Edinburgh & District League

 

Page created: 22 October 2020

Updated:

 

At the East of Scotland League AGM in 1930, the bigger Border clubs forced through a change to the guarantee system at the second time of asking. The clubs (led by Duns, Berwick Rangers, Peebles Rovers and Coldstream) complained that they each had eight journeys a season to the Lothians for League matches alone, and that apart from Bathgate they received the bare guarantee of two pounds ten shillings; while city clubs travelling to the Borders received not only the guarantee but half of the receipts in excess of GBP5, perhaps as much as GBP10 or GBP15. For their part, the Edinburgh sides denied this and claimed that only Peebles Rovers and Berwick Rangers regularly paid more than the GBP2-10-0 minimum.

 

The new arrangement saw the introduction of a flat GBP3 guarantee, with the home club to keep the balance of gate receipts. Edinburgh clubs were appalled. GBP3 represented 120 adult admissions, and few city clubs attracted that many spectators. In effect, they would be digging into their own pockets at home matches and not offsetting their losses with half-gates from their travels. Murrayfield Amateurs moved that the League be split into Border and City sections, but were ruled out of order as no previous notice had been given. Six of the capital clubs - Murrayfield, Edinburgh City, Edinburgh University, Leith Amateurs, Civil Service Strollers and Cameron Highlanders - then resigned from the League to form the Edinburgh and District League. The new competition also expanded into Fife, with Lochgelly Amateurs joining.

 

Murrayfield Amateurs won the first championship on goal average. In this season Cameron Highlanders were transferred out of Redford Barracks on military duties and their replacements, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, took over their League fixtures in November. Initially, the E&DL was not significantly stronger than the EoSL, but as time went on the rebels started to be more successful in ESFA and national competitions. In 1931 the League lost Edinburgh City, elected to the Scottish League in lieu of anyone better, but City entered a fairly unsuccessful 'A' team in the E&DL for 1931-32. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders admitted they were out of their depth and also departed. Newcomers were two further Fife sides - Burntisland Shipyard and Raith Rovers 'A' - and Bathgate, 1930-31 champions of the EoSL. Bathgate had been supporters of the new guarantee system, but once six short journeys to Edinburgh were removed, regular travel to the Borders became an intolerable burden.

 

Makeweights in the Scottish League, Bathgate had found their level in East of Scotland competitions, and won the 1931-32 E&DL by a comfortable eight points. Ground problems forced them to resign in 1932, though, with the town council issuing a compulsory purchase order to take over Mill Park for new housing. In 1931-32 a League Cup was instituted, but was abandoned after a few matches because of lack of available dates. It did not reappear in subsequent seasons.

 

For 1932-33 Raith reserves and Bathgate dropped out, being replaced by West Calder amateur side Mossend (who renamed themselves after the once-famous Mossend Swifts) and short-lived rivals to Shipyard in Burntisland Athletic. Murrayfield once again took the championship.

 

The following season, 1933-34, was the high point of the E&DL. Burntisland Athletic dropped out, but there were further defections from the EoSL in Penicuik Athletic and Clerwood Amateurs, two further Fife clubs (Rosyth Dockyard Recreation and RAF Donibristle), and new club Broxburn St John's. Vale of Leithen had also considered transferring, but dropped the idea when derby rivals Peebles Rovers wouldn't entertain the idea. Travel cost was a major factor, but EoSL matches were plagued by late starts and blank Saturdays, and political struggles between the Berwickshire and Border clubs. In Penicuik's case, though, a post-season committee decision to strip them of the 1932-33 EoSL title and award it to Peebles Rovers was the prime motivation for the transfer.

 

Penicuik romped to the 1933-34 title, eleven points clear of Rosyth Dockyard. These clubs also achieved the unique feat of sides from the same League winning the South and North Qualifying Cups. The success of the E&DL was now a serious threat to the EoSL, Peebles Rovers announcing their decision to defect for 1933-34, a move which would probably have been followed by Vale of Leithen. However, a series of misfortunes in the summer of 1934 effectively killed off the E&DL as a credible challenger to the older competition.

