Good Idea Or Not ?

[Robbie Winters]

"Hibernian have officially been inducted into the East of Scotland League, where they will field a reserve side." from BBC and various

 

I suppose you would have to have a decent size squad to fulfil all SPL, U21 league and the 3rd league commitments.

This would be the equlivent of Dons adding a team to the Highland League, could we and should we ?

 

I would say lets see how Hibs get on as we get enough injuries as it is without stretching to a 3rd team

[Dynamo]

I doubt the Highland League would accept an Aberdeen Reserve side.

 

It's a decent enough idea, gets players playing that wouldn't normally get game time, doubt the standards up to much for them though.

[Huntlysheep]

I would be up for the Dons joining HFL if they approached the HFL & they accepted it, gives the youngsters etc more experience.

[Karl Fletcher]

If they're looking to introduce a pyramid structure soon* does that not complicate ideas like this?

 

Would be good seeing the Dons have a lower league presence in principle but not sure if it would end up being a conflict of interest if the Pyramid structure ever did get pushed through.

 

Is there anything wrong with where our youth teams are playing at the moment?

 

 

*by soon I mean have a few meetings, vote in principle then never actually implement it

[E-P-K]

"Hibernian have officially been inducted into the East of Scotland League, where they will field a reserve side." from BBC and various

 

I suppose you would have to have a decent size squad to fulfil all SPL, U21 league and the 3rd league commitments.

This would be the equlivent of Dons adding a team to the Highland League, could we and should we ?

 

I would say lets see how Hibs get on as we get enough injuries as it is without stretching to a 3rd team

 

 

Catch 22.

 

Not really fair on the other teams in the league, if say a returning from injury Leigh Griffiths plays a few games for the East of Scotland League Hibs to get match fit for returning to the first team.

 

But of course from Hibs perspective, it gives first team players opportunities to play competitive games returning from injury / out of form.

 

providing of course, players from the senior team would be allowed to play in the East of Scotland team.

[Bluto10]

what about:

 

scrapping half the teams in the 4 league setup.

 

streamlining it down to 2 leagues.

 

and maybe if needed reserve sides could pad out the monkey amateur divisions.

 

too many rubbish clubs cluttering up the scottish game.

[inverkipdons]

Don't think we have the squad size for it. Just have a feeder team, send them 3/4 players per season for game time.

[Rubinho Escocia]

I'm always confused as to why people think that having less teams in Scotland would suddenly make our players first touch and technique better.

 

Anyway on topic, I think Hibs would be best served by sending their youngsters on loan to the SFL for game time as this would allow them to keep a smaller squad, and allow the players to compete at a higher level. The only way I can see the benefit in this is if they were to play an u16 team in the East of Scotland league as that would progress that age group and ensure there was no registration issues where players are registered to a different league and can't be transferred back and forward more than a few times.

[StandFree1982]

I would say the thought behind lesser teams = better football is down to not having to spread what little money we have around 40 teams. So the 20 teams get a bit more money and they can improve off and on field.

 

IN THEORY.

 

I don't agree or disagree....loads of pro's and cons on each side

[Bluto10]

SF1982 i think its more to do with demand.

why teams that can barely muster a three figure crowd feature in national league setup is beyond me.

lets be honest if they were a business theyd have folded long ago

[fine-n-dandy]

I'm not sure it's fair on all the long established HL teams that we (or ICT for example) entered a reserve team into their league.

 

But I would kind of like us to do it if there was certain rules that we had to follow. Like having a 21 year old limit for example.

 

Would give our youngsters a chance to play more senior football rather than just U20's & it would also maybe get Aberdeen scouting about the HL more cos we have been really poor at this for years.

 

Would have been interesting to have seen how last season's U21's would have fared in the HL last season & it would certainly toughen them up & have them better prepared to get into the first team.

[Bamber]

We (as in the whole of the SPL) is massively harmed by not having a reserve league.

 

Vernon springs to mind immediately - a striker who needed games to get some confidence back after being shafted by sitting in midfield for about 10 games and having a 'mare. A reserve league would have seen him getting game time without doubt?

