East of Scotland Football League
 | |
| Founded | 1923 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Scotland (59 teams) |
| Other club(s) from |  England (1 team) |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Divisions | 4 |
| Number of clubs | 59 |
| Level on pyramid | 6–9 |
| Promotion to | Lowland Football League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Cup (licensed clubs and Premier Division winners) South Region Challenge Cup |
| League cup(s) | East of Scotland League Cup King Cup (non-Premier Division clubs only) |
| Current champions | Linlithgow Rose (1st title) (2022–23) |
| Most championships | Whitehill Welfare (16 titles) |
| Website | eosfl |
| Current: 2023–24 East of Scotland Football League | |
The East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) is a senior football league based in the east and south-east of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–9 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Founded in 1923, it is currently composed of 59 member clubs competing in four divisions. Traditionally clubs were located in Edinburgh, Lothians and the Scottish Borders however the league has now expanded and also includes clubs from Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Fife, Stirling, and Perth.
Since 2014–15 it has featured in the senior pyramid system. The winners take part in an end of season promotion play-off with the South of Scotland Football League and West of Scotland Football League champions, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria.
History
Original EoSFL
An earlier East of Scotland League existed between 1896 and 1906, when the supplementary Edinburgh Football League changed its name, after accepting Dundee as a member. There is no connection between the two incarnations of the league.
Eastern League, 1921-22
The forerunner of the EOSL was the amateur Eastern League, one of two such leagues this season that had the name, the other being professional and based in the North-East of Scotland. The membership would include subsequent EOSL members; Gala Fairydean, Peebles Rovers, Vale of Leithen, Edinburgh Civil Service, Selkirk and Civil Service Strollers. Gala were league champions with 17 points from their 10 matches.
21st Century
The EoSFL was traditionally one of Scotland's three "senior" non-leagues which sat outside the Scottish Football League (SFL), the other two being the Highland Football League and the South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL). It was generally viewed as being weaker than the Highland League (with fewer of their club sides defeating SFL sides in the Scottish Cup competition as opposed to the HFL), but was still regarded as being stronger than the South of Scotland League.
Some SoSFL clubs opted to join the EoSFL, including Annan Athletic before they were elected to the SFL in 2008. Dalbeattie Star and Threave Rovers also joined however both subsequently left to rejoin the SoSFL and then later the Lowland League.
A number of the sides in the EoSFL have applied to join the SFL in the past, with Annan Athletic applying in (2000, successfully in 2008), Edinburgh City (2002, 2008), Gala Fairydean (1994, 2000, 2002), Preston Athletic (2000, 2002, 2008) and The Spartans (2008).
In 2004, Threave Rovers pulled out of the league to concentrate their efforts on the South of Scotland Football League. This left the league with an uneven number of clubs, and they were expected to fill the vacancy in the summer of 2005, with Gala Rovers widely touted as likely candidates. However, this did not happen. The only change that happened at that year's AGM of the league, was that Tollcross United announced that they would be competing as Tynecastle from the 2005–06 season.
In 2006, Peebles Rovers merged with several local amateur sides to become Peebles, who took Rovers' place in the league. At the 2007 AGM, agreement was reached to admit the reserve side of Berwick Rangers as the twelfth member of the First Division. They also entered the League Cup, but no other cups during the 2007–08 season. However, the reserves lasted only one season following Berwick Rangers' relegation to the fourth tier of Scottish football. They were replaced by Stirling University, but returned for the 2010–11 season.
Gretna 2008 entered the league in 2008, formed in the wake of the financial disaster that befell Gretna's former club, Gretna F.C. They initially had to play home matches in the nearby town of Annan, the club that took their place in the SFL.
The admission of Duns prior to the 2011–12 season, and then Burntisland Shipyard in 2012–13 brought the number of sides in the EoSFL to 26, the highest it had ever been up to that point.
