theoriginalhedge Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 8 minutes ago, virginton said: I think you'll find that the self preservation is at tier 5, where absolute dung outfits like Vale of Leithen and Fort William have to be dragged kicking and screaming out of the league and only if Mercury is in retrograde at the time. Broomhill and Caledonian Braves are a first team squad without any fans or community to sustain them. Old Firm B teams are a disgrace to the entire game. That's some less worthy teams right there. The argument for further opening up the 42 is not convincing right now given that the Lowland and Highland League are not pulling up any trees of their own. I'd give club 42 at least a 40% chance of winning the play-off at the end of this season: more if the Highland League contrives to provide the non-league finalist. When there is a backlog of clearly capable clubs at tier 5 level then it is time to reform. The biggest obstacle to that happening though are the self-preservation brigade in the LL and not the big, bad SPFL. You have made some very valid points . However in defence of tier 5 , there does now appear to be a system in place to allow movement through the pyramid so they are no less self preserving than the SPFL . The dung outfits as you so quaintly describe them will ultimately go down to whichever level and it is up to them after that to fight their way back. I do agree entirely with the colt scenario and to a certain extent with the gypsy clubs but that example has been and is still accepted in different forms in the SPFL . Not all as black and white as you make out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inanimate Carbon Rod Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 56 minutes ago, BANKIEBILL said: R5 exit 47250 R6 102000 Semi 177000 And no I refuse to print any more Id take the semi finals plus gate money haha. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairWeatherFan Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 31 minutes ago, virginton said: I think you'll find that the self preservation is at tier 5, where absolute dung outfits like Vale of Leithen and Fort William have to be dragged kicking and screaming out of the league and only if Mercury is in retrograde at the time. VoL would have been relegated without any fuss if it hadn't been for two COVID interrupted seasons. Fort William haven't had anything to be relegated into until this season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Burton Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 VoL would have been relegated without any fuss if it hadn't been for two COVID interrupted seasons. Fort William haven't had anything to be relegated into until this season. I could be mistaken but I don't think VoL would have been relegated even if there was no Covid issues last season.Kelty went up, Brechin went to the HL and the winner of the tier 6 play off would have taken Kelty's place with VoL spared relegation.Factor in the LL deciding to increase the size of their league by admitting two Old Firm B teams rather than two teams from tier 6 and I do agree that the bottleneck between tier 5 and 6 is worse than between tier 4 and 5. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 12 minutes ago, Jack Burton said: I could be mistaken but I don't think VoL would have been relegated even if there was no Covid issues last season. Kelty went up, Brechin went to the HL and the winner of the tier 6 play off would have taken Kelty's place with VoL spared relegation. They would have. LL was running with 17 after 'reprieving' Vale in 2019-20. 17 - Kelty + champion from tier 6 (e.g. Jeanfield) = 17 - bottom of LL (Vale) = 16 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairWeatherFan Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 28 minutes ago, Jack Burton said: I could be mistaken but I don't think VoL would have been relegated even if there was no Covid issues last season. Kelty went up, Brechin went to the HL and the winner of the tier 6 play off would have taken Kelty's place with VoL spared relegation. Factor in the LL deciding to increase the size of their league by admitting two Old Firm B teams rather than two teams from tier 6 and I do agree that the bottleneck between tier 5 and 6 is worse than between tier 4 and 5. Even with COVID last season VoL were on the verge of relegation. All it would have taken was the one of the Tier 6 leagues to declare a champion with a licence. Which is why VoL were in a panic when the LL declared league positions. As for the bottleneck being worse. The season started with 34 licenced clubs directly below SPFL2. There were 25 licenced clubs directly below LL. The LL at least have a guaranteed promotion playoff spot for T6 compared to the relegation playoff for SPFL2. The OF B teams are a load of horsesh*t but really only merits a complaint over a bottleneck if they hang around. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted January 20, 2022 Share Posted January 20, 2022 A look how the teams compare in terms of their rankings from: http://scotscores.theroonba.com/clubrank/clubrank.html Not too many close games predicted but we'll see what happens. Home Away Gap Result Hibernian v Cove Rangers 3461 3264 197 Home Rangers v Stirling Albion 3713 2890 823 Home Auchinleck Talbot v Heart of Midlothian 3106 3499 -393 Away Peterhead v East Kilbride 3013 2915 98 Home Clydebank v Annan Athletic 2876 3007 -131 Away/Draw Banks O' Dee v Raith Rovers 2926 3269 -343 Away Motherwell v Greenock Morton 3375 3200 175 Home Kelty Hearts v St Johnstone 3126 3315 -189 Away Livingston v Ross County 3375 3400 -25 Home/Draw Dumbarton v Dundee 2890 3289 -399 Away Aberdeen v Edinburgh City 3404 2880 524 Home Ayr United v St Mirren 3114 3360 -246 Away Kilmarnock v Dundee United 3327 3303 24 Home/Draw Partick Thistle v Airdrieonians 3219 3149 70 Home Arbroath v Darvel 3361 2994 367 Home Alloa Athletic v Celtic 3017 3679 -662 Away 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invergowrie arab Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 What we thinking for the telly? Obviously two are gone. Kelty "fairytale" or Hibs Arbroath. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 18 hours ago, invergowrie arab said: What we thinking for the telly? Obviously two are gone. Kelty "fairytale" or Hibs Arbroath. Arbroath v Hibs for definite. It's a question of what the other one will be. St Mirren v Kelty is an interesting one. Normally I'd say that the lower league team being away makes it less attractive, but plenty of teams have proved that wrong in recent seasons by making the games much closer than they should be - Cove and Morton in the last round alone to name but two. If the BBC don't go for that, then Motherwell v Aberdeen sticks out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 Think Kelty will want to avoid being picked after what happened last time they were on the magic talky box. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 On 20/01/2022 at 12:05, Ginaro said: A look how the teams compare in terms of their rankings from: http://scotscores.theroonba.com/clubrank/clubrank.html Not too many close games predicted but we'll see what happens. Only one real shock this round and that was Kelty. Livingston and Dundee United were slight underdogs in the rankings but got through, Clydebank also belied their ranking and should've at least got to penalties. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Looking ahead to next season, appears there should be almost a full complement in the single Preliminary. There were 15 byes this season - dished out randomly - but add: * South East & West Shield winner (likely Crossgates, Leith, Rutherglen, Drumchapel or St Cadocs) * Midland League winner (likely Dundee East Craigie or Carnoustie) * Amateur Cup winner * Junior Cup winner if not Auchinleck * say 6 or 7 new licensed clubs (perhaps 3 or 4 West, 2 Midland, 1 East?) makes ~10 more, requiring only ~5 byes. Plus could be slightly underestimating licensees. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Surely the North Caledonian champions should be getting in if every other Tier 6 league champion is? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 9 minutes ago, craigkillie said: Surely the North Caledonian champions should be getting in if every other Tier 6 league champion is? True, albeit no idea if they're looking to have a slot, they didn't previously. Likely be Loch Ness or Invergordon - although either could yet be caught by licensed Golspie. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranaldo Bairn Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 The competition is just getting better and better. Hat doffed in the direction of the SFA! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherrif John Bunnell Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 One step closer to the Coupe de France-esque dream tournament. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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