East of Scotland league football clubs score a slice of £1.3m lottery funds

New Victoria Park in Newtongrange has been empty due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions

Scottish football clubs playing outwith the SPFL will share a £1.35m COVID support package from the Scottish FA and National Lottery.

The funds – from a National Lottery promotional fund – will be diverted to teams within the pyramid structure of Scottish football, outwith the senior leagues who were handed loans and grants totalling £30m last week.

As a result of the partnership, players of the weekly lottery games will also have a chance of free match tickets once grounds re-open or VIP experiences with the Scotland national teams.

The money, it is hoped, will ensure teams in the Highland, Lowland, East, West and South of Scotland Football Leagues survive the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on income and gate receipts and provide essential community benefit throughout the winter months.

Grounds in the Lowland League and EOSFL like here at Camelon, have been locked up with fans unable to attend.

Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive said: “Fans are the lifeblood of our national game and local clubs the lifeblood of communities. The importance of protecting that bond has never been more important. The support package and partnership will be welcomed by the clubs and on behalf of the game I would like to thank National Lottery players.”

Alister Jack, Secretary of State for Scotland added: “Football is hugely important to many people in Scotland, bringing together local communities. The partnership with The National Lottery will play a vital role in helping our clubs until fans can safely return to football grounds.”

The partnership follows a similar initiatives in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The money for these initiatives is coming from a National Lottery promotional fund – not the National Lottery Good Causes or Camelot.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.If you haven't already, please consider supporting our sports coverage with a digital sports subscription.