairWeatherFan]

21 minutes ago, Ginaro said:

No relegation means a 20 team league though and even more clubs relegated to get back to 16.

Kenny didn't mention the word split but he did say something about top and bottom, so if you can't complete 34 games the next best thing is for 24/25.

I've had the chance to listen to the programme. The good news with all this is that this isn't scrambling around, but actually a memorandum of understanding between the pyramid leagues dating back to last summer.

The bit about top and bottom seemed to me to get everyone to play once as the priority. Then the top play each other twice and bottom play each other twice. Seems to be a nightmare from arranging fixtures. A starting point would probably be those first games against teams early and the second ties against teams from opposite ends of the current standings to back of the rearranged calendar.

Just a wait and see now until the potential return.

[Andy groundhopper]

Think the big question with the EOS and other leagues, is IF the season can't be completed, how is the 20/21 campaign going to end ? Personally I'm against all divisional splits, playing each team once at least gives some sort of  semblance. Hopefully we can see a March return for all leagues.

[newcastle broon]

English non league clubs looking at proposals of ppg from the 2 seasons combined with promotions but no relegations. Not sure if that would work up here though? Interesting all the same? 

 

Edited January 15, 2021 by newcastle broon