North Caledonian Football League - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The North Caledonian Football League (NCFL) or North Caley is an amateur

Amateur

An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....

football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

league operating in the highlands

Scottish Highlands

The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...

of Scotland. Founded in 1896, the league has regularly contained a number of "A" or Reserve

Reserve team

Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...

teams of Highland Football League

Highland Football League

The Press & Journal Highland Football League is a league of football clubs operating not just in the Scottish Highlands, as the name may suggest, but also in the north-east lowlands...

(HFL) clubs alongside local amateur teams. As these HFL clubs are full members of the Scottish Football Association

Scottish Football Association

The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...

, disciplinary procedures in the NCFL are handled directly by the SFA - a unique situation in Scottish amateur football. NCFL club Golspie Sutherland

Golspie Sutherland F.C.

Golspie Sutherland F.C. are a Scottish football club from Golspie, Sutherland, that competes in the North Caledonian Football League. As Golspie are associate members of the Scottish Football Association they are eligible to compete in the Scottish Cup...

are themselves SFA full members and as of season 2007–08, obtain direct entry to the Scottish Cup

Scottish Cup

The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...

. Prior to this they entered the Scottish Qualifying Cup (North)

Scottish Qualifying Cup

The Scottish Qualifying Cup was a football competition played in Scotland between 1895 and 2007. During that time, apart from a brief spell in the 1950s, it was the only way for non-league teams to qualify for the Scottish Cup...

each season.

The NCFL is characterized by the number of clubs who use it as a 'stepping-stone' to try and either join the Highland League or join the Junior

Scottish Junior Football Association

The Scottish Junior Football Association 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...

grade of football. Previous NCFL members include Wick Academy

Wick Academy F.C.

Wick Academy F.C. are a senior football club founded in 1893, who currently play in the Highland Football League at Harmsworth Park. They represent the Caithness burgh of Wick, making them the most northerly club in the HFL....

and Fort William

Fort William F.C.

Fort William F.C. is a senior football team from Fort William, Lochaber, Scotland. They play in the Highland Football League and have been playing at that level since joining the league in 1985.- History :-Origins and the Early Years:...

who both left to join the Highland Football League and the reserve teams of the Scottish Football League

Scottish Football League

The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...

clubs Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...

and Ross County

Ross County F.C.

Ross County Football Club are a Scottish professional football team from the town of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Founded in 1929 they currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division and play their home matches at Victoria Park. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the...

Member clubs for the 2011–12 season

Alness United
Alness United F.C.
Alness United F.C. are Scottish football club from Alness. They competed in the North Caledonian Football League until 2009.Alness United play in green and black striped strips. They play home matches at Dalmore Park...
Balintore
Balintore F.C.
Balintore Football Club are a football club playing in the North Caledonian Football League in Scotland. They play at Seaboard Park in Balintore, near the town of Tain in the Scottish highlands.Honours:...
Clachnacuddin Reserves
Clachnacuddin F.C.
Clachnacuddin F.C. are a semi-professional senior football club from the city of Inverness who currently play in Scotland's Highland Football League. They have won the most League championships in the competition's history a total of 18 times overall. Their home ground is Grant Street Park in the...
Dingwall Thistle
Golspie Sutherland
Golspie Sutherland F.C.
Golspie Sutherland F.C. are a Scottish football club from Golspie, Sutherland, that competes in the North Caledonian Football League. As Golspie are associate members of the Scottish Football Association they are eligible to compete in the Scottish Cup...
Halkirk United
Halkirk United F.C.
Halkirk United F.C. are a Scottish football team from Halkirk, Caithness, that compete in the North Caledonian Football League....
Muir of Ord Rovers
Thurso
Thurso F.C.
Thurso Football Club are a Scottish football club from Thurso. They play in the North Caledonian Football League and are based at Sir George's Park....

Recent history

At the start of season 2003–2004 the league was due to consist of 11 clubs when Inverness City

Inverness City F.C.

Inverness City Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness. Their home strip is white and black and the away strip is red and white....

were elected to replace Alness United

Alness United F.C.

Alness United F.C. are Scottish football club from Alness. They competed in the North Caledonian Football League until 2009.Alness United play in green and black striped strips. They play home matches at Dalmore Park...

who had applied to join the Scottish Junior Football Association

Scottish Junior Football Association

's North Region. However Alness' application was unsuccessful and they returned to the NCFL. The league returned to 10 clubs when Inverness City withdrew at the last minute owing to their failure to secure a viable ground at which to play their home fixtures.

The start of the 2005–06 season saw the withdrawal from the league of Tain St. Duthus

Tain St. Duthus F.C.

