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 F.C., Armadale F.C., Bathgate Rovers F.C., Bo'ness F.C., Broxburn F.C., Kirkcaldy F.C. (who withdrew early in the season) ,Broxburn Shamrock F.C. and Mossend Swifts F.C.. Leith Hibernians F.C. who were actually the old Hibernian F.C. that disbanded in 1891 were also members but withdrew before the new season. They were replaced by Edinburgh Adventurers F.C.. 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 F.C., Bo'ness F.C., Broxburn F.C. and Broxburn Shamrock F.C., but again seems to have been abandoned midway through the season.

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

Champions

1903-04 Bo'ness F.C.

1904-05 East Fife F.C.

1905-06 "not completed"

Membership

Adventurers F.C. 1904-06

Bathgate F.C. 1903-05

Berwick Rangers F.C. 1905-06

Bo'ness F.C. 1903-05

Broxburn F.C. 1903-05

Broxburn Athletic F.C. 1905-06

Broxburn Shamrock F.C. 1903-05

Carfin Emmett F.C. 1903-04

Cartvale F.C. 1903-04

Cowdenbeath F.C. 'A' 1905-06

Dykehead F.C. 1903-05

East Fife F.C. 1904-05

Forfar Athletic F.C. 1904-05

Hearts of Beath F.C. 1904-05

Heart of Midlothian F.C. 'A' 1904-06

West Calder Swifts F.C. 1903-04

Wishaw Amateurs F.C. 1903-04

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

Its original line-up was Broxburn Shamrock F.C., Clackmannan F.C., Gala Fairydean F.C., Hearts of Beath F.C., Leith Amateurs F.C., Lochgelly F.C., Musselburgh F.C., Peebles Rovers F.C., Selkirk F.C., Vale of Leithen F.C. and West Calder Swifts F.C. Montrose F.C. 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 F.C.

1916-17 Cowdenbeath F.C.

1917-18 Cowdenbeath F.C.

Membership

Armadale F.C. 1915-18

Bathgate F.C. 1915-17

Broxburn United F.C. 1915-17

Cowdenbeath F.C. 1915-18

Dundee F.C. 1917-18

Dundee Hibernians F.C. 1915-18

Dunfermline Athletic F.C. 1915-18

East Fife F.C. 1915-18

East Stirlingshire F.C. 1915-17

Kirkcaldy United F.C. 1915-16

Leith Athletic F.C. 1915-16

Lochgelly United F.C. 1915-18

Raith Rovers F.C. 1917-18

St Bernards F.C. 1915-17

In 1919 the League was revived and continued until 1923.

Champions

1919-20 Dundee Hibernians F.C.

1920-21

1921-22

1922-23

Membership

Aberdeen F.C. 'A' 1922-23

Arbroath F.C. 1919-20

Arbroath Athletic F.C. 1922-23

Brechin City F.C. 1919-23

Clackmannan F.C. 1922-23

Cowdenbeath F.C. 1919-20

Dundee F.C. 'A' 1919-20, 1922-23

Dundee Hibernians F.C. 1919-20, 1922-23

Forfar Athletic F.C. 1919-20

Leith Athletic F.C. 1922-23

Lochgelly United F.C. 1919-20

Montrose F.C. 1919-23

Peebles Rovers F.C. 1921-22

Raith Rovers F.C. 'A' 1919-20

St Johnstone F.C. 1919-20

In 1924-25, Vale of Leithen F.C. won a different version of the Eastern League.

*Scottish Football (Defunct Leagues)