Yngwie

After finally retiring from playing, Ross Tokely has been appointed manager of Nairn County on a 3 year contract. Best of luck to him.

I see the PFA Scotland Championship team of the year was announced. Unsurprisingly there were no ICT players, for the second season running. (In previous seasons since our relegation to this league, Deas, McKay, Todorov, Doran, Polworth and Vigurs had been included). I’m not expecting Duncan Ferguson to be on the manager of the year shortlist either.

It’s also odd that there are 5 teams already in the SPFL who do not have Bronze status!

Their statement sheds a bit more light and portrays a very different picture to the SFA’s suggestion that Buckie just ignored the requirement. At 5pm today, Buckie Thistle FC received an email from the SPFL, stating that because the club do not comply with the SFA Bronze Licence criteria, and did not apply for a waiver or period of grace in respect of this non-compliance by the deadline of 31st March 2024, there will be no Play-Off Tie between Buckie Thistle FC and East Kilbride FC, and East Kilbride will automatically go forward to the Pyramid Play-Off Tie with Club 42. However, we can confirm that the club has been in regular contact with the SFA in regard to the Bronze Licence criteria items, and we were in fact asked by the SPFL to ask for a period of grace for four of these items on Tuesday 23rd April, which we duly did. Our Club President Garry Farquhar attended a meeting with the SFA on Wednesday 24th April, and we were granted Derogations for 3 items - Floodlights, Safety Officer and Diversity & Inclusion. One item - Medical – has been deferred until the 15th of May, but the club has committed to resolving the matter by May 10th. It goes without saying that everyone at the club is stunned and devastated by the timing of this decision. It’s particularly harsh on the players and management, who put so much hard work into winning the Highland League title, that they don’t get the opportunity to go for promotion.

So no HL clubs are currently eligible for promotion or even to participate in the playoffs. I wonder if they realised they could not participate or if they thought that they could win the playoffs and then have a couple of months to meet the criteria? Can sort of understand why clubs would be reluctant to make the efforts and spend the money needed if it would be to no avail.

Wow! What does a club need to have to get Bronze status?

Good question! I had totally forgotten that the final itself fell into June. However, it doesn’t really matter, as companies can choose to prepare their accounts to a date that is up to 7 days before or after their published year end date. For a football club it would make sense to make use of this flexibility so that the results for the entire football season are included.

Going concern issue, ie future outlook, as opposed to any issue with results for the year itself.

The May 2023 results ought to be pretty good as they will include the benefit of reaching the cup final, as well as the profit we made from the concerts (renting the stadium out). The year to May 2024, however, will presumably see us revert back to losing £0.5m - £1m.

The club statement was that “in the first instance” he will be a CPO, and that “he will be involved in a number of roles”, which is interesting.

You may well be right. Contract could still have a notice period though.

We need a full time employee to run the club, whether or not it is him. Also worth bearing in mind that it would probably cost a 5 figure sum to pay him off, at a time when we have no money.

Can’t believe we lost that, which is a phrase I’ve uttered too many times this season. Of our 14 defeats, our heaviest was 2-0 and the other 13 were by just one goal. So many of them came down to one defensive lapse or missed chances at the other end. Raith’s keeper made some great saves tonight but we also should’ve buried some of our chances.

Unbelievable. It’s like it was ”Right lads, the aim tonight is that when you get a chance, get as close as you can to scoring but without actually scoring.” Job done.

Pretty entertaining game. We have been the better side and should be ahead. We certainly don’t look like a side that has relegation worries.