Aberdeen “B”

[RUL]

SFA proposing a new conference below league 2. Made up of 6 b teams, including ours, and 4 lowland/highland league sides. B teams can’t get promoted. 
 

To start from 2024/2025. I assume we would try and use coves ground.

[slippers]

7 minutes ago, RUL said:

SFA proposing a new conference below league 2. Made up of 6 b teams, including ours, and 4 lowland/highland league sides. B teams can’t get promoted. 
 

To start from 2024/2025. I assume we would try and use coves ground.

So is this the league that would get promoted to league 2? Or would that still come from lowland/highland? Seems ridiculous if league is made up off 60% of teams that can’t go up? Does that mean if a HL team finishes 5th behind 4 B teams they go up? 

[Parklife]

Get this B team shite in the bin. 

[RUL]

5 minutes ago, slippers said:

So is this the league that would get promoted to league 2? Or would that still come from lowland/highland? Seems ridiculous if league is made up of 60% of teams that can’t go up? Does that mean if a HL team finishes 5th behind 4 B teams they go up? 

Yeah this league would push on to league 2. And league 2 team going down would fall to this new league. I’m assuming a team could also get relegated although presumably not a B team. 

[slippers]

6 minutes ago, RUL said:

Yeah this league would push on to league 2. And league 2 team going down would fall to this new league. I’m assuming a team could also get relegated although presumably not a B team. 

Sounds absolutely ridiculous. 

[Ten Caat]

This is the construct that I said the Darvel manager had let slip about on the radio the day after the now infamous result. He didn't say it would be mainly B teams though, only said that the current ones in the Lowland league would be involved (sevco, Celtic and Hearts) but maybe he just didn't articulate it very well.

He definitely said there would be relegation into either the HL or LL depending on location. And also said that the motivation behind setting it up was that current SFL2 clubs weren't happy about their risk of relegation down into the current non-league structures, which has happened fairly frequently in recent years with the likes or Berwick Rangers and Brechin City taking the plunge.

[Dynamo]

They need to think outside the box. How about a league where all the top flights B team, or Colts, play each other in their own little league. This will give valuable, regular game time to youngsters and fringe players, against teams of similar levels. They could call it something like 'The Reserve League', or something like that. 

[Yorston Vasey]

This is utter fucking nonsense.

Apparently all being bought and paid for by the clubs that want B teams in at this level. Celtic & Rangers bought their B team places in the Lowland League for £20k each, seemingly this new league will be getting them as well as Hearts and us to pay similar fees which will then fund the prize money for the league, hence the "soft landing" for the relegated League 2 side - as pointed out the likes of Berwick, East Stirlingshire and Cowdenbeath have been getting pennies in income since relegation and are nowhere near able to regain league status.

If it was to go off league placings right now then this new league would be something like the following:

Rangers B, Celtic B, Hearts B, Aberdeen B, Spartans, Stirling University, Tranent, Buckie Thistle, Brechin City, Brora Rangers

How fucking pish would that be, all pretty much played out in front of players' mums and dads.

[sheepcrooky]

1 minute ago, Yorston Vasey said:

This is utter fucking nonsense.

Apparently all being bought and paid for by the clubs that want B teams in at this level. Celtic & Rangers bought their B team places in the Lowland League for £20k each, seemingly this new league will be getting them as well as Hearts and us to pay similar fees which will then fund the prize money for the league, hence the "soft landing" for the relegated League 2 side - as pointed out the likes of Berwick, East Stirlingshire and Cowdenbeath have been getting pennies in income since relegation and are nowhere near able to regain league status.

If it was to go off league placings right now then this new league would be something like the following:

Rangers B, Celtic B, Hearts B, Aberdeen B, Spartans, Stirling University, Tranent, Buckie Thistle, Brechin City, Brora Rangers

How fucking pish would that be, all pretty much played out in front of players' mums and dads.

The opening post said 6 “B” teams, not 4. Fucking bizarre idea. Fair enough to put “B” teams into the Lowland/Highland league. Or even better have a fairer income distribution. But that doesn’t suit the agenda of the scum fucking off to some Euro Super League and having their “B” teams remain in the Scottish pyramid system. 

[Yorston Vasey]

I'd seen this posted on Pie and Bovril, which mentions the four B teams:

 

EXCLUSIVE: Premiership clubs to fund a new 'Conference' fifth tier

Stephen McGowan

MARCH 9, 2023

 

PLANS for a new ten-team Scottish Conference would see four Premiership B teams join six clubs from the Highland and Lowland Leagues from season 2024-25.

