i like how you know so much about scottish football, auckinlech talbot are a big name in ayrshire junior leagues and clydebank definetely belong in the championship because i think they would attract about 4000 fans if they were, but i think there is a few sleeping giants already in the league like Clyde FC if they moved back to Glasgow were they belong they would attract bigger crowds
That was a great vlog Sam, and not only that but a nice little insight to the town, you should be sponsored by the Scottish Tourist Board as well. As you promote the area as well as the football..
Vale of Leithen were one of the founding members of the Lowland League when it started in 2013, one of just 12 teams back then. At the time, there wasn't really a pyramid, it was only in recent years that many teams moved over from the juniors. It started with Kelty Hearts in 2017, in 2018 Bonnyrigg followed together with another 24 teams. Only from this season onwards all teams that were in the juniors are now in the pyramid (and some from the amateurs plus new/youth clubs starting an adult side). Because of that, many teams that are much stronger than VoL are now below them. Vale of Leithen also managed to stay up due to Hawick being much poorer in their short LL stint and were saved twice through Covid. As a result, they really play much higher than you'd expect from a team like that. I don't mean this as a dig at VoL, in the end of the day they were one of the initial 12 teams who took the jump into the unknown when the LL started and you can't blame them when circumstances outside of their control keep them up, but they will soon enough find their level in the pyramid. Unless they manage to turn things around I won't be surprised if they suffer another 2 consecutive relegation after this season though.
I remember back in the 1977/78 season when my team, Forfar Athletic, made it to the semi final of the League Cup (we took Rangers to extra time) about a month before that we played away to Vale of Leithen in the first round of the Scottish Cup and lost 4-1. One of the newspaper headlines the next day read “Giant-killers giant-killed”. We played them again in the Scottish Cup two or three years later and reversed the score.
Was on holiday in Northumberland a couple of years ago. Went to to Berwick Rangers vs.Bonnyrigg, it was an entertaining 3-5 win for Bonnyrigg. Good to see them doing so well
Fort William FC also have a similar bad record. In the 2018-19 season, they had only two draws and a goal difference of 21: 245 Would also interesting to see a video of them. Otherwise also great to see you upload Sam!
@@FootyAdventures they have definitely improved over the years though but still usually end up towards thend of the table 🙂. There are a few videos about them. One I would recommend is a bbc video. They went 882 days without a win
Vale of Leithen actually played Fort William in the 2019/20 Scottish Cup. Fort William won 5-0. That will undoubtedly have been their biggest victory in many years...
@@FootyAdventures might have a few issues here in Fort William. Firstly our ground got basically condemned by the highland league so we have to play every game away this season whilst its improved. Secondly there is relegation from the highland league this season and there is more than reasonable concern if that happens FW is done.
@@martenkats6915 That was the season Fort had 9 loanees from Inverness Caley Thistle and took Albion rovers to a replay as well. had 10 points from 20 games when the season ended prematurely. The 18/19 season i think they started with complete upheaval and only 6 players so played anyone that was about. had a 50yo goalie at one point
Used to live in innerleithen when I was younger. Me and my mates weren't supposed to but we used to play on the vale of leithen pitch. We were told to get off numerous times . Also they played, think it was hearts or Hibernian under 21s in a friendly and we snuck in the back gate to watch to avoid paying. It was only like 3 quid 😂
Was going to the game , missed my lift lol , the vale had a lot of bonnyrigg guys played for them when they were a good side , but not bonnyrigg rose players if that makes sense ,they weren't always the whipping boys far from it ,had a good reputation at one time , my wife is fi innerleithen and her sister's house looks on to Victoria park , she stays in bonnyrigg now so was wanting the rose to win but not by that margin , really enjoyed you're input Sam , real football at its scenic best ,
Great to see you down in Innerleithen!! I played a few games as a trialist there as a 16 year old! The juvenile team I played for didn't have a senior side, so in order for us to play in the then "BP Scottish Youth Cup", which is for senior clubs, we had to do so under the guise of Vale of Leithen. The deal being that, if needed, they could call upon players from our team to play for them in league or cup matches. We were the U16 Scottish Cup holders from the previous year so a few of us played for Vale that season, and they weren't whipping boys back then, they weren't challenging for titles either though. Great video again mate 👍
Absolutely class - would love to see you cover a Queen's Park game this season. We're in an interesting position with having very recently shifted from fully amateur to full time professional and just been promoted last season.
