East of Scotland Football League
Third version 1923-date
|
See also East of Scotland League
overview |
Thanks to Alick
Milne, his research has pushed the league’s founding year back to 1923 after
it was widely believed it was formed in 1927. Alick
has also supplied all the final tables from the 1920s and 1930s as well as
many club details for the period. Earlier competitions known as the East of
Scotland League have operated a various times. The first was in 1893-94 and
lasted just one season. The second was when the Edinburgh League, a
supplementary league competition, expanded in 1896 to include clubs outwith the capital, changed its name. Just prior to the
First World War, an Eastern League comprising, amongst others, some Border
club, was in existence for a couple of seasons. In 1921-22, the name was used again by
Edinburgh and Border amateur clubs for one season. Immediately before and
after this season, the Eastern League had been a professional competition
played for by the main clubs of the North East, but disbanded in 1923 after
the formation of the Scottish League’s Third Division. Because the Border League was a
haphazard affair, with clubs playing fixtures whenever they wanted, the East
of Scotland FA decided to step in. They formed the East of Scotland League in
1923 with seven clubs clubs, two from Edinburgh
(Civil Service Strollers and Edinburgh Civil Service), and five border clubs
(Berwick Rangers, Coldstream, Gala Fairydean, Selkirk and Vale of Leithen).
Edinburgh CS dropped out after six games and were
replaced by Leith Amateurs of the Lothian Amateur
League. The first championship was won by Coldstream.
The same clubs took part in the next two seasons before the league expanded
in 1926 to nine clubs with the admission of Edinburgh University and the
newly formed Hawick United. Vale of Leithen turned Junior in 1927, joining the East of
Scotland Junior League, and Berwick Rangers walked away with the title,
dropping just one point in the process. The second season saw Duns, Peebles Rovers
and Vale of Leithen all stepping up from the Junior
ranks. Four amateur clubs also joined – Corstorphine,
Clerwood and Murrayfield
and the newly formed Edinburgh City. The last named club made their bow this
season before gaining admittance to the Scottish League in 1931. Bathgate,
previously of the Scottish League, entered the league for two seasons
(1929-1931), winning both championships, before leaving for the Edinburgh
& District League, winning that before disbanding soon after. In 1930, the
border clubs, finding the frequent trips to the capital expensive, tried to
raise the gate guarantee from £2 10s to £3. This caused five clubs to leave
to help form the Edinburgh & District League. The league offset this by
admitting Jedburgh Artisans and Penicuik
Athletic. Chirnside United and Peebles YMCA also
joined in the following seasons, which saw Peebles Rovers win the
championship in four successive years. The demise of the Edinburgh &
District League in 1935 saw the return of Edinburgh University, Leith Amateurs and Murrayfield
Amateurs. Former Scottish League side Bo’ness also
joined in 1938 and proceeding to win the title. They couldn’t fully defend it the next
season though as war intervened and the league was suspended until 1945. By
then Bo’ness had merged with local rivals Bo’ness Cadora to form Bo’ness United. In the meantime, a new East of Scotland
League consisting of nine army teams was organized for the rest of 1939-40 season, with Netherdale no.2 of
the Highland Light Infantry winning the championship. Until the 1980s,
the league was played as a single section, except for two seasons between
1966 and 1968. In 1966-67, Lower and Upper divisions were organized, with the
top clubs playing off for the championship. Hawick
Royal Albert and Vale of Leithen were the winners
of these sections, with Hawick winning the
championship play-off by an aggregate of 7-1. In 1967-68, the two divisions
were called Edinburgh and Border. The league reverted to one division in 1968
until it was restructured in 1987 into the present Premier-First Division
set-up. That year also saw the introduction of the League Cup. |
Eastern
League champions
1921-22
Gala Fairydean East
of Scotland League Champions
|
|
|
1923-24
Coldstream 1924-25
Vale of Leithen 1925-26
Civil Service Strollers 1926-27
Civil Service Strollers 1927-28
Berwick Rangers 1928-29
Peebles Rovers 1929-30
Bathgate
1930-31
Bathgate
1931-32
Penicuik Athletic 1932-33
