Season | 2022–23 |
---|---|
Dates | 30 July 2022 – 27 May 2023 |
Champions | Linlithgow Rose |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → |
The 2022–23 East of Scotland Football League (known as the Central Taxis East of Scotland League for sponsorship reasons) was the 94th season of the East of Scotland Football League, and the 9th season with its top division as part of the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 30 July 2022 and ended on 27 May 2023. Tranent Juniors were the reigning champions but were unable to defend their title after gaining promotion to the Lowland Football League.
After running with multiple conferences as part of its structure for the past four seasons, the league moved to four linear divisions to accommodate the 60 clubs taking part. Linlithgow Rose won the Premier Division and became the fifth East of Scotland League and former SJFA East Region club to gain promotion to the Lowland League.
The following teams changed division after the 2021–22 season.
Relegated from Lowland Football League
Transferred from West of Scotland Football League
Promoted to Lowland Football League
Season | 2022–23 |
---|---|
Dates | 30 July 2022 – 13 May 2023 |
Champions | Linlithgow Rose |
Promoted | Linlithgow Rose |
Relegated | |
Matches played | 240 |
Goals scored | 922 (3.84 per match) |
Biggest home win | Linlithgow Rose 10–0 Vale of Leithen (2 August 2022) |
Biggest away win | Vale of Leithen 0–8 Jeanfield Swifts (25 February 2023) |
Highest scoring | Musselburgh Athletic 10–2 Vale of Leithen (4 February 2023) |
Longest winning run | 8 matches: Linlithgow Rose |
Longest unbeaten run | 16 matches: Linlithgow Rose |
Longest winless run | 20 matches: Oakley United & Vale of Leithen |
Longest losing run | 20 matches: Vale of Leithen |
← 2021–22 2023–24 →
All statistics correct as of 13 May 2023. |
The Premier Division reverted to a 16 team division, with Haddington Athletic and Oakley United promoted from First Division Conferences A and B respectively.[1] A 2–1 win for Linlithgow Rose at Haddington Athletic on 29 April 2023, gave them an unassailable eight-point lead over Sauchie Juniors with two games remaining. They were promoted to the 2023–24 Lowland Football League as neither Abbey Vale or Beith Juniors held an SFA club licence to contest the play-off.
All grounds are equipped with floodlights, except Humbug Park (Crossgates Primrose) and Blairwood Park (Oakley United).
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Linlithgow Rose (C, P) | 30 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 97 | 22 | +75 | 74 | Promotion to the Lowland League |
2 | Sauchie Juniors | 30 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 88 | 46 | +42 | 65 | |
3 | Musselburgh Athletic | 30 | 17 | 5 | 8 | 75 | 33 | +42 | 56 | |
4 | Dundonald Bluebell | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 70 | 46 | +24 | 51 | |
5 | Jeanfield Swifts | 30 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 74 | 53 | +21 | 49 | |
6 | Penicuik Athletic | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 51 | 38 | +13 | 48 | |
7 | Haddington Athletic | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 45 | 42 | +3 | 47 | |
8 | Crossgates Primrose | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 50 | 51 | −1 | 46 | |
9 | Broxburn Athletic | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 65 | 56 | +9 | 43 | |
10 | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | 30 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 56 | 57 | −1 | 43 | |
11 | Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 37 | |
12 | Tynecastle | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 42 | 55 | −13 | 37 | |
13 | Hill of Beath Hawthorn | 30 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 55 | 55 | 0 | 36 | |
14 | Blackburn United (R) | 30 | 9 | 3 | 18 | 57 | 75 | −18 | 30 | Relegation to the First Division |
15 | Oakley United[a] (R) | 30 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 30 | 103 | −73 | 6 | |