With no St Johnstone game on Saturday, I went down to Fife with Perth’s second side Jeanfield Swifts at Dundonald Bluebell. I love the scenery, the characters, the honesty of it all. You capture it really well too. An away day with them in Annan soon too for the Scottish Cup. Three buses heading down from Perth… highly recommended that for a game to go to 👍
That win in December away to Bo'ness United must have been sweet though and you can bet they had a wee dram afterwards. Vale and Fort William are a testament to the endurance of the human spirit and as such are an inspiration.
I have feel for Vale of Leithen struggling to win a home game for 3 years and getting beat 13-0 at home. Here's hoping they will manage to turn things around.
There’s a brilliant game coming up in the lower league cup, Crossgates primrose vs Bo’ness athletic, it’s at Crossgates ground and their fans are crazy, especially the kids who have their own little hill area, would love to see you there
Bellslea Park, Fraserburgh...would be worthy of your channel, right on the NE corner of the Aberdeenshire Coast and currently top of the Highland League.
Lovely part of the world Sam, but I think my prediction yesterday that Bonnyrigg would win by 6+ goals may have been a wee bit of an underestimate - LOL! Poor old VoL. Club with the burns quote on the badge are Ayr United, the "Honest Men". The famous line from "Tam'O'Shanter" - "Auld Ayr whar nor a toon surpasses for honest men and bonnie lassies"
Interesting stuff as usual. That poor motor of yours clocks up some miles 😁👍 Edit: looks like a cracking pitch. Is it as good looking from the sidelines?
The region you are describing is called the Southern Uplands. While not exactly Metropolis it is far from the most sparsely populated area of Scotland. For that try the remote North West Highlands.
sam i have to be honeset i have taken my eyes off the scottish scene i just look how queen of the south are getting on i noticed East Stirlingshire F.C in the table you went through any chance of a heads up on who has been relegatd etc bring us up to speed thanks another great video keep up the great work steve
Since the play-off to get into the SPFL was introduced in 2014/15, East Stirlingshire, Berwick Rangers and Brechin City have been relegated, while Edinburgh City, Cove Rangers and Kelty Hearts have been promoted. Have a look at Wikipedia for more info on the pyramid.
Was it ‘Rangers ‘B’ that were challenging them at the top that season ? I remember the fact that they (Rangers B), could not get promoted along with ‘Celtic ‘B’ as they were ‘reserve’ teams of their professional clubs who are obviously in the Premier League 😐
I played in a game between acomb tiger's fc v my club CB UNITED AFC my team won 40 0 yes 40.0 with 10 men I was the only 1 in our team that didn't score how crap I must of been not really I was a good player we played in the york and District Sunday afternoon league which is now finished
A real shame you didn't do an afternoon game, you could have bought yourself a Caldwell's ice-cream. The best ice-cream I've ever tasted. (just the plain vanilla)
i looked at going there before the lockdown started to watch north ferriby play. it looked like a fair walk into Harrogate centre though. are there any pubs near the ground?
Here’s a suggestion for a play off to find the worst team in Scotland, Vale of Leithen v Fort William 1 match at each other’s ground with if necessary a winner takes all (should that be loser takes all?) at a neutral ground!🤔just a thought.
They actually met in the actual Scottish Cup in September 2019, the Fort won 5-0, so I think your question was answered comprehensively! Also Fort are doing well in the North Caledonian 2022-23, currently 4th, whereas VoL are bottom of the East of Scotland Premier with 0 points.
Difficult to watch and a pity for Vale of Leithen but they and the likes of Selkirk and Hawick should never have been competing at the fifth level of the national game. Credit to Vale for lasting in the league as long as they have but they will be facing another couple of relegations at this rate.
I know what you mean! They're the rules though I suppose. Sad old night for Leithen. 2 reds and shipped 13 goals 😲 thanks for watching! More vlogs coming soon, I don't know if there'll be as many goals in the next few games combined!
Vale of Leithen should not even be in the Lowland League it's just embarrassing when teams like Auchinleck Talbot , Clydebank , Pollok , Irvine Meadow are in the Tear below in the Wos League .
That's because those teams didn't bother to join the pyramid until last season, plus Pollok need floodlights for their SFA licence to get promoted anyway. Vale will be relegated unless Elgin or Forfar get relegated from League 2 by the LL champions.
as far as I can tell from this season the bottom side in the lowland is relegated and the second bottom has relegation play- off....highland league only bottom side affected and its a play- off.
