SHOTTS FIRED AT TITLE CALL
Bonny boss fumes at co-winner decision
Shotts Bon Accord boss John McKeown has slammed the West Region Junior FA for handing the Championship title to cowinners Blantyre Victoria and Darvel.
Last week the Vics and the Ayrshire league leaders were awarded the trophy as both sides had picked up 84 per cent of points before the league was called off.
With the Bonny in fourth McKeown doesn’t believe they should have been ruled out as potential contendors.
He can’t see any reason to hand out the honours and reckons the season should have been called null and void.
“It’s just a nonsense and totally unnecessary,” said the gaffer.
“I don’t know how they can hand out titles when you haven’t finished season. Even if they have decided to do it that way, Blantyre Vics are top of the division on average points. So, why do we have joint champions?
“In my opinion it’s so fake and completely pointless. It should have been null and void.
“Darvel can feel hard done by just because the governing body can’t decide who they think should win the league.
“When I was at Cumnock we wont the league title on goal difference. I can’t imagine it being handed out before all the games have been played.
“In the top division Kilwinning Rangers will feel hard done by as well because they had played more games than Auchinleck Talbot.
“I don’t think this way gives a true reflection on the league. You are just assuming teams will win games.
“Why did they have to give out the league titles, when we are moving to the West of Scotland League next season? It’s pointless.
“From our point of view, we can’t say if we would have caught the teams above us; there is no way to know now.
“We had won six games in a row before the lockdown, and there are just so many permutations that you can’t say yes or no.”
McKeown is now looking forward to a fresh start in the revamped tier six West of Scotland League when football returns.
He continued: “We have started speaking to the players about contracts for next season.
“It gives us more time to speak to the boys, even though you would prefer to speak to them face to face rather than over the phone. It needed freshened up and it’s a good chance to be connected to the pyramid.”