16 | Vale of Leithen[b] (R) | 30 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 23 | 138 | −115 | −6 |
The First Division was made up of the four teams relegated from the Premier Division, along with those finishing 2nd to 7th in Conferences A and B.[1] The league title came down to the final day of the season, with all four promoted teams – Dunbar United, Kinnoull, Glenrothes and Luncarty – still in a position to win. The title ultimately went to Dunbar United by one point over Kinnoull, having won 2–1 over Camelon Juniors with an injury time winner by Cammy Dawson.[21]
Team | Location | Home ground | Capacity | Seats | Floodlit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Burntisland Shipyard [SFA] | Burntisland | Recreation Park[22] | 1,000 | 0 | Yes |
Camelon Juniors [SFA] | Camelon | Carmuirs Park[23] | 2,000 | 0 | Yes |
Coldstream [SFA] | Coldstream | Home Park[24] | 1,000 | 0 | Yes |
Dunbar United [SFA] | Dunbar | New Countess Park[25] | 1,200 | 191 | Yes |
Dunipace [SFA] | Denny | Westfield Park[26] | 2,000 | 0 | Yes |
Glenrothes | Glenrothes | Warout Stadium [27] | 5,000 | 730 | No |
Kennoway Star Hearts | Star | Treaton Park | 1,000 | 0 | Yes |
Kinnoull | Perth | Tulloch Park[28] | 1,200 | 0 | Yes |
Kirkcaldy & Dysart | Kirkcaldy | Denfield Park[8] | 1,200 | 0 | No |
Leith Athletic | Edinburgh | Meadowbank Stadium[a][29] | 499 | 499 | Yes |
Lochore Welfare | Crosshill | Central Park | 1,300 | 0 | No |
Luncarty | Luncarty | Brownlands Park | 1,200 | 0 | No |
Newtongrange Star [SFA] | Newtongrange | New Victoria Park[30] | 2,300 | 30 | Yes |
Preston Athletic [SFA] | Prestonpans | Pennypit Park[31] | 1,500 | 313 | Yes |
Rosyth | Rosyth | Fleet Grounds | 400 | 0 | Yes |
Whitehill Welfare [SFA] | Rosewell | Ferguson Park[32] | 2,614 | 192 | Yes |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dunbar United (C, P) | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 57 | 31 | +26 | 63 | Promotion to the Premier Division |
2 | Kinnoull (P) | 30 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 61 | 44 | +17 | 62 | |
3 | Luncarty (P) | 30 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 89 | 40 | +49 | 60 | |
4 | Glenrothes (P) | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 79 | 53 | +26 | 58 | |
5 | Newtongrange Star | 30 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 74 | 54 | +20 | 50 | |
6 | Kirkcaldy & Dysart | 30 | 14 | 4 | 12 | 68 | 61 | +7 | 46 | |
7 | Rosyth | 30 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 58 | 51 | +7 | 43 | |
8 | Dunipace | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 58 | 58 | 0 | 42 | |
9 | Preston Athletic | 30 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 58 | 56 | +2 | 38 | |
10 | Whitehill Welfare | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 51 | 55 | −4 | 37 | |
11 | Camelon Juniors | 30 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 55 | 61 | −6 | 37 | |
12 | Leith Athletic | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 53 | 66 | −13 | 34 | |
13 | Lochore Welfare | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 47 | 73 | −26 | 31 | |
14 | Burntisland Shipyard[a] (R) | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 36 | 53 | −17 | 28 | Relegation to the Second Division |
15 | Coldstream (R) | 30 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 43 | 82 | −39 | 28 | |
16 | Kennoway Star Hearts (R) | 30 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 32 | 81 | −49 | 14 |
The Second Division consists of the remaining clubs finishing 8th to 15th in Conferences A and B, plus Whitburn and Syngenta who were promoted from Conference X.[1] Whitburn won the league title for their second consecutive promotion, winning the division by nine points.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Whitburn (C, P) | 32 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 129 | 42 | +87 | 86 | Promotion to the First Division |
2 | St Andrews United (P) | 32 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 93 | 30 | +63 | 77 | |
3 | Heriot-Watt University (P) | 32 | 22 | 4 | 6 | 90 | 31 | +59 | 70 | |
