Football Season Guide

League 2

Scotland

League 2

2021/2022

FC Edinburgh

In

Michael McFarlane (att) St Johnstone; Callum Tapping (mid) Stenhousemuir; James Hilton (mid) Stranraer; Stephen Bronsky (def) Elgin City; Scott Reekie (def) Brechin City; Lewis Kidd (mid) East Kilbride; Ryan Shanley (att) Hibs - loan; Brian Schwake (gk) Livingston - loan; Alex Ferguson (mid) St Johnstone - loan.

Out

Liam Henderson (k)(def) Arbroath; Calum Antell (r)(gk) Arbroath; Liam Brown (r)(mid) Queen's Park; Conrad Balatoni (r)(def) Clyde; Craig Thomson (r)(def) Cowdenbeath; Marc Laird (mid) Stirling Albion; Andrew Black (r)(mid) Kelty Hearts; Alex Harris (r)(mid) Berwick Rangers; Blair Henderson (sp)(att); Kelby Mason (gk); Dean Beveridge (gk); Sam Newman (r)(def); Raffaele De Vita (att) Livingston – loan ended; Josh Campbell (r)(mid) Hibernian – loan ended; Sam Denham (def) St Johnstone – loan ended; Jamie Dishington (att) East Stirlingshire – loan ended; Darren Smith (att) East Kilbride – loan ended; Jordan Tapping (def) East Stirlingshire – loan ended.

Edinburgh City enjoyed a good season after Gary Naismith took charge and finished second behind the dominant Queen’s Park. However, injuries mounted and form dipped towards the end of the season and their promotion ambitions ended in the play-offs against a mediocre Dumbarton team. Overall, there was a sense of failure at the end of the season. Edinburgh have lost their key defender Liam Henderson and goalkeeper Calum Antell to Arbroath in the Championship. Other notable departures are Conrad Balatoni to Clyde and Liam Brown to Queen’s Park. The quartet of Thomson, Laird, Black and Henderson also left with 67 appearances between them last season. On loan De Vita and top scorer Campbell have also returned to their parent clubs. The replacements appear less impressive with striker McFarlane signing from St Johnstone. Several others have signed from rival League Two clubs with Lewis Kidd the most notable. They are hoping that loan signing Shanley from Hibs will have the same scoring impact that Campbell did last season. Schwake and Ferguson also arrive on loan deals. After much promise, last season was ultimately a failure for Edinburgh. The team has been broken up and at first glance the replacements do not appear to be the same quality. Home form must improve too after an unimpressive record of W5 D1 L5 last season.

Target

Edinburgh are expecting another strong season and a title challenge. Reaching the play-offs is their minimum aim.