2022–23_Lowland_Football_League
2022–23 Lowland Football League
Scottish Football league season
The 2022–23 Scottish Lowland Football League was the 10th season of the Lowland Football League, part of the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic were the reigning champions, but were unable to defend their title following their promotion to Scottish League Two.
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 22 July 2022 – 25 April 2023 |
| Champions | The Spartans |
| Promoted | The Spartans |
| Relegated | Dalbeattie Star |
| Matches played | 342 |
| Goals scored | 1,240 (3.63 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Caledonian Braves 10–0 Dalbeattie Star (3 January 2023) |
| Biggest away win | Edinburgh University 0–9 Hearts B (5 November 2022) |
| Highest scoring | Caledonian Braves 10–0 Dalbeattie Star (3 January 2023) |
| Longest winning run | 7 matches: Rangers B & The Spartans |
| Longest unbeaten run | 19 matches: The Spartans |
| Longest winless run | 22 matches: Dalbeattie Star |
| Longest losing run | 21 matches: Edinburgh University |
← 2021–22 2023–24 →
All statistics correct as of 25 April 2023. | |
Cowdenbeath became the third club to join the league via relegation from the SPFL, having lost the previous season's League Two play-off against Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic. East of Scotland League champions Tranent Juniors were promoted to the league, replacing founding league member Vale of Leithen who were relegated.
The Spartans won their third league title on 8 April 2023 thanks to a 2–0 win over Tranent Juniors at Foresters Park, with two matches still to play. They beat 2022–23 Highland Football League champions Brechin City on penalties after drawing 3–3 in the pyramid play-off and then beat Albion Rovers 2–1 in the final,[1] being promoted to Scottish League Two for the 2023–24 season.
For the 2022–23 season, Broomhill were known as Open Goal Broomhill in a partnership with football media and podcast group Open Goal.[2]
From Lowland League
Promoted to League Two
Relegated to East of Scotland League
To Lowland League
Relegated from League Two
Promoted from East of Scotland League
Stadia and locations
- Notes
- Broomhill are ground-sharing with Cumbernauld Colts.
- Celtic B are ground-sharing with Airdrieonians.
- East Stirlingshire are ground-sharing with Falkirk.
- Heart of Midlothian B are ground-sharing with Whitehill Welfare.
- University of Stirling are ground-sharing with Stirling Albion.
All grounds are equipped with floodlights.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Spartans (C, O, P) | 36 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 78 | 31 | +47 | 79 | Qualification for the Pyramid play-off |
| 2 | Rangers B | 36 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 98 | 57 | +41 | 77 | Ineligible for promotion or relegation |
| 3 | Celtic B | 36 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 96 | 45 | +51 | 76 | |
| 4 | University of Stirling | 36 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 82 | 45 | +37 | 71 | |
| 5 | Tranent Juniors | 36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 74 | 44 | +30 | 65 | |
| 6 | East Kilbride | 36 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 81 | 53 | +28 | 64 | |
| 7 | Berwick Rangers | 36 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 61 | 51 | +10 | 61 | |
| 8 | Civil Service Strollers | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 63 | 45 | +18 | 58 | |
| 9 | Bo'ness United | 36 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 71 | 51 | +20 | 54 | |
| 10 | Caledonian Braves | 36 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 79 | 67 | +12 | 51 | |
| 11 | Broomhill | 36 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 73 | 73 | 0 | 51 | |
| 12 | Gala Fairydean Rovers | 36 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 63 | 74 | −11 | 49 | |
| 13 | Heart of Midlothian B | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 75 | 59 | +16 | 48 | Ineligible for promotion or relegation |
| 14 | Cumbernauld Colts | 36 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 62 | 59 | +3 | 46 | |
| 15 | Cowdenbeath | 36 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 46 | 50 | −4 | 36 | |
| 16 | East Stirlingshire | 36 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 41 | 74 | −33 | 33 | |
| 17 | Gretna 2008 | 36 | 8 | 2 | 26 | 39 | 91 | −52 | 26 | |
| 18 | Edinburgh University | 36 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 31 | 127 | −96 | 16 | |
| 19 | Dalbeattie Star (R) | 36 | 1 | 5 | 30 | 27 | 144 | −117 | 8 | Relegation to the South of Scotland League |
| Home \ Away | BER | BNS | BRO | CAL | CEL | CSS | COW | CUM | DAL | EKB | EAS | EDU | GFR | GRE | HEA | RAN | SPA | TRA | STI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berwick Rangers | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | |
| Bo'ness United | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 7–0 | 0–3 | 6–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | |
| Broomhill | 3–2 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | |
| Caledonian Braves | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 10–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–0 | |
| Celtic B | 1–3 | 2–1 | 6–2 | 4–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–2[lower-alpha 1] | 1–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 | |
| Civil Service Strollers | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | |
| Cowdenbeath | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | |
| Cumbernauld Colts | 3–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 3–6 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | |
| Dalbeattie Star | 3–1 | 1–7 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | 0–6[lower-alpha 2] | 2–5 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–5 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–6 | |
| East Kilbride | 5–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 3–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | |
| East Stirlingshire | 1–4 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | |
| Edinburgh University | 0–1 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 2–4 | 0–3 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 4–0 | 1–6 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–9 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–4 | |
| Gala Fairydean Rovers | 0–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 4–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | |
| Gretna 2008 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 7–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | |
| Heart of Midlothian B | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–5 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–4 | |
| Rangers B | 3–0 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 1–3[lower-alpha 3] | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 6–1 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | |
| The Spartans | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | |
| Tranent Juniors | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 8–0 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | |
| University of Stirling | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 5–2 |
- Match played at Celtic Park.[4]
- Match played at Ibrox Stadium.[6]
A three match round robin play-off was scheduled take place between the winners of the 2022–23 East of Scotland Football League, the 2022–23 South of Scotland Football League, and the 2022–23 West of Scotland Football League, subject to all three clubs meeting the required licensing criteria for promotion.[8]
Linlithgow Rose qualified for the play-off as the winners of the East of Scotland Football League. As it transpired, both the winners of the South of Scotland Football League (Abbey Vale), and the West of Scotland Football League (Beith Juniors) were ineligible for the play-off as neither held an SFA club licence. Linlithgow Rose were therefore automatically promoted.
- "Albion Rovers 0–1 The Spartans". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- "Open Goal announce Broomhill partnership as Simon Ferry named manager of Lowland League side". Daily Record. 4 May 2022.
- McCarthy, David; Hanratty, Robbie (30 December 2022). "Celtic 5 Rangers 2 RECAP as home side rout rivals in seven goal Lowland League derby thriller". Daily Record. Reach plc. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- Rangers B & Academy [@RFC_Youth] (2 April 2023). "⏰ Full-Time at Ibrox Rangers 1 - 3 Celtic" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 April 2023 – via Twitter.
- "Lowland League Results". Lowland Football League. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- "LOWER PYRAMID PLAY - OFF COMPETITION RULES" (PDF). Lowland Football League. Retrieved 8 July 2020.