2020–21 North Caledonian Football League

The 2020–21 North Caledonian Football League (known for sponsorship reasons as the Macleod & MacCallum North Caledonian League) was the 112th season of the North Caledonian Football League. The season began on 17 October 2020, following a delay caused by the suspension of football activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to no league title being awarded for 2019–20, Golspie Sutherland began the season as the defending champions.[1]

North Caledonian Football League
Season2020–21
Dates17 October 2020 – 24 June 2021 (curtailed)
Champions
Matches played58
Goals scored240 (4.14 per match)
Biggest home win
  • Loch Ness 11–1 Scourie
  • (17 October 2020)
Biggest away win
  • Scourie 0–13 Alness United
  • (7 November 2020)
Highest scoring
  • Scourie 0–13 Alness United
  • (7 November 2020)
Longest winning run6 games:
Alness United
Longest unbeaten run9 games:
Alness United
Longest winless run10 games:
Scourie
Longest losing run10 games:
Scourie

In January, the league management committee took the decision to pause the league schedule due to new COVID-19 protection levels that had been introduced in the Highland region. A week later, the Scottish FA confirmed that football at all levels below the SPFL Championship had been suspended while restrictions were in place.

Only one cup competition, the North Caledonian Cup, was drawn and competed for during the season, however due to the suspension of football activities at the turn of the year, the competition was abandoned for 2020–21. On 6 April 2021, it was announced the league's remaining games would be played between 22 May and 26 June. On 24 June, the season's two remaining fixtures were cancelled due to an uptick of COVID-19 cases in the Highlands. Golspie Sutherland defended their league title, winning the league ahead of the final round of fixtures.[2]

Teams
Location of teams in 2020–21 North Caledonian League

Alness United returned to competition following a one-year period of abeyance, while Bunillidh Thistle chose not play in the league for 2020–21 due to concerns related to playing and traveling during the virus outbreak. The league also welcomed Highland Football League club Nairn County's reserve team as a league member for the first time since the 1950s. Taking the competing numbers up to 12 for the 2020–21 season were new clubs Loch Ness and Scourie.

Stadia and locations
Team Location Home ground Ref.
Alness United Dingwall Highland Football Academy
Bonar Bridge Bonar Bridge Migdale Playing Fields [3]
Golspie Sutherland Golspie King George V Park [4]
Halkirk United Halkirk Morrison Park [5]
Invergordon Invergordon Recreation Grounds [6]
Inverness Athletic Muir of Ord Pavilion Park [7]
Loch Ness Inverness Canal Park, Inverness [8]
Nairn County A Nairn Riverside Park [9]
Orkney Kirkwall Kirkwall Grammar School 3G [10]
Scourie Scourie Achlochan Park [11]
St Duthus Tain Grant Park [12]
Thurso Thurso Sir George's Park [13]

Withdrew
Team Location Home ground Ref.
Bunillidh Thistle Helmsdale Couper Park [14]

Format

Following a meeting of clubs in August, it was agreed that for the 2020–21 season, the league would be temporarily split into two divisions of six teams – one for the North Caledonian League championship (League 1) and the other for the resurrected Ness Cup trophy (League 2).[15][16] It was agreed that this change would be for the 2020–21 season only and that it would revert to a one division format for 2021–22. Teams who placed highest upon the suspension of football in the 2019–20 season were entered into League 1, while the remaining teams were joined by the league's new and returning entrants in League 2.

League tables

League 1
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Golspie Sutherland (C) 9 6 1 2 19 9 +10 19
2 Invergordon 9 4 3 2 14 10 +4 15
3 St Duthus 10 4 3 3 21 19 +2 15
4 Thurso[lower-alpha 1] 9 4 3 2 16 16 0 11
5 Orkney[lower-alpha 2] 9 0 3 6 12 20 −8 8
6 Halkirk United[lower-alpha 3] 10 3 1 6 13 21 −8 7
Source: North Caledonian Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. Thurso were deducted 4 points for fielding an ineligible player in their matches against Halkirk United (22 May) and Orkney (29 May).
  2. Orkney were awarded 5 points due to their opposition fielding ineligible players on 29 May (Thurso) and 5 June (Halkirk United).
  3. Halkirk United were deducted 3 points for fielding an ineligible player in their 5 June match against Orkney.

League 2
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Alness United (C) 10 8 1 1 46 11 +35 25
2 Nairn County A 10 7 0 3 32 21 +11 21
3 Inverness Athletic 10 5 2 3 20 10 +10 17
4 Loch Ness 10 4 3 3 30 17 +13 15
5 Bonar Bridge 10 3 0 7 14 37 −23 9
6 Scourie 10 0 0 10 3 49 −46 0
Source: North Caledonian Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored.
(C) Champions

References
  1. Association, North Caledonian Football. "NCFA Statement – outcome of season determined | Latest News – North Caledonian Football Association, Scotland". northcaleyfa.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  2. Clark, Will (24 June 2021). "North Caledonian League cancel final round of fixtures. Golspie Sutherland v Orkney along with Invergordon against Thurso are scrapped". Ross-shire Journal. Highland News & Media. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  3. "Bonar Bridge FC – North Caledonian Football Association". North Caledonian FA Official Website. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  4. Golspie Sutherland Archived 22 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  5. Halkirk United Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  6. Invergordon Archived 22 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 1 October 2017.
  7. "Inverness Athletic F.C." nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  8. "Non League Scotland". nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  9. "Non League Scotland". nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  10. Orkney Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  11. "Non League Scotland". nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  12. "St Duthus F.C." nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  13. Thurso Archived 22 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  14. Bonar Bridge, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 16 Dec 2019.
  15. Association, North Caledonian Football. "NCFA AGM – new members and league structure | Latest News – North Caledonian Football Association, Scotland". northcaleyfa.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  16. Association, North Caledonian Football. "NCFA League 2 to play for Ness Cup trophy | Latest News – North Caledonian Football Association, Scotland". northcaleyfa.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
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