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Highland Football League
Highland Football League (emblem).png
Founded 1893
Country  Scotland
Number of teams 18
Level on pyramid 5
Promotion to Scottish League Two
Relegation to Midlands Football League
North Caledonian Football League
North Superleague
Domestic cup(s) Scottish Cup
Scottish League Cup (champions)
Scottish Challenge Cup (top 4)
League cup(s) Highland League Cup
Current champions Buckie Thistle (12th title)
(2023–24)
Most championships Clachnacuddin
Caledonian (18 titles each)
Website highlandfootballleague.com

The Scottish Highland Football League (often called the Highland League) is a football league in the north of Scotland. It is a very important part of the Scottish football league system. The league is at Level 5 in this system. This means it helps teams move up to the Scottish Professional Football League.

The Highland League started in 1893. Today, 18 football clubs play in one big division. The teams come from the Scottish Highlands, Moray, Aberdeenshire, and the cities of Aberdeen and Dundee. Some teams also come from Angus and parts of northern Perthshire.

Since 2014–15, the league has been part of the senior pyramid system. This system allows teams to move between different leagues. The team that wins the Highland League can play against the winner of the Lowland Football League. The winner of that game then plays against the team at the bottom of Scottish League Two. This is how a Highland League team can earn a spot in the SPFL. Teams can also move down from the Highland League. They might go to the Midlands Football League, North Caledonian Football League, or North Superleague.

The league is currently sponsored by the Breedon Group.

How the Highland League Works: Playing the Game

In the Highland League, each team plays every other team twice. They play one game at home and one game away. This means each team plays a total of 34 matches in a season.

When a team wins a match, they get 3 points. If a game ends in a draw (a tie), both teams get 1 point. If two teams have the same number of points at the end of the season, the team with a better goal difference wins. Goal difference means how many more goals a team has scored than it has let in. The champions get a special trophy and a flag.

Playing Through the Seasons: Dealing with Weather

Since 2014–15, the league has a new schedule. This helps make sure all games are finished in time for the promotion playoffs. These playoffs start in April. The north of Scotland can have very bad winter weather. This sometimes causes games to be postponed (delayed). To avoid this, clubs now play games on both Saturdays and Wednesdays. They do this mostly from August to October. This takes advantage of the milder weather earlier in the season. The new schedule also includes a four-week break near the end of the season. This break allows any delayed games to be played before the final matches.

Playing in Other Cups: Scottish Cup and More

All clubs in the Highland League are full members of the Scottish Football Association. This means they can play in the Scottish Cup the next season. The league champions and the second-place team get a special entry. They start playing in the second round of the Scottish Cup.

Since 2014, the champions have also played in the Scottish Challenge Cup. From 2016, the top four clubs in the league could play in this cup. In 2016, the champions also got a spot in the Scottish League Cup.

The Story of the Highland League: How it Began

Starting the League: The First Teams

The Highland Football League was created on 4 August 1893. It started at the Inverness Workman's Club. Workers from the Highland Railway Company helped form it. This company had many employees in Inverness.

The first league had seven teams: Inverness Thistle, Caledonian, Clachnacuddin, Forres Mechanics, Inverness Union, Inverness Citadel, and Cameron Highlanders. Another team, Dingwall Victoria United (later Ross County), joined but left soon after. Inverness Thistle was the first team to win the league.

Of the original teams, two are still playing today: Clachnacuddin and Forres Mechanics. Caledonian and Inverness Thistle later joined together. They formed a new club called Inverness Caledonian Thistle. This club now plays in the Scottish League.

New Teams and Changes: Growing the League

Over the years, some teams left the Highland League to join the Scottish Football League (SFL). In 1994, Caledonian, Inverness Thistle, and Ross County all left. The league then had 18 clubs, but this number went down. Wick Academy joined, making it 16 clubs.