Established as a separate company, distinct from the SPFL, the league would become Scottish football’s new fifth tier.

It would be funded by four Premiership entrants — expected to be Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts and Rangers — and could even be brought in for the start of next season.

At the moment, Celtic, Hearts and Rangers currently field colts teams in the Lowland League, the existing fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid.

With Lowland League sides divided over extending the invitations for another season, however, the Premiership trio asked the SFA and SPFL to come up with viable alternatives for the campaign after next.

A meeting on Tuesday of Scottish football’s Pyramid Working Group came up with three options, to which clubs are to respond by the end of next week. With the primary aim being to offer players between the ages of 17 and 21 a competitive pathway to first-team football, the first option is an SPFL League Three of ten teams, with top-flight B teams eligible for promotion up to — but not beyond — League One.

The second is an expansion of League Two from ten teams to 16 — incorporating B teams, plus teams from the Lowland and Highland Leagues. Once again, the Premiership colts would only be permitted to go as far as League One. With both options unlikely to reach the necessary threshold of 75-per-cent support amongst the 42 senior clubs, the third option of a new Scottish Conference with no promotion for the B teams has emerged as the only show in town.

Armed with its own prize-money distribution model, the Conference would seek to exploit commercial rights and have no financial impact on the 38 other teams who currently make up the SPFL.

Crucially, it would also bypass the need for 75-per-cent support across all four divisions by maintaining independence from the current league set-up.

Sportsmail understands the Conference idea will command significant support amongst clubs in Leagues One and Two by offering a ‘soft landing’ to any outfit relegated from the senior leagues.

In recent seasons, Brechin City and Cowdenbeath have suffered a significant loss of revenue after dropping through the trap door of the SPFL. 

A Conference league funded by the six-figure entry fees of Premiership B teams would preserve their income stream and offer prize money to ambitious sides from the Lowland and Highland Leagues not available in the existing set-up.

While the Conference would require no formal vote of support by clubs, Sportsmail understands the idea will only proceed if it carries ‘overwhelming support’ from clubs.

Earmarked for the season after next, the plan could be fast-tracked for next season if Celtic, Hearts and Rangers Colts teams have nowhere else to play. Lowland League clubs will discuss their stance on the proposals at a meeting on Monday night.

[Granite95]

Absolute load of shite, can't see this working at all, get the idea in the bin

[ericblack4boss]

So yet again self interest is the main driver, and I had some cunt on here question why I am so disparaging, mistrusting , abd suspicious of the the three, shithouse organisations that run our game.

 

 

[NEM]

2 hours ago, RUL said:

SFA proposing a new conference below league 2. Made up of 6 b teams, including ours, and 4 lowland/highland league sides. B teams can’t get promoted. 
 

To start from 2024/2025. I assume we would try and use coves ground.

We better tell the SFA to get that to fuck

[graham]

Whatever the debate Aberdeen need to establish a second team.There is a veritable chasm between the youth team and the first team.A Tuesday afternoon Reserve League and Reserve League Cup have restarted  this season and seem to be doing fine.I suggest we join that set up.Kelle Roos and Connor Barron are coming back from injury just now and a Tuesday afternoon reserve game on a proper grass pitch at Balmoor would be ideal.Right now they have nowhere to get game time.

[strachanmcgheegoal]

My immediate (non dons) comment - does taking the top two clubs out of the Highland and Lowland leagues not materially affect them as well? 

[aberdeen1970]

If we are planning on having up to 6 b teams in the new set up then that's just a small jump to having a reserve league again. So just fucking do that rather than play non league teams in a shambolic league where 6 teams can't even get promoted and just clog up the competition between the non league teams. 

We need to see through this charade. This is a transparent placement exercise for clubs to fuck off to another league in the future and leave an entity behind. 

[strachanmcgheegoal]

Thats the key phrase in the Record article.

"..the first option is an SPFL League Three of ten teams, with top-flight B teams eligible for promotion up to — but not beyond — League One. The second is an expansion of League Two from ten teams to 16 — incorporating B teams, plus teams from the Lowland and Highland Leagues. Once again, the Premiership colts would only be permitted to go as far as League One. With both options unlikely to reach the necessary threshold of 75-per-cent support amongst the 42 senior clubs, the third option of a new Scottish Conference with no promotion for the B teams has emerged as the only show in town..."

Classic trojan horse negotiating tactic.  Heres two option that you dont like so by voting against them you'll be forced to adopt this third one by default. 

