New clubs in the West of Scotland

[morley]

With Campbeltown Pupils AFC joining thought I would share this video from the BBC "a view from the terrace" last year about them if not seen it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0852fxw

[LongTimeLurker]

Sadly Garrelburn is no longer with us to provide details on what is happening in Kilsyth. I assume this is where Kilsyth Athletic will be playing?

https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9726318,-4.0585979,359a,35y,277.12h,44.88t/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Wonder how keen Kilsyth Rangers are on having a local rival? Presumably they won't be forced by circumstances to cohabit with them unlike the Bo'ness scenario.

[Dev]

There's a different set of criteria for Tier 5 compared to beneath that and the Development Division of the WoS has less stringent ground criteria than  Tier 5 and current Tiers 6 and 7. Perhaps that's clearer?

Development clubs will be Associate Members with therefore lesser criteria whilst they get their grounds up to scratch.

Hope that explains things better.

[santheman]

4 hours ago, parkcircus said:

Finnart and BSC will be playing at Spingburn until their home grounds pass the criteria 

So with Rossvale announcing they're playing there as well how will that work out fixture wise

[Burnieman]

8 minutes ago, Dev said:

There's a different set of criteria for Tier 5 compared to beneath that and the Development Division of the WoS has less stringent ground criteria than  Tier 5 and current Tiers 6 and 7. Perhaps that's clearer?

Development clubs will be Associate Members with therefore lesser criteria whilst they get their grounds up to scratch.

Hope that explains things better.

I think most people are aware of all that.

[glensmad]

So with Rossvale announcing they're playing there as well how will that work out fixture wise

Rossvale are intending to play at Petetshill, not Springburn.

[santheman]

Just now, glensmad said:

12 minutes ago, santheman said:

So with Rossvale announcing they're playing there as well how will that work out fixture wise

Rossvale are intending to play at Petetshill, not Springburn.

Ah right thought it was one and the same. Hopes of a Saturday night game there for a mo

[Pyramidic]

17 minutes ago, Dev said:

There's a different set of criteria for Tier 5 compared to beneath that and the Development Division of the WoS has less stringent ground criteria than  Tier 5 and current Tiers 6 and 7. Perhaps that's clearer?

Development clubs will be Associate Members with therefore lesser criteria whilst they get their grounds up to scratch.

Hope that explains things better.

It is interesting to question why Harthill Royal can only be an Associate Member? Surely as a bona fide semi-professional club with a strong Junior pedigree they would meet the full membership entry requirements of the WOSFL. 

[FairWeatherFan]

5 minutes ago, glensmad said:

17 minutes ago, santheman said:

So with Rossvale announcing they're playing there as well how will that work out fixture wise

Rossvale are intending to play at Petetshill, not Springburn.

Going by Kennie there might be 3 WoS members at Petershill. As someone other than Petershill are meant to have put in a request to use it.

[Pyramidic]

The latest press coverage:

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/west-scotland-league-nine-new-24090768

Extract:

”Nine new teams have been accepted into the West of Scotland League with more expected to follow ahead of a new division kicking off in July.

St Peters, Harthill, Harmony Row, Kilsyth Athletic, Finnart, Glenvale, Campbeltown Pupils AFC, Westerton Utd and Broomhill Sports Club join as associate members and will ply their trade in a standalone WoSFL Development League.

 

The new set-up allows ambitious clubs time to get their grounds up to a standard that would make them eligible to join the WoSFL's Third Division as early as 2022.”

Edited May 12, 2021 by Pyramidic

[LongTimeLurker]

5 minutes ago, santheman said:

Ah right thought it was one and the same. Hopes of a Saturday night game there for a mo

You were not alone. Maybe this is the location?

https://www.google.com/maps/@55.8885858,-4.2189656,290m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Partick Thistle were mentioned at one point by parkcircus where Finnart were concerned and it appears to fit:

https://ptct.org.uk/pitch-booking/

[morley]

Not that it really makes a difference, but if the new development league (4th division) is to be a standalone league, is it technically therefore not considered part of the pyramid and therefore the clubs not classed as senior teams? 

Edited May 12, 2021 by morley

[LongTimeLurker]

This message earlier appeared to imply that they could potentially be playing in the South Challenge Cup next season so looks like they are part of the pyramid but need to get their home grounds sorted out to be able to progress and fully participate in cups:

4 hours ago, parkcircus said:

Actually this is being looked into and will raised at the SSCC meeting this week

Non-licensed clubs already have similar glass ceilings on what they can do in progression and cup participation terms.