 

Civil Service Strollers were forced out of Stenhouse Mills by a new greyhound stadium, and Edinburgh City's 'A' team were finding it too difficult to find a home park (at the time they were still sharing with Leith Athletic). In late May prominent flour-mill owner Thomas W Tod, effectively the bankroller of Clerwood Amateurs, died, and his widow decided she didn't want a football pitch on her front lawn. Apart from ground problems, costs forced Burntisland Shipyard, Mossend Swifts and Lochgelly to resign. Peebles Rovers and Penicuik Athletic surveyed the wreckage and swiftly decided to return to the East of Scotland League for 1934-35, with Rovers not having played a single match in the competition.

 

The EoSL didn't offer clubs any change to the contentious guarantee system; those who rejoined would do so under the League's terms. Murrayfield Amateurs played one E&DL match (not counting in the record books) and returned to the EoSL. Rosyth Dockyard Recreation were twice refused on grounds of travelling costs, despite a Scottish FA request for consideration.

 

The four remaining clubs were joined by Bo'ness for the League's final season (the first in which there was an actual championship trophy). With a shrunken fixture list, teams entered local amateur competitions in order to fill their Saturdays. Fixtures were few and far between once sides were eliminated from cup competitions, the situation being exacerbated by University vacations and RAF leave. It became apparent that Bo'ness were only League members in order to keep a side together for the Scottish Cup, they effectively refused to play away matches, and resigned in January after a 9-0 thrashing at Morton. In March, Edinburgh University had to cancel a League match with Rosyth Dockyard because of a King Cup tie, after which they were on Easter vacation. With no other competitive fixtures in sight, Dockyard wound up for the season; but the points they had in the bag were enough to give them the title as the competition stumbled to its final conclusion.

 

 

Winners

 

Edinburgh & District League

1930-31 Murrayfield Amateurs

1931-32 Bathgate

1932-33 Murrayfield Amateurs

1933-34 Penicuik Athletic

1934-35 Rosyth Dockyard

Edinburgh & District League Cup

1931-32 unfinished

 

 

1930-31 Edinburgh & District League

 

 

ASH

C/A

CSS

EdC

EdU

Leith

Lochg

Murr

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

 

 

27 Dec

0-2

 

L-W

18 Apr

0-4

 

20 Dec

1-7

Cameron Highlanders

 

 

 

25 Oct

1-1

 

 

11 Oct

9-3

 

Civil Service Strollers

9 Apr

5-1

 

 

10 Jan

1-4

L-W

29 Nov

3-2

W-L

L-W

Edinburgh City

 

1 Nov

4-3

29 Apr

1-1

 

23 Apr

1-0

16 Aug

4-2

28 Feb

6-0

28 Mar

2-1

Edinburgh University

7 Feb

3-0

 

6 Dec

2-3

15 Nov

4-2

 

24 Jan

7-3

25 Apr

5-1

28 Feb

3-2

Leith Amateurs

 

8 Nov

3-2

25 Apr

4-2

20 Dec

1-1

13 Dec

3-1

 

L-W

15 Nov

1-3

Lochgelly Amateurs

4 Apr

8-1

 

D-D

D-D

L-W

25 Oct

2-0

 

20 Apr

1-5

Murrayfield Amateurs

NOT

PLAYED

 

13 Dec

7-1

23 Aug

3-2

30 Apr

1-0

10 Jan

10-3

NOT

PLAYED

 

 

Cameron Highlanders played four matches of the 1930-31 season before the regiment moved out of Redford Barracks. Their fixtures were taken over by Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

 

 

