2017–18_Lowland_Football_League
2017–18 Lowland Football League
Football league season
The 2017–18 Scottish Lowland Football League (known as the Ferrari Packaging Lowland League for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth season of the Lowland Football League, the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 28 July 2017 and ended on 8 May 2018. East Kilbride were the defending champions.
| Season | 2017–18 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 28 July 2017 – 8 May 2018 |
| Champions | The Spartans |
| Relegated | Hawick Royal Albert |
| Matches played | 240 |
| Goals scored | 813 (3.39 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Jack Smith (BSC Glasgow) (21 goals) |
| Biggest home win | The Spartans 7–0 Hawick Royal Albert (29 July 2017) Cumbernauld Colts 7–0 Hawick Royal Albert (9 December 2017) |
| Biggest away win | Hawick Royal Albert 0–10 Selkirk (2 August 2017) |
| Highest scoring | Hawick Royal Albert 0–10 Selkirk (2 August 2017) |
| Longest winning run | 10 matches: East Kilbride |
| Longest unbeaten run | 19 matches: East Stirlingshire |
| Longest winless run | 18 matches: Hawick Royal Albert |
| Longest losing run | 15 matches: Hawick Royal Albert |
← 2016–17 2018–19 →
All statistics correct as of 9 May 2018. | |
Edusport Academy became the first club to gain promotion from the South of Scotland League, replacing Preston Athletic who were relegated to the East of Scotland League.
The Spartans won the league on 14 April 2018, after a goalless draw with East Stirlingshire at Ainslie Park in their final match. They faced the winners of the 2017–18 Highland Football League (Cove Rangers) in the semi-finals of the League Two Play-offs, losing 5–2 on aggregate.
The following teams have changed division since the 2016–17 season.
To Lowland League
Promoted from South of Scotland League
From Lowland League
Relegated to East of Scotland League
Stadia and Locations
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | Seats | Floodlit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSC Glasgow | Alloa | Recreation Park[1] | 3,100 | 919 | Yes |
| Civil Service Strollers | Edinburgh | Christie Gillies Park | 1,569 | 100 | No |
| Cumbernauld Colts | Cumbernauld | Broadwood Stadium | 7,936 | 7,936 | Yes |
| Dalbeattie Star | Dalbeattie | Islecroft Stadium | 4,000 | 250 | Yes |
| East Kilbride | East Kilbride | K Park | 660 | 400 | Yes |
| East Stirlingshire | Stenhousemuir | Ochilview Park[2] | 3,746 | 626 | Yes |
| Edinburgh University | Edinburgh | New Peffermill Stadium | 1,100 | 100 | Yes |
| Edusport Academy | Annan | Galabank | 2,504 | 500 | Yes |
| Gala Fairydean Rovers | Galashiels | 3G Arena, Netherdale | 5,500 | 495 | Yes |
| Gretna 2008 | Gretna | Raydale Park | 3,000 | 1,318 | Yes |
| Hawick Royal Albert | Hawick | Albert Park | 1,000 | 500 | Yes |
| Selkirk | Selkirk | Yarrow Park | 1,000 | 100 | No |
| The Spartans | Edinburgh | Ainslie Park | 3,000 | 504 | Yes |
| Stirling University | Falkirk | Falkirk Stadium | 7,937 | 7,937 | Yes |
| Vale of Leithen | Innerleithen | Victoria Park | 1,500 | 0 | No |
| Whitehill Welfare | Rosewell | Ferguson Park | 4,000 | 150 | No |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Spartans (C) | 30 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 64 | 17 | +47 | 73 | Qualification for the League Two play-off semi-finals |
| 2 | East Kilbride | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 76 | 23 | +53 | 71 | |
| 3 | BSC Glasgow | 30 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 71 | 27 | +44 | 65 | |
| 4 | East Stirlingshire | 30 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 67 | 31 | +36 | 64 | |
| 5 | Selkirk | 30 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 63 | 50 | +13 | 48 | |
| 6 | Cumbernauld Colts | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 53 | 54 | −1 | 41 | |
| 7 | Civil Service Strollers | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 47 | 44 | +3 | 40 | |
| 8 | Gretna 2008 | 30 | 12 | 4 | 14 | 50 | 56 | −6 | 40 | |
| 9 | Stirling University | 30 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 45 | 49 | −4 | 38 | |
| 10 | Edusport Academy | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 46 | 49 | −3 | 34 | |
| 11 | Edinburgh University | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 40 | 45 | −5 | 34 | |
| 12 | Whitehill Welfare | 30 | 11 | 1 | 18 | 50 | 66 | −16 | 34 | |
| 13 | Gala Fairydean Rovers | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 43 | 63 | −20 | 31 | |
| 14 | Dalbeattie Star | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 46 | 65 | −19 | 29 | |
| 15 | Vale of Leithen | 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 44 | 76 | −32 | 29 | |
| 16 | Hawick Royal Albert (R) | 30 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 18 | 108 | −90 | 6 | Relegation to the East of Scotland League |
| Home \ Away | BSC | CSS | CUM | DBS | EKB | EST | EDU | EDA | GFR | G08 | HRA | SEL | SPA | SLU | VOL | WHW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSC Glasgow | 2–1 | 1–4 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | |
| Civil Service Strollers | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–2 | |
| Cumbernauld Colts | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 7–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 6–1 | 2–1 | |
| Dalbeattie Star | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 2–4 | 1–0 | |
| East Kilbride | 1–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 4–1 | |
| East Stirlingshire | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | |
| Edinburgh University | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 5–3 | 1–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
| Edusport Academy | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | |
| Gala Fairydean Rovers | 0–4 | 0–0 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 5–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–5 | |
| Gretna 2008 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | |
| Hawick Royal Albert | 0–9 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–10 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–4 | |
| Selkirk | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 4–3 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 0–2 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | |
| The Spartans | 2–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 7–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | |
| Stirling University | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | |
| Vale of Leithen | 0–4 | 2–0 | 4–4 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 3–4 | |
| Whitehill Welfare | 1–2 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–6 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 2–1 |
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
A play-off took place between the winners of the 2017–18 East of Scotland Football League (Kelty Hearts) and the 2017–18 South of Scotland Football League (Threave Rovers) as both clubs met the required criteria for promotion. Kelty Hearts won 10–0 on aggregate to secure a place in the 2018–19 Lowland Football League.
First leg
| 5 May 2018 | Threave Rovers | 0–4 | Kelty Hearts | Castle Douglas |
| 14:30 | Stadium: Meadow Park Referee: Lloyd Wilson |
Second leg
| 12 May 2018 | Kelty Hearts | 6–0 (10–0 agg.) | Threave Rovers | Kelty |
| 14:30 | Stadium: New Central Park Referee: Chris Fordyce |
- BSC Glasgow spent the season ground-sharing at Alloa Athletic's Recreation Park due to the lack of a suitable venue in Glasgow.
- East Stirlingshire have played their homes matches at Stenhousemuir's Ochilview Park since the closure of their former Firs Park ground in 2008.