Scottish Junior Football Association, East Region
The Scottish Junior Football Association, East Region is one of three regions of the SJFA which organise their own distinct league and cup competitions. The SJFA used to be split into six regions, but in 2002 they took the decision to reform into three to try to ensure more games between the top clubs and hence increase their revenues. The East Region was created by amalgamating the former East (Lothians), Fife and Tayside Regions and currently stretches from Brechin in the North to Dunbar in the South-East.
League structure
Until 2006–07
For season 2002–03, twelve clubs from the East (Lothians), Fife and Tayside Leagues combined to create the East Superleague. This was fed by the existing Regional Leagues: Tayside Premier (with Tayside Division One below), Fife District League and Lothians Division One (with Lothians Division Two below.)
2006–07 to 2012–13
In 2006, a further reorganisation led to the creation of another Regionwide tier below the East Superleague, known as the East Premier League. Below this, the Regional leagues were streamlined into single North (Tayside), Central (Fife) and South (Lothians) Divisions. To balance the numbers in these new leagues, the majority of Perthshire clubs were re-allocated from the North Division to the Central Division. Exceptions to this are Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus who remain in the North Division set-up.
As of the end of 2006–07 season, clubs are promoted and relegated between the Super League and the Premier League. One club from each of the lowest-tier divisions will be promoted to the Premier League, with three Premier League sides being relegated to a regional division corresponding to their geographical area.
2013–14 to 2016–17
As agreed at the 2011–12 East Region AGM, the leagues were restructured into four divisions from the 2013–14 season. The Superleague and Premier League were expanded to sixteen clubs while the regional divisions were merged into two from the current three and branded as North and South. Clubs in the Central division were split between the two new leagues on a geographical basis.[1] The League Cup competitions which traditionally opened the season were also scrapped as part of these proposals.
From 2017–18
Beginning in 2017, Kelty Hearts left the league to join the East of Scotland Football League. The following April, thirteen clubs - most of them from the East Juniors - were accepted into the league from the 2018-19 season, doubling that league's membership. When the window for applications was extended, even more clubs quit the Junior grade, bringing the total of clubs leaving junior football to 24 clubs.[2]
The loss of 24 clubs caused the league to restructure from 4 divisions to 3 which consist of two 12-team north and south sections feeding into a 12-team Superleague.[3]
Cup competitions
There are three cup competitions in the East Region:
- The East of Scotland Cup - Known as the DJ Laing East of Scotland Cup under a sponsorship arrangement, this is a knockout tournament for all East Region clubs. The competition dates back to 1896–97 and was the most prestigious cup trophy in the former East Region.
- Fife & Lothians Cup - Known as the V Tech SMT Fife and Lothians Cup under a sponsorship arrangement, this tournament dates back to regionalisation in 1968 and is a knockout tournament for former East (Lothians) and Fife Region clubs in the current East Region. It is administered by a separate Fife & Lothians committee.
- North and Tayside Inter-Regional Cup - Known as the GA Engineering Cup for sponsorship purposes, this is a knockout tournament for former Tayside Region and current North Region clubs and is administered by a joint committee. First played for in 1988, clubs play early rounds in their own region with eight sides from each area progressing to the last sixteen.
- East Region Sectional Cup - This has been introduced for the 2018-19 season to compensate for the smaller league divisions in the East Region, resulting in fewer league matches than previous seasons. It is reminiscent of the Sectional League Cup competitions which were discontinued when the East’s Super and Premier Leagues were expanded to 16 clubs. The first phase of the competition sees the clubs divided into twelve localised sections of three clubs.
Prior to league reconstruction in 2013, clubs also competed in one of three League Cup competitions at the beginning of the season:
- DJ Laing League Cup. This tournament was for former Tayside Region clubs excluding Perthshire sides affiliated to the Central Division. Clubs initially competed in groups (sections) with the group winners advancing to a knockout semi-final stage. In all league cup competitions, matches in the group stages were played under league rules so a player was not cup-tied by turning out for a particular club.
- ACA Sports League Cup. This tournament was for former Fife Region clubs and all other teams affiliated to the Central Division. Clubs initially competed in four groups, with group winners advancing to a knockout semi-final stage.
- Dechmont Forklift League Cup. This tournament was for former East (Lothian) Region clubs. Clubs initially competed in four groups, with group winners advancing to a knockout semi-final stage.
