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2008 - Shetland Fitba


Bogle
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Is it really true Celtic & Whalsay signed so many players?

Why would they need to sign all these players, which only prevents them from getting A league experience at another club? Did Celtic & Whalsay use all signed players in the A league players last season?

Why not let these players sign for another team for A's, and let them continue to play B's for their own club?

 

 

In Whalsays case we've always had a large squad as there are a large number of that squad who are at the fishing or are shift workers on the ferries etc.

Also we're in a fortunate position where most local boys just want to play for Whalsay (maybe thats down to the travelling if they decided to play elsewhere).

 

To be honest if you're running 2 teams then 37 players isn't as big a squad as you may think - some people have quoted on this forum that you should have a maximum of 25 signed players in a stand alone team as per other leagues down South.

 

I can't see us changing unless the SFA were to get rid of b teams which is highly unlikely.

 

There's even a rumour that a 3rd Whalsay team may try and seek entry into the Works League next year! - just a rumour though.

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I got a phone call this mornig to tell me what was going on here. The idea of a parish league is the early stages. It wouldnt just be for parish teams but would be open for everybody. The name parish league just comes from the fact most teams would be parish cup teams but it may not be called that. Theres alot of support for the idea and im sure well all know more in the near future. What we dont want is for this to be talked about by everybody and end up having a witch hunt at the sfa agm. Whalsay would of course be welcomed. Especially if they want to form a third team anyway. They would have to be called symbister though because we dont want to have to lock horns with the sfa. Hope i can answer any reasonable questions for you but must point out that i can only speak for my club at this stage.

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I disagree penfold. The Association has tried to encourage the growth of community clubs who have sufficent populations to sustain youth set ups. Unfortunately many of the existing teams just don't have the catchment area to do this and as a result struggle to compete.

 

Whether this is the right strategy is open for debate, but what is fact is that all other leagues and teams in shetland reap the benefits from the work done at youth level by these larger teams. How long will this continue if teams keep losing players to the works league and possibly other leagues.

 

I don't think the SFA can solely be blamed for the situation they find themselves in although like Spency7 said I think so far they have only encouraged the growth of the works league and possible alternative leagues.

 

The SFA find themselves at a point where unpopular decisions may have to be taken for the good of the game and there are no guarentees of success. Positive steps have been taken ie, Ness and Whitedale however there is still a lot to do before we have a sustainable and competative league format.

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So why then are these teams that start up not approaching the SFA to enter their competitions Boris?, is it because they percieve that the SFA is an elitist Association that does not provide a platform for their club to survive? Is it because we in the SFA have this idea that we dont need new clubs in our competitions? and you speak of community clubs, does that mean that Unst, Burra and Yell have to be consigned to the history books because they do not have stand alone junior set-ups? That seems to be the way its going I hope im wrong.

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I don't have the answers but I think you are asking all the right questions Penfold.

 

I was just pointing out that I don't think it's the regard that these clubs hold the SFA in that is the problem. Without youth set ups and suitable catchment areas any new team is going to struggle to compete in A League football. Should the SFA change strategy.....as Spency7 said the works league looks to be the main winner at the moment.

 

The SFA have some very difficult decisions to make at the AGM and it's unlikley that everyone will be happy. My main hope is that they fill all the vacant positions so that the the arguments over league structures etc can get under way.

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I would think it will be a struggle to fill the posts to be honest, and if they dont then there will be no progress, I honestly don't see Burra in the short term being able to make the grade for the premier league and Unst and Yell in the longterm will struggle, thats not to take away from the effort that these clubs have made to meet the commitment that the association asked of them, Unst will stay up in the A's to keep their younger players next season, and Yell faired better than most expected and I think they will stay up next year, but as BC Benvie has posted Burra look to be seeking to go to the B league, if they don't get that then there is no football for them?, they left the southern League looking to improve the standard of their clubs football and broaden their ambitions the kind of attitude and vision they should be supported in, the fact that they were forced up against their will before they felt ready to make that step see's them in the situation they predicted, and now seem to be on the brink of folding due to the inflexable attitude of the Association.

 

That to me is not what the Association should be about, if it wants to meet the aim of improving the standard of the upper levels of Shetland football then it needs to cater for and develop the game from the level that the works league offers up to the county team, basically there is nowhere for Burra to go so they leave the Association or fold altogether, Unst and Yell may be next, and the next team that falls on a poor run or suffers from a lack of effort in the admin side of running a club and their forced into the arms of another association or worse the dustbin of football history, and the SFA is back to where we were 2 years ago where our "top flight" the legacy of all this turmoil is back to being in the position of having to look at how to get more teams in.

