VALE of Leven are set to play their first competitive game in seven months this weekend after agreeing to continue to take part in the West of Scotland Football League.

Clubs in the new setup were given the option to withdraw after it was revealed that the 2020/21 season would start on Saturday under current restrictions, which includes no supporters in attendance and no changing facilities or showers for players.

As a result of several clubs deciding to withdraw, it was announced that promotion and relegation would not be on offer this season as it would be seen as punishing those who dropped out.

The Millburn side visit Maybole on Soccer Shop Challenge Cup duty this weekend and boss Brian Brown believes it is vital for the Vale to keep playing.

He told the Reporter: “We’ve worked hard over the last few seasons to build a squad up of players that I want to be at the club and we had a decent season last season and were going quite well, so I think it was important that we kept that going.

“We’ve got a lot of younger guys down there so it’s another season, even if it’s not really a proper one, for them to kind of find their feet.

“It was important we kept going and certainly didn’t want to lose any of our players that we’ve worked hard to get.

“The players want to keep going and they’ll continue to want to play games.”