South of Scotland Football League

The South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL) is a senior football league based in south-west Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.

South of Scotland Football League
Founded1892 (original)
1946 (current)
Country Scotland
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions1
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid6
Promotion toLowland Football League
Domestic cup(s)Scottish Cup (licensed clubs and league winners)
South Region Challenge Cup
League cup(s)South of Scotland League Cup
Southern Counties FA Challenge Cup
Cree Lodge Cup
Haig Gordon Cup
Potts Cup
Tweedie Cup
Current championsAbbey Vale (1st title)
(2022–23)
Most championships13 titles
St Cuthbert Wanderers
WebsiteOfficial Website
Current: 2023–24 South of Scotland Football League

Founded in 1946, it is currently composed of 12 member clubs in a single division. Geographically, the league currently covers Dumfries and Galloway although clubs have also been located in East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.

Since 2014–15 it has featured in the senior pyramid system. The winners take part in an end of season promotion play-off with the East of Scotland Football League and West of Scotland Football League champions, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria.

History

Original league

A league of the same name briefly existed during the early days of competitive football. The original South of Scotland Football League was created in 1892–93 and featured seven clubs:

The clubs preferred to play in cup competitions and traditional friendlies, so most of the league fixtures were not played. The competition was subsequently abandoned and no championship was awarded.

Current league

When league football was re-established in 1946, the Southern Counties League name could not be used because Ayr United 'A' and Kilmarnock 'A' were not members of the Southern Counties F.A.. Instead, the new competition was called the South of Scotland Football League. The first season saw the league played in two sections, East and West, but it has been played as a single league ever since.

Teams play each other on a home and away basis. In seasons where league membership has been low, clubs have played each other four times, instead of the usual twice. Recent changes in league membership have been:

  • Stranraer Athletic withdrew from the league at the end of the 2007–08 season.
  • The newly formed Gretna 2008, founded to replace the Gretna team that had been forced to dissolve following its meteoric rise to the Scottish Premier League between 2002 and 2007, applied to join the South of Scotland League, but then joined the East of Scotland Football League instead.
  • Annan Athletic withdrew their reserve team from the league at the end of the 2008–09 season, so that they could concentrate on the SFL Under-19 League and the Reserve League West.
  • Stranraer withdrew their reserve team from the league at the end of the 2011–12 season,[1] before returning again in 2017.
  • Dalbeattie Star and Threave Rovers withdrew from the league at the end of the 2012–13 season to join the newly formed Lowland Football League, although Threave have since been relegated back to the league.[2] Threave subsequently transferred to the West of Scotland Football League for season 2022–23.
  • After 44 Seasons in the Dumfries and District Amateur Football League, champions Lochar Thistle were elected to the league for the start of the 2013–14 season.
  • Three new teams Dumfries YMCA, Edusport Academy and Upper Annandale were elected to the league for the 2014–15 Season.[3]
  • Fleet Star withdrew from the league in 2016.[4] Crichton, who were saved from folding last season by a merger with Lochmaben Amateurs, have taken the Lochmaben name and moved to Lockerbie.[5]
  • Bonnyton Thistle joined the league in 2017 before moving to the newly formed West of Scotland Football League in 2020.

Member clubs

Team Location Home ground Surface Capacity Seats Floodlit
Abbey ValeNew AbbeyMaryfield Park Grass500[6]48No
CreetownCreetownCastlecary Park Grass500[7]0Yes
Dalbeattie StarDalbeattieIslecroft Stadium Grass1,320100Yes
Lochar ThistleDumfriesWilson Park Grass1,000[8]0Yes
LochmabenLochmabenWhitehills Park Grass1,000[9]0No
Mid-AnnandaleLockerbieNew King Edward Park Artificial500[10]0Yes
Newton StewartNewton StewartBlairmount Park Artificial1,000[11]0Yes
Nithsdale WanderersSanquharLorimer Park Grass1,000[12]0Yes
St Cuthbert WanderersKirkcudbrightSt Mary's Park Artificial1,000[13]0Yes
Stranraer reservesStranraerStair Park Grass4,178[14]1,830Yes
Upper AnnandaleMoffatMoffat Academy Grass1,000[15]0No
Wigtown & BladnochWigtownTrammondford Park Grass888[16]0Yes

League membership

Bold indicates a current league member.

Club Years Active Titles Won
Abbey Vale 2001– 1
Annan Athletic 1977–1987 2
Annan Athletic Reserves 1987–1991, 1992–2009, 2017–2019
Ayr United 'A' 1946–1948 2
Bonnyton Thistle 2017–2020
Caledonian Braves Reserves 2019–2023
Creetown 1946–1948, 1972–
Crichton 1992–2016 1
Dalbeattie Star 1946–1947, 1976–2001, 2009–2012, 2023– 5
Dalbeattie Star Reserves 2001–2009
Dumfries 2000–2008
Dumfries High School Former Pupils 1994–2000
Dumfries United 1987–1988
Dumfries YMCA 2014–2019
Edusport Academy 2014–2017 1
Fleet Star 2004–2016
Girvan 1951–1962, 1975–2005 1
Glenluce 1948–1950
Gretna Reserves 2001–2003
Gretna Community 1991–1992
Greystone Rovers 1956–1958 1
Heathhall Athletic 1948–1950
Heston Rovers 2008–2021
Kilmarnock 'A' 1946–1948
Lincluden Swifts 1977–1980 1
Lochar Thistle 2013–
Lochmaben 2016–
Maxwelltown High School Former Pupils 1990–2000 1
Mid-Annandale 2003–
Newton Stewart 1946– 3
Nithsdale Wanderers (1) 1946–1947, 1948–1950
Nithsdale Wanderers (2) 2001–
Queen of the South Reserves 1972–1973, 1992–1993, 1996–1997, 2003–2004 1
RAF West Freugh 1948–1949
St Cuthbert Wanderers 1946– 8
Solway Star 1946–1947
Stranraer 1946–1949
Stranraer Reserves 1949–1988, 1990–1991, 2003–2004, 2007–2012, 2017– 16
Stranraer Athletic 1995–2008 3
Tarff Rovers 1946–1988, 1990–2003 8
Threave Rovers 1959–1998, 2004–2012, 2016–2022 13
Upper Annandale 2014–
Whithorn 1946–1959, 1962–1963, 1964–69
Wigtown & Bladnoch 1946–2017, 2018– 5

