Berwick Rangers Reserves have resigned from the East of Scotland League for next season. Their final game of this campaign will mark the end of a four year spell in the League. During this time, Berwick Rangers Supporters Trust has helped the Reserves in a number of ways. For three of the four seasons, it produced a programme for home games which was edited by Colin Pike. Money from sales went into Reserves’ funds. This season, the Trust committed £1,000 in instalments to pay for a physiotherapist. Though efforts to secure the services of a physio were unsuccessful, this money is still available for other purposes should it be required. Match reports for the Berwick Rangers official website and the local press are also provided by a Trust member.

However, Berwick Rangers will continue to have a reserve team. This season, the club also entered the SPFL Reserve League playing midweek fixtures at venues such as Dens Park, Dundee, Starks Park, Kirkcaldy and Palmerston Park, Dumfries. For a number of reasons, the club has decided to concentrate on this league next season. One is that, if desired, a player can play for the Reserves in midweek and still be a member of the first team squad on a Saturday. Such flexibility is more difficult in the East League where most fixtures also take place at the weekend. It is hoped that the higher standard of football and the prospect of games at places like those mentioned above will help attract better quality players. There is also the major issue of overuse of Shielfield with the club unable to find a regular alternative ground for designated home SPFL Reserve League matches. Leaving the East of Scotland set-up should see Berwick’s ground under less pressure and able to accommodate games in the Reserve League in addition to SPFL home fixtures.

* In their latest East of Scotland League game last Saturday ( March 1st ), Berwick Rangers Reserves won 2-0 against Peebles Rovers at Shielfield. Dean Carse in the first half and Stephen Anderson in the second were the scorers.