Early league football in Dumfries and Galloway

Last updated

Before the South of Scotland Football League was formed in 1946, there had been previous attempts to introduce league competitions in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland since the 1890s. These early attempts invariably foundered because of the very small townships in the area and a tendency for the clubs to concentrate on the myriad of cup competitions that were in operation.

Contents

The various leagues are detailed below.

South of Scotland League

This league ran in 1892–93. The member clubs were: 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers, Queen of the South Wanderers, Mauchline, Cronberry Eglinton, Lugar Boswell, Springbank and Lanemark. The competition was abandoned without being completed.

Stewartry Football League

A Kirkcudbrightshire based league, this competition was formed in 1894–95 by St Cuthbert Wanderers, Barholm Rovers, 6th Galloway Rifle Volunteers, Vale of Fleet and Douglas Wanderers. The first season's competition was once again unfinished.

In 1895–96 St Cuthbert Wanderers, Douglas Wanderers and Barholm Rovers were the sole entrants and finished in that order.

The league's last season, 1896–97, saw Barholm Rovers replaced by the returning 6th Galloway Rifle Volunteers, who duly won the St Cuthbert's Cup.

Kirkcudbrightshire Football League

In 1920–21 this competition is known to have included St Cuthbert Wanderers, Dalbeattie Star, Creetown and Douglas Wanderers.

In 1921, it was renamed the Stewartry Football League, with Vale of Fleet replacing Dalbeattie Star.

Southern Counties Football League

Clubs known to have competed in this league are as follows:

Champions 1892–93 to 1924–25

SeasonLeagueChampions
1892–93SoSunfinished
1894–95Stewunfinished
1895–96StewSt Cuthbert Wanderers
1896–97Stew6th Galloway Rifle Volunteers
1897–98SCosunfinished
1910–11SCosunfinished
1913–14Wigunfinished
1914–15SCosunfinished
1920–21KirkSt Cuthbert Wanderers
1921–22Stewunfinished
1921–22SCosunfinished
1922–23SCosMid-Annandale
1923–24Wigunfinished
1924–25Wigunfinished
1924–25SCosDalbeattie Star

Key: SoS - South of Scotland League, Stew - Stewartry League, SCos - Southern Counties League, Wig - Wigtownshire League, Kirk - Kirkcudbrightshire League

Southern Counties League (2nd incarnation)

In 1927, the Southern Counties Football League was re-formed.

Member clubs

Champions

SeasonChampions
1927–28unfinished
1928–29St Cuthbert Wanderers
1929–30Dalbeattie Star
1930–31Dalbeattie Star
1931–32Dalbeattie Star
1932–33Dalbeattie Star
1933–34Dalbeattie Star
1934–35St Cuthbert Wanderers
1935–36unfinished
1936–37unfinished

Related Research Articles

Dumfries and Galloway Council area of Scotland

Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It comprises the historic counties of Dumfriesshire, Stewartry of Kirkcudbright and Wigtownshire, the latter two of which are collectively known as Galloway. The administrative centre is the town of Dumfries.

Kirkcudbrightshire Historic county in Scotland

Kirkcudbrightshire, or the County of Kirkcudbright or the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the informal Galloway area of south-western Scotland. For local government purposes, it forms part of the wider Dumfries and Galloway council area of which it forms a committee area under the name of the Stewartry.

Dumfriesshire Historic county in Scotland

Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland.

Dalbeattie Human settlement in Scotland

Dalbeattie is a town in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Dalbeattie is in a wooded valley on the Urr Water 4 miles (6 km) east of Castle Douglas and 12 miles (19 km) south west of Dumfries. The town is famed for its granite industry and for being the home town of William McMaster Murdoch, the First Officer of the RMS Titanic.

South of Scotland Football League Association football league in Scotland

The South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL) is a senior football competition based in south-west Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the pyramid system, on par with the East of Scotland Football League and West of Scotland Football League, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League. It is currently composed of 14 member clubs in a single division.

Creetown F.C. Association football club in Scotland

Creetown Football Club are a football club based in Creetown in the Dumfries and Galloway area of Scotland. Formed in 1905 as Creetown Rifle Volunteers Football Club, they adopted their present name in 1920. They originally played their home matches at Barholm Park, which had been the ground of Barholm Rovers, who went out of existence in 1905. They now play their home matches at Castlecary Park, which despite being a fairly undeveloped ground, accommodates up to 2,000 spectators.

Ian William Dickson was a Scottish professional footballer whose played as a forward. He played for Queen of the South, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough. He was the grandfather of another Ian Dickson, the Australian television and radio personality.

Barholm Rovers Football Club were a football team based in Creetown, Dumfries & Galloway. They were formed in 1884 and were original members of the Stewartry Football League based in Kirkcudbrightshire which started in 1894–95.

The 2014–15 South of Scotland Football League, was the 69th season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the 1st season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Wigtown & Bladnoch were the defending champions.

The 2015–16 South of Scotland Football League, was the 70th season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the 2nd season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Wigtown & Bladnoch were the defending champions.

The 2016–17 South of Scotland Football League, was the 71st season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the 3rd season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. St Cuthbert Wanderers were the defending champions.

The 2017–18 South of Scotland Football League was the 72nd season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the 4th season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 29 July 2017 and ended on 7 May 2018. Reigning champions Edusport Academy were promoted to the Lowland League so did not defend their title.

Kirkmabreck Human settlement in Scotland

Kirkmabreck is a civil parish in the historic county of Kirkcudbrightshire in the Dumfries and Galloway council area, Scotland.

The 2018–19 South of Scotland Football League was the 73rd season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the 5th season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 28 July 2018 and ended on 10 May 2019. Threave Rovers are the reigning champions.

The 2018–19 SFA South Region Challenge Cup was the 12th edition of the annual cup competition for senior non-league clubs in the central and southern regions of Scotland. This season saw the competition increase to 69 teams from the 42 who took part in 2017–18, thanks to the addition of 26 clubs to the East of Scotland Football League and the return of Wigtown and Bladnoch.

The 2019–20 South of Scotland Football League was the 74th season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the sixth season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Stranraer reserves were the reigning champions.

The 2019–20 SFA South Region Challenge Cup is the 13th edition of the annual cup competition for senior non-league clubs in the central and southern regions of Scotland. This season sees the competition increase to 70 teams despite the demise of Selkirk and withdrawal of Eyemouth United, thanks to the relegation of Berwick Rangers to the Lowland League plus the addition of Glenrothes and Kinnoull to the East of Scotland Football League.

The 2020–21 South of Scotland Football League was the 75th season of the South of Scotland Football League, and the 7th season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Stranraer reserves continued as the reigning champions due to the previous season being declared null and void.

References

  1. 1 2 "Southern Counties League". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 16 December 2018.