[dave_min]

This is going to ruin my claim to have been to all 42 grounds in Scotland.

Goodwin must go.

[graham]

21 minutes ago, strachanmcgheegoal said:

My immediate (non dons) comment - does taking the top two clubs out of the Highland and Lowland leagues not materially affect them as well? 

You are right.It has been ever thus in the Highland League.,It has lost Inverness Caley, Inverness Thistle, Peterhead, Elgin City,Cove Rangers and gained Junior teams Banks o' Dee Inverurie Locos.Still a not bad league but nothing like as strong as it was years ago.

[RUL]

16 minutes ago, graham said:

You are right.It has been ever thus in the Highland League.,It has lost Inverness Caley, Inverness Thistle, Peterhead, Elgin City,Cove Rangers and gained Junior teams Banks o' Dee Inverurie Locos.Still a not bad league but nothing like as strong as it was years ago.

Thing is if it’s 4 b teams and 3 highland league along with 3 lowland, would highland league teams all want that opportunity? Obviously Brechin would?

[graham]

5 minutes ago, RUL said:

Thing is if it’s 4 b teams and 3 highland league along with 3 lowland, would highland league teams all want that opportunity? Obviously Brechin would?

If there is to be a Conference League under League Two, Aberdeen should certainly try and be involved in it.

[dave_min]

2 minutes ago, graham said:

If there is to be a Conference League under League Two, Aberdeen should certainly try and be involved in it.

With some of the shouts for new manager we might be involved regardless.

[Ten Caat]

6 minutes ago, RUL said:

Thing is if it’s 4 b teams and 3 highland league along with 3 lowland, would highland league teams all want that opportunity? Obviously Brechin would?

I suspect most would, access to higher prize money etc. But depending on who's in what division.....who gets promoted/relegated etc... it could leave some teams making massive journeys a couple of times a season. For example if Brora Rangers joined up, they could end up travelling to the likes of Annan or Stranraer a couple of times a season (and vice versa obv). By bus you're looking at 6-7 hour journeys each way.  How they would do it in midweek with a squad of part-timers would be anyone's guess.

[Jigsaw666]

If Brechin, Cowdenbeath and the likes can't bring in enough income to help them get back to the senior leagues then they've no business being in it in the first place. We've got a 10th of the population of England but are supporting about half the number of clubs they have and with a shitload less money floating about. Clubs who can't even attract 500 to a game should be bumped into the junior leagues.

[torry_battery_ram]

1 hour ago, strachanmcgheegoal said:

My immediate (non dons) comment - does taking the top two clubs out of the Highland and Lowland leagues not materially affect them as well? 

I did wonder why Strathspey Thistle were so relaxed and saying they were planning on playing Highland League football next season when they are adrift at the bottom and should be heading for relegation.

[TheRedPrawcess]

39 minutes ago, RUL said:

Thing is if it’s 4 b teams and 3 highland league along with 3 lowland, would highland league teams all want that opportunity? Obviously Brechin would?

That was my question as well? How is it decided as to which highland and lowland teams enter? Do you have to be in the top 3 of those leagues in the previou season to get in? What about the relegated league 2 team?

[sheepcrooky]

2 minutes ago, TheRedPrawcess said:

That was my question as well? How is it decided as to which highland and lowland teams enter? Do you have to be in the top 3 of those leagues in the previou season to get in? What about the relegated league 2 team?

Agree and no idea how that works. Theoretically if highland league clubs finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in this league with the other 7 filling various positions. Does the team finishing 3rd get relegated back to the highland league ?
 

What a shambles. 

[Tyzo_1903]

B teams shouldn't be allowed, ever.

The thought process behind it to me has always seemed like a thinly disguised attempt from Celtic and Rangers to have "B teams" so if they ever get their wet dream of leaving Scottish football for some sort of money hungry European league or if they went down south, they would still have a back up plan if it goes tits up.

[Durrant Dived]

4 hours ago, RUL said:

SFA proposing a new conference below league 2. Made up of 6 b teams, including ours, and 4 lowland/highland league sides. B teams can’t get promoted. 
 

To start from 2024/2025. I assume we would try and use coves ground.

Finish 7th behind all the 6 "B teams" and still go up? Fucking farce.

[zeroisgod76]

The only positive to this is that when we eventually break away to join a European Super League our 'colt' team will still be in the Scottish league pyramid and i'm sure the SFA will eventually allow us promotion so the colts can take their rightful place in the Premier League..... well isn't this the thinking behind the Glasgow scums colt teams?