Peebles Rovers 1933-34
Peebles Rovers 1934-35
Peebles Rovers 1935-36
Peebles Rovers 1936-37
Jedburgh Artisans 1937-38
Penicuik Athletic 1938-39
Bo'ness 1939-45 no competition 1945-46
Peebles Rovers 1946-47
Berwick Rangers 1947-48
Hibernian 'B' 1948-49
Hibernian 'B' 1949-50
Heart of Midlothian 'B' 1950-51
Hibernian 'B' 1951-52
Hibernian 'B' 1952-53
Hibernian 'B' 1953-54 unfinished 1954-55
Eyemouth United 1955-56
Eyemouth United 1956-57
Eyemouth United 1957-58 Dunfermline
Athletic reserves 1958-59 unfinished 1959-60 unfinished 1960-61
Gala Fairydean 1961-62
Gala Fairydean 1962-63 unfinished 1963-64
Gala Fairydean 1964-65
Gala Fairydean 1965-66
Gala Fairydean 1966-67
Hawick Royal Albert 1967-68
Hawick Royal Albert 1968-69
Gala Fairydean |
1969-70
Cowdenbeath reserves 1970-71
Eyemouth United 1971-72
Spartans 1972-73
Civil Service Strollers 1973-74
Hawick Royal Albert 1974-75
Selkirk 1975-76
Selkirk 1976-77
Selkirk 1977-78
Vale of Leithen 1978-79
Vale of Leithen 1979-80
Whitehill Welfare 1980-81
Whitehill Welfare 1981-82
Whitehill Welfare 1982-83
Whitehill Welfare 1983-84
Spartans 1984-85
Whitehill Welfare 1985-86
Whitehill Welfare 1986-87 Vale of Leithen Premier Division
1987-88
Whitehill Welfare
1988-89
Gala Fairydean 1989-90
Annan Athletic 1990-91
Gala Fairydean 1991-92
Easthouses Lily
1992-93
Whitehill Welfare
1993-94
Whitehill Welfare
1994-95
Whitehill Welfare
1995-96
Whitehill Welfare
1996-97
Spartans 1997-98
Whitehill Welfare
1998-99
Whitehill Welfare
1999-00
Annan Athletic 2000-01
Annan Athletic 2001-02
Spartans 2002-03
Whitehill Welfare
2003-04
Spartans 2004-05
Spartans 2005-06
Edinburgh City 2006-07
Annan Athletic 2007-08 Whitehill
Welfare 2008-09 Spartans 2009-10 Spartans |
|
East
of Scotland League - First Division Champions |
East
of Scotland League Cup Winners |
|
1987-88
Annan Athletic 1988-89
Peebles Rovers 1989-90
Coldstream 1990-91
Easthouses Lily 1991-92
Manor Thistle 1992-93
Civil Service Strollers 1993-94
Tollcross United 1994-95
Pencaitland 1995-96
Edinburgh City 1996-97
Lothian Thistle 1997-98
Peebles Rovers 1998-99
Easthouses Lily 1999-00
Threave Rovers 2000-01
Pencaitland & Ormiston 2001-02
Preston Athletic 2002-03
Edinburgh University 2003-04
Kelso United 2004-05
Easthouses Lily 2005-06
Craigroyston 2006-07
Dalbeattie Star 2007-08
Heriot-Watt University 2008-09
Tynecastle 2009-10
Stirling University |
1987-88
Whitehill Welfare
1988-89
Whitehill Welfare
1989-90
Berwick Rangers reserves 1990-91
Whitehill Welfare
1991-92
Whitehill Welfare
1992-93
Edinburgh City 1993-94
Gala Fairydean 1994-95
Whitehill Welfare
1995-96
Whitehill Welfare
1996-97
Whitehill Welfare
1997-98
Whitehill Welfare
1998-99
Whitehill Welfare
1999-00
Annan Athletic 2000-01
Civil Service Strollers 2001-02
Edinburgh City 2002-03
Whitehill Welfare 2003-04
Spartans 2004-05
Spartans 2005-06
Heriot-Watt University 2006-07
Whitehill Welfare 2007-08
Whitehill Welfare* 2008-09
Dalbeattie Star 2009-10
Spartans *Spartans
beat Whitehill in the final, but were disqualified
for fielding an ineligible player Note
in 2009-10,five clubs were allowed to opt out of the competition – Gretna
2008, Peebles, Stirling University, Vale of Leithen and Whitehill Welfare
all for fixture congestion – the first
time this had been allowed to happen |
Eastern League membership in 1921-22
|
Civil Service Strollers |
|
Edinburgh Civil Service |
|
Gala Fairydean |
|
Peebles Rovers |
|
Selkirk |
|
Vale of Leithen |
|
East
of Scotland League Membership |
|
|
Annan
Athletic Arbroath reserves Bathgate Berwick
Rangers Berwick
Rangers reserves Bo'ness Cameron
Highlanders Chirnside United Clerwood Amateurs Civil
Service Strollers Coldstream Corstorphine Amateurs Cowdenbeath reserves Craigroyston Dalbeattie Star Dunbar
Blue Circle Dunbar
Town Dunfermline Athletic
reserves Duns East
Fife reserves Edinburgh
Athletic Edinburgh
City [1] Edinburgh
City [2] Edinburgh
City Police Edinburgh
Civil Service Edinburgh
University Eyemouth United Easthouses Lily Ferranti
Thistle Gala
Fairydean Gretna
2008 Hawick Royal Albert Hawick United Heart
of Midlothian (‘A’ & 'B' youth sides) Heriot Watt University Hibernian
(‘A’ & 'B' youth sides) Jedburgh Artisans Kelso
United Leith Amateurs Leith Athletic Lothian
Thistle Murrayfield Amateurs Ormiston Peebles
Rovers Peebles
YMCA Pencaitland Penicuik Athletic Preston
Athletic Queen
of the South reserves Raith Rovers reserves Selkirk Spartans Stirling University Threave Rovers Tollcross United Tynecastle Vale
of Leithen Whitehill Welfare |
1987- 1969-1971,