Lowland League and decline
In 2013, the Lowland Football League was formed to act as a direct feeder to the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), covering an area of Scotland south of the Tay Road Bridge. Nine EoSFL clubs gained entry to the Lowland League, reducing the EoSFL to 20 teams. Hibernian entered a reserve team into the league at the start of the 2013–14 season, but withdrew after one season due to their first team being relegated.[1] Further departures saw the league merged into a single division of 16 teams in 2015–16, which was then reduced to just 11 teams during 2016–17 as more clubs moved to the Lowland League, back to the Juniors or resigned.
Influx of Junior clubs
Beginning in 2017 the league experienced a resurgence with SJFA East Superleague champions Kelty Hearts joining from the Juniors. In April 2018, thirteen clubs—most of them from the East Juniors—were accepted into the league for the 2018–19 season, doubling the league's membership. When the window for applications was extended to the league's AGM in June, even more clubs quit the Junior grade, bringing the total membership up to 39 clubs, split over three conferences.[2] The following season Glenrothes made the same switch. In 2020 a further ten clubs, including the return of Eyemouth United after a year out, boosted the league's membership to 49 clubs ahead of the 2020–21 season.[3] The remaining East Region junior clubs south of Tayport (most from West Lothian) joined the league for 2021–22, giving the league a total of 59 members.
East of Scotland Football Association
While the EoSFL oversees the leagues and League Cup competitions; the East of Scotland Football Association (EoSFA) is a technically independent body, which organises all of the other cups. It was founded in 1875 as the "Eastern Branch of the Scottish FA", a title that was vetoed by the Scottish FA. Taking the title Edinburgh FA, it was renamed the East of Scotland FA in 1889. Most of the officials sit on both bodies, and the Executive Committee is a joint organisation. The current President of the EoSFA is Andy McDonald (of Edinburgh City), while the President of the EoSFL is John Greenhorn (of Ormiston).
There are 72 members of the East of Scotland Football Association (EoSFA).[4]
- Six members play in the SPFL:
- 8 members play in the Lowland League:
- Berwick Rangers, Bo'ness United, Civil Service Strollers, Edinburgh University, Gala Fairydean Rovers, Linlithgow Rose, Stirling University, and Tranent Juniors.
The first teams of the members in the SPFL have little involvement in EoSFA competitions. Youth teams of Hearts and Hibernian formerly contested the East of Scotland Shield, while Bonnyrigg Rose, Edinburgh City, Kelty Hearts and The Spartans participate in the East of Scotland (City) Cup. Berwick Rangers, Hibernian,[5][1] and The Spartans all previously fielded reserve teams in the EoSFL.[6]
The EoSFL and EoSFA are full members of the Scottish Football Association.
Member clubs
– Premier Division
– First Division
– Second Division 
– Third DivisionThe EoSFL's two-tier format, which began in 1987–88, was abolished for the 2015–16 season due to dwindling numbers and replaced with a single division. To cope with the influx of new members in 2018–19, the league consisted of three conferences running in parallel. For 2019–20, the EoSFL was reorganised back into a two-tier setup, with a 16-team Premier Division and two First Division conferences. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no relegation took place in 2020 meaning the Premier Division was temporarily increased to 18 clubs.
For 2022–23, the Premier Division reverted back to 16 clubs while the top 7 in the two First Division conferences formed a First and Second Division, with Conference X being renamed the Third Division below.
Listed below are the 59 clubs in the EoSFL for the 2023–24 season. Three clubs are promoted and relegated between each division.
Premier Division
- Broxburn Athletic
- Crossgates Primrose
- Dunbar United
- Dundonald Bluebell
- Glenrothes
- Haddington Athletic
- Hill of Beath Hawthorn
- Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts
- Jeanfield Swifts
- Kinnoull
- Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
- Luncarty
- Musselburgh Athletic
- Penicuik Athletic
- Sauchie Juniors
- Tynecastle
Cup competitions
Current
- Scottish Cup: For full SFA members and winners of the East of Scotland League, who all enter at the preliminary round stage. Knock-out tournament, with replays only in the preliminary round.
- SFA South Region Challenge Cup: This competition was introduced in 2007–08 as a replacement for the Scottish Qualifying Cup (South) which was abolished under the new Scottish Cup format. It is for all senior non-league clubs in the south of Scotland and has 163 entrants for the 2023–24 season – 16 from the Lowland League, 56 from the EoSFL, 11 from the SoSFL, and 80 from the WoSFL. Reserve teams do not take part. The first and second rounds are regionalised, otherwise it is a straight knock-out tournament, without replays.
