Scots L2 anyone notice E Stirling got relegated?

14 May 2016, 16:41

Play off with Edinburgh City which they won over 2 legs. Stirling drop into the Lowland League, EC take their place. I assume EC are what was once Meadowbank Thistle.
I know Leo will correct me, but this is the first playoff i can remember in a long time. Do they have a pyramid with the Highland/Lowland Div's now?
Why no winner of the Highland in any playoff?

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 14 May 2016, 16:50

I remember ten years or so ago reading an extract and review in the Observer of a book about East Stirling and have kept an eye on them ever since.

Seems like this is the last chapter. I too would be interested to see if the play-offs are an annual thing or whether it was a one off. The cynic in me thinks it is the latter and that the suits and moneymen in charge would rather have another team in Edinburgh with poetential to bring more fans and money into the Scottish League than East Stirling ever could.

This is the book by the way: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/701413.Pointless" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

London Exile · 14 May 2016, 17:01

Meadowbank Thistle moved and became Livingston I thought.

I think the Highland League winner plays Lowland League winner with winner of that game playing off against bottom team in Scots L2.
Read that this play off game was intriduced around 2 years ago, Montrose beat Brora of Highland League in 14/15 season.

14 May 2016, 17:15

i thought it might of been high v low but i couldn't see any score anywhere

leohoenig · 14 May 2016, 18:57

London Exile wrote:Meadowbank Thistle moved and became Livingston I thought.

I think the Highland League winner plays Lowland League winner with winner of that game playing off against bottom team in Scots L2.
Read that this play off game was intriduced around 2 years ago, Montrose beat Brora of Highland League in 14/15 season.

Correct, Edinburgh City had already beaten Highland League winners Cove Rangers (from Aberdeen, but currently ground sharing)

City use the Meadowbank Stadium - they moved in 20 years ago, after Meadowbank Thistle (now Livingston) vacated the ground.
Prior to that they used a number of grounds, but most specifically City Park which was their home during their previous (and spectacularly unsuccessful) spell in the Scottish League in the 1930s and 40s.

From 1969 to 1974, City Park was used by Ferranti Thistle. Ferranti were elected to the Scottish League in 1974 despite the league not permitting a works name, nor considering City Park as suitable. I guess it was because they were considered a more suitable candidate (by the central belt based league clubs) than Gateshead United or Inverness Thistle. Ferranti moved to the Meadowbank stadium and changed their name to Meadowbank Thistle.

(As a side issue, I worked for Ferranti from 1980 to 1983, my first full time job - I left in 1983 to move from Portsmouth to Cheltenham).

14 May 2016, 23:24

So were Gateshead Utd trying to get in the Scots Leagues?

What was the Cove v Edin burgh score? I couldn't find it

leohoenig · 15 May 2016, 05:37

Ralph wrote:So were Gateshead Utd trying to get in the Scots Leagues?

What was the Cove v Edin burgh score? I couldn't find it

Yes, South Shields (second club of the name) moved to Gateshead in 1974, and applied for Scottish League membership
They only lasted three seasons after that before folding, the current Gateshead club was formed in 1977

The original South Shields had moved to Gateshead in 1930, but were not e-elected to the league on the first time the had to apply (1960), like the second South Shields they were founder members of the Northern Premier League (1968). They folded in 1973.

Cove Rangers 0-3 Edinburgh City (at Inverurie)
Edinburgh City 1-1 Cove Rangers

Edinburgh City 1-1 East Stirlingshire (crowd 1090)
East Stirlingshire 0-1 Edinburgh City (at Stenhousemuir) (attendance 1286)

RegencyCheltenhamSpa · 15 May 2016, 07:27

Never knew that about South Shields and Gateshead.

I guess they had seen Berwick cross the boarder to the Scottish League as well. Can you tell us when Berwick made the switch and what league they were in beforehand? Curious to know.

leohoenig · 15 May 2016, 08:02

I believe Berwick Rangers have only ever played in Scottish competition
Berwick United has a short spell in the Northern Alliance, and the town has had other teams at similarly low levels in England, such as Tweedmouth Rangers, who play at Old Shielfield in the North Northumberland League

15 May 2016, 09:49

Penalty with 4 min left won the game for Edinburgh.

Leo, is the playoff happening every season now? About time they did. It's been a closed shop up there way too long in that second division.

Thank you for all the info, I knew you would have it

baggy89 · 15 May 2016, 16:16

Cove Rangers are from Cove Bay not Aberdeen. Further than Cheltenham to Gloucester. Although their new stadium is going to be in Nigg which I suppose is now a suburb of Aberdeen.

Promotion and relegation was introduced a few years ago as a way of appeasing clubs like Cove, Spartans and Edinburgh City who rightly felt aggrieved that The Rangers 2012 were admitted to the league despite not meeting any of the requirements to do so. However I think a lot of Highland League Clubs have no interest in becoming "league clubs " Brora last season did not want to make it through the play-offs.

15 May 2016, 21:22

The only Nigg I know is something like 3hrs from Aberdeen. I'm assuming there is another one that's closer?

kora · 16 May 2016, 09:30

Can't blame Brora for giving it a miss, the travel costs to Berwick, Stranraer, Annan etc. would be ridiculous. Maybe its time the Scottish leagues 1 and 2 were combined on a regional basis like the National league as the crowds, therefore money, is less than the National North and South.

baggy89 · 16 May 2016, 11:07

Ralph wrote:The only Nigg I know is something like 3hrs from Aberdeen. I'm assuming there is another one that's closer?

You're thinking of Nigg on the Cromarty Firth.

Other side of the Dee from Aberdeen, just past Torry. It's where most of the oil and services companies have their offices. To be fair there is probably very little let up in the development all the way out to Cove Bay nowadays. It wouldn't be an area I venture out too on my visits home, but for me Cove Bay is a village in it's own right, and you're only in Aberdeen once you cross the Dee.

16 May 2016, 11:17

baggy89 wrote:
Ralph wrote:The only Nigg I know is something like 3hrs from Aberdeen. I'm assuming there is another one that's closer?
You're thinking of Nigg on the Cromarty Firth.

Other side of the Dee from Aberdeen, just past Torry. It's where most of the oil and services companies have their offices. To be fair there is probably very little let up in the development all the way out to Cove Bay nowadays. It wouldn't be an area I venture out too on my visits home, but for me Cove Bay is a village in it's own right, and you're only in Aberdeen once you cross the Dee.

Yes you are right. Went there one time on the way around the coastline of Scotland