Cancel the season?

[Arthurlie1981]

I think it was the right decision to stop just now and I hope it can get restarted as soon as possible but I don’t think it should impact upon next season. This would be unfair to the clubs that sat out this season and (unless I am mistaken) was never mentioned in the discussions at the start of this campaign.

If the league can’t be finished then a PPG should be implemented to allow for the winner to go into the playoff (if they are licensed).

[beith19]

In theory I don't have a problem with PPG and don't have an issue whether its Clydebank, Darvel, Kilwinning or whoever but would be crazy to do after just 7 games played ie less than a 3rd of games played.

[Arthurlie1981]

In theory I don't have a problem with PPG and don't have an issue whether its Clydebank, Darvel, Kilwinning or whoever but would be crazy to do after just 7 games played ie less than a 3rd of games played.

Sorry I should have clarified that I meant after a minimum amount of games (for argument sake say 50%) if the league get restarted. If it doesn’t get restarted then I think you have to null and void but if teams are licensed in time it very harsh on them not to have the opportunity to qualify for the play offs.

I don’t envy the situation the IMG find themselves in.

[FairWeatherFan]

1 minute ago, Arthurlie1981 said:

I don’t envy the situation the IMG find themselves in.

Coming back is out of their hands at least, that's the main issue. They can't really do anything until the SFA/SG give the go ahead. If there's the option to play out 2020-21 before moving on to 2021-22, the IMG has shown some creativity to make a season work. Who else remembers the brief groups and phases idea

Changing up to playing everyone once isn't ideal, but only requires eight league games max. Chances are the SFA will keep the February licencing deadline and football will still be stopped, so those chasing promotion will know if they'd even be eligible before any restart.

 

[Big Dougie]

3 hours ago, jimbaxters said:

You failed in that case. Talbot, like some other big clubs, took the decision not to play as it was obvious the season would be a bum steer, despite the IMG's kidding on everything was ok. 

I’m sorry, but I don’t think did. The hypocrisy still remains, and if the decision was taken on health and safety grounds why would they put players out on loan, and still commit to playing in a completion from last year? I should add that Pollok come into the same category.

Edited January 14, 2021 by Big Dougie

[Big Dougie]

4 hours ago, jimbaxters said:

You failed in that case. Talbot, like some other big clubs, took the decision not to play as it was obvious the season would be a bum steer, despite the IMG's kidding on everything was ok. 

Can you explain how the IMG kidded everyone on, was there not a vote taken from the clubs?

[FairWeatherFan]

4 hours ago, jimbaxters said:

Talbot, like some other big clubs, took the decision not to play as it was obvious the season would be a bum steer, despite the IMG's kidding on everything was ok. 

I don't remember them being that decisive. What with playing friendlies, and choosing to delay the start of the season until sometime fans could attend.

The only reason they opted out was because a majority of clubs chose to start the season when they did. If Talbot had their way I wonder how long they would have kept playing BDC friendlies waiting for an official start to the season?

[jimbaxters]

1 hour ago, Big Dougie said:

Can you explain how the IMG kidded everyone on, was there not a vote taken from the clubs?

Wasn't referring to the league starting. That began with the clubs who wanted to play, you're right.

They kidded themselves on recently by saying it was correct to play on because the SFA or other "experts" hadn't said otherwise, when the blatant reality was that football at this level should have been stopped. In the end it was taken out of their hands, thankfully.

Edited January 14, 2021 by jimbaxters

[jimbaxters]

36 minutes ago, FairWeatherFan said:

I don't remember them being that decisive. What with playing friendlies, and choosing to delay the start of the season until sometime fans could attend.

The only reason they opted out was because a majority of clubs chose to start the season when they did. If Talbot had their way I wonder how long they would have kept playing BDC friendlies waiting for an official start to the season?

Not sure what you mean with this. From afar, it looked like they decided not to start the season, I guess, after having sampled the supporterless friendlies. There was no way in the world COVID would miraculously have gone by now.

[FairWeatherFan]

5 minutes ago, jimbaxters said:

Not sure what you mean with this. From afar, it looked like they decided not to start the season, I guess, after having sampled the supporterless friendlies. There was no way in the world COVID would miraculously have gone by now.

Quote

The Club considered that the best and safest way forward was to pause the season awaiting the possibility of restrictions being eased, this sadly was not the result of the recent all clubs ballot.

https://www.auchinlecktalbot.com/talbot-statement/

Talbot only withdrew after the vote went against their choice of delaying the season. They were happy to take a wait and see approach dragging things out. So they clearly didn't share your foresight of their being no chance of a season being played in 2020-21.