In 2000, Elgin City and Peterhead also moved up to the SFL. In 2002, Inverurie Loco Works joined the Highland League. This brought the number of clubs to 15. Inverurie Locos also has roots in the Scottish railways. Its name comes from the railway workshops in Inverurie.

In 2009, three new teams joined the league: Formartine United, Strathspey Thistle, and Turriff United.

The Pyramid System: Moving Up and Down

Before 2014, the Highland League was one of the main senior leagues in Scottish football. Since the 2014–15 season, the league champions have had the chance to move up to Scottish League Two. They do this through a play-off game with the winners of the Lowland Football League. The winner of that game then plays against the team at the bottom of League Two.

This new system was mostly seen as a good thing. However, some smaller clubs worried about the cost. They might need to improve their stadiums to meet the rules for higher leagues. Also, traveling to games against teams in the central part of Scotland can be a challenge. This is especially true for teams like Wick Academy and Brora Rangers, which are far away.

At the end of the 2018–19 season, Cove Rangers became the first Highland League club to move up to the SPFL. They won their play-off games. Two years later, Brechin City became the first SPFL club to move down into the Highland League.

At the end of the 2020–21 season, teams could also be moved down from the Highland League. This happened because the North Caledonian League, the new Midlands League, and the North Superleague became feeder leagues. At the end of the next season, Fort William was the first team to move down. They went into the North Caledonian League.

Teams in the Highland League

Team Location Stadium Capacity Seats Joined Titles
Banks O' Dee Aberdeen Spain Park 876 100 2022
Brechin City Brechin Glebe Park 4,083 1,519 2021 1
Brora Rangers Brora Dudgeon Park 4,000 200 1962 3
Buckie Thistle Buckie Victoria Park 3,000 400 1909 12
Clachnacuddin Inverness Grant Street Park 2,074 154 1893 18
Deveronvale Banff Princess Royal Park 2,600 360 1938 2
Formartine United Pitmedden North Lodge Park 2,500 300 2009
Forres Mechanics Forres Mosset Park 2,700 502 1893 2
Fraserburgh Fraserburgh Bellslea Park 3,000 480 1922 4
Huntly Huntly Christie Park 3,500 270 1928 7
Inverurie Loco Works Inverurie Harlaw Park 1,400 250 2001
Keith Keith Kynoch Park 2,362 370 1924 7
Lossiemouth Lossiemouth Grant Park 2,050 250 1946
Nairn County Nairn Station Park 2,250 250 1914 1
Rothes Rothes Mackessack Park 2,700 184 1938 1
Strathspey Thistle Grantown-on-Spey Seafield Park 1,600 150 2009
Turriff United Turriff The Haughs 2,135 135 2009
Wick Academy Wick Harmsworth Park 2,412 102 1994

Past Teams: Who Used to Play?

Some teams used to be in the Highland League but moved on.

  • Teams that joined the Scottish Football League:
    • Elgin City (in 2000)
    • Caledonian (in 1994)
    • Inverness Thistle (in 1994)
    • Peterhead (in 2000)
    • Ross County (in 1994)
  • Caledonian and Inverness Thistle joined together to form Inverness Caledonian Thistle when they moved to the Scottish Football League in 1994.
  • Teams that moved up to the Scottish Professional Football League:
    • Cove Rangers (in 2019)
  • Teams that moved down to other leagues:
    • Fort William (in 2022, to the North Caledonian League)
  • Teams that no longer exist or merged:
    • Elgin Caledonian
    • Inverness Celtic
    • Inverness Citadel
    • Inverness Union
  • Military teams (often played for a short time):
    • (2nd) Highland Light Infantry
    • 93rd Highlanders
    • Black Watch
    • Cameron Highlanders
    • Highland Garrison Training Battalion
    • K.O.S.B.
    • RAF Kinloss
    • Seaforth Highlanders

Other Football Cups and Leagues

Besides the main league, there are other exciting competitions:

  • Highland League Cup
  • SHFL U18 League (for players under 18)
  • SHFL U16 League (for players under 16)

