This Saturday the League will present Spartans FC with the League trophy following their home match with Dalbeattie Star.

Spartans were crowned champions last month and this Saturday will be a special day as the Edinburgh club will lift the inaugural Scottish Lowland League trophy.

League sponsors The Scottish Sun have arranged for former Manchester United, Hearts and Hibs Player Michael Stewart to present Spartans with the trophy.

League chairman Andrew Waddell said “We are really looking forward to Saturday, it will be a great day for Spartans and the League. Spartans won the league last month and we have been planning for Saturday for a number of weeks.

“It should be a great game between Spartans and Dalbettie and I hope that spectators get along to what will be a memorable day for the League and for Spartans.”

Spartans welcome Dalbeattie Star to Ainslie Park with the game kicking off at 3:00pm, the presentation will be made after the match.

As you walk onto the playing surface at Saracen Park you get a feeling that you are stepping into a ‘real’ football stadium, you get the sense that Saracen Park has a wonderful story to tell, and it does.

Since being built in 1937 it has been used a dog racing tack, speedway track, the home of Ashfield Juniors and now the home of BSC Glasgow, on of the new additions to the Lowland league. Back in 1953 the stadium housed one of the biggest crowds to ever watch a junior football match when Ashfield Juniors played Clydebank, the home side ran out 6-1 winners on the day.

Next season it’s the ground that BSC Glasgow will call ‘home’. After reaching a three-year agreement with Ashfield Juniors BSC Glasgow will play all their home games at Saracen Park. BSC Glasgow are an ambitious sports club in Glasgow and currently have over seven hundred members, twenty eight youth football teams, eight netball teams and the club aim to expand to one and half thousand members within the next year.

Director of Football, Kenny Moyes, said “We decided that as part of our development we should submit an application to the Lowland League as we are off the opinion that the Lowland League is a better standard and will allow us to develop young players. Currently we don’t have a team at this level and we have been overwhelmed by the quality of applicant we have been getting for the coaches job.

“We have been and watched some League games and I have been very impressed with the level of coaching and professionalism within the league, it seems to be having a very positive effect on the individual clubs. Our ethos is not to judge players at the age of ten or eleven, our club offers young players the opportunity to go and be the best player they can be.

“So far since we started developing youth players, over forty of them have gone on and signed with professional clubs. We hope to be in a position to announce our manager by the end of this month and we have already started planning for next season and we are really delighted to be given this chance.”

Club chairman Stephen Prince added “This is a great opportunity for our club and we will embrace and are delighted to be part of the Lowland League. We have had great support from Ashfield Juniors and they have done everything they can accommodate us. We are hoping that in the future to have a new facility and negotiations have already started between the local authority and ourselves.

“We have also started the process for gaining a license and we are confident that a license can be achieved without any major issues.”

BSC Glasgow will kick off next season on the grass pitch at Saracen Park that is ninety two meters in length and fifty six meters wide.

If you want to know more about this new up and coming club visit their website at http://www.broomhillsportsclub.org.uk

The Scottish Sun Lowland Football League is delighted to announce that two club have been accepted as members for next season.

Seven clubs in total had applied for membership for next season and as a result of a selection process we are delighted to confirm that BSC Glasgow and Edinburgh University have been elected to play in the league next season.

League Chairman Andrew Waddell said, “The Board looked carefully at all the applications and decided that BSC Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh met our requirements most.

“It was a tough decision for the Board as each applicant was assessed on its own merit.

“Its very encouraging that so many clubs are aspiring to play in our League and have all started to take steps to achieve club licensing, I am hopeful that the clubs who were not elected this time continue to work towards achieving their license and I am sure they will look to get elected next season.”

BSC Glasgow spokesperson Stephen Prince said “We are absolutely delighted that we have been elected to play in the Scottish Sun Lowland League. Today’s announcement is a wonderful piece of news, we look forward to building a very strong team that can go on and compete in the League.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of this wonderful set-up. Its great to be part of history in Scottish Football as the Pyramid system comes into play this season.”

Stirling University were yesterday crowned Scottish Sun League Cup winners with a convincing win over Preston Athletic.

Chris Geddes opened the scoring in the opening minutes when he got on the end of a long ball forward and he composed himself well to slot the ball past the advancing keeper. Twenty minutes later he doubled is account for the day when he went through one-on-one with the keeper and slotted the ball low in the corner of the net.

The students struck again barely two minutes after the restart, delivering another sucker punch to Preston. Geddes this time took a turn to provide the assist, setting up Sludden to rifle home from 12 yards.

Geddes completed his hat-trick in the 59th minute with an audacious lob over Gilbertson, and then tapped in for his fourth in the 64th minute after Sludden had stolen the ball from Dodd at the near touchline.

Just before Geddes had grabbed his third and fourth goals to wrap up the victory for Stirling, Bingham had taken to the field to partner Michael Osborne in attack. Although too late to change the result, Bingham latched on to a low cross from the right to direct the ball into the net in the 66th minute, prompting Preston’s brightest spell of the match. Ryan Marshall knocked Osborne off the ball five minutes later to gift Athletic a penalty, and although the Stirling goalkeeper stopped Ross Elliot’s spot-kick, Elliot buried the rebound.