[jimbaxters]

Just now, FairWeatherFan said:

https://www.auchinlecktalbot.com/talbot-statement/

Talbot only withdrew after the vote went against their choice of delaying the season. They were happy to take a wait and see approach dragging things out. So they clearly didn't share your foresight of their being no chance of a season being played in 2020-21.

Ok fair enough re the delay. Thanks for the link.

The fact that they didn't want to play without fans still stands though.

[Ginaro]

2 hours ago, Arthurlie1981 said:

Sorry I should have clarified that I meant after a minimum amount of games (for argument sake say 50%) if the league get restarted. If it doesn’t get restarted then I think you have to null and void but if teams are licensed in time it very harsh on them not to have the opportunity to qualify for the play offs.

I don’t envy the situation the IMG find themselves in.

It seems like the LL/EOS/WOS have agreed that the leagues can be called at 50% according to the EOS fixture secretary. So unless there's no football played until late May then that should be possible for all three leagues.

Edited January 14, 2021 by Ginaro

[jimbaxters]

5 minutes ago, Ginaro said:

It seems like the LL/EOS/WOS have agreed that the leagues can be called at 50% according to the EOS fixture secretary. So unless there's no football played until late May then that should be possible for all three leagues.

Would that also be dependent on whether all the teams resume at the restart?

Edited January 14, 2021 by jimbaxters

[Arthurlie1981]

Coming back is out of their hands at least, that's the main issue. They can't really do anything until the SFA/SG give the go ahead. If there's the option to play out 2020-21 before moving on to 2021-22, the IMG has shown some creativity to make a season work. Who else remembers the brief groups and phases idea [emoji4]
Changing up to playing everyone once isn't ideal, but only requires eight league games max. Chances are the SFA will keep the February licencing deadline and football will still be stopped, so those chasing promotion will know if they'd even be eligible before any restart.
 

I agree with a lot of what you said.

Just to make clear I don’t blame the IMG. I think that have done a great job in the worst circumstances imaginable. To even get started with a brand new league would have been testing but to do it in a global pandemic. Your 100% right they are at the beck and call of the SFA and hopefully they can get restarted in March.

[Arthurlie1981]

It seems like the LL/EOS/WOS have agreed that the leagues can be called at 50% according to the EOS fixture secretary. So unless there's no football played until late May then that should be possible for all three leagues.

Thanks for that. Hadn’t seen that mentioned so good to hear it. Your right if it can be called at 50% then they can certainly finish in time for the season to end by the end of June. The most any team in the top division would have to play would 7 games with some teams only having to play 4 so it can be done to allow for any licensed team that wins the division to qualify and take part in the play offs.

[cmontheloknow]

2 hours ago, Big Dougie said:

I’m sorry, but I don’t think did. The hypocrisy still remains, and if the decision was taken on health and safety grounds why would they put players out on loan, and still commit to playing in a completion from last year? I should add that Pollok come into the same category.

Can't really stop the players going out on loan seeing as the club is shut down on the playing front. It's their individual right to put themselves at whatever risk they see as being there. We as a club felt we couldn't make the season a viable (would it finish - we wanted a delay untl the pandemic ended... still no sign of that.... and at what cost?) or safe one for our volunteers or players. It was a financial decision as much as a health one. Asking the players to play for free is all well and good, but we're a semi pro club. SPFL sides are rightly paying wages to people for their work. 

Edited January 14, 2021 by cmontheloknow

[Shanner]

Maybe it's the new "statement culture" in football but do people expect volunteer-led clubs to come out and explain the minutiae of decisions to every tom, dick, and harry with a social media account?  could they ever satisfy the curiosity of the paranoid bampots if they did? 

this implication that there's some sort of underhanded motive driving the clubs that didn't participate is tinfoil helmet stuff and seems rooted in a need to fling blame around like a daft spoiled wean. 

[Andy groundhopper]

Would be interesting to see leagues calling it a day after 50% of games, or maybe the divisions could split in half or something, to create mini lges just to complete the season sometime. Hopefully by March things may look a lot brighter with everyone more positive

[Blackie Gold]

8 hours ago, Yogi said:

 

 

 

I wouldn’t say the players are anything like you described but the fans are a bunch of arrogant wan£ers

Your right we are, and its great to see someone seething about it! Makes it all the better.

[TheAftonBear]

Fitba without fans is nothing.

 

Season shouldn't have started without fans in first place.

 

If this season is completed and it looks like a big if then all fans of the team that wins the league will forever hear is "you won that league without 5 teams that should have been in it"