 

Jack - coming back from injury instead of being thrown in at the deep end he could have had a few games in the reserves?

 

how can a substitute prove he is worthy of a start?

 

now I can understand why you wouldn't want to send a reserve team from Aberdeen all the way to Killie it makes no sense, so regionalise it. Make it a 10 team league from two divisions if need be. pick sensible grounds to play at and sensible times and days.

 

I don't see the point in entering highland league it isn't representative at all - it needs to be more representative of what we could play

[ollie1903]

We (as in the whole of the SPL) is massively harmed by not having a reserve league.

 

[King Street Loon]

Vernon was having a 'mare long before he was shunted to "play" in midfield

Correct.

 

I really don't understand this myth surrounding Vernon and midfield.

He didn't play there as often as suggested.

 

He was gash long before, and that disappoints me as I was really pleased with him when he first arrived.

[caledonia]

end of scottish football as we know it

 

Will not be long before the old firm have teams in the third division

And it will also give them a get out clause should they leave to try another league ie if it does not work just come back as the second team and it will be like they have not left.

[Stoneybloke]

Vernon was having a 'mare long before he was shunted to "play" in midfield

Vernon's "glory days" were when he had Maguire and/or Aluko alongside him. With no-one to replace them, he completely lost it. Give him his due, he is a trier, but he is quite limited in what he can do. I can't see him ever getting it back. A bit like some golfers who go off their game and sink into oblivion.

[Henry]

end of scottish football as we know it

 

Will not be long before the old firm have teams in the third division

And it will also give them a get out clause should they leave to try another league ie if it does not work just come back as the second team and it will be like they have not left.

 

You are fucking relentless min.

 

I'm willing to bet there will be no Celtic or the rangers reserves in the Scottish league system within the next 10 years?

[daytripping]

You are fucking relentless min.

 

I'm willing to bet there will be no Celtic or the rangers reserves in the Scottish league system within the next 10 years?

 

I'll bet you a ton they are?

[Henry]

Done.

 

So if there are no Celtic or the rangers 'Colt' teams or reserves (separate from the 'full' squad) in the Scottish league set-up (top four divisions) by 11th June 2023, you owe me £100.

[Bluto10]

Done.

 

So if there are no Celtic or the rangers 'Colt' teams or reserves (separate from the 'full' squad) in the Scottish league set-up (top four divisions) by 11th June 2023, you owe me £100.

 

 

whats would you know min. this is football, nae countdown.

 

stick to yer spellin, eh.

[Henry]

Likewise, if you could stick to the topics debating how good Danny Welbeck is (enthralling stuff) that would be to everyone's benefit.

[Bluto10]

Likewise, if you could stick to the topics debating how good Danny Welbeck is (enthralling stuff) that would be to everyone's benefit.

 

oh teh irony.

[Stoneybloke]

Likewise, if you could stick to the topics debating how good Danny Welbeck is (enthralling stuff) that would be to everyone's benefit.

Who is he? Is McInnes trying to sign him?

[Rubinho Escocia]

I agree with fine-n-dandy's point about it being good for our youngsters development by playing more senior football but I think we could achieve this by sending players on loan to the SFL or indeed the HL - which we should definatelly be scouting. This is something Hibs, Dundee United, Killie, Hearts and others have used well over recent seasons and we have been poor at in my opinion.

 

In terms of the size of the league point, I think we should have some sort of pyramid in place so we'd ultimately end up with more the 40 teams. However, even if we just spread the cash around the top 20 clubs I think it would make little difference to us as the it's the top 2 which get the money not the bottom 20, and realistically our current players would want more of the extra cash - is Langfield likely to improve as a keeper if we paid him £500 a week more and would we suddenly have top training facilities or would our board spend the extra cash elsewhere as they've done for years.

 

I'm not sure I understand the small clubs would have folded if they were a business point as I thought these 20 clubs, and indeed the Highland league clubs and junior clubs could all fold if not run properly. So I'm not sure what's stopping that happening which doesn't apply to old Rangers, old Airdrieonians, old Gretna etc.

[diamondsr4ever]

keep the u19's league, anyone good enough beyond that age should be getting game time in the SPL.