The Times previews three more sides looking for positive campaigns as their respective league seasons kick-off this Saturday.
Dundonald Bluebell ended up having their best-ever season last term since turning senior, despite making a very indifferent start to the campaign.
They sat in the lower half of the table, but in the closing three months of the 2024-25 season, they hit form built on a tremendous run of shut-outs.
Finishing fourth in the Premier League table was no mean feat, but manager Jason Dair is looking for his team to make a more solid start this coming season.
The Moorside boss said this week: "We certainly were short on numbers at the start of last season and a few injuries played their part in our early results.
"Fionn McLeod-Kay and Lucas Berry played their part in the improvement having joined on loan deals and we have signed them on a permanent basis for 2025-26, and we have also tied up defender Jordan Wright for another season.
"All our other players who did so well in the run-in have extended their contracts, and if we can sign another one or two players, especially a striker, we can look to make a better start to the campaign."
He added: "Everyone seems to be strengthening, however, and some are spending an awful lot of money, so it is going to be a tough league with no easy games on paper.
"Hopefully, if we can get these two players we are looking for in and we keep everyone fit we can get a strong team on the park from the start we can be challenging near the top end of the table."
Bluebell have an attractive start on Saturday (July 26) with a visit from Jeanfield Swifts who also were challenging at the top end last term.
TIMES PREDICTION: The Bluebell can certainly again be a top half of the table side, although as Jason Dair said, there will be no easy games this coming season.
Crossgates Primrose battled hard to win a key top-three place in the East of Scotland First Division last term and get back in the Premier League after relegation the previous season, but after challenging for much of the campaign a few slip-ups early in the year saw them finish fifth.
However, manager Alan Campbell wants next season to be one where his team is in there challenging for one of the promotion places.
"We started last season really well, especially in the first 12 matches, but in the winter months things tailed off and we started dropping points and it had a bad effect on our position."
However, he has re-signed talisman striker, Scott Hynd, who had a spell at Bo’ness Athletic last season, and also brought in link-men Kris Gaff and Benn Finnan, plus defender Charlie Murray, and is hoping to make a good run at winning promotion.
He said: "It won’t be at all easy as the teams coming down such as Tynecastle, Luncarty and Edinburgh University, will be strong while the promoted sides will also be tough but hopefully we will be much stronger this coming season.
"We have had a real focus on togetherness and I can only see the team getting better."
Crossgates open their campaign next Saturday at home to promoted side, Bathgate Thistle.
TIMES PREDICTION: Last season saw Crossgates look like promotion material for long parts of the campaign and they finished the season strongly. Again they will be up there battling and maybe this time they could get the consistency they need to regain their place in the Premier League.
Cowdenbeath Central will make their debut in East of Scotland League Division 3 this Saturday when Edinburgh United come to Venters Park.
Central have been created to provide the ultimate pathway for the Blue Brazil BC youth set-up and have played several friendlies, including one against First Division Blackburn United, which resulted in a 1-0 win in their first-ever game, with local boy Lewis Ward scoring the club’s first goal.
Central have signed a great number of players, many of who came through the Blue Brazil youth structure before going into the senior game.
Goalkeeper David Chalmers was last season with Hutchie Vale and has plenty of experience, while Jonny Malcolm is a street-wise defender who was with Newburgh.
In the middle of the park Ryan McInnes has picked up plenty of experience in a lengthy career with St Andrews United, while Pete Jelen has seen a lot of action with Hutchie Vale and Adam Wilson is comfortable in a number of positions, having been signed from Newburgh.
Andrew Penman saw a lot of league action with Oakley United and his brother Lee is a talented linkman.
Up front Cai MacDonald did well with Oakley United, while Liam Duffy came through the Kelty Hearts pathway and had a spell with Alloa Athletic, while Lewis Ward, who scored that historic goal at Blackburn, came through the BBBC youth network and has been a regular marksman in the friendlies.
Attacker Kris Murphy has also joined up from Burntisland Shipyard and he is a proven goalscorer.
Manager Peter Goldie is looking forward to the big kick-off and the players are ready for the tests ahead.
TIMES PREDICTION: Cowdenbeath Central have the experience to compete well in Division 3 and could pose the teams ready to welcome them plenty of problems.
Full local programme this Saturday: East of Scotland Premier League, Dundonald Premier League v Jeanfield Swifts 2.30pm, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Penicuik Athletic 2.30pm.
East of Scotland First Division: Crossgates Primrose v Bathgate Thistle 2.30pm, Armadale Thistle v Lochore Welfare 2.30pm.
East of Scotland Second Division: Lochgelly Albert v Coldstream 2.30pm.
East of Scotland Third Division: Cowdenbeath Central v Edinburgh United 2.30pm.
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