Post by Panda on Jun 21, 2013 14:44:06 GMT 1
This is what I've come up with for the Scottish pyramid.
The hardest part was the Scottish League itself. Whatever the structure, it's a 2-team league at best, and with Rangers currently working their way back up, it's just a Celtic procession. So all these different structures effectively amount to trying to polish a turd.
Recent events have made me think the other Scottish clubs were just after more money, rather than trying to make Scottish football more interesting, and with the SPL/SFL merger, they've got their wish and I don't think they'll be in much of a hurry to change the 12-10-10-10 set up now.
Anyway, I've gone with 3 divisions of 14 for the professional league. No particular reason. It's different from what exists now and what exists now is crap so it's worth a go.
Below that, I've gone with two north/south divisions, similar to what has been put in place for next season, though I'd have at least one guaranteed promotion spot, maybe 2, rather than having a playoff against the league's bottom side. Each division has 16 teams. Below that, each division has 2 feeders, each with 14 teams. The next tier down has 6 divisions of 12 (or 11 in the case of the Highland section because I ran out of clubs) - 2 feeding into the northern feeders, and 4 feeding into the southern feeders.
My version of the non-league pyramid brings the senior and junior clubs under one umbrella, which results in some rather different line-ups compared to what we'll see in next season's Highland and Lowland leagues.
These are the divisions with example line-ups:
LEVEL 1
PREMIER DIVISION:
Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee, Dundee United, Greenock Morton, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Ross County, St. Johnstone, St. Mirren
LEVEL 2
DIVISION ONE:
Airdrieonians, Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Brechin City, Cowdenbeath, Dumbarton, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk, Forfar Athletic, Hamilton Academical, Livingston, Queen of the South, Raith Rovers, Stenhousemuir
LEVEL 3
DIVISION TWO:
Albion Rovers, Annan Athletic, Ayr United, Berwick Rangers, Clyde, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, Elgin City, Montrose, Peterhead, Queen's Park, Rangers, Stirling Albion, Stranraer
LEVEL 4
NORTHERN CONFERENCE:
Banks O'Dee, Brora Rangers, Clachnacuddin, Cove Rangers, Culter, Deveronside, Deveronvale, Dyce, Formartine United, Forres Mechanics, Fraserburgh, Hermes, Nairn County, Stirling University, Stoneywood, Wick Academy
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE:
Auchinleck Talbot, Bo'ness United, Bonnyrigg Rose, Cameleon, Clydebank, Dalbeattie Star, Gretna, Heston Rovers, Linlithgow Rose, Newton Stewart, Petershill, Spartans, St. Cuthbert Wanderers, Threave Rovers, Whitehill Welfare, Wigtown & Bladnoch
LEVEL 5
HIGHLAND LEAGUE:
Buckie Thistle, Fort William, Golspie Sutherland, Huntly, Inverness City, Inverurie Loco Works, Keith, Lossiemouth, Muir of Ord Rovers, New Elgin, Rothes, Strathspey Thistle, Thurso, Turriff United
NORTH EAST LEAGUE:
Aberdeen East End, Banchory St. Ternan, Carnoustie Panmure, Ellon United, Fraserburgh United, Glentanar, Hall Russell United, Lewis United, Lochee United, Longside, Maud, Parkvale, Stonehaven, Sunnybank
SOUTH OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE:
Abbey Vale, Arthurlie, Ashfield, Beith, Creetown, Crichton, Cumnock, Glenafton Athletic, Irvine Meadow, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, Mid Annandale, Nithsdale Wanderers, Pollok, Shotts Bon Accord
EAST OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE:
Broxburn Athletic, Civil Service Strollers, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh University, Heriot-Watt University, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Kelty Hearts, Lothian Thistle, Musselburgh Athletic, Preston Athletic, Sauchie, St. Andrews United, Tynecastle, Vale of Leithen
LEVEL 6
HIGHLAND LEAGUE 2:
Alness United, Buckie Rovers, Burghead Thistle, Fochabers, Forres Thistle, Halkirk United, Invergordon, Islavale, Lossiemouth United, Nairn St. Ninian, Portgordon Victoria
NORTH EAST LEAGUE 2:
Arbroath Victoria, Bridge of Don Thistle, Broughty Athletic, Buchanhaven Hearts, Colony Park, Downfield, Dundee North End, Dundee Violet, East Craigie, Forfar West End, Kirriemuir Thistle, Montrose Roselea
SOUTH OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE 2:
Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth United, Fleet Star, Gala Fairydean, Hurlford United, Kello Rovers, Kelso United, Maybole, Peebles Rovers, Rutherglen Glencairn, Selkirk
LOTHIAN LEAGUE:
Armadale Thistle, Ballingry Rovers, Bathgate Thistle, Craigroyston, Dalkeith Thistle, Easthouses Lily, Jeanfield Swifts, Leith Athletic, Newtongrange Star, Oakley United, Peniciuk Athletic, Tayport
WEST OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE:
Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Glasgow Perthshire, Greenock Juniors, Kilbirnie Ladeside, Kilwinning Rangers, Largs Thistle, Lesmahagow, Lugar Boswell Thistle, Renfrew, Troon, Whitletts Victoria, Yoker Athletic
CENTRAL LEAGUE:
Burntisland Shipyard, Cumbernauld United, Dundonald Bluebell, Glenrothes, Kilsyth Rangers, Kinnoull, Kirkcaldy YMCA, Lochore Welfare, Newburgh, Shettleston, St. Anthonys, Thorniewood United
The hardest part was the Scottish League itself. Whatever the structure, it's a 2-team league at best, and with Rangers currently working their way back up, it's just a Celtic procession. So all these different structures effectively amount to trying to polish a turd.
