Scottish Junior Cup

There's never been any strategic planning.

There was amalgamation of this league last season the Scottish Junior Cup has been in existence for over 100 years it matters to these communities and these clubs so much the crowds everybody's well aware of the crowds that these generate and ultimately there was no consideration given for that at all and what I would have liked to have seen if I had been involved in the conversation was probably a phasing in project where effectively the Junior Cup remained and clubs coming into the Lowland League were allowed to participate in the Junior Cup and then thereafter looking at a more national cup that was generated from the SFA that included all teams below the SPFL League 2 so from a managers point of view it's it's difficult and any manager will tell you this I've heard the narrative all week to say well they shouldn't have entered and they shouldn't have done this but that's easier said than done I don't think that's the issue I think it's the it's people didn't foresee this coming and if your manager's perspective I've now got to try and get two squads on the same day at the same time and from a credibility issue as well for Scottish football I mean the fifth tier allegedly of a pyramid and anywhere in Europe I don't think we would see this

Yeah I mean you're right because like it's got a lot of attention a lot of publicity but that doesn't mean it's a good thing you know it's because it's bizarre ridiculous to some people that's why it's getting the attention Stevie but ultimately I remember the club statement everything was exhausted wasn't it tried absolutely everything you mentioned I guess the politics involved where different governing bodies maybe not getting on the way they should or not working together so do you feel like there was no choice in the end?

No, I think, listen, I think this is the option we've been given.

But again, I've said this, I was involved obviously with the SPFL a long, long time and during the COVID years and all the issues around about the COVID times and we just never seem to take surprise in terms of our forward planning and strategic thinking.

I just don't think there's enough and I don't think there's enough of what I describe as what-ifs.

As a part of the, so the Communities Cup, that's the junior cup to people like Hugh Keevins.

Yeah, he'll be looking at me and saying, what's the Communities Cup? But that'll mean a great deal to the people at Johnston Borough having won it recently, I'd imagine as well.

just playing it the next morning or something like that I know that that's happened in Europe before

I'm just saying is that at the front of the game where you get it in baseball you know what I mean the rain plays when the team comes back the next time we'll play 11 o'clock in the morning and then we'll play the 3 o'clock in the afternoon I think there was a sorry I'm going on about a diatribe I might cut some of this out but there was a team there was a team I can't remember I can't remember the name it was lower level Scottish football but because of the Junior Cup and the League Cup sorry League system they had two games in the one day so they kicked off at one o'clock I believe and they kicked off at seven o'clock in the evening and they won their league game and they got beaten in the last minute of the second game but obviously it's not an ideal situation and that but they made a day of it I mean they got on with it they didn't complain and they almost were successful in both those games and they had to change the teams etc etc but like I said there should be a level of flexibility to get games moved so that an abandonment isn't at the end of the world rather than to schedule a ridiculous situation

yeah yeah I just don't think it's great for the game to have videos like that doing the rounds where it just looks shank but that's probably enough we haven't really spoken about Steney but other than Bartley said it was fair enough let's move on to League 1 Montrose 3 Peterhead 0

Webster's driven in that's an excellent goal from Lyons

We just went like a train from Christmas to probably April, and, uh, we, we were, we were sensational in some of the games.

Uh, biggest disappointment, the, the white elephant in the room, if you want to call it, was how we, we lost in the quarterfinal of the Junior Cup.

I'll never know, actually.

It was incredible.

They-- It came out the other day that they will be playing Dundonald a- in the, the league on Saturday 17th, 17th October.

Then they will also play Stonehaven in the Scottish Junior Cup later in the evening.

Now, we can have our debate about whether East of Scotland should be accommodating this, but just in terms of a player safety issue, this should not be happening.

I think it's ridiculous, like, to be honest with you.

Spending a few quid at times.

I think they won the Junior Cup a couple of years ago and they've had Kyle Lafferty on there.

I don't think he's there now, but they've had players of that ilk on their books.

So, you know, they're clear they'll be a decent side, but so are for Martin.