North Junior Football League

Last updated

The North Junior Football League, also known as the North-East Junior League, was a football league competition operated in northern Scotland (but anchored around the city of Aberdeen) under the Scottish Junior Football Association which operated as the top league in the territory from 1968 until 2001 when a new regional setup was established – although this was very similar to the previous system. [1]

Contents

History

In 1968, the Scottish Junior Football Association restructured its leagues into six 'regions', with those local leagues merging in the northern area including the Aberdeen & District League which had been competed for since 1901 [2] and had provided two winners of the Scottish Junior Cup in the 1950s, [3] and the Morayshire Junior League established in 1906. [4] However, outwith the city of Aberdeen (where the only local professional club, Aberdeen F.C. were also based) football in the territory was dominated by the Highland Football League which had member clubs in most of the towns across the Moray Firth and inland. Junior teams that operated in the same towns were invariably run on a smaller scale than their Highland League neighbours, and though technically competing for the same support base and players, had fraternal relationships akin to a farm team model, although formal agreements between them were rare. Even after the 1968 merger, a separate local 'North Section' was established for these landward clubs due to difficulties in travelling regularly to the Aberdeen area where most of the other teams were based. [4] As a consequence of these dynamics, the North League was seen as the weakest of the six regions despite having a larger population than the Fife and Ayrshire regions, and none of its members reached the Scottish Junior Cup final during its 33-year existence. [5]

In 2001 (one year earlier than other parts of the country) a new SJFA North Region was set up, now one of three across Scotland, but with its scope almost unchanged owing to the geography of the area - the existing East and North (re-named West) sections fed the Super League for its first two seasons before a region-wide three-tier model was adopted in 2003. With three stronger district leagues merging to create the East Region and two combining in the West Region, this change further reduced the North's comparative strength, hampered yet more by the defection of four clubs to the Highland League in the 2000s, [6] prompted by some Highland clubs joining the senior Scottish Football League (in turn, the North Juniors also drew new members from amateur football such as the Aberdeenshire AFA). In its first 20 years of operation, the North Region also never produced a Scottish Junior Cup finalist, [5] although its league champions have entered the 'senior' Scottish Cup since 2007 with some credible results. [7] [8]

Champions

Season [9] [10] [11] [1] WinnerRunner-upNorth section [lower-alpha 1] [4] [1]
1968–69 Banks O' Dee Stonehaven Burghead Thistle
1969–70 Banks O' Dee Stonehaven Buckie Rovers
1970–71 Banks O' Dee Lewis United Islavale
1971–72 Sunnybank Banks O' Dee Forres Thistle
1972–73 Banks O' Dee Sunnybank Burghead Thistle
1973–74 Parkvale Banks O' Dee Burghead Thistle' [lower-alpha 2]
1974–75 Sunnybank Banks O' Dee Buckie Rovers
1975–76 Sunnybank Aberdeen East End Nairn St Ninian
1976–77 Banks O' Dee Lewis United Burghead Thistle
1977–78 Aberdeen East End Banks O' Dee Nairn St Ninian
1978–79 Banks O' Dee Sunnybank Nairn St Ninian
1979–80 Fraserburgh United Banks O' Dee Forres Thistle
1980–81 Banks O' Dee Lewis United Bishopmill United
1981–82 Banks O' Dee Sunnybank Nairn St Ninian
1982–83 Sunnybank Inverurie Loco Works Buckie Rovers
1983–84 Banks O' Dee Sunnybank Deveronside
1984–85 FC Stoneywood Mugiemoss Fochabers
1985–86 Banks O' Dee Turriff United Deveronside [lower-alpha 2]
1986–87 Banks O' Dee Turriff United Caberfeidh Juniors
1987–88 Rosslyn Sport Banks O' Dee Deveronside [lower-alpha 2]
1988–89 [12] Bon Accord FC Stoneywood Deveronside
1989–90 Stonehaven FC Stoneywood Deveronside [lower-alpha 2]
1990–91 FC Stoneywood Inverurie Loco Works Deveronside
1991–92 FC Stoneywood Stonehaven Lossiemouth United
1992–93 Inverurie Loco Works FC Stoneywood Buckie Rovers [lower-alpha 2]
1993–94 Stonehaven Sunnybank Deveronside
1994–95 FC Stoneywood Turriff United Lossiemouth United
1995–96 Inverurie Loco Works Turriff United Deveronside
1996–97 Sunnybank FC Stoneywood Islavale
1997–98 Inverurie Loco Works Sunnybank Islavale
1998–99 Sunnybank FC Stoneywood Islavale
1999–2000 Longside Sunnybank Deveronside [lower-alpha 2]
2000–01 Longside Sunnybank Deveronside

Notes

  1. ↑ At the end of each season, the North winners played the East winners to determine the overall champions; unless otherwise stated (and bolded), this was won by the East club.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Overall champions.

