Parish Cup News, Draws etc

[VictorandJack]

Looks like we could have another interesting Parish competition again. With Delting and Whalsay meeting in the semi a minnow is going to make the final again.

Westside have to be favourites from that side of the draw but could Unst raise their game? or will this be Burra's year. maybe Yell will get a full squad out and shock everyone again by reaching the final for the second time.

Whatever happens I am sure we will see the public turn out in droves again for the most prestigious Cup comp in Shetland football!!!

 

One of the major obstacles for the Parish comps this year is the number of matches in the A-League. Getting the matches played will require cooperation from the SFA again which the Parish Association is always grateful for.

 

Delting have to be favourites but my money is on Whalsay to come good again.

[Gervais]

WEll V&J, Yell may get out a full squad and shock everyone. But they certainly won't reach the final

[penfold]

WEll V&J, Yell may get out a full squad and shock everyone. But they certainly won't reach the final

 

So much for that prediction then Gervais

 

So what do people think of Mr Taits statements in the Times today?

[brokenlink]

not seen the times, what does he say?

[spencey7]

It's about the reworking of the parish boundaries, and the inclusion of teams from Lerwick and Scalloway. He (in my opinion quite rightly) points out that there's not a lot of difference between Scalloway and Brae when it comes to "non-rural" status.

 

Anyway.......... Can I point out that Yell made the final this year without a full squad? In fact, owing to injuries, we haven't been able to put out our full team once this season.

[penfold]

Basically he is trying to push the Parish Cup Association to allow Lerwick and Scalloway to field teams in the competition, through his column in the Shetland Times, funnily though at the start of his column he states that most people in Lerwick both fans and players "have total disregard for it" which puzzle's me as to why he is so keen to open it up to people that dont care to play in it?, which was obvious to see at this years AGM when nobody turned up from either Lerwick or Scalloway to present their case for being allowed to enter, there was an informal discussion over an anonymous letter over the boundries and what direction the PCA should take regards these.

 

The proposal he comments on was no more that a discussion on the push in the local press to open the competition up, and those present at the AGM took the view that in the light of a lack of formal representations to the secretary regards Lerwick and Scalloway, and a lack of anybody at the AGM to verbally state the case the matter should be closed. When the secretary tabled a motion to the effect that it should be looked at there was no seconder to it and the matter was closed, if as Jim Tait states there are "individuals" within the Association that want to try something different then they should attend the AGM because they were not present at this years AGM.

[Boris]

Slight technicality but Scalloway isn't a Parish. It's part of the Parish of Tingwall however large parts of this Parish are already part of other Parish Cup areas. In terms of population Delting(& Northmavine) is about 4 times the size of Scalloway, not sure how it would compare to the Parish of Tingwall. No idea about how Parish boundaries would work in Lerwick although it seems to work in Orkney with both Kirwall and Stromness.

 

I can't see anyone turning up to a Parish Cup AGM from Lerwick because it would need a major shift in opinion to allow them to enter. Similarly Scalloway would be knocked back because of the knock on effect this would have on the neighbouring teams.

 

Unless there is a real will to include all of Shetlands Parishes (like Orkney) I think it is destined to remain the "Coveted Parish Cup" for half the population and a non-event for the other half.

[penfold]

^^ I seem to remember the burra rep at the meeting producing a book on the Orkney Parish Cup, which led to the rules on residency, and eligability to be changed and I'm sure that neither residents of Kirkwall or Stromness take part in the Orkney parish cup, as to the size of the delting parish, nobody complained over it when they could'nt buy a win in the competiton now they are going through a period of dominance then its a problem, and looking at the team listed in the times would it really make a dent in their ability if Northmavine residents were not able to play??.

 

The issue regards Parish boundries is a difficult one and maybe that stems from the grey area over what now constitutes a parish, if Jim Tait reasoning stands over say Gulberwick, which he rightly states is part of electoral ward which also includes areas of Lerwick for the purposes of council elections, then Delting would remain virtually unchanged as the electoral ward in the north of the mainland includes Northwavine too, Cunningsburgh would argue that they should have Gulberwick as it is part of the same Community Council area of Cunningsburgh, Quarff and Gulberwick.

 

Southend United, Sandwick and Cunningsburgh could if they wished field a single Ness team due to the fact that the Church Parish of Dunrossness encompasses those area's, so due to the inability of anyone to define "Parish" in the context of the competition then there allways will be discussion and arguement over it and usually when one team comes to dominate the competition. There is though a competition open to all teams in Shetland to enter if they wish and that is the County Shield, it already exsists so why change the PCA to be the same?

