Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
East Region declare season ‘null and void’
THE East Region Junior Football Association have decla red t he 2019/20 season “null and void”.
The move comes after the ERJFA management committee voted in favour of following their own rule book rather than an option which would have copied the SPFL.
Had the counter-proposal been accepted, it would have seen teams awarded points based on their previous points-per-game ratio.
But at last week’s meeting of the management committee, conducted via the internet, the motion was narrowly defeated, meaning the 2019/20 season was brought to an abrupt halt with no team crowned league champions and no relegation across the region’s four divisions.
The outcome would have been of particular disappointment to Carnoustie and East Craigie, who led the way in the East Super League and East Premier League respectively.
Both clubs felt they were on course to claim their respective titles, although, in fairness to the chasing pack, neither had an unassailable lead at the top.
Rule 79 of the local handbook states: ‘The awarding of points for league matches shall be three points for a win, one point for a draw. After the fulfilment of its league fixtures in each season the club in each league having gained the most points will be declared the winner and awarded prizes and any money from sponsorship as agreed by the management committee’.
The fact no team actually fulfilled their league fixtures and with the counter-proposal rejected, junior chiefs were left with no option but to declare the season null and void.
ERJFA general secretary and former SJFA president John Reilly said: “It’s disappointing we were unable to complete the season but there are more important things to worry about than football at this time.”
However, this may not be the end of the matter with East Craigie believed to have appealed to the SJFA over the outcome.
Meanwhile, reconstruction of the junior game will continue over the summer with west coast clubs joining the SFA’s pyramid structure which leads to the senior game.
ERJFA clubs are likely to follow suit in the years ahead.
However, a major stumbling block for clubs in Dundee is the fact, because they are based north of the Tay, any route through the pyramid structure would force them to join the Highland League.
Given, the distance and prohibitive costs likely to be involved, such a move would be unpalatable for many.
That being the case it’s hoped, over the next year or so, a more favourable split can be found, which would allow Tayside teams to be paired with outfits from Fife and the central belt.
In the meantime, with several Fife outfits set to join the East of Scotland set-up, there will be another restructuring of the ERJFA leagues over the summer.
That is likely to see the formation of a Tayside League and a West Lothian League.
It’s hoped the new format will give every team in the association something to play for, with a possible split in the respective tables at some point during the season to spice things up.