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Murrayfield Amateurs

10

8

0

2

39

14

18

Edinburgh City

12

6

4

2

30

16

16

Edinburgh University

12

8

0

4

36

22

16

Civil Service Strollers

12

5

2

5

24

29

12

Leith Amateurs

12

4

1

7

25

38

9

Lochgelly Amateurs

11

3

2

6

22

34

8

Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

11

1

1

9

20

44

3

XXXXXXXXXXxxxXXXX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1931-32 Edinburgh & District League

 

 

Bath

Burnt

CSS

EdC

EdU

Leith

Lochg

Murr

RR

Bathgate

 

24 Oct

5-3

16 Apr

2-1

12 Dec

5-5

7 Nov

3-1

9 Jan

1-0

6 Feb

5-1

29 Aug

1-2

21 Nov

5-0

Burntisland Shipyard Amateurs

15 Aug

3-3

 

19 Mar

5-4

5 Sep

3-1

23 Apr

3-4

5 Dec

0-0

19 Dec

3-2

18 Apr

3-2

17 Oct

1-1

Civil Service Strollers

28 Nov

2-4

D-D

4-4

 

17 Oct

0-1

12 Mar

2-3

23 Jan

3-1

L-W

2-6

NOT

PLAYED

24 Oct

2-1

Edinburgh City 'A'

16 Jan

2-3

22 Aug

2-1

30 Oct

0-6

 

NOT

PLAYED

19 Sep

0-2

L-W

0-5

L-W

2-3

27 Feb

0-6

Edinburgh University

5 Dec

0-2

21 Nov

1-1

12 Dec

4-2

23 Jan

3-1

 

5 Mar

6-0

NOT

PLAYED

NOT

PLAYED

10 Oct

3-4

Leith Amateurs

22 Aug

2-3

14 Nov

2-4

7 Nov

3-1

19 Dec

1-2

24 Oct

1-2

 

29 Aug

1-4

17 Oct

2-3

28 Nov

2-3

Lochgelly

L-W

1-5

9 Jan

1-3

22 Aug

5-2

28 Nov

6-1

NOT

PLAYED

W-L

3-2

 

23 Jan

3-2

14 Nov

3-0

Murrayfield Amateurs

21 Apr

0-1

NOT

PLAYED

21 Nov

4-1

9 Apr

1-1

26 Apr

4-2

16 Apr

4-1

2 Jan

5-2

 

19 Dec

5-4

Raith Rovers 'A'

3 Oct

2-4

7 Nov

6-3

20 Feb

0-1

5 Dec

3-1

6 Feb

7-3

12 Dec

5-2

12 Mar

6-1

2 Apr

3-3

 

 

17 Sep Raith Rovers announce an 'A' team would be entered into the league

26 Apr the Murrayfield v Edinburgh University match was for 4 points

 

 

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Bathgate

16

13

2

1

52

25

28

Murrayfield Amateurs

14

9

2

3

38

26

20

Raith Rovers 'A'

16

8

2

6

51

39

18

Burntisland Shipyard Amateurs

16

6

5

5

40

38

17

Lochgelly

14

8

0

6

43

37

16

Edinburgh University

13

6

1

6

32

30

13

Civil Service Strollers

15

4

1

10

33

43

9

Edinburgh City 'A'

14

3

2

9

19

48

8

Leith Amateurs

16

2

1

13

22

44

5

XXXXXXXXXXxxxXXXX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edinburgh & District League Cup

First round - 2 legs

19 Mar Leith Amateurs v Bathgate 2-3

26 Mar Bathgate v Leith Amateurs 4-4

19 Mar Lochgelly v Murrayfield Amateurs

26 Mar Burntisland Shipyard v Edinburgh City 'A' 3-2

 

Competition unfinished

 

 

 

1932-33 Edinburgh & District League

 

 

 

BA

BS

CSS

EdC

EdU

Leith

Lochg

MS

Murr

Burntisland Athletic

 

5 Nov

0-1

26 Nov

6-0

 

18 Feb

1-4

 

14 Jan

3-3

10 Dec

5-2

 