Recent events have made me think the other Scottish clubs were just after more money, rather than trying to make Scottish football more interesting, and with the SPL/SFL merger, they've got their wish and I don't think they'll be in much of a hurry to change the 12-10-10-10 set up now.
Anyway, I've gone with 3 divisions of 14 for the professional league. No particular reason. It's different from what exists now and what exists now is crap so it's worth a go.
Below that, I've gone with two north/south divisions, similar to what has been put in place for next season, though I'd have at least one guaranteed promotion spot, maybe 2, rather than having a playoff against the league's bottom side. Each division has 16 teams. Below that, each division has 2 feeders, each with 14 teams. The next tier down has 6 divisions of 12 (or 11 in the case of the Highland section because I ran out of clubs) - 2 feeding into the northern feeders, and 4 feeding into the southern feeders.
My version of the non-league pyramid brings the senior and junior clubs under one umbrella, which results in some rather different line-ups compared to what we'll see in next season's Highland and Lowland leagues.
These are the divisions with example line-ups:
LEVEL 1
PREMIER DIVISION:
Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee, Dundee United, Greenock Morton, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Ross County, St. Johnstone, St. Mirren
LEVEL 2
DIVISION ONE:
Airdrieonians, Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Brechin City, Cowdenbeath, Dumbarton, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk, Forfar Athletic, Hamilton Academical, Livingston, Queen of the South, Raith Rovers, Stenhousemuir
LEVEL 3
DIVISION TWO:
Albion Rovers, Annan Athletic, Ayr United, Berwick Rangers, Clyde, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, Elgin City, Montrose, Peterhead, Queen's Park, Rangers, Stirling Albion, Stranraer
LEVEL 4
NORTHERN CONFERENCE:
Banks O'Dee, Brora Rangers, Clachnacuddin, Cove Rangers, Culter, Deveronside, Deveronvale, Dyce, Formartine United, Forres Mechanics, Fraserburgh, Hermes, Nairn County, Stirling University, Stoneywood, Wick Academy
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE:
Auchinleck Talbot, Bo'ness United, Bonnyrigg Rose, Cameleon, Clydebank, Dalbeattie Star, Gretna, Heston Rovers, Linlithgow Rose, Newton Stewart, Petershill, Spartans, St. Cuthbert Wanderers, Threave Rovers, Whitehill Welfare, Wigtown & Bladnoch
LEVEL 5
HIGHLAND LEAGUE:
Buckie Thistle, Fort William, Golspie Sutherland, Huntly, Inverness City, Inverurie Loco Works, Keith, Lossiemouth, Muir of Ord Rovers, New Elgin, Rothes, Strathspey Thistle, Thurso, Turriff United
NORTH EAST LEAGUE:
Aberdeen East End, Banchory St. Ternan, Carnoustie Panmure, Ellon United, Fraserburgh United, Glentanar, Hall Russell United, Lewis United, Lochee United, Longside, Maud, Parkvale, Stonehaven, Sunnybank
SOUTH OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE:
Abbey Vale, Arthurlie, Ashfield, Beith, Creetown, Crichton, Cumnock, Glenafton Athletic, Irvine Meadow, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, Mid Annandale, Nithsdale Wanderers, Pollok, Shotts Bon Accord
EAST OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE:
Broxburn Athletic, Civil Service Strollers, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh University, Heriot-Watt University, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Kelty Hearts, Lothian Thistle, Musselburgh Athletic, Preston Athletic, Sauchie, St. Andrews United, Tynecastle, Vale of Leithen
LEVEL 6
HIGHLAND LEAGUE 2:
Alness United, Buckie Rovers, Burghead Thistle, Fochabers, Forres Thistle, Halkirk United, Invergordon, Islavale, Lossiemouth United, Nairn St. Ninian, Portgordon Victoria
NORTH EAST LEAGUE 2:
Arbroath Victoria, Bridge of Don Thistle, Broughty Athletic, Buchanhaven Hearts, Colony Park, Downfield, Dundee North End, Dundee Violet, East Craigie, Forfar West End, Kirriemuir Thistle, Montrose Roselea
SOUTH OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE 2:
Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth United, Fleet Star, Gala Fairydean, Hurlford United, Kello Rovers, Kelso United, Maybole, Peebles Rovers, Rutherglen Glencairn, Selkirk
LOTHIAN LEAGUE:
Armadale Thistle, Ballingry Rovers, Bathgate Thistle, Craigroyston, Dalkeith Thistle, Easthouses Lily, Jeanfield Swifts, Leith Athletic, Newtongrange Star, Oakley United, Peniciuk Athletic, Tayport
WEST OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE:
Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Glasgow Perthshire, Greenock Juniors, Kilbirnie Ladeside, Kilwinning Rangers, Largs Thistle, Lesmahagow, Lugar Boswell Thistle, Renfrew, Troon, Whitletts Victoria, Yoker Athletic
CENTRAL LEAGUE:
Burntisland Shipyard, Cumbernauld United, Dundonald Bluebell, Glenrothes, Kilsyth Rangers, Kinnoull, Kirkcaldy YMCA, Lochore Welfare, Newburgh, Shettleston, St. Anthonys, Thorniewood United