Congratulations to East Fife!

[fatbadger]

British league football's first champions of the season - Scottish Div3 secured today with a 3-0 away win at East Stirling. They've won 24 of their 30 league games so far, and are 24 points clear of second-placed Montrose with 6 games remaining.

Pity their ground has the ugliest view in football.

 

[surrey jim]

well done to 'em

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

A great achievement, unfortunately probably one of the most underwhelming prizes in the history of world football - promotion to Scottish Div Two

 

[fatbadger]

A great achievement, unfortunately probably one of the most underwhelming prizes in the history of world football - promotion to Scottish Div Two

Oi! That's the division my (Scottish) team play in!

Very competitive, exciting, and enjoyable it is, too. No great skill, but I see a lot less in the way of dull games going to Scottish Div2 matches than I do going to League One matches, I can assure you. East Fife will be a fine addition to the division, and I look foward to playing them next season (unless we sneak up through the play-offs).

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Oi! That's the division my (Scottish) team play in!

Very competitive, exciting, and enjoyable it is, too. No great skill, but I see a lot less in the way of dull games going to Scottish Div2 matches than I do going to League One matches, I can assure you. East Fife will be a fine addition to the division, and I look foward to playing them next season (unless we sneak up through the play-offs).

Fair enough!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Oh, dear - sad follow-up to East Fife's day of triumph...

Police seize champions' champagne

East Fife moved 24 points clear at the top of the table
A football club has criticised police for confiscating champagne they were drinking to celebrate a title win.
The bottles were produced at East Stirlingshire's Firs Park after East Fife moved to an unassailable 24-point lead in the Scottish Third Division.

Directors were warned that having alcohol in glass containers was illegal in football grounds and they were told by the police to remove them.

Officers later raided the dressing-room where players were celebrating.

Celebration bubbly

East Fife director Dave Marshall told the BBC Scotland news website: "We took champagne with us on the bus, but we didn't want to pre-empt the outcome, so we left it on the bus.

"Towards the end of the game, one of the guys took it off the bus and put it in the dressing-room.

"After the match, another of the guys brought the bottles out and began to celebrate Formula One style. One of the local bobbies took exception to it and said put it away or they would be arrested.

Champagne bottles at championship celebrations seem to be welcome everywhere else

Dave Marshall
East Fife

"They took it into the dressing-room and the bobby followed them in."

According to directors, when players began celebrating after leaving the pitch in Falkirk, officers confiscated the bottles.

Chief Inspector Audrey McLeod, from Central Scotland Police, said East Fife were warned about the law when an officer spotted the bottles being taken off the bus.

It states that glass containers are not permitted inside sporting grounds.

"During the subsequent celebrations the bottles were produced and champagne was sprayed over the fans who were gathered on the pitch," said Chief Insp McLeod.

"Officers again spoke to club officials, explaining the legislation again and highlighting the potential for glass bottles to present a health and safety issue, particularly with a number of families with children in the vicinity.

"Following a brief discussion, the bottles were again removed."

Mr Marshall added: "Champagne bottles at championship celebrations seem to be welcome everywhere else.

"I don't know why they decided to do this."

 

[ditchy]

A prime example of today's sad over the top health and safety laws

 

[Wardy]

Sounds to me like a Bobby who was pissed that his team had lost.

 

[Trufflehound]

Sounds to me like a Bobby who was pissed that his team had lost.

Like this one?

I was pissed off that day as well. We were 2-0 up too. Why was Peter Bonetti in goal?

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Rumour has it gordon banks had been 'got at' with a touch of food poisoning.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

A prime example of today's sad over the top health and safety laws

To be somewhat pedantic, it's not a health & safety law, just the law as it applies to all designated sporting arenas. Taking a glass bottle into a ground is an offence along the lines of every other football hooliganism related law, be it offensive chanting, entering the field of play or being drunk inside the ground.

Still unbelievable that they enforced it on this occasion though, some petty jobsworth must have enjoyed his moment of glory. Never heard of it being raised before in this sense.