- East of Scotland League Cup: All 59 EoSFL teams enter this competition. Straight knock-out tournament without replays. Prior to 2021–22, only the group winners and runners-up from the Qualifying Leagues competed in this tournament.
- King Cup: Open to the 43 clubs below the Premier Division but originally open to all members of the EOSFA. Straight knock-out tournament without replays. Previously, this was open to all EoSFL clubs. The King Cup final is traditionally the last game of the season.
- Alex Jack Cup (also formerly known as the East of Scotland Consolation Cup): Competition for the 28 EoSFL clubs who are not already competing in the Scottish Cup or Scottish Junior Cup, usually played on the same weekends as Scottish Cup matches. Straight knock-out tournament, without replays. The winner goes on to play in the East, South and West of Scotland Cup-Winners Shield against the Southern Counties FA's Alba Cup winner and the West's Strathclyde Cup winner for a place in the following season's Scottish Cup.
- East of Scotland Qualifying Cup: Competition for the 66 EoSFA members outwith the SPFL. Straight knock-out tournament without replays. The competition was originally the preliminary phase of the EOS Shield.
- East of Scotland (City) Cup: The finalists of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup join Edinburgh City and Kelty Hearts in the semi-finals. The 4 EoSFA members in the national leagues (Hearts, Hibernian, Livingston, and formerly Berwick Rangers) used to all enter, but now the Hearts and Hibernian reserve teams contest the East of Scotland Shield – albeit intermittently.
Inactive
- East of Scotland Shield: since the mid-1980s, this tournament has become a one-off match for youth/reserve teams of Hearts and Hibernian, however it was last held in 2015–16.
- East of Scotland Qualifying Leagues: Removed for 2019–20 due to the increase in league fixtures. Added in 2011–12, this was a pre-season warm-up competition where clubs were split into ten groups and each played the others within their group once, with the group winners and runners-up progressing to the League Cup.
Holders
2022–23 winners unless stated.
- South Region Challenge Cup: The Spartans
- East of Scotland League Cup: Bo'ness Athletic
- Alex Jack Cup: Luncarty
- Cup Winners Shield: Luncarty
- King Cup: Lochore Welfare
- East of Scotland Qualifying Cup: University of Stirling
- East of Scotland (City) Cup: Gala Fairydean Rovers 2021–22
Seasons
| Season | East of Scotland League | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923–24 | Coldstream | ||||
| 1924–25 | Vale of Leithen | ||||
| 1925–26 | Civil Service Strollers | ||||
| 1926–27 | Civil Service Strollers (2) | ||||
| 1927–28 | Berwick Rangers
| ||||
| 1928–29 | Peebles Rovers | ||||
| 1929–30 | Bathgate | ||||
| 1930–31 | Bathgate (2) | ||||
| 1931–32 | Penicuik Athletic | ||||
| 1932–33 | Peebles Rovers (2) | ||||
| 1933–34 | Peebles Rovers (3) | ||||
| 1934–35 | Peebles Rovers (4) | ||||
| 1935–36 | Peebles Rovers (5) | ||||
| 1936–37 | Jedburgh Artisans | ||||
| 1937–38 | Penicuik Athletic (2) | ||||
| 1938–39 | Bo'ness | ||||
| 1939–40
to 1944–45 |
No league championship during World War II | ||||
| 1945–46 | Peebles Rovers (6) NOTE this edition of was known as the Emergency Trophy | ||||
| 1946–47 | Berwick Rangers (2)
| ||||
| 1947–48 | Hibernian 'B' | ||||
| 1948–49 | Hibernian 'B' (2) | ||||
| 1949–50 | Heart of Midlothian 'B' | ||||
| 1950–51 | Hibernian 'B' (3) | ||||
| 1951–52 | Hibernian 'B' (4) | ||||
| 1952–53 | Hibernian 'B' (5) | ||||
| 1953–54 | unfinished | ||||
| 1954–55 | Eyemouth United | ||||
| 1955–56 | Eyemouth United (2) | ||||
| 1956–57 | Eyemouth United (3) | ||||
| 1957–58 | unfinished | ||||
| 1958–59 | |||||
| 1959–60 | |||||
| 1960–61 | Gala Fairydean | ||||
| 1961–62 | Gala Fairydean (2) | ||||
| 1962–63 | unfinished | ||||
| 1963–64 | Gala Fairydean (3) | ||||
| 1964–65 | Gala Fairydean (4) | ||||
| 1965–66 | Gala Fairydean (5) | ||||
| 1966–67 | Hawick Royal Albert | ||||
| 1967–68 | Hawick Royal Albert (2) | ||||