4 | Arniston Rangers (P) | 32 | 21 | 4 | 7 | 93 | 53 | +40 | 67 | |
5 | Dalkeith Thistle | 32 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 77 | 47 | +30 | 62 | |
6 | Thornton Hibs | 32 | 18 | 4 | 10 | 86 | 54 | +32 | 58 | |
7 | Stirling University reserves[a] | 32 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 71 | 56 | +15 | 53 | |
8 | Tweedmouth Rangers | 32 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 59 | 73 | −14 | 43 | |
9 | Peebles Rovers | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 50 | 54 | −4 | 41 | |
10 | Edinburgh South | 32 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 55 | 65 | −10 | 36 | |
11 | Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare | 32 | 7 | 8 | 17 | 45 | 84 | −39 | 29 | |
12 | Newburgh | 32 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 39 | 82 | −43 | 29 | |
13 | Ormiston Primrose | 32 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 42 | 71 | −29 | 28 | |
14 | Edinburgh United[b] | 32 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 45 | 75 | −30 | 25 | |
15 | Craigroyston[c] (R) | 32 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 37 | 65 | −28 | 20 | Relegation to the Third Division |
16 | Hawick Royal Albert (R) | 32 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 34 | 94 | −60 | 15 | |
17 | Lochgelly Albert (R) | 32 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 43 | 112 | −69 | 14 | |
18 | Syngenta (R) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Withdrawn; record expunged[49] |
The Third Division featured the remaining nine clubs from Conference X, along with Harthill Royal who joined from the West of Scotland League.[1] Bo'ness Athletic dropped only 7 points all season, as they won the division by 28 points from their closest challengers, Armadale Thistle.
Club | Location | Home Ground | Capacity | Seats | Floodlit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Armadale Thistle | Armadale | Volunteer Park[55] | 3,000 | 0 | Yes |
Bathgate Thistle | Bathgate | Creamery Park[56] | 3,000 | 0 | Yes |
Bo'ness Athletic | Bo'ness | Newtown Park[57] | 2,500 | 0 | Yes |
Edinburgh College | Edinburgh | Riccarton Campus[a] | 250 | 195 | Yes |
Fauldhouse United | Fauldhouse | Park View[58] | 2,000 | 100 | No |
Harthill Royal | Harthill | Gibbshill Park | 1,800 | 0 | No |
Livingston United | Livingston | Station Park[59] | 2,000 | 0 | Yes |
Pumpherston Juniors | Pumpherston | Recreation Park[60] | 2,700 | 0 | No |
Stoneyburn | Stoneyburn | Beechwood Park[61] | 4,000 | 0 | No |
West Calder United | West Calder | Hermand Park[62] | 1,000 | 0 | No |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bo'ness Athletic (C, P) | 36 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 210 | 34 | +176 | 101 | Promotion to the Second Division |
2 | Armadale Thistle (P) | 36 | 23 | 4 | 9 | 113 | 61 | +52 | 73 | |
3 | Edinburgh College (P) | 36 | 20 | 3 | 13 | 95 | 63 | +32 | 63 | |
4 | West Calder United | 36 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 83 | 61 | +22 | 60 | |
5 | Pumpherston Juniors | 36 | 17 | 2 | 17 | 67 | 95 | −28 | 53 | |
6 | Bathgate Thistle | 36 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 54 | 89 | −35 | 42 | |
7 | Fauldhouse United | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 65 | 89 | −24 | 36 | |
8 | Stoneyburn | 36 | 11 | 3 | 22 | 49 | 100 | −51 | 36 | |
9 | Livingston United[a] | 36 | 9 | 7 | 20 | 49 | 116 | −67 | 28 | |
10 | Harthill Royal | 36 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 35 | 112 | −77 | 19 |
SFA Club with an SFA licence[70] eligible to participate in the Lowland League promotion play-off should they win the Premier Division.
The League table has now been rectified with all Syngenta's results now expunged and the points/goals for all clubs that have played the club now adjusted accordingly.
Three such fixtures take place on Saturday as promotion favourites Armadale Thistle play Fauldhouse United. That match is taking place at Bathgate's Creamery Park while groundwork is yet to be completed at Volunteer Park.