July and August 24 Preview
For the first time since April, Berwick are gearing up for competitive action as the 2024/25 season gets underway this week.
After a tumultuous 2023/24, Thomas Scobbie will be looking to build on last season’s 13th place finish in the Lowland League in his first full season in charge.
The Berwick boss will also have one eye on cup glory as well, with Berwick entering five different cup competitions this season, two of which kick off in the first month of the season.
In all, Berwick will play nine games in just over a month, with the potential for ten:
Dates subject to change. All kick offs 3pm unless stated
Saturday July 27 – Linlithgow Rose (H)
The Lowland League season kicks off at Shielfield Park with the visit of Linlithgow Rose.
Gordon Herd’s side finished their debut campaign in the fifth tier in 8th, boasting the joint-third best defence, level with champions East Kilbride.
The Dream Team will be hoping to pick up their first victory over Rose with a Gary Thom goal securing a 2-1 victory for Linlithgow at Shielfield in April. The first meeting at Prestonfield in September saw Berwick denied all three points by a last minute Callum Rae equaliser.
Rose have not signed huge numbers over the summer but have opted to supplement an already talented squad with ex-SPFL experience in the form of striker Sean Brown (Spartans) and Jacob Comerford (East Fife).
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with under 16s going free.
Tuesday July 30 – St Mirren B (H, 7:45pm)
The SPFL Trust Trophy First Round kicks off with the visit of St Mirren B to Shielfield in the Dream Team’s first appearance in the completion since 2019.
Allan McManus’ youngsters have not had a strong record in the competition in recent years with their last win coming in 2021. Their last two exits have also come from Lowland League sides – East Stirlingshire and Albion Rovers, both on penalties.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with under 16s going free. Should the game end level after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout will take place.
Saturday August 3 – Tranent (A)
The first away day of the season is one of the shorter journeys for Berwick fans, to Foresters Park.
Ian Little’s Tranent were amongst the teams looking to challenge eventual champions East Kilbride but couldn’t quite maintain the pace, finishing 5th, 21 points off the top.
Part of that gap to the top was the single point Tranent were able to pick up against Berwick, salvaged with a last minute equaliser at Shielfield in November. January’s meeting at Foresters Park saw two red cards and a single Jackson Mylchreest goal to give Berwick all three points.
Tranent have added to their squad over the summer with nine new additions including Ross Gray from Bonnyrigg Rose and former Edinburgh City player Danny Handling.
Tickets at Foresters Park are priced at £10 for adults, £7 for concessions and £4 for children aged 12-16 accompanied by an adult.
Tuesday August 6 – Civil Service Strollers (A, 7:45pm)
A second consecutive away day in the Lowland League sees Berwick face another difficult away day at Civil Service Strollers.
Gary Jardine’s side have consistently been one of the toughest teams to play against in the Lowland League over the last couple of seasons, evidenced by both sides trading 1-0 wins at home in 2023/24.
Civil will be looking for some consistency in goal, however, with Strollers fielding 12 different goalkeepers across all competitions last season.
Civil are looking to build on their 7th place finish from last seasonTickets at Christie Gillies Park are priced at £8 for adults and £5 for concessions.
Saturday August 10 – Broomhill (H)
Lowland League action returns to Shielfield Park with the visit of Broomhill.
The two sides split the two league games in 2023/24 – Broomhill winning 2-0 at the Rock in November before a returning Liam Buchanan bagged a brace in a 4-0 January Shielfield win.
It’s all change at Broomhill this season after a disappointing 15th place finish in the Lowland League cost Stephen Swift his job with replacement, ex-Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond, hoping to improve considerably on that.
Diamond has acted swiftly to secure eight new signings at the time of writing including former Albion Rovers duo Arnie Kasa and Devan McColl and ex-Civil Service Strollers striker Kris Amponsah.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with under 16s going free.
August 13/14 – Dumbartion (A, tbc)
Should Berwick progress into the Second Round of the SPFL Trust Trophy, it means a difficult midweek test at League One Dumbarton.
Berwick have not made it to this stage since 2017 with the Dream Team’s recent record against Dumbarton also making for grim reading. Of the last ten games between the sides, Berwick have won just three, the most recent of which was in 2011 – a 2-0 away win in this competition thanks to goals from David Greenhill and Lee Currie.
Friday August 16 – Hearts B (A, 7:45pm)
Friday night football in the capital is on the slate as the Dream Team travels to Ainslie Park to take on Hearts B.
Liam Fox’s youngsters have been a constant thorn in the side of Berwick in their two seasons in the Lowland League, hammering the ‘Gers 6-0 at home twice before drawing both of their visits to Shielfield.
With the potent Makenzie Kirk – Lowland League top scorer last season despite spending half the season on loan at Hamilton – in their ranks, Hearts will be looking to go one better this season after finishing 2nd.
Tuesday August 20 – University of Stirling (H, 7:45pm)
More midweek Shielfield football as University of Stirling are the visitors in the Lowland League.
Chris Geddes’ impressive Uni side couldn’t quite follow up an impressive 2022/23 with an 11th placed league finish, but they remained as difficult and resilient as ever. Goals proved to be a small issue, evidenced in the last meeting between the sides where Uni were largely dominant but ended up losing 2-0 thanks to goals from Lewis Barr and Grant Nelson.
Uni’s previous visits to Shielfield have seen them just once, in December 2019. Their most recent visit saw them come from two down to snatch a 2-2 draw with Ben Woloszyn grabbing their equaliser.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with under 16s going free.
Saturday August 24 – Cumbernauld Colts (A)
Another difficult away day follows on as Berwick visit Cumbernauld Colts at Broadwood in the Lowland League.
David Proctor’s Colts had a strong season in 2023/24, finishing 4th in the Lowland League (taking 4 points from Berwick in the process) and knocking the ‘Gers out of the Lowland League Cup. Berwick’s trips to Broadwood last season were frustrating with two narrow 2-1 defeats, having led both times.
Despite losing the impressive Keelan Adams to Falkirk and the experience of Graeme Holmes, Proctor has strengthened with a number of signings including former University of Stirling goalkeeper Yan Grodik and Calum Wilson from Dumbarton.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with under 16s going free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Saturday August 31 – Caledonian Braves (H)
The final game of a mammoth opening month sees Caledonian Braves visit Shielfield Park in the Lowland League.
Ricky Waddell’s Braves were one of just three sides, along with Bo’ness United and East Kilbride, that completed a league double over Berwick including a 2-0 victory at Shielfield in March. Thomas Scobbie’s side did get a measure of revenge in February with a penalty shootout victory in the Lowland League Cup.
Braves have kept a strong core from last season when they finished 12th in the Lowland League, including experience marksman Ross McNeil, and added the likes of Reg and Connor McLaren from Cumbernauld Colts and Zac Butterworth from Cowdenbeath.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with under 16s going free.
Eion Smith