Clubs in the North of Scotland FA also play in:

  • North of Scotland Cup
  • North of Scotland FA U20 League (for players under 20)

Clubs in the Aberdeenshire FA play in:

  • Aberdeenshire Cup
  • Aberdeenshire Shield
  • Aberdeenshire & District League

Highland League Champions: A History of Winners

Season Winner Runner-up
1893–94 Inverness Thistle Caledonian
1894–95 Clachnacuddin Inverness Thistle
1895–96 Caledonian Inverness Thistle
1896–97 Clachnacuddin Caledonian
1897–98 Clachnacuddin Caledonian
1898–99 Caledonian Clachnacuddin
1899–1900 Caledonian Clachnacuddin
1900–01 Clachnacuddin Caledonian
1901–02 Caledonian Inverness Thistle
1902–03 Clachnacuddin Inverness Thistle
1903–04 Clachnacuddin Inverness Citadel
1904–05 Clachnacuddin Black Watch
1905–06 Clachnacuddin Inverness Thistle
1906–07 Inverness Thistle Caledonian
1907–08 Clachnacuddin Highland Light Infantry
1908–09 Inverness Citadel Clachnacuddin
1909–10 Inverness Thistle Elgin City
1910–11 Caledonian Buckie Thistle
1911–12 Clachnacuddin Caledonian
1912–13 Aberdeen 'A' Buckie Thistle
1913–14 Caledonian Aberdeen 'A'
1914–15 unfinished
1919–20 Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin
1920–21 Clachnacuddin Inverness Thistle
1921–22 Clachnacuddin Buckie Thistle
1922–23 Clachnacuddin Elgin City
1923–24 Clachnacuddin Buckie Thistle
1924–25 Aberdeen 'A' Caledonian
1925–26 Caledonian Inverness Thistle
1926–27 Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin
1927–28 Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin
1928–29 Inverness Thistle Elgin City
1929–30 Huntly Elgin City
1930–31 Caledonian Buckie Thistle
1931–32 Elgin City Keith
1932–33 Fraserburgh Elgin City
1933–34 Buckie Thistle Forres Mechanics
1934–35 Elgin City Huntly
1935–36 Inverness Thistle Peterhead
1936–37 Buckie Thistle Peterhead
1937–38 Fraserburgh Clachnacuddin
1938–39 Clachnacuddin Buckie Thistle
1939–40 unfinished
1946–47 Peterhead Huntly
1947–48 Clachnacuddin Peterhead
1948–49 Peterhead Clachnacuddin
1949–50 Peterhead Caledonian
1950–51 Caledonian Buckie Thistle
1951–52 Caledonian Huntly
1952–53 Elgin City Buckie Thistle
1953–54 Buckie Thistle Elgin City
1954–55 unfinished
1955–56 Elgin City Buckie Thistle
1956–57 Buckie Thistle Caledonian
1957–58 Buckie Thistle Elgin City
1958–59 Rothes Fraserburgh
1959–60 Elgin City Caledonian
1960–61 Elgin City Keith
1961–62 Keith Elgin City
1962–63 Elgin City Caledonian
1963–64 Caledonian Nairn County
1964–65 Elgin City Nairn County
1965–66 Elgin City Caledonian
1966–67 Ross County Elgin City
1967–68 Elgin City Ross County
1968–69 Elgin City Inverness Thistle
1969–70 Elgin City Caledonian
1970–71 Caledonian Inverness Thistle
1971–72 Inverness Thistle Elgin City
1972–73 Inverness Thistle Ross County
1973–74 Elgin City Inverness Thistle
1974–75 Clachnacuddin Keith
1975–76 Nairn County Fraserburgh
1976–77 Caledonian Peterhead
1977–78 Caledonian Peterhead
1978–79 Keith Caledonian
1979–80 Keith Brora Rangers
1980–81 Keith Fraserburgh
1981–82 Caledonian Peterhead
1982–83 Caledonian Elgin City
1983–84 Caledonian Keith
1984–85 Keith Caledonian
1985–86 Forres Mechanics Elgin City
1986–87 Inverness Thistle Caledonian
1987–88 Caledonian Buckie Thistle
1988–89 Peterhead Cove Rangers
1989–90 Elgin City Caledonian
1990–91 Ross County Caledonian
1991–92 Ross County Caledonian
1992–93 withheld
1993–94 Huntly Caledonian
1994–95 Huntly Cove Rangers
1995–96 Huntly Cove Rangers
1996–97 Huntly Keith
1997–98 Huntly Fraserburgh
1998–99 Peterhead Huntly
1999–2000 Keith Fraserburgh
2000–01 Cove Rangers Huntly
2001–02 Fraserburgh Deveronvale
2002–03 Deveronvale Keith
2003–04 Clachnacuddin Buckie Thistle
2004–05 Huntly Inverurie Loco Works
2005–06 Deveronvale Inverurie Loco Works
2006–07 Keith Inverurie Loco Works
2007–08 Cove Rangers Keith
2008–09 Cove Rangers Deveronvale
2009–10 Buckie Thistle Cove Rangers
2010–11 Buckie Thistle Deveronvale
2011–12 Forres Mechanics Cove Rangers
2012–13 Cove Rangers Formartine United
2013–14 Brora Rangers Inverurie Loco Works
2014–15 Brora Rangers Turriff United
2015–16 Cove Rangers Formartine United
2016–17 Buckie Thistle Cove Rangers
2017–18 Cove Rangers Formartine United
2018–19 Cove Rangers* Brora Rangers
2019–20 Brora Rangers Fraserburgh
2020–21 Brora Rangers Fraserburgh
2021–22 Fraserburgh Buckie Thistle
2022–23 Brechin City Buckie Thistle
2023–24 Buckie Thistle Brechin City
* Team promoted to Scottish League Two

