Scottish Junior Football Association, East Region
The Scottish Junior Football Association, East Region is one of two 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.
League structure
Until 2006–07
For season 2002–03, twelve clubs from the East (Lothians), Fife and Tayside leagues in the eastern part of Scotland combined to create the East Super League; 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.) A similar change occurred in the west of Scotland where the Ayrshire and Central leagues merged entirely to form a West Region. A year earlier, the North Region was renamed, but this had no impact on the system itself.
2006–07 to 2012–13
In 2006, a further reorganisation led to the creation of another region-wide tier below the East Super League, 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 to the Central Division (exceptions to this were Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus who remained in the North Division setup).
As of the end of 2006–07 season, clubs were promoted and relegated between the Super League and the Premier League. One club from each of the lowest-tier divisions would be promoted to the Premier League, with three Premier League sides 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 Super League and Premier League were expanded from twelve 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.
2017–18 to 2018–19
In 2017, Kelty Hearts left the league to join the East of Scotland Football League in the senior pyramid. The following April, thirteen clubs—most of them from the East Juniors—moved to the East of Scotland League for the 2018–19 season. When the window for applications was extended, even more East Region clubs quit the Junior grade, bringing the total of clubs leaving Junior football that summer to 24:[2]
The loss of clubs caused the league to restructure from four divisions to three, effectively removing the Premier League and rearranging the 36 clubs into a 12-team Super League with two 12-team North and South divisions below.[3] Glenrothes and Kinnoull also made the move to the senior pyramid in summer 2019.
From 2019–20
The entire region was split into north and south sections, each containing a 10-team Super League and a 8 or 10-team Premier League below. Four clubs joined the South Premier League: Bo'ness United Junior, Linlithgow Rose Community, Syngenta, and Sauchie Juniors Community.
In April 2020, the 2019–20 season was declared null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[4] and the next month it was confirmed that a further eight clubs, mostly from Fife, were leaving the East Juniors for the East of Scotland League:
- Kennoway Star Hearts
- Kirkcaldy & Dysart
- Lochgelly Albert
- Lochore Welfare
- Luncarty
- Newburgh
- Rosyth
- Thornton Hibs
For the 2020–21 season, the remaining 30 clubs were merged into a single tier split into a Tayside League and Lothian League, later renamed Premiership North (17 clubs) and Premiership South (13 clubs). Matches restarted on 21 November 2020.
Cup competitions
There are a number of cup competitions in the East Region:
- East of Scotland Cup - Known as the DJ Laing East Region 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 Quest 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 League Cup - Known as the Thorntons Property East Region League Cup under a sponsorship arrangement, this tournament was introduced for the 2018–19 season to compensate for a reduced number of league fixtures. Starting in mid-season, the first phase of the competition sees all East Region sides divided into twelve localised sections of three clubs. The group winners then enter a second sectional phase with four groups of three, with the winners of these groups progressing to the semi-finals. Those eliminated after the first sectional phase will contest a Consolation Cup, with twenty-four clubs forming eight sections of three clubs with the winners progressing to the quarter-finals.[5]
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.
Holders
2018–19 winners unless stated.
- North and Tayside Inter-Regional Cup: Broughty Athletic
- East Region Cup: Broughty Athletic
- Fife and Lothians Cup: Thornton Hibs
- East Region League Cup: Pumpherston
- Consolation League Cup: Whitburn Juniors
Roll of Honour
| Season[6] | East Super League | 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[6] | East Superleague | East Premier League North | East Premier League South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Lochee United | Dundee North End | Pumpherston |
| Season[6] | East Superleague North | East Superleague South | East Premier League North | East Premier League South |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | All leagues null & void due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][lower-alpha 1] | |||
| Season[6] | East Region Premiership North | East Region Premiership South |
|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 |
- Using a 'points per game' algorithm applied in other leagues, Carnoustie Panmure (who were also leading the table when play stopped) would have been nominal champions of the Super League North section while Pumpherston and Thornton Hibs would have finished on equal points in the Super League South section; East Craigie would have been nominal champions in the Premier North, and Stoneyburn in the Premier South.
Member clubs for 2020–21 season
There are 30 clubs in the East Region for the 2020–21 season, following eight departures to the East of Scotland Football League in summer 2020. Clubs are split into two divisions, named Premiership North and South.
Premiership North
| Club | Location | Home Ground | Finishing position 2018–19[lower-alpha 1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbroath Victoria | Arbroath | Ogilvy Park | 10th in Premier League North |
| Blairgowrie | Blairgowrie | Davie Park | 8th in Premier League North |
| Brechin Victoria | Brechin | Victoria Park | 9th in Premier League North |
| Broughty Athletic | Dundee | Whitton Park | 2nd |
| Carnoustie Panmure | Carnoustie | Laing Park | 7th |
| Coupar Angus | Coupar Angus | Foxhall Park | 12th in Premier League North |
| Downfield | Dundee | Downfield Park | 11th |
| Dundee North End | Dundee | North End Park | 1st in Premier League North |
| Dundee Violet | Dundee | Glenesk Park | 6th in Premier League North |
| East Craigie | Dundee | Craigie Park | 5th in Premier League North |
| Forfar United | Forfar | Guthrie Park | 11th in Premier League North |
| Forfar West End | Forfar | Strathmore Park | 6th |
| Kirriemuir Thistle | Kirriemuir | Westview Park | 9th |
| Lochee Harp | Dundee | Downfield Park | 7th in Premier League North |
| Lochee United | Dundee | Thomson Park | 1st |
| Scone Thistle | Scone | Farquharson Park | 4th in Premier League North |
| Tayport | Tayport | Canniepairt | 5th |
Premiership South
| Club | Location | Home Ground | Finishing position 2018–19[lower-alpha 1] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armadale Thistle | Armadale | Volunteer Park | 3rd in Premier League South |
| Bathgate Thistle | Bathgate | Creamery Park | 4th in Premier League South |
| Bo'ness United Junior | Bo'ness | Newtown Park | n/a |
| Fauldhouse United | Fauldhouse | Park View | 10th |
| Harthill Royal | Harthill | Gibbshill Park | 6th in Premier League South |
| Linlithgow Rose Community | Linlithgow | Xcite Linlithgow | n/a |
| Livingston United | Livingston | Station Park | 2nd in Premier League South |
| Pumpherston | Pumpherston | Recreation Park | 1st in Premier League South |
| Sauchie Juniors Community | Sauchie | Beechwood Park | n/a |
| Stoneyburn | Stoneyburn | Beechwood Park | 7th in Premier League South |
| Syngenta | Denny | Westfield Park | n/a |
| West Calder United | West Calder | Hermand Park | 9th in Premier League South |
| Whitburn | Whitburn | Central Park | 4th |
- The 2019–20 competitions were declared null and void.
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.
- Wilson, Fraser (18 April 2020). "Phil McGuire bewildered by null and void decision that has cost Carnoustie Juniors title despite leading table since day one". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- "THE THOMSONS PROPERTY EAST REGION LEAGUE CUP - KIRKCALDY YMCA FC". www.kirkcaldyymfc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- Towns, Fields and Clubs of Fife, via Scottish Football Historical Archive, 2012
- Wilson, Fraser (18 April 2020). "Phil McGuire bewildered by null and void decision that has cost Carnoustie Juniors title despite leading table since day one". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
External links
- SJFA East Region Website
- Fife Junior History, Eric R. Thomson