| 1968–69 | Gala Fairydean (6) | ||||
| 1969–70 | Cowdenbeath 'A' | ||||
| 1970–71 | Eyemouth United (4) | ||||
| 1971–72 | The Spartans | ||||
| 1972–73 | Civil Service Strollers (3) | ||||
| 1973–74 | Hawick Royal Albert (3) | ||||
| 1974–75 | Selkirk | ||||
| 1975–76 | Selkirk (2) | ||||
| 1976–77 | Selkirk (3) | ||||
| 1977–78 | Vale of Leithen (2) | ||||
| 1978–79 | Vale of Leithen (3) | ||||
| 1979–80 | Whitehill Welfare | ||||
| 1980–81 | Whitehill Welfare (2) | ||||
| 1981–82 | Whitehill Welfare (3) | ||||
| 1982–83 | Whitehill Welfare (4) | ||||
| 1983–84 | The Spartans (2) | ||||
| 1984–85 | Whitehill Welfare (5) | ||||
| 1985–86 | Whitehill Welfare (6) | ||||
| 1986–87 | Vale of Leithen (4) | ||||
| Season | Premier Division | First Division | League Cup | ||
| 1987–88 | Whitehill Welfare (7) | Annan Athletic | Whitehill Welfare (1) | ||
| 1988–89 | Gala Fairydean (7) | Peebles Rovers | Whitehill Welfare (2) | ||
| 1989–90 | Annan Athletic | Coldstream | Berwick Rangers 'A' | ||
| 1990–91 | Gala Fairydean (8) | Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare | Whitehill Welfare (3) | ||
| 1991–92 | Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare | Manor Thistle | Whitehill Welfare (4) | ||
| 1992–93 | Whitehill Welfare (8) | Civil Service Strollers | Edinburgh City | ||
| 1993–94 | Whitehill Welfare (9) | Tollcross United | Gala Fairydean | ||
| 1994–95 | Whitehill Welfare (10) | Pencaitland | Whitehill Welfare (5) | ||
| 1995–96 | Whitehill Welfare (11) | Edinburgh City | Whitehill Welfare (6) | ||
| 1996–97 | The Spartans (3) | Lothian Thistle | Whitehill Welfare (7) | ||
| 1997–98 | Whitehill Welfare (12) | Peebles Rovers (2) | Whitehill Welfare (8) | ||
| 1998–99 | Whitehill Welfare (13) | Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare (2) | Whitehill Welfare (9) | ||
| 1999–00 | Annan Athletic (2) | Threave Rovers | Annan Athletic | ||
| 2000–01 | Annan Athletic (3) | Pencaitland & Ormiston | Civil Service Strollers | ||
| 2001–02 | The Spartans (4) | Preston Athletic | Edinburgh City (2) | ||
| 2002–03 | Whitehill Welfare (14) | Edinburgh University | Whitehill Welfare (10) | ||
| 2003–04 | The Spartans (5) | Kelso United | The Spartans | ||
| 2004–05 | The Spartans (6) | Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare (3) | The Spartans (2) | ||
| 2005–06 | Edinburgh City | Craigroyston | Heriot-Watt University | ||
| 2006–07 | Annan Athletic (4) | Dalbeattie Star | Whitehill Welfare (11) | ||
| 2007–08 | Whitehill Welfare (15) | Heriot-Watt University | Whitehill Welfare (12) | ||
| 2008–09 | The Spartans (7) | Tynecastle | Dalbeattie Star | ||
| 2009–10 | The Spartans (8) | Stirling University | The Spartans (3) | ||
| 2010–11 | The Spartans (9) | Gretna 2008 | The Spartans (4) | ||
| 2011–12 | Stirling University | Heriot-Watt University (2) | Whitehill Welfare (13) | ||
| 2012–13 | Whitehill Welfare (16) | Craigroyston (2) | Edinburgh City (3) | ||
| 2013–14 | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | Hibernian reserves | Hibernian reserves | ||
| 2014–15 | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale (2) | Peebles Rovers (3) | Leith Athletic | ||
| Season | East of Scotland League | League Cup | |||
| 2015–16 | Leith Athletic | The Spartans reserves | |||
| 2016–17 | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale (3) | Leith Athletic (2) | |||
| 2017–18 | Kelty Hearts * | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | |||
| Season | Conferences | League Cup | |||
| 2018–19 | Championship play-off: Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic *
Conference A: Penicuik Athletic |
Bo'ness United | |||
| Season | Premier Division | First Division | League Cup | ||
| 2019–20 | Bo'ness United * | Conference A: Tynecastle Conference B: Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale |
Unfinished | ||
| 2020–21 | Null and void | Conference A: Null and void Conference B: Null and void |
No competition | ||
| Season | Premier Division | First Division | Conference X | League Cup | |