Tain St. Duthus Football Club was a Scottish football club based at the Links Playing Fields in the town of Tain in the Scottish Highlands. It was formed in 1947....

due to financial problems, reducing the league to only 9 teams. It was hoped that this would be a mere season's abeyance, but they did not re-enter the following season, and have now gone out of existence entirely. They are succeeded by Tain Thistle

Tain Thistle FC

Tain Thistle Football Club are a football club playing in the Ross-shire Welfare Football League in Scotland. They play at in the town of Tain in the Scottish Highlands.The club was formed in 1996, and joined the Ross-shire Welfare League in 1997...

, who joined the league in 2008–2009.

Inverness City finally joined in 2006–07 season having found a home ground at North Kessock. However, the league was left with the uneven number of 9 clubs as Bonar Bridge

Bonar Bridge F.C.

Bonar Bridge Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Bonar Bridge in the Scottish highlands. Formed in 1968, The club were a member of the North Caledonian Football League until the start of the 2006–07 season, when they took a year out. After a one-year absence, they...

withdrew from the competition. The league title was won by Golspie Sutherland.

In 2007–08, Bonar Bridge

Bonar Bridge F.C.

returned from a year's abeyance, and were joined by Muir of Ord Rovers in an eleven-team league.

The 2008–09 season started with ten teams due to the withdrawal of Dornoch

Dornoch F.C.

Dornoch F.C. are Scottish football club based in Dornoch. They compete in the North Caledonian Football League and play at The Meadows. The club is nicknamed 'the Zeebs' because of their black and white strips resembling that of a zebra.-Coach:...

and Inverness City joining the Junior leagues. The league was also joined by newcomers, Tain Thistle.

Fort William

Fort William F.C.

entered a reserve side in the league for season 2009–10, the first reserves to compete since 1999. Bunillidh Thistle

Bunillidh Thistle F.C.

Bunillidh Thistle Football Club is a Scottish football club from Helmsdale. They compete in the North Caledonian Football League and play at Couper Park.-Honours:*North Caledonian Football League**Champions 1982–83, 1988–89*PCT Cup...

withdrew, and Alness United

Alness United F.C.

took a year out, but Dingwall Thistle joined to complete a ten-team league.

Season 2010–11 saw Alness United

Alness United F.C.

return after a one year absence while Tain Thistle dropped out.

Clachnacuddin

Clachnacuddin F.C.

Clachnacuddin F.C. are a semi-professional senior football club from the city of Inverness who currently play in Scotland's Highland Football League. They have won the most League championships in the competition's history a total of 18 times overall. Their home ground is Grant Street Park in the...

enter a reserve side for season 2011–12, whilst Fort William Reserves have dropped out due to problems with pitch availability. Before the season started, both Invergordon

Invergordon F.C.

Invergordon Football Club are a Scottish football club from Invergordon. They compete in North Caledonian Football League and play at Recreation Grounds, Invergordon. The team play in yellow and blue strips....

and Bonar Bridge

Bonar Bridge F.C.

withdrew, leaving just eight teams in the league.