 

Instead of making clubs fit a set-up and description of what some call a community club, the SFA should look at a set-up that fits the spectrum of clubs and standards that are present in Shetland football now, then look at how best to move the game forward, if it builds up from the bottom first it'll be stronger than what it seems to be trying to do just now which is build it from the top down. That means the senior set-up as the SFA only has the ability and jurisdiction to run the senior game in Shetland not the junior game which is the domain of the SJFA which is an entirely separate entity.

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Is all this Parish leaugue stuff a possibility or alot of bull dreamed up through shetlink, are unst and yell interested these proposals? and is another association really going to be a benefit to shetland. If you ask me the Shetland FA should take a good look at themselves and sort out these problems in a democratic fashion.

Allow Burra into the B's, where they realistically should be playing.

Unst an Yell remain A league for now anyway.

Let Burra play in the County Shield if they wish.

That still gives 9 or 10 teams in the top flight which is adequate given the short season and the county break in the middle of it.

 

8)

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Anything is possible Baxter, but as yet there has been no approach to us or any other of the clubs as far as I'm aware, so it seems it is just a rumour, what do you think yourself?, you make some valid points so as it says in the advert in the Times today come along to the AGM and make sure their heard, sense would dictate that Burra be allowed to drop to the B/reserve league, but will they set the precedent of doing that? and then have Unst and Yell seek to go back in the future, it should make for an long the AGM this year :roll:

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spencey, i think dat next season should still be the priority of the agm and realistically nsta d yell can compete as they both showed at times last year, most noticibly yell drawin 2-2 with delting. There will still probably be hammerings t some times but...that probably won't change.

 

As for the unst-burra link i am not sure spencey as i'm no in he loop at the moment so, time will likely tell. Could be interesting though.

 

Penfold, the PL could be an interesting situation however the best playes from the likes of yell and unst would most probably still seek A league football with a few to playing for shetland (quite understandably), and so it would be weakened teams and younger boys playing in it, and therefore i'm not sure if its realistic.

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I think there needs to be a bit of thought to the long term or we will just end up at the same cross roads next year.

 

How would Burra combining with Unst help either team retain their identity ? It would be a ludicrous situation particularly when Scalloway would be raising players to play for Unst/Burra while the young northern rovers teams gets split between Unst/Burra and Yell.

 

Can Unst and Yell compete in the long term ?

They can't at junior level. The northern rovers set up on the other hand has proved very successful and has produced some of the best prospects currently in shetland football.

 

If only Unst and Yell could find a compromise (they still have the Parish Cup to keep their identity) and Scalloway and Burra could find a solution (ie, The B team could play as Burra with their better players being available for Scalloway, also Scalloway players would once again play for Burra in the Parish Cup). Instead of getting players from other areas Burra would actually be signing players who have a good chance of being eligable for the Parish Cup. Everyones a winner.

 

I know the above will be completely unpalatable for some but it does seem to make sense.

 

The Lerwick teams also need a bit of help to stop the drain of young players in to the works league although I don't know how that can be achieved.

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Burra/Unst was spoken about at the meeting and they were going to talk further on it i thought, it would solve a lot of headaches for the association as if they amalgamate then one is your A team and the other is your B, can't see that being a problem surely?, the precedent had already been set in the past with Ness/Whitedale most recently and Celtic/Ness about 1999/2000 if I mind right. Though you'll get the why don't Burra join Scalloway brigade! up in arms about it probably.

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Penfold I did not suggest Burra join Scalloway.I suggest the teams start working together Burra in the B League Scalloway in the A League. Compromise is needed on both parts and probably more so on Scalloways who can exist on their own.

 

Burra combined with Unst does not address the lack of Burra players if it is just a way around the B League entry rule. This does not help them field a Parish Cup team or bridge the gap while young players go through the Scalloway Youth Teams. Working together with Scalloway would solve both these issues and would also help the Scalloway A team.

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Penfold I did not suggest Burra join Scalloway.I suggest the teams start working together Burra in the B League Scalloway in the A League. Compromise is needed on both parts and probably more so on Scalloways who can exist on their own.

 

Burra combined with Unst does not address the lack of Burra players if it is just a way around the B League entry rule. This does not help them field a Parish Cup team or bridge the gap while young players go through the Scalloway Youth Teams. Working together with Scalloway would solve both these issues and would also help the Scalloway A team.

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