With the 2024-25 season due to start this Saturday, we’re looking at each division and who’s competing in it!
Division two looks to be another exciting league this year with ten teams competing for the two promotion spots. However, there are also two relegation spots that teams will want to avoid. Four ‘new’ teams have joined the division with Dumfries and GHK coming down from division one, and Hillhead 5B and Greenock 2 coming up from division three.
Ayr Hockey Club are now in their third season in division two and this could be their year. They have been gradually improving of late and a third place finish last season meant they just missed out on promotion to division one. Could this be there year? It was a mid-table finish for Clydesdale 4th XI last season. A team full of bright youngsters, supporting the higher teams in the club, it is always a competitive game. Dumfries didn’t fare too well last season in division one. Relegation threatened for a lot of the season, but the club will be raring to go this year, with the entry of a new 3rd XI into the leagues. The youngsters will be keen to push the experienced heads in the 1st XI. Can Dumfries bounce straight back up to division one? The future looks bright for the club.
GHK were another club relegated from division one. A team full of experience, they were unlucky to get relegated after a tough season which went all the way to the last game. Having spent two seasons in division one, when GHK last competed in division two, they went through the whole season unbeaten. They’ll be looking for similar this season, so they can head straight back to the top division. Another team keen to be fighting for the top spot is Glasgow University 3rd XI. Down to division two last season, the team went through a bit of a transition, with some really impressive wins, but some poor losses culminating in only a fifth place finish. They will be keen to improve on that this year. Greenock 2nd XI are a team full of potential, having been promoted from division three. They will be keen to consolidate this season and show the established teams what they are made of.
Hillhead 5th XI had a strong season last year after promotion from division three the previous year. They finished in seventh place, comfortably above the relegation positions. They will be looking for similar this year with the bonus of a game against familiar opposition. Hillhead 5B are a new team to the division – with Hillhead 6th XI winning division three last season, it is expected that most of that team will compete in division two this year, as Hillhead 5B, and they will be eager to stay in the division and prove they have what it takes. Rottenrow 2nd XI have been gradually improving over the last three seasons and finished last season in a strong fourth position. The team is a mix of experienced and newer players and will be looking to continue the upward trend of the last few seasons. The longest serving division two side is Uddingston 4th XI, having played an impressive nine season at this level. Finishing in eighth position, they flirted with relegation briefly, but were well clear by the end of the season. Can they move up the table this year and threaten the top teams?
