Berwick v Cove

[Waxy]

Anyone want to see Berwick dropping to the lowland league?
Also Bonnyrigg rose losing their promotion to the lowland is a bit harsh.

[The 90+2]

Bonnyrigg not getting in is a scandal not a bit harsh and I want Berwick to stay in the leagues we have a good relationship with them in general.

[Keith_M]

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Anyone want to see Berwick dropping to the lowland league?
Also Bonnyrigg rose losing their promotion to the lowland is a bit harsh.

Would we still play them in pre-season friendlies?

[Diclonius]

If Cove get promoted then at least Aberdeen will finally have a local derby.

[Carheenlea]

Got to be rooting for Berwick Rangers with Hibs legend John Brownlie stepping in to manage the side for the play off - good luck Onion

[Cod Boy]

Think Cove will win comfortably over the two legs.

[The 90+2]

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Think Cove will win comfortably over the two legs.

That’s what everyone has thought the past few years East Stirlingshire apart. It hasn’t materialised that way though.

[eastmainsmsh]

Cove to win comfortably

[Diclonius]

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That’s what everyone has thought the past few years East Stirlingshire apart. It hasn’t materialised that way though.

Find it quite surprising that these well-run, well-funded clubs that have battered everyone put before them all season suddenly manage to struggle almost every time they play a team that couldn't buy a win. Maybe the gulf really is that big and it comes as a shock to the new club, or the SPFL club are motivated that much both by the threat of major financial and reputational damage.

In any case, one club should come up from the pyramid every season anyway. The winner of the HFL v LFL should automatically go up and the loser plays ninth in the SPFL, with 10th going straight down.

[Northernhibee]

Last year Cove were absolutely cheated out of promotion with the most baffling refereeing decisions that you will ever see.

It reeks.

[AltheHibby]

Berwick to win. My granny was from Berwick, and I have always followed them.

[EI255]

Meh, one Rangers for another.

Does it really matter ?

[Craig_HFC]

Not really fussed but if pushed I'd rather Cove came up because I know 1 Berwick fan and he's a prick.

[Austinho]

Cove Rangers all the way. Time to clear out the dross of the clubs at the very foot of the ladder and make way for teams with a little more ambition. For the good of the game it would be automatic promotion and relegation anyway.

[CMurdoch]

Cove have the Do Re Mi behind them to make a go of senior football.
Berwick are a tired limping financially poor wreck.

[Since452]

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Bonnyrigg not getting in is a scandal not a bit harsh and I want Berwick to stay in the leagues we have a good relationship with them in general.

Did Bonnyrigg not fail to meet criteria? Other clubs in their league spent the money on their grounds and got their SFA licence. I don't see anything wrong.

[Hermit Crab]

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Anyone want to see Berwick dropping to the lowland league?
Also Bonnyrigg rose losing their promotion to the lowland is a bit harsh.

What happened?

[Waxy]

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What happened?

They won the EOS league playoffs so should have been promoted to the lowland league. SFA refused them for not having floodlights.

[Hermit Crab]

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They won the EOS league playoffs so should have been promoted to the lowland league. SFA refused them for not having floodlights.

Thats horrendous, could they not have had them fitted for the start of the season?

[Tynie01011973]

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Thats horrendous, could they not have had them fitted for the start of the season?

They applied based on 2018 criteria,but SFA said they now needed to have floodlights in place prior to applying

http://www.bonnyriggrosefc.co.uk/teams/118321/news/club-statement-application-for-sfa-membership-2424113.html

[Danderhall Hibs]

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Did Bonnyrigg not fail to meet criteria? Other clubs in their league spent the money on their grounds and got their SFA licence. I don't see anything wrong.

It’s the change of criteria mid season that’s the complaint. And they’re in the process of getting lights, just not quickly enough.

[Tarrahib]

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Cove have the Do Re Mi behind them to make a go of senior football.
Berwick are a tired limping financially poor wreck.

Keep Berwick in England and Celtic and Rangers in Scotland

[HibeeHibernian4]

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It’s the change of criteria mid season that’s the complaint. And they’re in the process of getting lights, just not quickly enough.

Didn't the club statement say they were given something like 16 hours' notice to buy and install them?

[Jumbo]

The ironic thing, with Bonnyrigg, is that Whitehill Welfare will keep their place in Lowland League and they don’t have floodlights either !!

[we are hibs]

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They applied based on 2018 criteria,but SFA said they now needed to have floodlights in place prior to applying

http://www.bonnyriggrosefc.co.uk/tea...p-2424113.html

Can't help but laugh at the sfa demanding bonnyrigg have their floodlights in place prior to applying yet hearts stand wasn't open for months after they were due to open and it caused fixture chaos.

[nairn hibee]

Can't stand cove but hope they win ,just to get them out of the highland league .

[Famous Fiver]

Could it be argued that Bonnyrig spent their windfall from Scottish Cup Run including the tie with Hibs on players and as a result have won trophies and league championships?

Broxburn and Penicuik, with a lot less resources, chose to spend their money on upgrading facilities, including floodlights, and as a result both lost out to Bonnyrigg in the play offs. Neither Broxburn or Penicuik put off improvements until it was compulsory, they went ahead and did it anyway and have been granted SFA licences.

Is that a fair summary?

[berwickhibee]

Berwick are and have been in freefall for years now.
No connection with the local public and no youth set up.

Just a bunch of boys who travel to shielfield once a fortnight to use the pitch. The team is lost to the town. Berwick deserve relegation.

[Purple & Green]

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Could it be argued that Bonnyrig spent their windfall from Scottish Cup Run including the tie with Hibs on players and as a result have won trophies and league championships?

Broxburn and Penicuik, with a lot less resources, chose to spend their money on upgrading facilities, including floodlights, and as a result both lost out to Bonnyrigg in the play offs. Neither Broxburn or Penicuik put off improvements until it was compulsory, they went ahead and did it anyway and have been granted SFA licences.

Is that a fair summary?

No. It's not.

Bonnyrigg own their ground, so haven't had access to funding that Penicuik and Broxburn have had - so neither of those clubs chose to spend money on facilities. Bonnyrigg have spent their windfall on ground developments, and have spent more besides. Broxburn and Penicuik have had significant support that Bonnyrigg haven't had.

The floodlights weren't a requirement for a licence, and as mentioned above, Bonnyrigg were only advised of the 2019 requirement the day before the inspection - they asked for derogation, reasonably - and this was refused for reasons that are unclear.

It's a really shoddy affair, as the SFA revealed that Bonnyrigg wouldnt be granted a licence on the first working day after the play off result was known - Bonnyrigg intimated they would be applying for a licence a year ago, and were delayed in submitting the application due to the embargo.

I think it's telling that the East of Scotland Football Association are on Bonnyrigg side in this.

[Purple & Green]

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Did Bonnyrigg not fail to meet criteria? Other clubs in their league spent the money on their grounds and got their SFA licence. I don't see anything wrong.

Other clubs have had significant council support in making the improvements, Bonnyrigg have not.

The critical point here is that Bonnyrigg met the criteria at the time of application, and it is only subsequent to their application, and just prior to their assessment, the criteria was changed.

Edit: A quick look online suggests that both Broxburn and Penicuik grounds are council owned, and the floodlighting was paid for by the relevant councils. Happy to be corrected on that if that isn't the case.