Current cup holders
- GA Engineering Inter-Regional Cup - Carnoustie Panmure (2017–18 competition)
- DJ Laing East of Scotland Cup - Penicuik Athletic (2017–18 competition)
- The V Tech SMT Fife and Lothians Cup - Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (2017–18 competition)
Roll of Honour
| Season | East Superleague | Lothians Division One | Lothians Division Two | Fife District League | Tayside Premier Division | Tayside First Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | Tayport | Bo'ness United | Harthill Royal | Kelty Hearts | Lochee United | Scone Thistle |
| 2003–04 | Linlithgow Rose | Camelon Juniors | Broxburn Athletic | Thornton Hibs | Carnoustie Panmure | Blairgowrie |
| 2004–05 | Lochee United | Whitburn | Penicuik Athletic | Hill of Beath Hawthorn | Dundee North End | Downfield |
| 2005–06 | Tayport | Camelon Juniors | Broxburn Athletic | Oakley United | Kinnoull | Jeanfield Swifts |
| Season | East Superleague | East Region Premier League North | East Region Premier League South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 |
Member clubs for 2018–19 season
There are 36 clubs in the East Region for the 2018–19 season.
Super League
| Club | Location | Home Ground | Finishing position 2017-18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broughty Athletic | Dundee | Whitton Park | 10th |
| Carnoustie Panmure | Carnoustie | Laing Park | 12th |
| Downfield | Dundee | Downfield Park | 10th in Premier League |
| Fauldhouse United | Fauldhouse | Park View | 2nd in Premier League |
| Forfar West End | Forfar | Strathmore Park | 16th |
| Glenrothes | Glenrothes | Warout Stadium | 9th in Premier League |
| Kennoway Star Hearts | Star | Treaton Park | 15th |
| Kirriemuir Thistle | Kirriemuir | Westview Park | 16th in Premier League |
| Lochee United | Dundee | Thomson Park | 6th |
| Tayport | Tayport | Canniepairt | 4th in Premier League |
| Thornton Hibernian | Thornton | Memorial Park | 6th in Premier League |
| Whitburn | Whitburn | Central Park | 15th in Premier League |
Premier League North
| Club | Location | Home Ground | Finishing position 2017-18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbroath Victoria | Arbroath | Ogilvy Park | 10th |
| Blairgowrie | Blairgowrie | Davie Park | 7th |
| Brechin Victoria | Brechin | Victoria Park | 12th |
| Coupar Angus | Coupar Angus | Foxhall Park | 11th |
| Dundee North End | Dundee | North End Park | 1st |
| Dundee Violet | Dundee | Glenesk Park | 3rd |
| East Craigie | Dundee | Craigie Park | 5th |
| Forfar Albion | Forfar | Guthrie Park | 14th |
| Kinnoull | Perth | Tulloch Park | 4th |
| Lochee Harp | Dundee | Beechwood Park | 8th |
| Luncarty | Luncarty | Brownlands Park | 2nd |
| Scone Thistle | Scone | Farquharson Park | 6th |
Premier League South
| Club | Location | Home Ground | Finishing position 2017-18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armadale Thistle | Armadale | Volunteer Park | 2nd |
| Bathgate Thistle | Bathgate | Creamery Park | 13th in Premier League |
| Harthill Royal | Harthill | Gibbshill Park | 8th |
| Kirkcaldy YM | Kirkcaldy | Denfield Park | 14th |
| Livingston United | Livingston | Station Park | 12th |
| Lochgelly Albert | Lochgelly | Gardiners Park | 6th |
| Lochore Welfare | Crosshill | Central Park | 9th |
| Newburgh | Newburgh | East Shore Park | 13th in North Division |
| Pumpherston | Pumpherston | Recreation Park | 1st |
| Rosyth | Rosyth | Recreation Park | 10th |
| Stoneyburn | Stoneyburn | Beechwood Park | 13th |
| West Calder United | West Calder | Hermand Park | 5th |
References
- ↑ "Junior Football – PA Friday June 22". Perthshire Advertiser. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ↑ McLauchlin, Brian (8 June 2018). "East of Scotland League vote signals exodus of 24 junior clubs". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ↑ Turnbull, Craig (28 June 2018). "Glenrothes, Thornton Hibs and Kennoway Star Hearts in East Superleague 2018-19". Fife Today. Retrieved 25 June 2018.