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I have heard many arguements regarding our league over the last few years. Unfortunately I haven't heard 1 yet that has convinced me which way we should go.
One thing I am convinced about is that we must continue to play rinks. (8 triples should never be an option)
Of all our opponents this year only Victoria Park failed to play 8 full rinks against us. Playing 1 3'some in lge & only 5 rinks in lge cup. I believe that Albion & Yarrow only really started to have serious problems once the league cup games were rearranged due to the weather. Scotstounhill have had difficulties for a number of years but Yoker should be commended for using some imagination to enable them to field full teams, using bowling mercenaries from Glasgow, Paisley, Dumbarton & possibly even Middlesborough. Old Kilpatrick have lost 1 of the best young talents around because they could not offer him enough competitive bowls. Singers & Dalmuir are suffering from an aging membership.
We had a problem a few years ago as we seemed to have League players & Lennox players but lately we have experienced a greater unity thus putting us in a position of strength both with numbers and ability.
So where do we go- 6 rinks feels like a cop out but I also heard a proposal to change to Shots only instead of 2 points for each rink to encourage the teams to field 8 teams. I don't know if this would work as when we played against Viccy they made up 5 strong teams will we had several good players watching.
As an aside is there potential for the CDBA and the DAC to play off a 2 Lge system using the Glasgow solution of 1 rink home & away.

I more or less agree with you TN. There is no alternative but to play rinks....triples no way!!

You are right with regards to the struggling teams and the split at in the past caused couple of issues, I think when several players were on holiday and others were in Ireland. There appears to be a 5/5 split now, Vikki are in real probs, Yoker will struggle EVERY week to field 32, Albion have issues during holiday periods as do S'hill. Yarrow I had never heard about.....

From your info though I am VERY concerned, if 5 teams are struggling then I hope hasty decidions are not made with the President of CDBA having the casting vote on a 5 /5 vote. That could be a disaster with the easy 6 rinks option being passed.

Whatever happens, if anything, a 1 year trial period MUST be administered.

As for the Yoker Mercenaries....its like the old war cry, 'Send Re-inforcements we're going to Advance' becomes 'Send 3 and fourpence we're going to a dance'. Only you're possibly Middlesborough statement is correct, YBC did send out a rink during a visit from Middlesborough, I believe v Yarrow, on their agreement beforehand, not sure if the points were forfeited before play though. The other players from Paisley (1 of) was a fully paid member who joined to play in the Prestegious CDBA League Only!! The Dumbarton Member who left a fellow CDBA club due to medical reasons to play for a Dumbarton club wished to continue to play in the CDBA league. His club wouldn't allow him to play for them and another club so he joined YBC for Friday nights. As for Glasgow, I'm not sure who came from there but we had a couple of brothers and their father who were fullly paid members, playing in all competitions for two full seasons.

It may not be morally correct from the view points of other clubs, but fully within the rules outwith the Boro boys but as I said that was prearranged and preagreed.

Anyway I think we are starting to sing the chorus from the same hymn sheet.

I was only mentioning the mercenaries as a way to show that Yoker had explored an avenue to fulfill their committments, unlike other clubs who have been quite happy to call games off. ie Viccy's decision to cancel all games against Radnor last week and also against the Albion at the end of last years Lge Cup. Even if the games have no bearing on the section, common decency should have been enough for them to send 16 players to play at their opponents green.

The point you may have missed on the results forum last week is that your placement of a CDBA debate amongst our section results could easily have been construed as... "good luck in the League Cup.... but its a tin pot anyway cos only 5 teams can compete seriously for the trophy"
While i accept that was not your intention surely its better to get the forum back on track.

Let's hope we get more people involved now with all suggestions in the same place. There must be a solution out there

I can see the need for change for the five clubs that struggle for teams. My preference for our club would be if there was a reduction to 6 rinks, we look at fielding A and B teams, and to agree with a previous post, be on a 1 year trial basis.
A worry would be if clubs then struggle to put out 6 rinks, which based on the rumours about Vikky Park, could happen, where do we go?

Following up from my last post, a compromise that should suit all clubs could be to divide the league in to two divisions as follows

Division 1

8 Teams 4 at home/ 4 away as per the CDBA rules.

Change to rules:

Club/s who fail to field full team’s penalty as follows:

1 team short of full strength 4 points 17 shots to opponents
2 teams short of full strength 10 points 50 shorts to opponents

These penalties would ensure that failure to field teams imposes a large penalty
Hopefully this will deter no shows and over come the out of the running culture which seems to appear the last few games of the season.


Divisions 2

6 Teams 3 home / 3 away

Club/s who fail to field full team’s penalty as follows:

1 team short of full strength 4 points 34 shots
2 teams short of full strength 10 points 50 shots.

Each club would play each other twice per season. i.e. 10 games

At the end of season if the top team in division 2 can guarantee fielding 8 teams for the following season they would be promoted to division 1 and the bottom team from division 1 would be relegated to division 2.

