大象传媒

This has been the most excieting end to a season in years (maybe it's just because we're up there!)

Saturdays game (Cowdenbeath v Dumbarton) is going to play a massive part in deciding where the trophy goes. We now have 5 buses going through to Cowden, I'd imagine there are a lot more driving through. I genuinley think we can beat them, we are on a good run & I think we have them a wee bit worried. I just hope that it's all wrapped up before the last day, for us to come down to Annan needing a win would be a big task, especially if you guys need a win yourselves for a playoff place!

So let's hope we wrap up the league & you guys give whatever second division team comes down a thrashing & then give Cowden/Shire a hiding & we'll see you in Division Two next year (faints)

Hope the Bobby Cam & wee Liam are doing well for you, there both missed around here!

No offense but someone needs to edit these articles.

A sentence per paragraph doesn't work.

Really.

It's very annoying.

Well '49 and that's a wrap', maybe you should get your own house in order before criticising anyone else....offenCe.....

Great blog Chris

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

@ 2 and 4

Quit being so childish, the guy's taken some time out to write all this so if you've nothing positive to say then go away. It's not like anyone's forcing you to read this.

Stranger things have happened in football I suppose, so who knows, maybe the media are just pulling random names out of a scrabble bag when it comes to writing about your games.

Anyway, best of luck with the run in Chris.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

The misplacing of names against numbers will be down to whoever prepares the teamsheets that get handed round the various hospitality areas and the press/stadium announcer on the day. A lot of the stats for the games outwith the SPL are taken from the Press Association, who will have 1 person taking a feed of information, usually from the stadium announcer or the club. Either that, or the gaffer has just given you guys the wrong number in the changing rooms!!!

As for the race towards the end of the season, what are your thoughts on clubs giving up sections of ground traditionally occupied by their own fans? I raise this as a St. Johnstone supporter who, providing we beat Queen of the South on Sunday (live on 大象传媒 Alba), can go to our nearest and dearest rivals in Dundee next weekend to win the league and they are giving over their traditional South Enclosure (aka "the Derry") to us for the anticipated large crowd. Fair to say we are delighted, but they are obviously not!

Final question - what is your thoughts on the overall standard of refereeing this season? I am especially interested as you are at the sharp end of where all new senior list officials come into the league structure looking for the promotions towards the upper echelons of the Scottish game.

Good luck for the remainder of the season.

Chris

Good blog as ever and best of luck with the run in. Was gutted when the club I play and coach with (Spartans) did not get in the league, but am glad you have made a good go of it and shown that the rest of the SFL that the EofS teams can easily compete over a season. Hopefully Spartans will be joining you in the league soon (preferably if the SPL was extended to a 16 team league and 6 new teams admitted, but more likely when one of the others sadly bits the dust)

Now you are playing in the SFL, what is your opinion on having promotion to and relegation from the 3rd division, somewhat akin to the English conference (I could see one from the highland league and one from the EofS getting in and 2 going down), however I think the chances are very very slim due to chairman having to look after themselves and their club. Do you think it would shake up the bottom of D3 of the teams knew they could go down every season rather than the if you finish bottom 3 in a row situation that they have now?

Also, playing in the lower leagues, what is your take on summer football. From an amateur prospective, I would like it due to the condition of most of our pitches during the winter and spring. What it is like at your level and do you think summer football could lead in the long run to a better standard due to actually being able to play football on some grass rather than the cow-fields of the winter. I have also heard a lot of SFL teams are looking at the new generation Astro-turf as a long term solution. I play on it and love it (and from a coaching perspective it is great for the kids), but know a number who feel you get more injuries from it (twists and impact around the ankle and knees being the most common). I see it as a good long term money move for the SFL teams (community pitches that allow other people to pay to use it during the week and yourselves to train on it), but it is naturally expensive and I guess would need either large government or lottery support to do on a large scale. Have you much experience of the new astro and what is your view.

Cheers

I hope Annan get all the success they deserve after replacing Gretna who basically bought their way to success.Being and airdrie fan I have to say that steady progress is better than buying your success and when you win something it actually means something a bit special and we have had our fair share over the years.By the way, we will escape relegation with Kenny in charge.

It's actually the fifth time and five seasons that they have met in the Champions League.

@8

having a nice open system is a great idea but too many chairmen have to much self interest for it to happen properly

your idea works this season (i.e. elgin go to the highland league & berwick to the eos league) but what happens if Albion Rovers or a more central based team are the bottom two ... or, for example, forfar & montros happen to be bottom two, who do you send up north & who do you send down south (east)

What about the Junior clubs that want in?

