EISTnWAST

I'm getting stuck intae dis reserve team thing noo. Take Ness for example. They've had two brothers (from a very famous footballing family) loaned out. One in 2006, one in 2007. The 2006 instance was moving up a division, to maintain that players ability at a higher level. The 2007 instance was to another Premier League team, who were clearly struggling for players. I think it has only benefited Ness to do this. In the 2007 example, I don't think he would have got much playing time for Ness anyway. (?) (Also, please take note Delting). These weren't strictly speaking loans, but Ness shouldn't have any problem retaining these players in the future. It shows how a team can operate successfully, without having the need for a B team. And perhaps also shows, that by loaning a player, you can give that person the oppurtunity to play at a better standard than your reserves would offer. NB - Under my idea for loans, if a team recalled a player from a team in the same division, that player could only be loaned out again to a team in a different division.

Maybe, Country and Town leagues below Premier to begin with. The biggest problem with my idea is that it would require new teams being formed to be successful. Maybe, only one lower league to begin with. Maybe, Delting could run their reserve team as Brae. Alot of maybe's, but i'm sure participation would eventually increase overall, as well as competition. If you look at the last 10 years, Whalsay and Delting have done consistently well in the B league. Better to have Brae or Symbister in the Premier League than a team that can't field 11 players. There would still be a gulf between top and bottom of each league, but the gap between the Premier League and the rest would be reduced significantly. To be honest I can't see it working either. Because the 'big clubs' aren't big enough to give up their reserve sides. It's a bit like asking Celtic or Rangers to do something to help the whole of Scottish football - never gonna happen. Don't know if i've really answered you question there penfold

I think I can see where your idea is coming from Stoichkov. You are basically talking about increasing participation. With that set up i can't see how there could be promotion and relegation. So how about this idea to increase participation...... Start up the Southern League again, and have a Northern League as well as the Works League (Central League). I do think the biggest problem with Shetland football, is the lack of promotion and relegation. It works in set-ups with a similar standard of teams on the mainland, but they don't have the problem of reserve teams to hinder them. To get round this , scrap the reserve league, and have teams loan their players out to Stoichkov's proposed Town & Country Leagues. 3 (or 4 with North, South, Central) way play-off for promotion and relegation, including bottom team in Premier League. If teams don't want to be promoted, the chance to play in the play-off goes to 2nd, 3rd or 4th place team. I know people will start stating the virtues of reserve teams now, but let me state the facts. There is an obvious gap between a good B team and the works league. There is (as proved this season in the County Shield) a big gap between Premier League and Works League. There is no way to alter the current set-up without bridging this gap. If there are hundreds of people in Shetland who want to play football, then why is it necessary to have a B team to be able to field a first team? Answer - it's not. It's only necessary to ensure the strong teams stay strong, and the weaker ones no chance to get stronger - through player recruitment. I would be interested to know, what is the lowest level of football in Britain - other than Shetland - which has a dedicated reserve league? I think it will be a professional one. Furthermore, if a player doesn't want to return to his Premier League side after spending some time on loan, I think you'll find that that player has found a level of football suitable for him. Just realised, I'm about to get complaints that teams couldn't always field a team without the reserve side due to work commitments. Remember - your players are on loan. They can be recalled at anytime, and loaned out again. This would be a relaxed system, with the only consideration being having players cup-tied for County Shield.

Match report can be found here http://www.shetlandtoday.co.uk/Shetlandtimes/content_details.asp?ContentID=23466 Great picture of the Delting team. Shame it's not the Delting parish team.

Town teams will also always lose some of their players to other town teams. As Celtic get stronger then the youngsters won't get then chance so soon, and it's easy for them to move to another side. Penfold made the important point that good junior doesn't mean good senior. Every side has players who were average juniors, even Delting. It's these players that the town teams will lose. Perfect example is the prolific Alan Davidson. I'm sure he didn't play junior county - he was a midfielder at the time - but look how good he is now as a striker. If he was at Rangers/Celtic at 18 years old, would he have got a game?, and would he have waited in the 'B' team for his chance?

