Let’s start afresh next season
Farmers’ Boys gaffer calls for delay to new league plans
Neilston Juniors boss Chris Cameron is hoping SFA bosses delay starting the new league pyramid structure until next season because of the Covid-19 shutdown.
Chris, co-boss of the club, believes it would be better ending the season now with junior sides remaining where they are in the league tables.
Chris said: “The junior football system set up is changing just now in to the new pyramid structure.
“We are hoping they delay the start of it until next season.
“That’s the chat going round the junior clubs just now.
“We are thinking the start of next season might be better for when they are wanting to begin it.
“That makes sense for junior clubs like us.
“My personal thinking is they should end the junior season now and have no relegations or promotions and start afresh next season but no decision has yet been taken.”
And despite uncertainty about how SFA bosses will call it, he is hopeful the club has laid preparations for next season.
He added the Farmers’ Boys, who are sitting at seventh in the McBookie.com West Region Championship league, have already done their homework in getting ready for the new season - once the complete football shutdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic is over.
He said: “We are quite fortunate in that we have made a lot of signings in getting ready for next season.
“We have already made 12 signings for our squad on current terms so we were in a good place before the shutdown began in March.”
The Neilston boss added the club is staying “positive” during the lockdown even though the club have no money coming in through the gates.
He said: “Even though the gates are padlocked, and there is not a lot going on, and no finances are coming in, we are remaining positive.
“There are no sportmen’s dinners, no social events for players, or fundraising events going on right now, so it is a difficult time for all the junior clubs.
“To be honest we are looking at next season to take the club forward and want to keep our focus on the new direction after the summer.”
A new ‘sixth tier’ in the Scottish pyramid system below the Lowland/ Highland Leagues is set to be in place for next season and all Junior clubs in the West are expected to join the new setup.