[Boris]

Residents of Kirkwall and Stromness can play in the Orkney Parish Cup with the exception of part of the main streets in both towns. Stromness have two teams, not sure about Kirkwall.

 

I don't think taking away Northmavine would make all that much difference to Delting. I think Jim Tait was pointing out that to say Brae is rural and Scalloway is not does not really add up. If Brae was excluded from the Delting Parish Cup area that would make a huge differance (not that I am suggesting that would be a good idea).

 

I am fairly sure 99% of the teams in the competition want to keep things the same and the excluded parishes are probably not bothered anyway, so there is unlikely to be much change.

[penfold]

Oh right I took it there was a defined area in both Kirkwall and Stromness but didnt realise it was as small as one street. If nobody comes forward at the AGM with a proposal from either Scalloway and Lerwick asking for disccusions to start regarding their entry into the competition then your right Boris it never will change. Again it really needs the association to define what a Parish is in the context of its competition so that the grey area's are removed, if Lerwick and Scalloway want to enter as Mr Tait suggests they do, then let them come forward at the AGM and put their case, as yet that has to happen so I think the PCA were right not open it up as there was no interest in such a motion displayed at the meeting.

 

Though im not sure how Thistle, Celtic and Spurs would feel when their players start playing for clubs based round say Lerwick North and Lerwick South, to the possible detrement of themselves.

[Gervais]

Spency, I'd be very surprised if any team in the whole of shetland has been able to get out a completely full side this season.

But i can tell you that yell's "full team" (Quote from yell manger.) has been out this season, it was against a weakened unst team. 3-1 unst.

[kirsty]

I believe that a complaint is to be lodged to the race relations regarding the exclusion of Lerwick and Scalloway players. Does anyone think it will be successful?

[penfold]

Oh that will be interesting on what grounds?

 

Is du sure that someone isna pulling your leg Kirsty?, who ever did raise such a complaint would have to prove they were discriminated against as a matter of their racial or ethnic background, as yet im not aware that the race relations board give Lerwick and Scalloway players a separate ethnic or racial designation?, they are precluded from entering the competition on the the basis of their geographical location only, people of a different racial or ethnic group can and do enter the parish cup, if they meet the geographical criteria laid down in the competitions constitution.

[EISTnWAST]

I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but this needs to be clarified for those who don't know.

 

I was led to believe, from a young age, that the Parish Cup was created as a cup competition for parishes outside of Lerwick. It was also agreed that Southern League teams would also be allowed to enter. Can someone (older) confirm this/make it clear for all?

 

As far as I can see, there are two categories that would permit a new team to enter. A parish which doesn't have a team at the moment - as long as it doesn't include the Lerwick area. Or a newly founded Southern League team. For example Virkie, Quendale or Queen of the South, if they were to reform. Or for that matter if Scousburgh, Fladdabister or Hoswick entered a team in the Southern League, they would have a more legitimate case than a Lerwick team for entering.

Maybe Lerwick could try to enter the Southern League as a back door way in

 

 

I believe that a complaint is to be lodged to the race relations regarding the exclusion of Lerwick and Scalloway players. Does anyone think it will be successful?

 

In other breaking news........

The Shetland Football Association faces two seperate legal battles.

The first case is on the grounds of age discrimination, after Burra under 10's were refused entry into their premier league.

The second case is also about discrimination, but this time down to sex. The team in question were ladies team Pumas, who intended on entering the Shetland side, using a club name.

 

My opinion in short - It won't be successful Kirsty. Every association has their rules, and the PCA can pretty much do as they please.

 

 

It's already been mentioned on here that there is already a competition open to every team in Shetland - The County Shield.

The thing that makes the Parish Cup special, is the history and traditions of the competition. To tinker with that too much would completely devalue it.

One of the traditions is the home side laying on a spread after the games. Open the cup up for all, and I can see a tradition like that dying out pretty soon. It maybe seems like a small thing to those on the outside, but those involved will know exactly how important this is.

 

So please PCA, don't be a tinker(er).

[penfold]

As far as I'm aware it was just the southern league teams dat competed for the parish cup to start with, though it was open to other teams, they didnt start competing till the start of the sixty's, I think that Quendale holds the record from the southern league teams for the most amount of wins in the Parish cup.