Rosey Posey to follow Kelty and join East of Scotland League

Bonnyrigg Rose are leading a potential exodus from the Junior ranks after the Edinburgh outfit confirmed their intention to join the East of Scotland League.

The switch, which is set to be ratified during an extraordinary general meeting of the organisation next Thursday, would see Rose enter the SPFL’s pyramid system in the tier below the Lowland League, which offers a route into League Two.

A statement from the New Dundas Park outfit said: “We can formally announce of our intention to join the East of Scotland league next season, subject to their ratification of our application, having given notice to the SJFA (Scottish Junior Football Association) and ERSJFA (Scottish Junior Football Association East Region) earlier this week.

“We have sequenced our intentions officially in this way to allow the junior associations time to plan ahead for next season, and also by way of courtesy to an association that we have been members of for just over 120 years.”

Bonnyrigg believe the opportunity was too good to turn down as it will allow them to continue upgrading their facilities, enjoy the financial benefits of being a member of the Scottish Football Association and attain yearly entry into the first round of the Scottish Cup.

A Bonnyrigg spokesperson also stated that “by committing to the pyramid it opens up funding channels from other third parties which could be of benefit to the club”.

The Rosey Posey are following in the footsteps of another former giant of the Junior game, Kelty Hearts, who joined the East of Scotland League at the start of this season.

The Fifers are currently on course for promotion to the Lowland League in their maiden campaign at that level, having won every East of Scotland League game so far this season

With members of the SJFA recently voting in favour of a move to join Scottish football’s pyramid system – likely to be implemented for the start of 2019-20 – a number of teams from the junior ranks have applied to make that move even earlier.

The likes of Newtongrange Star, Musselburgh Athletic, Tranent, Dalkeith Thistle and Clydebank are believed to be among those who will be considered, though it is understood more than a dozen clubs may have applied for East of Scotland membership.