INVERKEITHING Hillfield Swifts are celebrating after their promotion to the East of Scotland League Premier Division was finally confirmed.

The Ballast Bank club, after just their second season of playing in the senior football pyramid, will move up from the First Division for next season after it was confirmed Bo'ness United had their SFA associate membership officially ratified at its AGM.

After final placings were decided on a points-per-game basis after the season was halted due to Coronavirus, Grant Brough's team finished as runners-up in Conference B of the First Division.

It was also decided that, as well as promoting Conference B winners Tynecastle, and Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale, from Conference A, there would be no relegation from the Premier Division.

That means it will consist of 18 teams next season, including Crossgates Primrose, but Swifts' place, as the best First Division conference runners-up, depended on whether Bo'ness, who won the Premier Division, would be promoted into the Lowland League after receiving their SFA licence.

That has now been confirmed, and a delighted Brough said: "Just to see it officially is good.

"We've obviously known for months that it was 99.99 per cent happening, but just to finally get that confirmed is good.

"It has been hard. You're sitting there and you're thinking, right, we're going to be playing Premier League, and then folk are saying 'is that official', and then you're like, well, not yet, we're still waiting on official word, but we are going to be.

"At least now we can say, yup, we're in Premier League, it's done and dusted. We can move on now."

In a statement released on social media on Tuesday evening, the East of Scotland Football Association commented: "Our champions Bo'ness will now play Lowland League football next season – it'd be a surprising disappointment to see them at tier six again in future as they're undoubtedly well-equipped to establish themselves further up.

Congratulations are due not only to the BUs but also to Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts, whose promotion to the Premier Division is also confirmed. Considering the Swifts' senior team only came into being in 2018, their feat's not at all unremarkable – our best wishes to Swifts for the exciting challenges ahead."

In addition Rosyth, who have made the move in time for the coming season from junior football, and Oakley United have also found out their opponents in the First Division.

Brian Muirhead's Rec will go up against Arniston Rangers, Coldstream, Craigroyston, Dalkeith Thistle, Dunipace, Edinburgh South, Edinburgh United, Haddington Athletic, Kennoway Star Hearts, Kirkcaldy & Dysart, Leith Athletic, Ormiston, St Andrews United, Thornton Hibs and Tweedmouth Rangers in Conference A.

In Conference B, Stewart Kenny's Oakley will face Burntisland Shipyard, Easthouses Lily, Eyemouth United, Glenrothes, Hawick Royal Albert United, Heriott-Watt Unioversity, Kinnoull, Lochgelly Albert, Lochore Welfare, Luncarty, Newburgh, Peebles Rovers, Preston Athletic and Stirling University EOS.