East of Scotland football season is scrapped

On April 2 the Scottish Government published updated guidance which permits outdoor professional sport and allows those involved to cross local authority boundaries to travel to train or compete.

The League had requested permission last week to resume activities in accordance with this latest update, but a reply from the Scottish FA said it was the Scottish Government which was deciding which levels of football were permitted and did not include the EoSFL, affecting local clubs Dundonald Bluebell, Kirkcaldy & Dysart, Burntisland Shipyard and Thornton Hibs.

A provisional date of May 17 had been given but there were calls to bring it forward to April 26.

Following this latest blow – and with over fifty per cent of fixtures still to be played – the EoSFL board recommended over the weekend that the season be scrapped and put it to the clubs to vote, saying it was “not feasible” for the season to be completed.

The response was 11 votes (27 per cent) to restart the season when permitted and 29 (73 per cent) against so 2020/21 was declared null and void on Sunday.

EoSFL Secretary, David Baxter, said: “Virtually three quarters of clubs prefer to call an end to what's been a very challenging campaign.

"It's now to be hoped something approaching normality prevails by 17 July when 2021/22 is set to start.”