Brora are Highland league champions after 2-1 win away at Turriff and now play Edinburgh City and then possibly Montrose.

I really hope Brora go up because that is one more Highland team in SPFL.

Not sure when play offs are.

I too have heard/read much about the 17-1 voter in favour of the Pyramid from the Highland League clubs. Indeed, if certain forums' facts are correct, it was 16 for, 1 absention (Cove? or Keith?) and 1 against (Buckie?).

It seems that there was a measure of duress on the clubs to vote in favour, as otherwise the SFA would have created a new 'North' division (but possibly called the Northern League) for clubs who were interested in advancing to the SPFL. The others would remain in the Highland League.

 

This Pyramid system is very much in its infancy and I'm certain will continue to expand, but I'd like to see it cherry-picking the best of the current systems in operation in other Scottish sports - namely shinty and rugby.

I posted on another thread how I would like to see the 42 SPFL teams divided into 3 leagues 'in its current format'. However, ideally, somewhere down-the-line it really has to be regionalised at the lower level.

 

Shinty, although not necessarily a nationwide sport (ie no teams from the Dundee/Edinburgh/Borders area), still has significant geographical distances.

I'd take their idea of two 'National' leagues, with regional areas below that.

 

Rugby still operates a 4 league national system, but underneath, they go for North, East and West.

I think that  (North, West and East) is the way to go, geographically, for a 'full' Pyramid system - and having 2 National Leagues above that...with possibly 14 in each.

 

Shinty, although not necessarily a nationwide sport (ie no teams from the Dundee/Edinburgh/Borders area), still has significant geographical distances.

I'd take their idea of two 'National' leagues, with regional areas below that.

 

 

The concept of shinty's Premiership and National Division with North and South area leagues below that is great, but the problem there is viability. They now have a very good 10 team Premiership, but below that can only find seven clubs who feel able to operate at National level, so that league only offers a 12 game programme. Many of the area league sides are actually the reserve teams of the bigger clubs. On the other hand shinty and club rugby are amateur sports with far fewer resources even than moribund football teams.

As I said earlier, I still also think that viability is also an issue in football. Despite having a disproportionate slice of its resources hogged by two large clubs, Scotland still persists with 42 teams playing National League football. That's the equivalent of England having something like 460 teams in national leagues.

The reasons are largely historical the days are long gone when the likes of Clyde, Albion Rovers, Montrose and East Stirling can survive in such a setup.

So yes, although I did suggest retaining 12-10-10, a couple of National Leagues of 14 would be fine as well, with regionalisation below that.

I noticed a giant Wick banner in the Celtic end on Saturday afternoon. Quite amazing that Wick Academy were playing in their first ever cup final at Clach park on the same day, and a bunch of dirty Weekers chose to go watch Celtic at TCS instead. Sums up so much of what's wrong with Scottish football IMO.

I noticed a giant Wick banner in the Celtic end on Saturday afternoon. Quite amazing that Wick Academy were playing in their first ever cup final at Clach park on the same day, and a bunch of dirty Weekers chose to go watch Celtic at TCS instead. Sums up so much of what's wrong with Scottish football IMO.

I suppose it is possible that the said "Durrty Weekurs" having travelled "doon ee rodd" to Inverness felt they could get two for the price of one and nip over to Grant Street after they had watched the only member of the Top Six from south of Perth at the Caledonian Stadium.

But Alex... I take your point about what is wrong with Scottish football. Two clubs which have acquired much of their critical mass as a result of West Central Scottish sectarian divisions are as a result acting like footballing black holes and using their inflated gravitational fields to suck in far too much cash and support from far too far away from where they are based.

One should remember that some of the North O.F. fans who watch their teams when they play against us and County actually come from Glasgow but now live up here.   We really can't object if they continue to support the team they grew up with in the same way as some of the folk who make up our excellent away support now live in the central belt.  Having said that, the OF's continuing ability to attract support from far and wide is not healthy for the good of the game in Scotland as a whole.

Ed. City 1 Brora 1. That Grant Munro's twice the player he was when he left us. Makes TopSix and ICTChris look slim. Equaliser from Martin McLean with 10 mins to go means it's all to play for next week at Dudgeon Park.

Davie Kirkwood has stood down as manager at Brora.
I'd imagine that Stuart Golabek will take charge for now, but names already 'linked' for either manager/assistant are Barry Wilson, Ross Tokely and Grant Munro.

I wonder if Stevie Paterson will get it.  Unless he shot his boat in similar circumstances at Formartine.

Edited July 14, 201511 yr by Renegade

It wouldn't surprise me if they went with Richard Brittain especially with the work that he put for the trialist week last month. He would be a good appointment for them IMO. 

It wouldn't surprise me if they went with Richard Brittain especially with the work that he put for the trialist week last month. He would be a good appointment for them IMO. 

Great call!!
Yes, Brora's official Twitter has confirmed that Richard Brittain has been appointed as manager! (player-manager)

If Brora are going to win the title again this year, they just might want to improve on their penalty taking.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34765355

Gives me an excuse to share this one. The taker's actually a mate so I'll get unfollowed if he ever sees this