If the top team in division 2 can not field 8 teams both would stay in their respective divisions.

The league cup would then move to a knockout based on a six or eight team format what ever would be decided by the CDBA.

This could be the solution to the clubs that are struggling and at the same time give an extra edge to the league competition and keep the clubs fielding 8 teams to ensure the stay in the top division.

Could this be an option?????????????????

Nice idea Baldy B....it would certainly spice up the CDBA League and as you say the only way of promotion would be to guarentee 8 teams for division 1 (would undersoil heating be required ). Obviously Division 2 would have a Cup to play for aswell as promotion.

I do think the penalties though are very harsh and may cause clubs not to care if they have selection issues later in the season when they are out of contention. It might be we're not in contention so we'll just not play' scenario????

Could I expand on this idea which if being honest is simple but effective, one where I can only see good foundation rather than flaws.....

Totally happy with Division 1 Teams (Provisional)

Clydebank
OK
Singer
Radnor
Dalmuir

Division 2 Teams (Provision)

Yarrow
Yoker
Albion
Viki Park
S'hill

If the CDBA went for this idea how would you determine the 5/5 split if say , at the begining Yarrow & The Albion suggested they could fill 8 rinks? Would we look at the 7 8 rink teams drawing lots for the 5 places with the two others starting in Div 2?

This may complicate things but two teams, one from from each section, would not have a game each week....could another tournament be run in tandem????? For later discussion I think.

During this trial period under the said format I'd run it like the DBA County....playing for shots, unaware what the away (or home) team are doing at their venue. So lets get rid of the boring 2 points a rink and bonus and suggest two points for the big board and carry shots also.

Eg Clydebank v Singer 4 rinks at home totalling +13 shots, Clydebank v Singer 4 rinks away -11 shots. This would see Clydebank gain 2 points and 2 shots.

The same would apply to Section 2......

As for penalties etc.....this is up for debate:-

I'd suggest that any team failing to field a full team should be able to field a triple but like now, the individual rink would lose 25% of their score. Remembering that its the 'big scoreboard' and not the game they are trying to win. Any failings in ANY fixture would also make them exempt from promotion during that season. Keep the penalty system simple but don't hammer the clubs as that will just cheese off good members. If for example a team pulls out of a fixture they should be cited to the next CDBA meeting and fined or deducted points.

As I mentioned before this is a real good idea and hope my suggestions enhances a idea that may actuall be a go'er!!!

mabye its time we opned up our horizons and looked at possibily joining d/ton or glasgow. Its just a thought but mabye worth looking into.

I think that this may be an idea way down the line Grumps and whilst it is a suggestion that could be considered it is similar to Celtic and Rangers joing the EPL...also the main comps there are played with smaller number of rinks, defeating our purpose of changing and saving the CDBA.

Baldy B has a very good suggestion and thinking about it there appears to be only a couple of waves that some teams may require to ride. I would also try and jazz it up with with new colour stickers and maybe new names eg. Singer Senators, Clydebank Cowboys and Radnor Rangers (quite apt eh LOL)

If we go for two sections of 5 i.e. 5 x 8 rink teams they would contest the Premier League, the 5 x 6 rink teams would contest Division 1. All teams would play each team twice in a home and away fashion, I would stick with the suggestion of the scoring similar to the county matches.

The bottom team in the Premiership would be up for relegation aslong as the winner of Division 1 accepts promotion. If they do I would suggest the promoted team are asked to lodge a bond of say £250. Any failing to full fill ALL fixtures in the Premiership would see the loss of the bond and in addition the club would be automatically relegated at the end of the season to Division 1, no matter where they finish in the premiership. This would also encourage all teams in the Premiership to battle it out to the death with their fixtures as it may see them relegated to Division 1 and into the 6 rink equation.

The 1st season would require a compromise, as I mentioned before if 6 teams say they can muster 8 rinks it may be the drawing of lots should dictate the 5 teams for the Premiership for season 1....also if the Division 1 winners decide not to take promotion then the bottom team in the Premiership would not be relegated.

I think this proposal of Baldy B plus the above is way too good not to take to the CDBA. I'd like to ask Baldy B if that is his intentions, if not I'd like to suggest the above ASAP.

Like the way this is sounding.as for coloured stickers,can i suggest we go a step further i suggest coloured polo tops,as suggested by bankie boy in a previous thread.C'mon the(Cowboys).

E Biscuit, thanks for your kind comments. I spoke to John Anderson today and suggested that he look at this topic on our site to give him some thoughts from some concerned players. You may be able to follow this through. If you know the date of the next CDBA meeting it may be better if we both brief our delegates with our thoughts with the reasons behind these thoughts to get the dialog up and running on the night and take the time until the start of next season to get the decision right.
Names are a bit of a gimmick but coloured team polos would take the district into 21st Century and add a bit of colour to a Friday night. (a subject that is being looked at in our club at present)

PS I see from your list there are a few clubs missing is there a competition on this? if so can I suggest the Yoker Jokers .