I also think that clubs like yours are in the minority, most semi-pro/amature teams don't want anywhere near the SFL due to the increaced costs, minimum gate prices would probably send attendances plummeting (ask Elgin!) the need for floodlights & certain extra safety features, police & stewarding costs put a lot of clubs off, especially the 'big fish in a small pond' teams.

a team from the SFA would have to come in & say 'the whole league system is going to totally change from top to bottom & were going to run the whole thing, you can either come with us or play in a sunday league' it would then take years & years of legal wranglings to fix

the closed door of the third division is much like the almost shut door of the SPL, the teams that are in dont want anyone else in the teams that are out are not even sure if they really want in or not

#11

What I believe happens in England is that the teams are put into the most relevant division and then if unequal someone will move. There 鈥渟hould鈥� always be teams in fife for example where a trip to Aberdeen is little different to a trip to Berwick, Annan etc etc.

Though I agree that there is far to much self-interest for this to happen and it would require a review of various regulations, but if changing the league like this, I don鈥檛 changing some regs would be such a big thing.

As for the Juniors, I am unconvinced that many, if any, want to join to SFL and if they did they would either apply when spaces come up (non have thus done so) or apply to join EofS league and go in that way.

As for clubs not wanting in. 6 applied last time and others would if the chance was there. A lot don鈥檛 because they are behind Cove, Spartans and would not currently stand a chance.

I don鈥檛 think the league as it currently stands suits many and if England can have a system that allows you to go up and down throughout the levels, why can鈥檛 we?

#2 - That is the standard format for writing online - it makes it much easier to read, without straining the eyes.

As an Aberdeen fan, I have to agree that following the SFL is a little more interesting than the SPL. At least there's competition in all three SFL divisions, unlike the foregone conclusion in the SPL (the only question being, will it be Rangers or Celtic?). I know that Aberdeen don't have a chance to win the league, so it comes down to playing for 3rd and trying to get into Cup finals. It's great to follow the lower divisions because for the most part the level of competition is pretty even in each division. Spread the wealth and give every team at least a chance of being a champion occasionally. It's good for football and good for the fans.

Having said that, I'm no fan of the 12-team SPL and I'd love to see a return to a 20-team league with one or two lower divisions, plus automatic promotion and relegation into and out of the lowest division. The quality of football in the Highland League is every bit as good as the SFL (and I dare day the same is true of the EofS) and it would be great to give other teams a chance to prove themselves on a bigger stage. If the feeder leagues to the Conference in England can figure out which teams belong in the north and south, then surely that won't be a problem in Scotland. That's no reason to oppose a feeder system here.

7-5 on aggregate, this is ubelievable !

Decent read Chris although I have to agree with #2 regarding the one sentence, one paragraph comment. For me it is a very strange style of composition. Paragraphs help the flow of a piece of writing and are an important part of separating themes within any article such as this.

3. At 2:45pm on 16 Apr 2009, Spartan_White wrote:

#2 - That is the standard format for writing online - it makes it much easier to read, without straining the eyes.

What an absolute load of rubbish. Splitting paragraphs up with a gap is normal and correct practice. I've rarely seen it done this way before. How is it a strain on the eyes to read one sentence after another anyway?
It may be trivial in your eyes, but if your going to publish the written word, it should be done following the rules of the language, rather than making up your own. They exist for a reason.

#16 - DisneysDreamDebased

"but if your going to publish the written word"

..should be you're, not your.

It may be trivial in your eyes...

#2 No offence (offense is like color, keep it for American websites.)
I think you will find these 'blogs' do have editors or sub-editors, do you think Chris chose the photograph too?
Some of us find these articles a bit more refreshing than the predictable efforts from professional journalists.
Having said that I do accept your right to be critical, within the 'house rules' as stated. I managed to read post #6 before it was removed and though it was a somewhat "cutting comment" I am not quite sure in which way it transgressed the 'house rules.' Chris and Gavin (Strachan) should perhaps be given a little more leeway than an experienced hack but should not be above taking some flak.
As for the blog I thought it was pretty good, and I did not notice the apparently annoying layout.

Haven't Liverpool and Chelsea been paired together in the last 5 seasons as opposed to the last 4?

Chris, just wondered if you could use your immense power with the 大象传媒 Sport editorial team to persuade them to run a feature on the Fort William vs Rothes Highland League match on Saturday 9th May.

Fort William have lost their last six games by the following scores: 0-5, 0-4, 0-5, 1-6,1-3,0-8. They have 1 point this season and achieved only 3 points last season.

Rothes are almost as bad, with only 1 win and 4 draws making up their 7 point haul this season. Could this be Fort William's best chance in years to end their winless streak? I live in Brighton and I am traveling up to Scotland especially for this game in the hope Fort William can pull off the impossible and win a game.

Do you remember when the media circus descended on Poole Town in the late 1990's when they draw 0-0 to avoid achieving British football's longest losing run...well maybe it's time that same media spotlight found it's way to poor old Fort William's plight and their best chance of victory this season.

What do you think...?