2023–24_Lowland_Football_League
2023–24 Lowland Football League
Scottish Football league season
The 2023–24 Scottish Lowland Football League was the 11th season of the Lowland Football League, part of the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The Spartans were the reigning champions but were unable to defend their title following their promotion to Scottish League Two.
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 21 July 2023 – 27 April 2024 |
| Champions | East Kilbride |
| Relegated | Edinburgh University |
| Matches played | 306 |
| Goals scored | 1,055 (3.45 per match) |
| Biggest home win | Heart of Midlothian B 12–0 Edinburgh University (5 January 2024) |
| Biggest away win | Edinburgh University 0–9 East Kilbride (2 September 2023) |
| Highest scoring | Heart of Midlothian B 12–0 Edinburgh University (5 January 2024) |
| Longest winning run | 8 matches: Heart of Midlothian B |
| Longest unbeaten run | 15 matches: East Kilbride |
| Longest winless run | 17 matches: Gretna 2008 |
| Longest losing run | 11 matches: Edinburgh University |
← 2022–23 2024–25 →
All statistics correct as of 27 April 2024. | |
East Kilbride won a record-equalling third Lowland League title, following a 4–2 victory by Heart of Midlothian B – who cannot win the Lowland League as a guest club[1] – over Bo'ness United on 12 April 2024, which left Bo'ness United nine points behind East Kilbride with two games remaining.
With their scheduled matchup with 2023–24 Highland Football League champion Buckie Thistle being cancelled due to the latter not holding the relevant licence, East Kilbride faced League Two bottom-placed team Stranraer in the final. They lost 3–5 on aggregate after conceding two goals in the last five minutes of extra time in the second leg at Stair Park.[2]
Albion Rovers became the fourth club to join the league via relegation from the SPFL, having lost the previous season's League Two play-off against The Spartans. East of Scotland League champions Linlithgow Rose were promoted to the league, replacing founding league member Dalbeattie Star who were relegated to the South of Scotland League.
Rangers B withdrew prior to the start of the season.[3]
From Lowland League
Promoted to League Two
Relegated to South of Scotland League
Withdrew
To Lowland League
Relegated from League Two
Promoted from East of Scotland League
Stadia and locations
- Notes
- Celtic B are ground-sharing with Airdrieonians.
- East Stirlingshire are ground-sharing with Falkirk.
- Heart of Midlothian B are ground-sharing with The Spartans.
- 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 | East Kilbride (C) | 34 | 26 | 3 | 5 | 96 | 43 | +53 | 81 | Qualification for the Pyramid play-off |
| 2 | Heart of Midlothian B | 34 | 21 | 6 | 7 | 92 | 43 | +49 | 69 | Ineligible for promotion or relegation |
| 3 | Bo'ness United | 34 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 72 | 50 | +22 | 67 | |
| 4 | Cumbernauld Colts | 34 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 70 | 43 | +27 | 65 | |
| 5 | Tranent | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 69 | 42 | +27 | 60 | |
| 6 | Celtic B | 34 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 80 | 47 | +33 | 59 | Ineligible for promotion or relegation |
| 7 | Civil Service Strollers | 34 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 51 | 48 | +3 | 56 | |
| 8 | Linlithgow Rose | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 63 | 43 | +20 | 50 | |
| 9 | Albion Rovers | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 46 | |
| 10 | Cowdenbeath | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 55 | 56 | −1 | 46 | |
| 11 | University of Stirling | 34 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 50 | 53 | −3 | 46 | |
| 12 | Caledonian Braves | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 47 | 43 | +4 | 45 | |
| 13 | Berwick Rangers | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 42 | |
| 14 | East Stirlingshire | 34 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 58 | 68 | −10 | 40 | |
| 15 | Broomhill | 34 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 56 | 59 | −3 | 39 | |
| 16 | Gala Fairydean Rovers | 34 | 9 | 5 | 20 | 45 | 87 | −42 | 32 | |
| 17 | Gretna 2008 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 26 | 114 | −88 | 12 | |
| 18 | Edinburgh University (R) | 34 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 40 | 132 | −92 | 9 | Relegation to the East of Scotland League |
| Home \ Away | ALB | BER | BNS | BRO | CAL | CEL | CSS | COW | CUM | EKB | EAS | EDU | GFR | GRE | HEA | LIN | TRA | STI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albion Rovers | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | |
| Berwick Rangers | 2–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Bo'ness United | 0–1 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 0–3 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | |
| Broomhill | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–6 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–4 | |
| Caledonian Braves | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | |
| Celtic B | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 7–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 7–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | |
| Civil Service Strollers | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 7–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | |
| Cowdenbeath | 0–0 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 7–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | |
| Cumbernauld Colts | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 3–3 | |
| East Kilbride | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 7–4 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | |
| East Stirlingshire | 3–2 | 1–2 | 3–4 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 6–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 | |
| Edinburgh University | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–9 | 0–3 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–6 | 1–4 | |
| Gala Fairydean Rovers | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–7 | 0–3 | 3–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 1–6 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–6 | 0–2 | 2–0 | |
| Gretna 2008 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–7 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 2–9 | 1–3 | 1–1 | |
| Heart of Midlothian B | 2–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–0[lower-alpha 1] | 1–2 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 5–3 | 12–0 | 3–1 | 7–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | |
| Linlithgow Rose | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | |
| Tranent | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 3–4 | 6–2 | 2–1 | 8–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| University of Stirling | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
A three match round robin play-off was scheduled to take place between the winners of the 2023–24 East of Scotland Football League, the 2023–24 South of Scotland Football League, and the 2023–24 West of Scotland Football League, subject to all three clubs meeting the required licensing criteria for promotion.[6] However, as West of Scotland Football League winners Beith Juniors did not hold a licence, the play-off was then contested by the remaining two league winners – Broxburn Athletic (East of Scotland Football League) and Dalbeattie Star (South of Scotland Football League) – over a home-and-away basis.
First leg
| 18 May 2024 | Dalbeattie Star | 1–4 | Broxburn Athletic | Dalbeattie |
| 15:00 | C. Watson  40' |
|
Stadium: Islecroft Stadium Referee: Andy Gamble |
Second leg
| 24 May 2024 | Broxburn Athletic | v | Dalbeattie Star | Broxburn |
| 19:45 | Stadium: Albyn Park Referee: Jordan Curran |
- "Scottish Lowland Football League Constitution and Rules Version 20" (PDF). Lowland Football League. 8 June 2022. p. 19. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
Specifically, a Guest Club shall not be the Champion Club.
- McGilvray, Andy (18 May 2024). "Stranraer 3, East Kilbride 1 (agg 5-3): Blues break Kilby hearts". Daily Record. Reach plc. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- "CLUB STATEMENT: SCOTTISH LOWLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE". Rangers.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
- "Update: Hearts B vs Civil Service Strollers". Heart of Midlothian F.C. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- "Lowland League Results". Lowland Football League. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- "LOWER PYRAMID PLAY - OFF COMPETITION RULES" (PDF). Lowland Football League. Retrieved 8 May 2023.