Lowland League: How it will look in season 2022/23

The fifth tier of Scottish football’s pyramid in the south of the country has come in for criticism in recent months over not increasing promotion slots for clubs in tier six below and for continuing with B teams, but there will be changes.

Cowdenbeath join East Stirlingshire and Berwick Rangers to form a trio of former SPFL clubs who have been sucked into to the Lowland League as a consequence of the pyramid play-off system that’s been in place since 2014-15.

Founder members Vale of Leithen, who finished bottom this season with just five points from 34 matches, have been relegated to the East of Scotland League for next term.

Their place will be taken by either Tranent, Darvel or St Cuthbert Wanderers, champions of the East, West of Scotland League respectively.

The three-way round robin play-off begins on Sunday when Tranent host St Cuthberts, who then host Darvel in midweek. Tranent then head to Ayrshire to face Darvel on Saturday, May 28.

The final piece of the Lowland League jigsaw for next season has still to be decided after clubs voted to allow two ‘guest teams’ in expectation that Celtic and Rangers automatically take up the B team places, only for Hearts to make an official application too and put a spanner in the works.

Lowland League officials have been canvassing members about admitting all three B teams, but that would take the league up to 19 teams and cause fixture scheduling problems. It may come down to another vote.