New-look one-division Scarborough Saturday League set for kick-off

Edgehill FC line up with their trophies from the 2021-22 season

With several teams falling by the wayside in the past 12 months, as well as the Scarborough Sunday League folding at the end of the 2021-22 campaign, the nine-team Saturday League is battling on.

The remaining teams are Edgehill, Itis Itis Rovers, Newlands, West Pier, Edgehill Reserves, Seamer, Scalby, Newby and Fishburn Park Academy.

Westover folded in the summer due to a lack of players after several players joined the new Boro Reserves team. Filey Town left to join the ER County League, while Town Reserves joined the Beckett League, along with Goal Sports.

Edgehill boss Alec Coulson said: “This season will be a strange one with one division, it’s such a shame for the local league and the generations coming through.

"Cleggy (Steve Clegg) has a lot of kids in the reserves who will find it tough, I just hope they stick at it. The first team have a good squad with the additions of Billy Logan, Lewis Taylor and Joe Danby.”

Coulson, who is running Edgehill with the help of Wayne Aziz and Joel Ramm, fears for the future of local grass-roots football.

He added: “The state of the local league is a massive blow and there are a lot of factors as to why.

"I point the finger at the council not providing affordable and adequate facilities.

"Oliver’s Mount needs money put into it and nothing is happening. They could fence the bottom half off and sort the pitches out and we could have three or four good pitches plus new changing rooms. I run an under-11s team and I fear there won’t be a local league by the time they come through!”

Edgehill open their league campaign at home to Newlands this Saturday, while Newby play host to Fishburn Park Academy and Itis Itis are set to travel to Whinney Banks in the NRCFA Saturday Challenge Cup. Seamer play host to Scalby on Friday evening.

Edgehill kicked off their season last Saturday with a 5-1 home win against former Sunday League side The Valley in the NRCFA Cup.

Billy Logan bagged a hat-trick, with Joe Gallagher and Sean Exley also on target. Valley had a man sent off for two early bookings, Jake Adams headed a 70th-minute consolation for the visitors. Lloyd Henderson and Jamie Patterson both shone for Edgehill.