2018–19 East of Scotland Football League


The 2018–19 East of Scotland Football League was the 90th season of the East of Scotland Football League, and the 5th season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 11 August 2018 and ended on 18 May 2019. Kelty Hearts were the reigning champions but could not defend their title after being promoted to the Lowland Football League.
The league saw an increase from 13 to 39 teams and was split into three parallel conferences, each containing 13 teams. The additional teams consisted of 24 clubs who applied to switch from the SJFA East Region, one from the SJFA West Region, one new team and Hawick Royal Albert who were relegated from the Lowland League.
The winners of each conference took part in a round-robin competition at the end of the season, with Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic being crowned league champions on 4 May 2019 after winning both their championship play-off matches. They later clinched promotion to the Lowland League after gaining their SFA licence on 14 June 2019.
The top five clubs in each conference, and best 6th-placed, formed the new 16-team Premier Division for the 2019–20 season.

Teams

The following teams changed division after the 2017–18 season.

To East of Scotland Football League

Relegated from Lowland Football League
Transferred from East Superleague
Transferred from East Premier League
Transferred from East South Division
Transferred from West Central District Second Division
Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts also joined having previously played in the Fife Amateur Football League.

From East of Scotland Football League

Promoted to Lowland League

Teams and locations

TeamLocationHome groundCapacitySeatsFloodlit
Arniston RangersGorebridgeNewbyres Park3,0000No
Coldstream ColdstreamHome Park1,0000No
Dunbar UnitedDunbarNew Countess Park2,5000Yes
Easthouses Lily MWEasthousesNewbattle Complex1,500100Yes
Hawick Royal Albert HawickAlbert Park1,000500Yes
Hill of Beath HawthornHill of BeathKeirs Park2,0000Yes
Leith AthleticEdinburghPeffermill 3G5000Yes
Musselburgh AthleticMusselburghOlivebank Stadium2,5000No
Newtongrange StarNewtongrangeNew Victoria Park2,30030Yes
Oakley UnitedOakleyBlairwood Park2,0000No
Peebles RoversPeeblesWhitestone Park1,250250No
Penicuik AthleticPenicuikPenicuik Park2,0000Yes
Tweedmouth RangersBerwick-upon-TweedOld Shielfield1,0000No

League table

Results

Conference B

Teams and locations

TeamLocationHome groundCapacitySeatsFloodlit
Bo'ness UnitedBo'nessNewtown Park2,5000No
Bonnyrigg Rose AthleticBonnyriggNew Dundas Park2,2000No
Burntisland Shipyard BurntislandRecreation Park1,0000No
Crossgates PrimroseCrossgatesHumbug Park2,0000No
Dalkeith ThistleDalkeithKing's Park2,0000Yes
Dundonald BluebellCardendenMoorside Park2,0000No
DunipaceDennyWestfield Park2,5000Yes
Eyemouth UnitedEyemouthWarner Park5000No
Haddington AthleticHaddingtonMillfield Park1,5000No
Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale EdinburghSaughton Sports Complex1,0000Yes
Sauchie JuniorsSauchieBeechwood Park5,000200Yes
Tranent JuniorsTranentForesters Park2,30044No
TynecastleEdinburghMeggetland Stadium4,388500Yes

League table

Results

Conference C

Teams and locations

TeamLocationHome groundCapacitySeatsFloodlit
Blackburn UnitedBlackburnNew Murrayfield Park1,5000Yes
Broxburn AthleticBroxburnAlbyn Park1,0000Yes
Camelon JuniorsCamelonCarmuirs Park2,0000No
CraigroystonEdinburghSt Mark’s Park2,0000No
Edinburgh UnitedEdinburghPaties Road Stadium2,500200No
Heriot-Watt UniversityEdinburghRiccarton Campus2000Yes
Inverkeithing Hillfield SwiftsInverkeithingBallast Bank1,0000No
Jeanfield SwiftsPerthRiverside Stadium1,0000No
Linlithgow Rose LinlithgowPrestonfield2,264301Yes
OrmistonOrmistonRecreation Park2,0000No
Preston Athletic PrestonpansPennypit Park1,500313Yes
St Andrews UnitedSt AndrewsRecreation Park2,0000No
Stirling University ReservesStirlingGannochy Sports Centre1,0000Yes

League table

Results

Championship play-off

At the end of the season, the three conference winners took part in a three match round-robin competition to determine the league champion, and subject to meeting the required licensing criteria, promotion to the Lowland League. Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic were crowned champions after winning both of their matches, and later gained promotion having eventually received their SFA licence on 14 June 2019.