East of Scotland clubs vote on season’s immediate finish

Teams were asked to submit their views by noon today (Friday) on a recommendation by the league board to conclude the term in a similar fashion to the Lowland League, the SPFL and other Scottish associations.

That proposal was accepted as clubs voted agreed by 37 votes to three to end the season now – and then voted by 29 to 11 to proceed on a points per game basis.

This means, as expected, Bo’ness United are Premier League winners, while the Conference ‘A’ champions are Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale and Tynecastle are champions of Conference ‘B’.

While there will be no relegation, secretary David Baxter said there would be “reconstruction to a degree”, because nine clubs had applied for membership to the league.

These bids would be discussed at an extraordinary general meeting on Thursday, April 30 and it would be up to the member clubs to decide who was admitted.

Mr Baxter added: “It’s not a circumstance anybody really wants to be in to win a title this way. But, as with other leagues in the pyramid, the East of Scotland League has taken a similar view that the only way of finalising it is based on this method.

“The compromise proposal, with there being no relegation, is that there will be an 18-team Premier League for next season.”

The Conference below that would consist of the existing clubs and however many were accepted for membership.

The “big question”, added Mr Baxter, was when the 2020-21 season would be able to start. If it was in August, then things should go reasonably smoothly, but that was by no means certain.

At the end of season 2020-21, the team promoted to the Scottish Lowland League – just one level below League 2 in the SPFL pyramid – will be replaced by the Conference runner-up club with the highest points per game record.

Each First Division Conference winner will also be promoted, with as many clubs as necessary relegated to restore the Premier Division to 16 clubs.

Today’s vote did not affect the status of any of the Borders and Berwickshire clubs in the East of Scotland League – Peebles Rovers in Conference ‘A’ and Hawick Royal Albert United, Coldstream and Tweedmouth Rangers in Conference ‘B’.