List of winners

ClubWinner [1] Runner-upFirst winLast win
Banks O' Dee 11 [lower-alpha 1] 6 1968–69 1986–87
Sunnybank 68 1971–72 1998–99
FC Stoneywood 45 1984–85 1994–95
Deveronside 4 [lower-alpha 2] [lower-alpha 3] 0 1985–86 1999–2000
Inverurie Loco Works 3 [lower-alpha 1] 2 1992–93 1997–98
Stonehaven 2 [lower-alpha 1] 3 1989–90 1993–94
Longside 2 [lower-alpha 1] 0 1999–2000 2000–01
Parkvale 1 [lower-alpha 1] 0 1973–74
Aberdeen East End 11 1977–78
Fraserburgh United 10 1979–80
Buckie Rovers 1 [lower-alpha 4] [lower-alpha 5] 0 1992–93
Burghead Thistle 1 [lower-alpha 4] [lower-alpha 5] 0 1973–74
Rosslyn Sport 1 [lower-alpha 1] 0 1979–80
Bon Accord 10 1988–89
Turriff United 04N/A
Lewis United 03N/A
Mugiemoss 01N/A
Islavale 0 [lower-alpha 5] 0N/A
Nairn St Ninian 0 [lower-alpha 5] 0N/A
Forres Thistle 0 [lower-alpha 6] 0N/A
Lossiemouth United 0 [lower-alpha 6] 0N/A
Bishopmill United 0 [lower-alpha 7] 0N/A
Caberfeidh Juniors0 [lower-alpha 7] 0N/A
Fochabers 0 [lower-alpha 7] 0N/A

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Includes 1 season when the play-off with the North Section winners was lost.
  2. ↑ Refers to 4 seasons of winning the North section and then defeating the East winners in a play-off.
  3. ↑ Won the North section 10 times overall.
  4. 1 2 Refers to 1 season of winning the North section and then defeating the East winners in a play-off.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Won the North section 4 times overall.
  6. 1 2 Won the North section twice overall.
  7. 1 2 3 Won the North section once overall.

Related Research Articles

Scottish Junior Football Association Scottish sporting body, founded 1886

The Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA) is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "junior" refers to the level of football played, not the age of the players. The closest equivalent terminology would be non-League football in England, the difference being that junior football in Scotland was not similarly integrated into its football league system until 2021.

The Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region was one of three regions of the SJFA which organised its own distinct league and cup competitions. The SJFA used to be split into six regions, but in 2002 they took the decision to reform into three to try to ensure more games between the top clubs and hence increase their revenues. The region covered an area from Girvan in South Ayrshire to Denny in Central Scotland.

Inverurie Loco Works F.C. Association football club in Scotland

Inverurie Loco Works Football Club are a senior semi-professional football club from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, who currently play in the Scottish Highland Football League (SHFL).

Glasgow Perthshire Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Possilpark, in the north of Glasgow. Nicknamed the Shire, they were formed on 7 November 1890 at the Waterloo Rooms in Glasgow and play at Keppoch Park, close to Saracen Park, home of Ashfield. They currently compete in the West of Scotland League Conference C and play in black and white stripes (uniforms).

The Intermediate dispute was a major split in Scottish football which lasted from 1925 to 1931 and concerned the compensation that Junior clubs received when one of their players moved to a Senior football league side. Although largely confined to the West of Scotland, the dispute involved many of the best Junior clubs in the country, setting them in direct conflict with both the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and their own organisation, the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA).

Boness United F.C. Association football club in Scotland

Bo'ness United Football Club is a Scottish football club, based in the town of Bo'ness. The team plays in the Lowland League after winning the East of Scotland and gaining SFA membership in 2020. They presently play their home games at Newtown Park, which holds 2,500 spectators and has been used as a football ground since the 1880s. They play in blue.

Dundee Violet Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the city of Dundee. Members of the Scottish Junior Football Association, they currently play in the East Region North Division. Formed in 1883, their home ground is Glenesk Park and the club colours are royal blue.

