Eastern Football League (Scotland)


This was a Scottish non-league football 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, 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 Beath F.C. 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 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.