How Many Times Each Club Has Won

This table shows how many times each club has won the Highland League. Teams playing now are in bold. Teams that are no longer active are in italics.

Club Wins Runner-up Winning Years
Caledonian
18
20
 1895–96, 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1901–02, 1910–11, 1913–14, 1925–26, 1930–31, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1963–64, 1970–71, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88
Clachnacuddin
18
8
 1894–95, 1896–97, 1897–98, 1900–01, 1902–03, 1903–04, 1904–05, 1905–06, 1907–08, 1911–12, 1920–21, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1938–39, 1947–48, 1974–75, 2003–04
Elgin City
14
12
 1931–32, 1934–35, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1989–90
Buckie Thistle
12
13
 1919–20, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1933–34, 1936–37, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1957–58, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2016–17, 2023–24
Inverness Thistle
8
10
 1893–94, 1906–07, 1909–10, 1928–29, 1935–36, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1986–87
Keith
7
7
 1961–62, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1999–2000, 2006–07
Cove Rangers
7
6
 2000–01, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
Huntly
7
5
 1929–30, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2004–05
Peterhead
5
6
 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1988–89, 1998–99
Fraserburgh
4
7
 1932–33, 1937–38, 2001–02, 2021–22
Brora Rangers
4
2
 2013–14, 2014–15, 2019–20, 2020–21
Ross County
3
2
 1966–67, 1990–91, 1991–92
Deveronvale
2
3
 2002–03, 2005–06
Aberdeen 'A'
2
1
 1912–13, 1924–25
Forres Mechanics
2
1
 1985–86, 2011–12
Nairn County
1
2
 1975–76
Brechin City
1
1
 2022–23
Inverness Citadel
1
1
 1908–09
Rothes
1
0
 1958–59
Inverurie Loco Works
0
4
Formartine United
0
3
Black Watch
0
1
Highland Light Infantry
0
1
Turriff United
0
1

Images for kids

  • Highland Football League (emblem)

    Highland Football League emblem

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Liga de Fútbol Highland de Escocia para niños

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