Previous Champions

1896–97 Inverness Celtic
1897–98 Citadel
Inverness Citadel F.C.
Inverness Citadel Football Club were a football club based at Shore Street Park in Inverness, Scotland. They were formed in the mid 1880s and were initial members of the Highland Football League when it was formed in 1894. They were league champions on only one occasion, in 1909. They regularly...
1898–99 Nelson
1899–00 Nelson
1900–01 Inverness Thistle
Inverness Thistle F.C.
Inverness Thistle Football Club were a football club playing in the city of Inverness in northern Scotland.They were members of the Highland Football League, winning the championship five times, including its inaugural season: 1893–94. They wore black and red stripes and played their home...
1901–02 Citadel
1902–03 Citadel
1903–04 Clachnacuddin
Clachnacuddin F.C.
Clachnacuddin F.C. are a semi-professional senior football club from the city of Inverness who currently play in Scotland's Highland Football League. They have won the most League championships in the competition's history a total of 18 times overall. Their home ground is Grant Street Park in the...
1904–05 Clachnacuddin
1905–06 Nelson
1906–07 Nelson
1907–08 Nelson
1908–09 Nelson
1909–10 Clachnacuddin
1910–11 Citadel
1911–12 Nelson
1912–13 Nelson
1913–14 Albert
1914–19 No Competition
1919–20 Dingwall Victoria United
1920–21 Nelson
1921–22 Citadel
1922–23 Caledonian
Caledonian F.C.
Caledonian Football Club was a football club from the city of Inverness, Highland, Scotland.-Formation:Caledonian Football Club was formed in 1885 by lads from the 'Big Green' area of Inverness, though some sources quote 1886. They were founder members of the Highland Football League in 1893 and...
1923–24 Fortrose Union
1924–25 Catch-My-Pal
1925–26 Nelson
1926–27 Clachnacuddin
1927–28 Dingwall Victoria United
1928–29 Inverness Thistle
1929–30 Clachnacuddin
1930–31 Inverness Thistle
1931–32 Clachnacuddin
1932–33 I.D.A.
1933–34 I.D.A.
1934–35 Inverness Thistle
1935–36 Nairn County
Nairn County F.C.
Nairn County F.C. are a senior football club who currently play in the Highland Football League.They were founded in 1914 and play at Station Park, Nairn.As a senior team they can play in the Scottish Cup....
1936–37 Clachnacuddin
1937–38 No Competition
1938–39 H.L.I.
1939–46 No Competition
1946–47 Invergordon
Invergordon F.C.
Invergordon Football Club are a Scottish football club from Invergordon. They compete in North Caledonian Football League and play at Recreation Grounds, Invergordon. The team play in yellow and blue strips....
1947–48 Inverness Thistle
1948–49 Caledonian
1949–50 Clachnacuddin
1950–51 Clachnacuddin
1951–52 Caledonian
1952–53 Caledonian
1953–54 Elgin City
Elgin City F.C.
Elgin City Football Club are a semi-professional football team based in Elgin, Moray. They currently compete in the Scottish Third Division....
1954–55 Nairn County/Buckie Thistle
Buckie Thistle F.C.
Buckie Thistle are a senior football club based in the town of Buckie, Banffshire, who currently play in Scotland's Highland Football League. Founded in 1889, they are also known as The Jags and play their football at Victoria Park, in Buckie....
1955–56 Clachnacuddin
1956–57 Clachnacuddin
1957–58 Clachnacuddin
1958–59 Inverness Thistle
1959–60 Inverness Thistle
1960–61 Competition Incomplete
1961–62 Competition Incomplete
1962–63 Inverness Thistle
1963–64 Clachnacuddin
1964–65 Avoch Rovers
1965–66 Ross County
Ross County F.C.
Ross County Football Club are a Scottish professional football team from the town of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Founded in 1929 they currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division and play their home matches at Victoria Park. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the...
1966–67 Brora Rangers
Brora Rangers F.C.
Brora Rangers are a non-professional senior football club from the village of Brora, Sutherland, currently playing in Scotland's Highland Football League....
1967–68 Brora Rangers
1968–69 Dingwall Thistle
1969–70 Caledonian
1970–71 Dingwall Thistle
1971–72 Dingwall Thistle
1972–73 Alness United
Alness United F.C.
Alness United F.C. are Scottish football club from Alness. They competed in the North Caledonian Football League until 2009.Alness United play in green and black striped strips. They play home matches at Dalmore Park...
1973–74 Alness United
1974–75 Golspie Sutherland
Golspie Sutherland F.C.
Golspie Sutherland F.C. are a Scottish football club from Golspie, Sutherland, that competes in the North Caledonian Football League. As Golspie are associate members of the Scottish Football Association they are eligible to compete in the Scottish Cup...
1975–76 Golspie Sutherland
1976–77 Invergordon
1977–78 Dingwall Thistle
1978–79 Wick Academy
Wick Academy F.C.
Wick Academy F.C. are a senior football club founded in 1893, who currently play in the Highland Football League at Harmsworth Park. They represent the Caithness burgh of Wick, making them the most northerly club in the HFL....
1979–80 Wick Academy
1980–81 Wick Academy
1981–82 Wick Academy
1982–83 Bunillidh Thistle
Bunillidh Thistle F.C.
Bunillidh Thistle Football Club is a Scottish football club from Helmsdale. They compete in the North Caledonian Football League and play at Couper Park.-Honours:*North Caledonian Football League**Champions 1982–83, 1988–89*PCT Cup...
1983–84 Muir of Ord
1984–85 Fort William
Fort William F.C.
Fort William F.C. is a senior football team from Fort William, Lochaber, Scotland. They play in the Highland Football League and have been playing at that level since joining the league in 1985.- History :-Origins and the Early Years:...
1985–86 Muir of Ord
1986–87 Wick Academy
1987–88 Invergordon
1988–89 Bunillidh Thistle
1989–90 Balintore
Balintore F.C.
Balintore Football Club are a football club playing in the North Caledonian Football League in Scotland. They play at Seaboard Park in Balintore, near the town of Tain in the Scottish highlands.Honours:...
1990–91 Balintore
1991–92 Clachnacuddin
1992–93 Golspie Sutherland
1993–94 Halkirk United
Halkirk United F.C.
Halkirk United F.C. are a Scottish football team from Halkirk, Caithness, that compete in the North Caledonian Football League....
1994–95 Caledonian Thistle
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
1995–96 Fearn Thistle
1996–97 Ross County
1997–98 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
1998–99 Golspie Sutherland
1999–00 Thurso
Thurso F.C.
Thurso Football Club are a Scottish football club from Thurso. They play in the North Caledonian Football League and are based at Sir George's Park....
2000–01 Alness United
2001–02 Invergordon
2002–03 Thurso
2003–04 Golspie Sutherland
2004–05 Alness United
2005–06 Balintore
2006–07 Golspie Sutherland
2007–08 Golspie Sutherland
2008–09 Golspie Sutherland
2009–10 Thurso
2010–11 Halkirk United

External links

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