| 2021–22 | Tranent Juniors * | Conference A: Haddington Athletic Conference B: Oakley United |
Whitburn | Linlithgow Rose | |
| Season | Premier Division | First Division | Second Division | Third Division | League Cup |
| 2022–23 | Linlithgow Rose * | Dunbar United | Whitburn | Bo'ness Athletic | Bo'ness Athletic |
* Team promoted to the Lowland League
Total titles won
Clubs currently playing in the league are shown in bold. Clubs no longer active are shown in italics.
| Rank | Club | East of Scotland League (pre 1987–88) |
East of Scotland Premier Division (1987–88–present) |
Total Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitehill Welfare | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| 2 | The Spartans | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| 3 | Gala Fairydean | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 4 | Peebles Rovers | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | Hibernian 'B' | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 6= | Annan Athletic | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 6= | Eyemouth United | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 6= | Vale of Leithen | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 9= | Civil Service Strollers | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 9= | Hawick Royal Albert | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 9= | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 9= | Selkirk | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 13= | Bathgate | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 13= | Berwick Rangers | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 13= | Penicuik Athletic | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 16= | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Bo'ness | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16= | Bo'ness United | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Coldstream | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16= | Cowdenbeath 'A' | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16= | Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Edinburgh City | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Heart of Midlothian 'B' | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16= | Jedburgh Artisans | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 16= | Kelty Hearts | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Leith Athletic | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Linlithgow Rose | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Stirling University | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 16= | Tranent Juniors | 0 | 1 | 1 |
References
- ^ a b Brown, Anthony (6 June 2014). "Hibs quit East of Scotland League set-up". Edinburgh Evening News. Johnston Publishing. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ McLauchlin, Brian (8 June 2018). "East of Scotland League vote signals exodus of 24 junior clubs". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ "Nine newcomers to East of Scotland League are approved". www.fifetoday.co.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ "Club directory – East of Scotland Football Association & League". www.eosfl.com. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Hibs secure berth in East of Scotland League". Edinburgh Evening News. Johnston Publishing. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ^ "East Seniors agree on a new setup". Edinburgh Evening News. Johnston Publishing. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
External links
- East of Scotland Football League
- Football leagues in Scotland
- Sixth level football leagues in Europe
- 1923 establishments in Scotland
- Sports leagues established in 1923
- Football in Perth and Kinross
- Football in Fife
- Football in East Lothian
- Football in Edinburgh
- Football in Midlothian
- Football in West Lothian
- Football in Falkirk (council area)
- Football in Clackmannanshire
- Football in the Scottish Borders
- Football in Stirling (council area)
- Sport in Perth, Scotland
- Football in Northumberland