Newburgh F.C. Association football club in Scotland

Newburgh Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Newburgh, Fife. Their home ground is East Shore Park. The club was founded as Tayside Albion in 1887, changed their name to Newburgh West End in 1910, and assumed their current name in 1935. Team colours are black and white.

Pumpherston Juniors F.C. Association football club in Scotland

Pumpherston Juniors Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Pumpherston, near Livingston, West Lothian. Their home ground is Recreation Park, with one of the largest pitches in Scottish football. Club colours are gold and black.

Stoneyburn Junior Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Stoneyburn, near Bathgate, West Lothian. They currently play in the East of Scotland Football League. Their home ground is Beechwood Park.

St Andrews United F.C. Association football club in Scotland

St Andrews United Football Club is a Scottish football club based in St Andrews, Fife. Founded in 1921, their home ground is The Clayton Caravan Park Recreation Ground. The team colours are black shirts with black shorts and black socks. The team plays in the East of Scotland League First Division Conference A, having moved from the junior leagues in 2018.

Duntocher Hibernian Football Club were a Scottish Junior football club from the village of Duntocher, West Dunbartonshire, who played in three spells over a period of 86 years. Based at Glenhead Park from 1929, the club colours were green with white sleeves.

Dyce Juniors Football Club are a Scottish football club from Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen. Members of the Scottish Junior Football Association, they currently play in the SJFA North Superleague. The club are based at Ian Mair Park and their colours are blue and white hoops.

Hall Russell United F.C. Association football club in Scotland

Hall Russell United Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Bridge of Don, a suburb of Aberdeen. Members of the Scottish Junior Football Association, they currently play in the SJFA North Superleague. Founded in 1968 as an Amateur club, the club joined the SJFA in 1989. Their home ground is Denmore Park and club colours are navy blue.

The Glasgow Junior Football League (GJL) was a football league competition operated under the Scottish Junior Football Association between 1895 and 1927. As its name suggests, it was primarily for teams in the Glasgow area, but did include teams from towns outside the city; conversely, other leagues existed concurrently and some teams based in Glasgow played in those.

The Central Junior Football League was a football league competition operated under the Scottish Junior Football Association between 1931 and 2002, with an expansion of its membership in 1968.

The Ayrshire Junior Football League, known as the Western Junior League from 1919 until 1968, was a football league competition operated in Ayrshire under the Scottish Junior Football Association which operated until a merger in 2002.

The Fife Junior Football League was a football league competition under the jurisdiction of the Scottish Junior Football Association, which operated as the top league in Fife until a merger in 2002; it existed for a further four years as a second-tier league before the name was discontinued in 2006.

The Tayside Junior Football League, originally called the Midlands League, was a football league competition operated in Tayside under the Scottish Junior Football Association which operated as the top league in the territory from 1969 until a merger in 2002; it existed for a further four years as a second-tier league before the name was discontinued in 2006.

The East Junior Football League, also known as the Edinburgh & District Junior League, the Midlothian Junior League and the Lothians Junior League, was a football league competition operated in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Falkirk under the Scottish Junior Football Association. It had fluctuations in membership and territory but had a continuous operation as the top league in the east of Scotland until a merger in 2002; it existed as the Lothians District for a further four years as a second-tier league before the name was discontinued in 2006.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 North Region Junior League, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 4 May 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021
  2. ↑ Aberdeen & District Junior League, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 4 January 2021
  3. ↑ "Scottish Junior Cup > Finals 1886 to 1956". Scottish Football Association (archive version, 2018). Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 North of Scotland Junior Competitions, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 6 January 2021
  5. 1 2 "Scottish Junior Cup > Finals 1957 - Present [2009]". Scottish Football Association (archive version, 2018). Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  6. ↑ Dave Edwards (26 February 2009). "Turriff United, Formartine and Strathspey in". The Press and Journal . Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Scottish Cup wins for Sunnybank and Bo'ness, BBC Sport , 23 October 2010
  8. ↑ Culter hold Partick Thistle in Scottish Cup, BBC Sport, 19 November 2011
  9. ↑ McGlone, David; McLure, Bill (1987). The Juniors - 100 Years. A Centenary History of Scottish Junior Football. Mainstream. ISBN   1-85158-060-3.
  10. ↑ Non-League Scotland (archive version), with club progression by season 1990 to 2007)
  11. ↑ Timeline Junior North, Scottish Football Historical Archive (archived version, 2017)
  12. ↑ Non League Tables for 1988-1989, NonLeague Matters
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.