Using this thread cos its the right topic. Wondering what your thoughts are Wheest on a Shetland 'B' or U21 side. You mentioned lambs to the slaughter, the void thats been left, and lack of experience. Surely this would be a good solution to remedy some of the problems. Also it may stop some players dropping to a lower level if they had something to aim for.

http://www.islandgames.net/pdfs/football_by_laws.pdf Nothing about teams having to be seeded here. http://www.islandgames.net/pdfs/operational_guidelines.pdf Under section 6 nothing regarding standard to stop someone competing. Although it is very unlikely Faroe would enter a full strength football team. Here are some examples, taken from http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/ChannelNavigation/News/TopicNavigation/Latest+News/Articles/NatWest+Island+Games.htm Kelly Sotherton (Isle of Wight), the Olympic bronze medal winning heptathlete Simon Militis (Jersey) and Darren Mew (Isle of Wight), arch rivals in the pool throughout the 1990's, who both represented Great Britain in Sydney and in Manchester, with Militis winning a Commonwealth Games bronze medal Mattias Sunneborn (Gotland) who won a long jump world indoor silver medal Carl Prean (Isle of Wight), one of the world's top ten table tennis players. Anyone got anything concrete to back up what they're saying?

I know. Was using a stupid example to make a point about seedings. I wonder though, would they enter a team if the games were held in Faroe?

Yes. Seedings are based on how good a team is. Take for example if Gibraltar and Rhodes don't go to Aland. Teams such as Guernsey, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, and Shetland did go. They would all be seeded behind some of the worst teams in the competition. Maybe i'm wrong..... And it'll be interesting to watch the group with Shetland, Isle of Man, Faeroe, and 'seeded team' Western Isles. Could be medal hopes for Orkney with their seeding.

Whitedale? I'd be amazed. I thought Wastside were the better team from that area?

Is Ian Bray playing for Ness this season? Also will Kieran Malcolmson be fit to play when he comes home? He got maimed at the end of last season playing against Scalloway.

What's the format for this season?

I forgot to say..... one of my points is that the SL offers football, without the less commited having to travel long distances for games. It seems to be a point missed by most. It's a long way for someone to travel from Scatness to Brae/Whalsay. Especially when they have the attitude that most 'B' players do. Let them help the young guys play senior football, but lets keep the SL and make sure there is enough games. SL being played during winter is a great idea. But where would it be played? I'm sure i have more to say on this subject......... But since i can't think cos i've written too much, let me make one throw away comment..... "A Southern League with three teams and cancelled fixtures, is better than no Southern Leage at all"

Since the discussion has been opened up again, i will tell you my opinion/the facts. When Ness last had a 'B' team, and by that i mean an 'A' and a 'B' team running simultaneously without another club being merged with the 'A' team, then it struggled. The main problem is that there are too many people who are not commited to playing 'B' football. It was always a struggle to get enough players willing to travel further North than Lerwick. So therefore, in my opinion, the Southern League offers a viable alternative to getting humped 10-0 against Whalsay 'B' with 9 men (or as i should say - boys). The young players have as much to gain playing in the Southern League. I'm not saying don't have a 'B' team, i'm saying you need both. The problem with Ness, is that since 1996, there has been a losing mentality. And that has been fostered even more so in the 'B's. The SL gives most players - please, no Cunningsburgh jokes - a chance to have a winning mentality. The Ness 'B' team has always been made up of a few of talented young players, and a core of SL die-hards. The young players waiting to get enough experience and the oppurtunity to play in the 'A' league, and the rest who will never be good enough to play for the 'A's (although many have - desperate times and desperate measures and all that). The rest of the 'B' team was made up by who ever could be persuaded to play before/during/after an SL game. All this talk of too much football is a nonsense, i often played 5 games a week (although never 2 in 1 day). The SL takes place on a saturday, when there is no other football. And most players worthy of playing 'A' league football can't get enough games, because lets face it, there isn't much else to do. The best player in the SL has no problem turning out for the best team in Shetland, and then the worst team in the SL the next day (sorry couldn't resist having a dig at Southend). So if it's good enough for him, it should be good enough for the rest of you. I hope he would agree with everything i've said here, as he is one of the few players who has played at every level in the aforementioned circumstances. So, feel free to direct your questions this way.

Grrrrrrr Nothing on online Times aboot SL Can somebody tell me whit happened at da AGM?

"WE" are genuine fans?!!! I hope you don't really think you are a fan BOLLACK, considering you keep saying the SL should be scrapped.

But don't forget the likes of Chris Neal & Martin Hinks. They were right up there with the best. But you can't forget someone you never knew.

I canna buy da times. Online only. So in case it isna online............. spill da beans. P.S Not a pun regarding Sandwicks greatest ever player - David.

Can you tell us what's happening guys, or are you just doing pantomime?

Why would the end of the Southern League be good for the sake of Shetland football? Also the SL has done little harm to Ness 'A'. Perhaps there is an arguement that it has prevented Ness from having a 'B' team. People shouldn't post on a topic they know nothing about. I wish i had come onto Shetlink before. This is a topic on which i have alot to say, and i would be speaking from experience.