Thursday September 24th 2026
Peebles Rovers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Pledges of support were issued at a meeting of Scottish Borders Council today (Thursday, September 24) in support of a rural football club forced to close because it couldn’t afford the £100,000 needed to upgrade its ground.
Peebles Rovers FC, founded in 1888, was wound up last month, officials blaming “completely outdated facilities” which bosses said had left them with “nowhere else to turn”.
The club was based at Whitestone Park in Peebles and competed in the East of Scotland Football League.
But the club had stepped away for the 2025/26 season because their ground failed to meet league requirements, most notably the need to create a wall around the ground.
At a meeting of SBC, Tweeddale East Councillor Drummond Begg expressed his anger at the closure, labelling the rules “absurd”.
He said: “It had to close its doors, one of the key reasons being a rule by the East of Scotland Football League saying you have to build a wall around a football pitch to be part of their league or at least a fence that you can’t see through, giving the appearance of a football ground.
“In order to do that it would have cost £100,000. I am furious with East of Scotland Football League and can I ask the council leader that we work with the league to ensure they change those absurd rules.
“We have to stop over-engineering sporting opportunities because it does put barriers up.”
SBC leader Councillor Euan Jardine said there was a meeting in his diary with Peebles Rovers to discuss the issue.
He added: “I have also written to the Scottish Football Association on this and Sport Scotland on this and I think you are absolutely right.
“These are rules made up by an organisation that seems to be not influenced by the SFA, or Sport Scotland or local or national government but are making up rules that are costing clubs to go under and we will continue that fight.”
The East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) issued an official statement regarding the resignation of Peebles Rovers FC, expressing sympathy over the club’s departure but maintaining that Scottish SFA licensing and ground standards must be strictly upheld.
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