Bo'ness United boss Max Christie calls for revamp of 'shambolic' Lowland League fixture schedule

Bo’ness United boss Max Christie has called for a revamp of the recent Lowland League schedule, describing it as “shambolic”.

Max Christie's team have endured an injury-hit season. Picture: Scott Louden

Christie’s injury-ravaged side has been struggling with unavailable players for weeks due to the rigours of playing on several midweeks at a key point of the campaign.

"The high number of fixtures recently has put great stress on us,” Christie said. "Out of a squad of 19 we’ve had nine out injured so it’s really been very difficult.

"I do not understand why we’ve had to have so many midweek games at the tail end of the season. It’s shambolic I think to be honest. I would like to see the games spread out more over the season. Every team in the league has got floodlights.

"The last five weeks for us have been playing games Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday. So now we’re just playing really, doing a warm-up and patching people up to get on.

"I think the Lowland League need to look at playing more midweek games in the summer months as opposed to cramming everything in at the end which certainly for us has been the case. We’ve been going just short of a year now.”

United’s hectic programme continues with a Lowland League trip to Dalbeattie Star on Saturday, followed by a league game at Gala Fairydean Rovers next Wednesday night.

After defeating Edinburgh University in the quarter-finals last weekend, they take on East Stirlingshire at Falkirk in the League Cup semi-final on Saturday, May 7.