Fife Football Association - Kelty Hearts Apply For Membership

The Fife Football Association was founded way back in 1882 and it continues to represent the senior football clubs of Fife plus runs the venerable Fife Cup competition. Over the years, the Association has had over 50 members including such long gone clubs as Hearts of Beath, Lochgelly United and Kirkcaldy United. St Johnstone and Alloa Athletic were also past members. The Association membership has for many years been comprised of the 5 present-day senior clubs – Burntisland Shipyard, Cowdenbeath, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife and Raith Rovers.

As many will be aware though Kelty Hearts left the junior ranks at the start of this season and turned senior playing in the East of Scotland League. Fife FA Chairman David Allan today advised that, "We have had some discussions with Kelty Hearts and I am very pleased to confirm that today Kelty Hearts have submitted an official application to join the Fife FA. The process is that Kelty's application will be put forward for approval at the Fife FA AGM which is towards the end of April. It is a very long time since a new club joined the Fife Football Association – the last such club was Rosyth Dockyard Recreation in 1934 and their membership only lasted for one season. The only other club to apply for membership since then as far as I am aware was Livingston FC."

Dean McKenzie, General Manager of Kelty Hearts, said, "Our club would be delighted to be admitted as the 6th member of the Fife Football Association, it would be a major milestone for Kelty Hearts since our change to a Senior Football Club from the Juniors only 8 months ago. The Fife FA kindly provided us with some brilliant historical information in that the last team from Kelty to be part of the Fife Football Association was Blairadam FC who ironically played their last game as a member on 28th February in 1891, yes 127 years to the day, amazing really. It would be a great honour and privilege not only for current prestige but also very much for the historical aspect for the village of Kelty to be members of the Fife Football Association alongside Cowdenbeath, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic, Burntisland Shipyard and East Fife".