Season 2023/24 kicks off in earnest this Saturday (21 July) when we are hosts to Montrose Roselea. Roseleaare making their return to the Midlands (Tayside) League after seven years in the North Region Juniors, most recently in that League’s Premier Division. The Midlands League’s single division is now up to a fairly cumbersome 20 clubs, giving us all 38 league fixtures.
Montrose Roselea now share Links Park with Montrose FC after forming a strategic partnership with the Senior club, an arrangement which seeks to assist both clubs in their efforts, on and off the pitch, with a particular emphasis on the development of home-grown playing and coaching talent.
Tayport and Roselea have each warmed up for the season with a number of friendlies. Montrose had mixed fortunes, beating Sunnybank and Merpro FC convincingly, but losing to Dyce and Turriff United.
Tayport have fielded around 10 new faces in winning their four pre-season games against East of Scotland’s Premier Division’s Kinnoull, Highland League’s Keith FC and Dundee amateur teams Dundee Social and most recently Bank Street Accies by 7-0 last Saturday, afeature of which was four goals from veteran striker Gary Sutherland, back in a ‘Port jersey after seven years away.
After a disappointing campaign last season, we will be anxious to hit the ground running but Roselea will be looking to get off to a winning start on their first visit here since a goalless draw in 2015.
Tayport, being an SFA Licensed member, is one of the clubs given a bye in the 1st round of this season’s Scottish Junior Cup which kicks off on 2nd September.
One football’s oldest competitions, the Scottish Junior Cup has 112 entries this season, therefore Tayport will enter the competition at the last 64 stage on 7th October.
On 2nd September the SFA member clubs and Junior League title winners play in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Preliminary round.