Falkirk District Pool League - FDPL

93 Posts

The committee will discuss the category situation tomorrow night. there will be two scenarios discussed which are as follows.

A, No categories for this season, which may be made a permanent rule. As no transfers can be made between teams most players have already signed for teams this season. Next years registrations would need to be watched to see if team(s) are trying to form a super team.

B, The following has been worked on
FK CAT A list Criteria

1 Falkirk CAT A List of Exceptional players -
List of players deemed "exceptional" by the committee (or by a panel of their choosing) who have achieved notable success.
These players will always be in FK CAT A as it is expected that they will never fall below a certain standard.

Its possible the committee may wish to seek guidance/assistance from a panel of experienced players to determine who should be classed as "Exceptional". Some potential candidates:- e.g. Weesteed/Bigsteed, Gazza, Bossman, Dazza, Woody, Sting

Once the initial "Exceptional" list has been compiled, the committee can add any player it chooses to the "Exceptional" list at any time.
If the player has been playing in the league for more then 1 year however (i.e. known quantity), then that player would initially be granted "Improved" status.

Suggested Examples of players who this rule would apply to.
Scott Ross
Steven Bennie
Geoff Dunn
Antz Morrison
Johnny Kemp
Jonah
Johnny Kemp
Steven Campbel Jnr
Gary Scott

2 Current Top 64 in IM
To be taken from the current Provisional Rankings in force at start of the Pool season i.e. For league season 2012-2013, the provisional rankings from January 2012 apply for the entire season.
Players where were categorised due to their Top 64 status who drop out of the top 64 the following year will be removed from the FK CAT A list unless it is determined that the player should be promoted to the "exceptional" list ("Improved" status may apply - see below).

2012-Provisional Rankings (Who are not already on "Exceptional" list)
G Rae
Bill Coleman

3 Players who play IM or Superleague for other areas.
Grassroots etc do not count

Known players.
Darren Mooney
Barry Lynn

Adam Kirk (Big Dog)

Exceptions.
If a player achieves the SPA Top 64 or is promoted to the exceptional list (point 1 above), they will be granted "Improved player" status for as long as they remain with the same team.

Each players "Category status" is determined when they join the league or when they switch to another team within the league.

A players "Improved" status does not count if that player chooses to play IMs or Superleague for another area.
That player is automatically categorised as FK Cat A.

If an existing team has exempt players and they then sign another categorised player, anty exempt player would lose that status if the new signing plays

93 Posts

Given that the categories were brought in at the time that the Braes league was about to fold, and everyone seems to slag them anyway by saying we just want to play against the best players it may be time to just do away with the categories

112 Posts

No categories at all is a little dangerous - even for this year with most of the players already taken.
(I presume this also does away with the "external IM" scenario - if not then again it would appear the crown is being singled out because some of their players play super league elsewhere and have done so for many years - and in my opinion, you cant categorise ONLY players who play elsewhere)

Seems to me that the current teams are of pretty comparable strength and are all capable of (and indeed are) taking points off each other.
Case in point the Mill Inn (to all purposes relegated season) beat the Crown (A league winners) last week in the cup.

Taking the shackles off (this season or next) and any existing squad could pick up the likes of Bennie, Ritchie, Billy C, Geoff etc
Id imagine almost any A league team signing two or three of the above (or other comparable players - e.g. Kempy) if they were to play regularly would give that team a huge advantage over the others.

Its easy to say " Next years registrations would need to be watched to see if team(s) are trying to form a super team." but what does that mean - how can we hope to police this with no rules/guidelines in force.

At first glance, the "Exceptional player" concept if implemented fairly would seem to cover most of the bases.
Reckon this (or something like it) should be implemented sooner rather than later.

The alternative of scrapping the Cats altogether is not altogether unappealing but in my opinion and experience, this will most likely eventually result in 2 or 3 teams rising to the top (as happened with the Braes) with the the rest not being able to compete on a level playing field whereas currently (as with most of last year) very few points separate the top 7 teams in the A league.
Its easy to say that we can try scrapping them - then implement some form of capping a couple of years down the line at - but then that will surely affect teams who will by then have played with each other for a while (ok they will probably be full of superstars) and then they will likely be forced to disband (ala the Pennies situ)

Surely all teams should decide which way to go (Cats based on exceptional ability or none at all). I honest dont know which way the vote would go but it wouldnt surprise me if most teams would be happy to retain some form of capping to try to maintain some form of level playing field.

Why not make next weeks league meeting an EGM and put it to the teams?
This should take the pressure off the Committee as things could go pear-shaped if just left "open ended" like this without the sanction of the teams.

72 Posts

Think these cat's would have mattered if we had became a money league,were not so they dont.
Have a vote amongst the teams on what to do then let the committee sort it out it's there job.
There are probably 4 or 5 players you're new rules will affect so why bother.
If in the future your "exceptional" players get together and form a "Superduper team" who gives a flying let them have there trophy.
I think you'll find most of the names on your list couldnt care less.

112 Posts

Not against scrapping them all together myself......
Just think all the teams should make the decision.

Only comment i would make - is why did the Braes fold?
Was a thriving league as far as i recall - then in a couple of seasons it just dwindled away.

There were always about 3 teams in contenion in the last 3 or 4 years. Mill / Crown / Pennies - then laterly after billy n ritchie trampolined back to pennies, pennies / crown / clachan..... The other teams were fightng over the odd cup and many of them turned up to get pumped 7:1 on regularl basis.
Cant help feel that many of the weaker teams got fed up of this and this led to the demise.
Did the Braes fold because of the "super-teams"

Although i agree with the sentiment Bri - Not 100% sure on your comment regaring cats dont mater cos its not a money league.
I remember we won just about everything one year - I think we got about £800 to split between about 13 of us. Not a lot for a whole seasons pool. Thats why i dont care if its a money league or not - almost everyone who plays league pool on a tuesday does so cos they wanna get out of the house and spend time with their mates - not cos they wanna win a paltry couple of bux at the end of the season...

PS
Just found out last night the "dynamic duo" have bounced back from pennies to the mill (again). Good. Probs makes enough difference to make the the mill real contenders this season.