After the match at Netherdale Arena Chris Geddes said ““The other boys have all won three medals already this season so this was extra special for me to be part of the team winning the Lowland League Cup.

“I’m delighted with my goals, too – scoring four goals in any cup final is a big achievement.

“To score so quickly was a bonus. I know that for Preston to lose a goal so early, and then to lose a goal so early in the second half as well, would have changed their whole game plan.”

Preston Manager David Bingham said ““I’d easily have given up my goal for a closer game, I said to the boys before the match that during my career I played for 19 years and made it to two cup finals – they don’t come around very often, and so you’ve got make the most of it.

This Sunday Stirling University and Preston Athletic compete in the inaugural Lowland League Cup final, both won their respective qualifying sections and semi final.

Speaking this week, Stirling boss Eddie May said “Reaching a cup final is always a welcome achievement for any club, with the end objective focused on lifting a trophy. The students have been very fortunate to have gained success already this season in student sport competition.

“We adopted a squad rotation system in these matches to allow the students to return home for some part of the Christmas/New Year break. This proved beneficial as the players showed a freshness to their approach in some highly competitive matches in the ‘group of death’ against Spartans, Whitehill Welfare and Edinburgh City respectively.

“David Bingham will ensure that Preston Athletic are organised and systematic in their play. We require to be creative in attack and I will be encouraging our players to play with freedom to help ensure that the occasion does not impact negatively on their performance. I hope the match is entertaining and that the players on display catch the eyes of those watching for all the right reasons in terms of effort, behaviour, skill and flair.”

May’s opposite number David Bingham said “It’s great that all the hard work by both the players and also the staff behind the scenes has been rewarded by making it to this stage. Sunday’s game will be a real test for my team as Stirling are a good strong side who play a terrific brand of attacking football.

“Our season has been defined by lot of ups and downs in respect of performances and results. We have shown on several occasions that we can compete with the best in this league but have too often let ourselves down in other games. However, cup games are one offs and there is no better occasion for players to showcase their talents and I’m sure today will be no different.

“The surface will ensure that both teams will try to play football and will hopefully be a good spectacle for all supporters.

“I sincerely hope that the players enjoy the occasion but also don’t let it pass them by as they have a chance to make a little bit of history(as do Stirling) to be part of the first team to win the Lowland League Cup.”

All the action kicks off on Sunday at 3:00pm at Netherdale Arena, entrance fee is £5.00 for adults and £3.00 for children and concessions.

Spartans were crowned League winners last weekend after Vale of Leithen failed to win at home against Whitehill Welfare.

The Spartans gaffer Douglas Samuel spoke “To win the inaugural Lowland League with 2 games to spare is a testament to how well our new squad of players have done this season.

“Looking back to the start of the season, our number one goal was to win the league title. The new league has been a great success, a step-up in comparison to the old East of Scotland Premier Division.

“Playing against Dalbeattie and Threave once again, plus visiting a new rival in East Kilbride has been thoroughly enjoyable, it has brought a real freshness to things and made for a more challenging league campaign.

“We look forward to defending the title next season, however, we recognise it will be an even greater challenge as each and every Club looks to strengthen on and off the park”.

Spartans chairman Craig Graham said ““It has been a memorable first season and we’re delighted to pick up the league trophy with two games to play.

“We added six new faces to the squad at the start of the season and once the guys gelled and we got into our stride in the league, we have played very well. I think it’s nine wins and a draw in our last ten league games.

“Congratulations and thanks to Dougie, Gary, Neil, Craig, Gregor, Ralph and Brian plus all the players for their fantastic efforts. We’re looking for a big fans turnout on 3rd May when we pick up the trophy, it will be a great day and the chance to work with the Scottish Sun who have been great sponsors in the first season of the Lowland League”.

League chairman Andrew Waddell said “It has been a terrific season for all the clubs involved in the Lowland League and Spartans have been the most consistent team and are deserved winners.

“This season has given us a chance to prepare for the Pyramid that comes into effect at the end of next season and it’s great that all the clubs have really embraced the changes.

“On behalf of the Board I would like to congratulate Douglas Samuel and his coaching staff as well as the players and committee at Spartans FC on this great achievement.”

Spartans have been crowned the first Scottish Lowland champions – on a day they lost at home to Dalbeattie Star.

The Edinburgh team were knocked out of the South Challenge Cup 3-2, but Vale of Leithen’s 2-0 defeat at home to Whitehill Welfare ensured that Spartans could not be caught in the race for the title.

Vale were the only side that could mathematically prevent the Ainslie Park side from taking the crown, but their slim hopes were downed by a Whitehill side who moved into second place courtesy of Darren McGlashan and Aaron Somerville’s goals.

Preston Athletic slipped to a 2-0 defeat at home by Gretna 2008, whose goals were scored by Brandon Longcake and Joe Slattery.

Edinburgh City made the journey to Meadow Park to face Threave Rovers and ran out 5-0 winners, goals from Mark Osborne (2), Mark Torrance, Ian McFarlane and Ryan Wilson.

In the South Challeneg Cup semi-finals, Dalbeattie Star beat Spartans 3-2 at Ainslie Park with Lewis Sloan on target twice, and East Kilbride ran out 5-4 winners against East of Scotland Champions Lothian Thistle.