Several of these seasons’ cup competitions were drawn at a recent meeting of the EOSFA.  The draws for Eyemouth United are as follows:

Image Printers Cup First Round: Home v Leith Athletic

                               Second Round: Away v Preston Athletic/Civil Service Strollers

King Cup First Round: Away v Ormiston

Alex Jack Cup First Round: Home v Ormiston

                        Second Round: Home v Tynecastle/Easthouses Lily

SFA South Region Cup First Round: Bye

A full season fixture list along with dates for cup competitions will be announced next week.

Eyemouth United have announced former Hearts player Ally Skillen as their new manager. And the new man in charge at Warner Park believes he can build a side that can challenge for promotion - a word not used around Eyemouth for 20 years. Skillen told the Berwickshire News: "My ambition is to try and get a trophy for the club. The committee is great and work very hard here - the chairman Douglas (Aitchison) is also top notch. "We'll also be aiming to go up."

The last time Eyemouth were promoted was in season 1987/88, where they spent a season before being relegated back to the First Division. But Skillen's signings thus far of Mark Walters from the defunct Berwick Rangers Reserves, John Crawford from Dunbar United and Darren Gillon of Kelso United can only help any proposed promotion bid. He has also signed up Lewis Montgomery of Vale of Leithen and Scott Johnston, brother of Whitehill Welfare defender Ross. However, his most eye-catching signing has to be a former Gambian under 21 international by the name of Lamont Sembou. Now married and living in Edinburgh, Sembou - a former player with Gambia Premier League side Real De Banjul - is described as a "flyer" by Skillen, who will be assisted by Ally Black of Kelso. The only confirmed departures thus far from last season's squad are Carl Hudson and Darren Flannigan. "I will be trying to get players from the Borders and Berwick area," added Skillen. "I won't be defending - I will be going for broke as we have three good strikers and a top class goalkeeper (Walters). John Crawford was top scorer here when he left and was top scorer at Dunbar for last two years. "I spoke to the players for the first time at training and I am over the moon to get the job. "I know about them already as I watched them five or six games last year, including Edinburgh City (lost 3-1) where I was impressed."

Pre-season training begins this week, and Skillen will aim to make his side one of the most hard working in the East of Scotland First Division. "The players will get a culture shock - everywhere I have been we have had the fittest team in the league. Training will be varied but hard and will continue to be in Eyemouth, but we will also be hitting Gullane beach, which will be fun. "What attracted me here were the facilities they will soon have at the school - a full sized pitch and state of the art facilities." The playing and coaching career of Skillen thus far suggests Eyemouth have an experienced and well-travelled coach.

Having started playing at Celtic as a youngster, he moved to Dunfermline before a spell at Hearts. He suffered two breaks to his right leg but recovered to win the Scottish Junior Cup with Auchinleck Talbot. A move to Arniston Rangers followed, before injuries forced his retirement into coaching. East Fife was Skillen's next destination, followed by coaching spells at Hearts, Edinburgh City and Gala Fairydean. But one of Skillen's biggest achievements was while he was assistant to John Clark at Whitehill Welfare. The duo kept the club in the East of Scotland Premier Division when they looked certain to be relegated and then managed to secure the Scottish Qualifying Cup the following season.

The clubs annual presentation night was held at Oblo on Saturday, with a good turn out. The night was a huge success with a good time had by all. There were five awards handed out on the night, and the winners are as follows:

Player's Player of the Year – Andrew Sword

Manager's Player of the Year – Mark Windram

Young Player of the Year – Andrew Patterson

Oblo's Player of the Year - James Wilson

George Fon Memorial Trophy – Gordon Aitchison

The club would like to thank all of the players, staff and committee members for their hard work on and off the pitch for the 2007/08 season. A big thank you also goes out to Oblo, who kindly provided a venue to host the presentation night, provided refreshments after every home match, and for their continued sponsorship and support for the club.

The South Regional Cup is a new competition this season, replacing the Scottish Qualifying Cup (South). The competition will feature all sides from the East of Scotland League and the South of Scotland League plus Burntisland Shipyard, Glasgow University and Girvan. Eyemouth United have been given a bye into the second round, where they will host South side Creetown. The full draw is below:

First Round

Civil Service Strollers v Coldstream

Dumfries v St Cuthbert Wanderers

Edinburgh University v Threave Rovers

Fleet Star v Kelso United

Gala Fairydean v Newton Stewart

Hawick Royal Albert v Mid Annandale

Second Round

Annan Athletic v Gala Fairydean/Newton Stewart

Civil Service Strollers/Coldstream v Abbey Vale

Craigroyston v Burntisland Shipyard

Dalbeattie Star v Spartans

Dumfries/St Cuthbert Wanderers v Vale of Leithen

Edinburgh Athletic v Edinburgh City

Eyemouth United v Creetown

Fleet Star/Kelso United v Glasgow University

Hawick Royal Albert/Mid Annandale v Easthouses Lily

Heriot-Watt University v Peebles

Lothian Thistle v Tynecastle

Ormiston v Nithsdale Wanderers

Preston Athletic v Crichton

Selkirk v Stranraer Athletic

Whitehill Welfare v Girvan

Image Printers Cup

Round 1

Craigroyston v Tynecastle

Edinburgh City v Spartans

Gala Fairydean v Lothian Thistle

Preston Athletic v Ormiston

Selkirk v Peebles

Round 2

Coldstream v Heriot-Watt University

Edinburgh Athletic v Whitehill Welfare

Edinburgh City/Spartans v Edinburgh University

Eyemouth United v Craigroyston/Tynecastle

Gala Fairydean/Lothian Thistle v Civil Service Strollers

Kelso United v Hawick Royal Albert

Selkirk/Peebles v Preston Athletic/Ormiston

Vale of Leithen v Easthouses Lily

Alex Jack Cup

Round 1

Edinburgh Athletic v Eyemouth United

Ormiston v Tynecastle

Round 2

Craigroyston v Kelso United

Easthouses Lily v Heriot-Watt University

Lothian Thistle v Edinburgh Athletic/Eyemouth United

The clubs annual presentation night was held at Oblo on Saturday, with a good turn out. The night was a huge success with a good time had by all. There were four awards handed out on the night, and the winners are as follows:

Players Player of the Year – Andrew Hastie

Managers Player of the Year – John Buchan

Young Player of the Year – Andrew Hastie

George Fon Memorial Trophy – Robin Aitchison

TYREMAN will sponsor the East of Scotland League for the current season. The sponsorship will provide awards to the winners and runners-up in the Premier and First Divisions and will contribute to the costs of the Select Team. Additionally, Tyreman will pay for repairs and upgrades to the East of Scotland League trophy.

East of Scotland League Chairman, Tom W Allison, said that the League was delighted to have Tyreman's support and hoped that this would be the beginning of a long and beneficial arrangement between both parties