The 2019–20 Scottish Lowland Football League was the seventh season of the Lowland Football League, the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. East Kilbride were the reigning champions.
The season began on 27 July 2019 and was scheduled to end on 18 April 2020, but on 13 March, the league was indefinitely suspended due to the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak. A points per game formula was subsequently used to determine the final standings, with Kelty Hearts declared champions on 13 April.
Teams
The following teams changed division after the 2018–19 season.
Berwick Rangers became the second club to join the league via relegation from the SPFL, having lost the previous season's League Two play-off against Cove Rangers. East of Scotland League champions Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic were promoted to the league, replacing Whitehill Welfare who were relegated. Edusport Academy renamed to Caledonian Braves prior to the season.
To Lowland League Relegated from League Two Berwick Rangers Promoted from East of Scotland League Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
From Lowland League Relegated to East of Scotland League Whitehill Welfare Folded Selkirk
Stadia and locations Team Location StadiumCapacitySeats Berwick Rangers Berwick-upon-Tweed Shielfield Park 4,099 1,366Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Bonnyrigg New Dundas Park 2,200 0 BSC Glasgow Alloa Recreation Park 3,100 919 Caledonian Braves Motherwell Alliance Park 500 100 Civil Service Strollers Edinburgh Christie Gillies Park 1,569 100 Cumbernauld Colts Cumbernauld Broadwood Stadium 8,086 8,086 Dalbeattie Star Dalbeattie Islecroft Stadium 1,320 100 East Kilbride East Kilbride K Park 660 400 East Stirlingshire Falkirk Falkirk Stadium 7,937 7,937 Edinburgh University Edinburgh New Peffermill Stadium 1,100 100 Gala Fairydean Rovers Galashiels 3G Arena, Netherdale 2,000 500 Gretna 2008 Gretna Raydale Park 1,030 138 Kelty Hearts Kelty New Central Park 2,181 353 The Spartans Edinburgh Ainslie Park 3,612 534 University of Stirling Stirling Forthbank Stadium 3,808 2,508 Vale of Leithen Innerleithen Victoria Park 1,500 0 Notes
All grounds are equipped with floodlights, except Victoria Park (Vale of Leithen).
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Berwick Rangers Hummel Michael Guthrie Developments Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Macron G. Fitzsimmons and Son BSC Glasgow Joma Nicholson Accountancy Caledonian Braves Macron Civil Service Strollers Legea Futurity Financial Services Cumbernauld Colts & Uhlsport MES Ltd Dalbeattie Star Joma Solway Plant Hire East Kilbride Joma Enviro-Clean East Stirlingshire EV2 Sportswear Central Industrial Services Edinburgh University PlayerLayer TWEDEX Gala Fairydean Rovers Adidas Five Star Taxis Gretna 2008 Macron Welzh Wertzeug Kelty Hearts Joma The Conservatory Converters The Spartans Macron Arthur McKay University of Stirling VSN Mackay Clinic Vale of Leithen Adidas WillSweep
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment East Kilbride Stuart Malcolm Signed by Forfar Athletic 10 November 2019 8th Gretna 2008 Chris Humphrey Sacked 30 November 2019 14th Rowan Alexander 2 December 2019
League summary League table With the season not being fully completed, a points per game formula was subsequently used to determine the final standings, with Kelty Hearts declared champions on 13 April. Only two teams' league positions were changed as a result; with BSC Glasgow's 2.32 points average moving them past the 2.04 of East Stirlingshire for third place.
Positions by round The table lists the positions of teams after each round of matches. In order to preserve chronological progress, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.
Qualification for the Pyramid play-off Possible relegation to the EoSFL or SoSFL Relegation to the EoSFL or SoSFL
Team \ Round1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Kelty Hearts 1 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 East Stirlingshire 7 4 1 4 9 7 5 8 5 5 4 3 3 3 2 3 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 BSC Glasgow 6 5 9 5 4 6 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 The Spartans 10 10 10 9 7 9 8 6 8 8 8 9 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 Civil Service Strollers 4 3 3 7 8 5 3 7 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 East Kilbride 9 8 5 8 6 8 6 4 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 Caledonian Braves 3 2 6 3 3 3 7 5 7 7 6 6 6 6 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 8 8 9 8 Cumbernauld Colts 5 7 7 6 5 4 9 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 8 9 9 8 9 University of Stirling 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 Gala Fairydean Rovers 12 9 8 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 12 13 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 12 11 Berwick Rangers 8 12 12 13 14 12 12 13 13 13 13 12 13 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 Gretna 2008 13 13 14 14 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 13 13 13 13 13 13 Edinburgh University 14 16 15 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 14 14 Dalbeattie Star 16 15 13 16 13 14 14 12 12 12 11 11 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 14 14 15 15 15 15 Vale of Leithen 15 14 16 15 16 16 16 16 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 Source: Lowland League Table Updated: 29 February 2020
Results
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Nathan AustinKelty Hearts372 Ross McNeilCaledonian Braves173 Jamie DishingtonEast Stirlingshire16 4 Thomas CollinsBSC Glasgow 14 Neil McLaughlinCaledonian Braves Thomas OrrBSC Glasgow7 Sean BrownEast Stirlingshire13 Scott LintonKelty Hearts Marty WrightCumbernauld Colts10 George HunterBonnyrigg Rose Athletic12 Nicky LowEast Stirlingshire
League Cup A 16-team straight knock-out tournament was scheduled to take place over four weekends at the end of the league season. Following the suspension of all Scottish football until the end of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland, the League Cup was cancelled.
Lowland League play-off A play-off match was scheduled to take place between the winners of the 2019–20 East of Scotland Football League and the 2019–20 South of Scotland Football League, subject to both clubs meeting the required licensing criteria for promotion. This was cancelled following the South of Scotland Football League declaring their season null and void. As a result, East of Scotland Football League winners Bo'ness United were promoted subject to SFA approval.
References
External links