Eastern Football League (Scotland)

for the Australian rules football league, see Eastern Football League (Australia)

This was a Scottish non-league football (soccer) competition that ran at various times between 1891 and 1946.

Initially an Eastern Football Alliance was run in 1891–92 with eight teams - Adventurers, Armdale, Bathgate Rovers, Bo'ness, broxburn, Kirkcaldy (who withdrew early in the season), Broxburn Shamrock and Mossend Swifts. Leith Hibernians who were actually the old Hibernian that disbanded in 1891 were also members but withdrew before the new season. They were replaced by Adventurers. Many matches remained unplayed with Mossend Swifts leading the table from results traced. The Eastern Alliance was wound up at the season's end.

The first league called Eastern Football League was formed in 1893–94 by Bathgate, Bo'ness Broxburn and Broxburn Shamrock, but again seems to have been abandoned midway through the season.

It was re-formed, however, in 1903 by Bathgate, Bo'ness, Broxburn, Broxburn Shamrock, Carfin Emmett, Cartvale, Dykehead, West Calder Swifts and Wishaw Amateurs

Champions

1903–04 Bo'ness

1904–05 East Fife

1905–06 not completed

Membership

Adventurers 1904–1906

Bathgate 1903–1905

Berwick Rangers 1905–1906

Bo'ness 1903–1905

Broxburn 1903–1905

Broxburn Athletic 1905–06

Broxburn Shamrock 1903–1905

Carfin Emmett 1903–1904

Cartvale 1903–1904

Cowdenbeath 'A' 1905–1906

Dykehead 1903–1905

East Fife 1904–1905

Forfar Athletic 1904–1905

Hearts of beith 1904–1905

Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1904–1906

West Calder Swifts 1903–1904

Wishaw Amateurs 1903–1904


The Eastern League was revived in 1912–13 and lasted for two seasons.

Its original line-up was Broxburn Shamrock, Clackmannan, Gala Fairydean, Hearts of Beath, Leith Amateurs, Lochgelly, Musselburgh, Peebles Rovers, Selkirk, Vale of Leithen and West Calder Swifts; Montrose joined for 1913–14 season.

In 1915 the Scottish League suspended its Second Division championship for the rest of World War I. However its member clubs joined with several non-league sides to form two regional leagues - Western Football League (in Scotland) and Eastern Football League.

Although the Western League continued throughout the War years, the Eastern League disbanded in 1918 due to the lack of clubs still operating in the area.

Champions

1915–16 Armadale

1916–17 Cowdenbeath

1917–18 Cowdenbeath


Membership

Armdale 1915–1918

Bathgate 1915–1917

Broxburn United 1915–1917

Cowdenbeath 1915–1918

Dundee 1917–1918

Dundee Hibernian 1915–1918

Dunfermline Athletic 1915–1918

East Fife 1915–1918

East Stirlingshire 1915–1917

Kirkcaldy United 1915–1916

Leith Athletic 1915–1916

Lochgelly United 1915–1918

Raith Rovers 1917–1918

St Bernard's 1915–1917

In 1919 the League was revived and continued until 1923.

Champions

1919-20 Dundee Hibernian

1920-21

1921-22

1922-23

Membership

Aberdeen 'A' 1922–1923

Arbroath 1919–1920

Arbroath Athletic 1922–1923

Brechin City 1919–1923

Clackmannan 1922–1923

Cowdenbeath 1919–1920

Dundee 'A' 1919–1920, 1922–1923

Dundee Hibernian 1919–1920, 1922–1923

Forfar Athletic 1919–1920

leith Athletic 1922–1923

Lochgelly United 1919–1920

Montrose 1919–1923

Peebles Rovers 1921–1922

Raith Rovers 'A' 1919–1920

St. Johnstone 1919–1920

In 1924–25, Vale of Leithen won a different version of the Eastern League.

See also