Burntisland Shipyard Amateurs

15 Oct

2-1

 

7 Jan

2-3

22 Oct

6-1

18 Feb

1-4

17 Sep

5-2

15 Apr

1-3

20 Aug

3-4

17 Dec

1-6

Civil Service Strollers

 

22 Apr

3-0

 

 

21 Jan

2-1

5 Nov

1-3

11 Mar

4-4

17 Dec

4-1

3 Dec

1-2

Edinburgh City 'A'

12 Nov

4-4

8 Oct

2-3

 

 

10 Dec

0-4

7 Jan

1-5

 

10 Sep

 

11 Mar

3-2

Edinburgh University

22 Oct

2-1

26 Nov

4-1

20 Apr

2-3

11 Feb

6-1

 

11 Mar

5-3

15 Oct

1-2

8 Oct

2-1

19 Nov

0-1

Leith Amateurs

17 Dec

2-1

18 Mar

9-2

10 Dec

6-1

3 Dec

2-1

 

 

19 Nov

4-1

12 Nov

2-0

25 Mar

2-3

Lochgelly

7 Jan

1-2

4 Feb

5-1

11 Feb

4-2

3 Sep

4-2

22 Apr

3-0

8 Apr

2-4

 

 

22 Oct

0-5

Mossend Swifts

19 Nov

3-2

24 Sep

6-0

 

1 Oct

3-0

 

27 Aug

2-4

28 Jan

5-1

 

15 Oct

0-0

Murrayfield Amateurs

31 Dec

11-3

27 Aug

2-1

12 Nov

3-1

26 Nov

2-0

25 Apr

1-1

18 Apr

2-1

 

5 Nov

4-0

 

 

 

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Murrayfield Amateurs

14

11

2

1

47

17

24

Leith Amateurs

14

10

0

4

49

27

20

Edinburgh University

14

7

1

6

35

25

15

Lochgelly

14

6

3

5

37

37

15

Mossend Swifts

16

7

1

8

42

44

15

Civil Service Strollers

14

6

1

7

32

38

13

Burntisland Shipyard Amateurs

16

5

1

10

32

55

11

Burntisland Athletic

12

3

2

7

27

31

8

Edinburgh City 'A'

13

2

1

10

22

49

5

XXXXXXxxxXXXXXXXX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1933-34 Edinburgh & District League

 

 

 

BStJ

BS

CSS

Cler

EdC

EdU

Leith

Lochg

MS

Murr

PA

RAF

RD

Broxburn St John's

 

 

4 Nov

3-3

 

25 Nov

3-1

 

23 Dec

1-4

21 Oct

4-3

9 Sep

3-5

13 Jan

1-4

14 Apr

1-2

 

30 Sep

0-4

Burntisland Shipyard Amateurs

 

 

 

18 Nov

4-2

 

4 Nov

0-4

6 Jan

2-1

 

 

16 Dec

2-3

26 Aug

3-6

3 Feb

3-1

13 Jan

3-4

Civil Service Strollers

20 Jan

3-3

11 Nov

5-2

 

16 Dec

0-3

2 Dec

0-0

 

25 Nov

0-3

 

10 Feb

1-0

10 Mar

1-4

6 Jan

3-6

 

14 Apr

3-4

Clerwood Amateurs

10 Feb

8-4

27 Jan

2-2

26 Aug

2-0

 

6 Jan

7-2

 

 

 

9 Dec

3-2

11 Nov

3-1

13 Jan

4-2

9 Sep

9-0

14 Oct

3-7

Edinburgh City 'A'

16 Dec

3-4

23 Dec

0-2

3 Feb

4-1

 

 

20 Jan

3-3

24 Feb

1-7

 

 

24 Mar

0-6

3 Mar

5-9

 

11 Nov

3-3

Edinburgh University

 