1975-76 1929-1931 1923-1951 1951-1954,
1955-56, 1959-1968, 1978-1983, 1986-1991, 2007-08, 2010-11 1938-1939 1929-1930 1931-1939,
1966-1968, 1976-1979 1928-1933 1923-1930,
1947- 1923- 1928-29 1969-70,
1971-72 1976- 2001-2009 1979-1982 1937-1939 1935-36,
1957-58 1928-1974 1958-59,
1966-67 1991-2008 1928-1930 1966- 1958-1972 1923-24
(resigned after 6 games) 1926-1930,
1935-39, 1947-1966, 1967- 1946-1967,
1968- 1981- 1953-1974 1923- 2008- 1953- 1926-1931
(resigned in 1930-31 after 8 games) 1949-1952,
1969-1973, 1975-76 1971- 1947-1953,
1971-1975 1930-1938
(closed down in December 1937) 1947-1952,
1967-1972, 1976- 1923
(replacing Edinburgh Civil Service after 6 games)-1930, 1935-36, 1937-1939 2008- 1995- 1928-1930,
1935-1938, 1946-1964 1999- 1928-1966,
1980- 1933-1939 1986-1999 1930-1933,
1934-1939, 1948-1951 1994- 1970-71,
1975-76 1970-71,
1975-76 1923-1968,
1971-1984, 1986- 1951- 2008- 1998-2004 1987-2005 2005- 1923-1927,
1928- 1979- |
Notes:
Leith Amateurs replaced Edinburgh Civil Service
after six matches in 1923-24
Clerwood and Corstorphine
merged in 1929 under the Clerwood name.
Easthouses Lily were known as Easthouses Miners’ Welfare until 1989
Edinburgh
Athletic were known as Manor Thistle until 1997. In
2008 they faced the prospect of having to re-apply for admission to the League
because of maladminsistration, but merged with
amateur club Leith Athletic, and retained their place
taking the name of the latter, whilst playing at their own ground.
Edinburgh
City [2] were known as Postal United until 1986
Pencaitland merged with Ormiston
Primrose in 1999 as Pencaitland & Ormiston then changed their name to Ormiston
in 2002
Tynecastle were formed by the merger of Tollcross United
and Tynecastle in 2005
As
well as Senior leagues, some of the clubs came from
local amateur leagues, or stepped up from the Junior ranks –
|
Club |
Came from
|
|
Left for
|
|
|
Annan Athletic Bathgate Berwick Rangers Berwick Rangers reserves Cameron Highlanders Civil Service Strollers Clerwood Amateurs Corstorphine Cowdenbeath reserves Dalbeattie Star Dunfermline Athletic
reserves Duns Edinburgh City [1] Edinburgh Civil Service Edinburgh University Hawick United Leith Amateurs Murrayfield Amateurs Ferranti Thistle Peebles Rovers Penicuik Athletic Threave Rovers Vale of Leithen |
South of Scotland League Scottish League Scottish Reserve League Lothian Amateur League Border League Lothian Amateur League Lothian Amateur League South of Scotland League East of Scotland Junior League Lothian Amateur League Edinburgh & District League Lothian Amateur League Edinburgh & District League Lothian Amateur League Edinburgh & District League East of Scotland Junior League Edinburgh & District League South of Scotland League East of Scotland Junior League |
1987 1929 1929 1923 1928 1928 2001 1928 1923 1935 1923 1935 1928 1935 1928 1934 1998 1928 |
Edinburgh & District League Scottish League Scottish Reserve League Edinburgh & District League Edinburgh & District League Merged with Clerwood Scottish (Reserve) League South of Scotland League Scottish (Reserve) League Edinburgh & District League Lothian Amateur League Edinburgh & District League Border Amateur League Edinburgh & District League Edinburgh & District League Scottish League Edinburgh & District Junior League Edinburgh & District League Edinburgh & District Junior League South of Scotland League Midlothian Junior League |
1931 1951 1930 1933 1929 1970 2009 1958 1930 1923 1930 1930 1930 1930 1974 1966 1933 1951 2004 1927 |
From time to time a number of Scottish League clubs have entered reserve
sides in the competition. Between 1946 and 1953, Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian
both entered their youth teams, the Colts, and proceeded to dominate the
competition, with Hibernian winning five out of six titles. Berwick Rangers,
after earlier winning their only title (1947), later elected to the Scottish
League. They left their 2nd XI in their place. The full list of Scottish League
clubs entering their reserve teams is set out below –
|
Scottish League reserve XIs Arbroath Berwick
Rangers Cowdenbeath Dunfermline Athletic East
Fife Queen
of the South Raith Rovers Youth XIs – ‘A’ & ‘B’ Heart
of Midlothian Hibernian |
1969-1971,
1975-76 1951-1954,
1955-56, 1959-1968, 1978-1983, 1986-1991, 2007-08, 2010-11 1969-70,
1971-72 1935-36,
1957-58 1958-59,
1966-67 1970-71,
1975-76 1966-67,
1970-71, 1975-76 1949-1952,
1969-1973, 1975-76 1947-1953,
1971-1975 |
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