[theesel1994]

50 minutes ago, Pyramidic said:

It is interesting to question why Harthill Royal can only be an Associate Member? Surely as a bona fide semi-professional club with a strong Junior pedigree they would meet the full membership entry requirements of the WOSFL. 

If that's the case they'll go into Division Three after the first season. They won't be allowed to displace any of the original clubs which could have happened if they were placed in the Conferences for 2021-22.

[glensmad]

6 minutes ago, theesel1994 said:

If that's the case they'll go into Division Three after the first season. They won't be allowed to displace any of the original clubs which could have happened if they were placed in the Conferences for 2021-22.

Correct, as long as they are accepted by the members at the 2022 AGM.

The WoSFL Board is committed to honouring the previous administration's promise to all clubs (and agreement with the Scottish FA) that the originally planned 2020-21 season would be rolled over to 2021-22, with the same teams in the same leagues and conferences, and that no team would be disadvantaged by not taking part in 2020-21. Introducing new teams to the conferences could potentially competitively disadvantage the teams in the conferences, so new teams joining have been aware for some time that it would likely be initially through the "Division 4" concept.

[LongTimeLurker]

3 hours ago, theesel1994 said:

Interesting. I was under the impression only the League winner went up and thought Harthill may be regretting heir decision should they fail to win the League.

So, what happens if the 9 clubs plus the two still in talks get their ground up to standard? It's going to be quite a big Division Three. Is that the full criteria they must meet? There will be clubs already in the League not yet met that full criteria - if Div 4 Development League have to meet full criteria, they could be at a higher standard than those clubs and denied a place. What time scale is there on the current clubs to reach full criteria?

Am I right in assuming then there's only one promotion place for the development league for the champion subject to being accepted at the AGM and that other clubs that get accepted into full membership after finishing below that will stay in Div 4 Development League the following season which will be joined at that point by at least one other new club (Blantyre SC)?

[theesel1994]

2 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Am I right in assuming then there's only one promotion place for the development league for the champion subject to being accepted at the AGM and that other clubs that get accepted into full membership after finishing below that will stay in Div 4 Development League the following season which will be joined at that point by at least one other new club (Blantyre SC)?

I think they're now saying that all clubs whose ground meets the criteria will go into Division Three for 2022-23. So the priority is ground criteria not league position. So in theory you could win the league and not get promoted because your ground isn't up to standard or you could finish bottom and you do get promoted because your ground is up to standard.

This is hurting my head now. Please tell me I'm reading this right.

EDIT: Don't you just hate it when you notice a spelling mistake (twice) after your post has been quoted.

Edited May 12, 2021 by theesel1994

[parkcircus]

9 minutes ago, theesel1994 said:

I think they're now saying that all clubs whose ground meets the criteria will go into Division Three for 2022-23. So the priority is ground criteria not league position. So in theory you could win the league and not get promoted because you're ground isn't up to standard or you could finish bottom and you do get promoted because you're ground is up to standard.

This is hurting my head now. Please tell me I'm reading this right.

That’s right, Although their will be a league winner, all clubs that have passed the ground criteria within the season will be forwarded to the AGM and Div 3. 

[Bundesliga Boy]

10 minutes ago, parkcircus said:

That’s right, Although their will be a league winner, all clubs that have passed the ground criteria within the season will be forwarded to the AGM and Div 3. 

Ok so that makes total sense, at least to me thus far.

One thing though....and don't judge as I've have a long day and the brain isn't quite functioning as it should.........are we assuming that all new clubs will likely meet the ground criteria within the year?

Just curious as to what would happen if say...7 did, and 2 did not.......would those two clubs have to go amateur for a season or two before reapplying when ground is up to scratch?

Or perhaps they believe only one or two will meet the criteria within a year therefore Div 4 could run for another season, especially if the rumours are true that a further club or two is likely to join the following season.

Apologies if I'm completely misinterpreting this.

[Stag Nation]

4 hours ago, Pyramidic said:

It is interesting to question why Harthill Royal can only be an Associate Member? Surely as a bona fide semi-professional club with a strong Junior pedigree they would meet the full membership entry requirements of the WOSFL. 

I can't be bothered looking up the WoS rules, but in most leagues new entrants are admitted as Associates (no voting rights) for at least their first season. I seem to remember that in the old SFL it was five seasons.