21 Apr

4-1

18 Nov

6-2

25 Nov

1-0

21 Oct

5-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leith Amateurs

27 Jan

2-1

10 Feb

2-2

30 Sep

1-0

14 Apr

3-3

26 Aug

4-2

 

 

 

28 Oct

5-1

31 Mar

2-2

16 Dec

2-4

 

2 Dec

3-2

Lochgelly

 

 

28 Oct

3-4

 

2 Sep

0-2

 

 

 

14 Oct

 

 

 

7 Oct

3-1

 

Mossend Swifts

11 Nov

6-1

 

19 Aug

5-3

21 Oct

1-2

 

 

 

10 Mar

2-4

 

7 Oct

3-2

2 Dec

0-6

24 Feb

4-1

27 Jan

0-6

Murrayfield Amateurs

28 Apr

4-1

28 Oct

3-0

16 Sep

1-2

30 Dec

2-2

30 Sep

0-0

 

17 Mar

1-0

2 Dec

8-1

18 Nov

2-1

 

23 Dec

1-3

 

26 Aug

4-4

Penicuik Athletic

7 Apr

8-0

24 Feb

7-2

9 Dec

4-2

16 Sep

3-0

19 Aug

3-1

28 Apr

1-0

30 Dec

5-1

4 Nov

11-0

17 Mar

9-1

25 Nov

11-2

 

14 Oct

6-0

23 Sep

3-2

RAF Donibristle

 

 

 

2 Dec

1-5

 

 

28 Apr

0-4

 

 

 

24 Mar

2-8

 

 

Rosyth Dockyard Recreation

2 Sep

8-4

25 Nov

4-0

 

23 Dec

3-3

21 Apr

8-2

9 Dec

4-3

 

 

24 Mar

2-1

6 Jan

3-1

28 Oct

4-2

10 Feb

3-0

 

 

 

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Penicuik Athletic

24

22

0

2

121

37

44

Rosyth Dockyard Recreation

22

15

3

4

81

43

33

Leith Amateurs

20

12

3

5

51

35

27

Clerwood Amateurs

19

11

4

4

65

39

26

Murrayfield Amateurs

20

9

4

7

53

43

22

Burntisland Shipyard Amateurs

18

7

2

9

39

53

16

Edinburgh University

10

6

1

3

29

14

13

Mossend Swifts

17

6

0

11

38

54

12

Civil Service Strollers

19

4

2

13

33

56

10

Broxburn St John's

17

4

1

12

37

71

9

Edinburgh City 'A'

17

2

4

11

31

65

8

RAF Donibristle

13

2

0

11

13

52

4

Lochgelly

10

1

0

9

15

44

2

XXXXXXXXXXXxxxXXX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1934-35 Edinburgh & District League

 

 

 

Bo'n

EdU

Leith

RAF

RD

Bo'ness

XXXX

XXX

12 Jan

2-2

6-1

19 Jan

9-0

1 Dec

0-3

Edinburgh University

 

 

27 Apr

6-3

2 Feb

9-1

 

Leith Amateurs

 

20 Oct

3-2

 

23 Mar

1-2

29 Dec

1-1

RAF Donibristle

 

 

0-4

 

24 Nov

3-6

Rosyth Dockyard Recreation

 

2-2

10 Nov

1-2

12 Jan

5-0

 

 

RAF Donibristle v Edinburgh University - no result found and it's uncertain if the game was ever played.

Peebles Rovers joined for 1934-35, but didn't play a match

Murrayfield Amateurs played a single match on 18 August (Rosyth v Murrayfield 2-2) - they then returned to the East of Scotland League, and the result was never included in the table.

 

 

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Rosyth Dockyard Recreation

6

3

2

1

18

8

8

Leith Amateurs

7

3

1

3

15

18

7

Edinburgh University

5

2

2

1

21

11

6

Bo'ness

4

2

1

1

17

6

5

RAF Donibristle

6

1

0

5

6

34

2

XXXXXXXxxxXXXXXXX