Notes:

  1. Crichton was known as Blackwood Dynamos until 1999. The club was to be called Crichton Royal, but the suffix has never been used.
  2. Dumfries was formed by the merger of Dumfries High School Former Pupils and Dumfries Amateurs.
  3. Heston Rovers Youth (formed in 1978) merged with Dumfries in 2008, retaining Heston Rovers as the name of the new club.
  4. Annan Athletic (1987–2008), Dalbeattie Star (2001–2009) and Threave Rovers (1998–2004) have all run teams in the East of Scotland League. From the 2008–09 season, Annan Athletic has played in the Scottish Football League. Dalbeattie Star and Threave Rovers joined the newly formed Scottish Lowland Football League for the 2013–14 season.
  5. The following clubs have resigned during the season:
  • Creetown 1975–76
  • Girvan 1978–79
  • Gretna Community 1991–92
  • RAF West Freugh 1948–49
  • St Cuthbert Wanderers 1977-78
  • Wigtown & Bladnoch 1962–63 and 1972–73
  • Dumfries United resigned prior to the start of the 1987–88 season.

Cup competitions

In 1950, the league's membership had been reduced to just seven clubs. To compensate for the lack of fixtures, the League Cup was introduced. The final is usually contested by the winners of two mini-leagues, but has also been played as a straight knock-out competition. There was no separate League Cup competition between 1962–1968 and 1973–1975. Instead the trophy was awarded to the runner-up in the League.

The Southern Counties Cup, also known as the Challenge Cup, is the league's main knockout competition. It has been played for since 1891, and the first winners were the 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers.

Creetown, Dalbeattie Star, Newton Stewart, St Cuthbert Wanderers, and Wigtown & Bladnoch are full members of the Scottish Football Association therefore enter the Scottish Cup, as do the winners of the league.

Holders

2022–23 winners unless stated.

List of winners[17]

Season Original League
189293 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers
189394 No Competition
189495 St Cuthbert Wanderers
189596 St Cuthbert Wanderers (2)
189697 6 GRV
189798 Newton Stewart
189899

to 190910

No Competition
191011 Douglas Wanderers
191112 No Competition
191213 No Competition
191314 Newton Stewart (2)
191415 5th KOSB
191516

to 192920

No Competition
192021 St Cuthbert Wanderers
192122 Mid-Annandale
192323 Mid-Annandale (2)
192324 Newton Stewart (3)
192425 Dalbeattie Star
192526 No Competition
192627 No Competition
192728 St Cuthbert Wanderers
192829 St Cuthbert Wanderers
192930 Dalbeattie Star
193031 Dalbeattie Star
193132 Dalbeattie Star
193233 Dalbeattie Star
193334 Dalbeattie Star
193435 St Cuthbert Wanderers
193536 St Cuthbert Wanderers
193637 St Cuthbert Wanderers
193738

to 194546

No league championship for the duration of the Second World War
Season Current League
194647 Ayr United 'A'
194748 Ayr United 'A'
194849 Stranraer Reserves
194950 Tarff Rovers
195051 Newton Stewart (4)
195152 Wigtown & Bladnoch
195253 Tarff Rovers (2)
195354 Wigtown & Bladnoch (2)
195455 St Cuthbert Wanderers
195556 Newton Stewart (5)
195657 St Cuthbert Wanderers
195758 Greystone Rovers
195859 St Cuthbert Wanderers
195960 Stranraer Reserves
196061 Stranraer Reserves
196162 Stranraer Reserves
196263 Tarff Rovers (3)
196364 Tarff Rovers (4)
196465 Threave Rovers
196566 Stranraer Reserves
196667 Stranraer Reserves
196768 Stranraer Reserves
196869 Threave Rovers (2)
196970 Stranraer Reserves
197071 St Cuthbert Wanderers
197172 Threave Rovers (3)
197273 Stranraer Reserves
197374 St Cuthbert Wanderers
197475 Stranraer Reserves
197576 Stranraer Reserves
197677 Stranraer Reserves
197778 Stranraer Reserves
197879 Threave Rovers (4)
197980 Lincluden Swifts
198081 St Cuthbert Wanderers (14)
198182 Stranraer Reserves
198283 Stranraer Reserves
198384 Annan Athletic
198485 Dalbeattie Star
198586 Dalbeattie Star (2)
198687 Annan Athletic (2)
198788 Newton Stewart (6)
198889 Dalbeattie Star (3)
198990 Girvan
199091 Maxwelltown High School
199192 Wigtown & Bladnoch (3)
199293 Threave Rovers (5)
199394 Threave Rovers (6)
199495 Threave Rovers (7)
199596 St Cuthbert Wanderers (15)
199697 Queen of the South Reserves
1997–98 Tarff Rovers (5)
199899 Tarff Rovers (6)
199900 Tarff Rovers (7)
200001 No competition due to the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak
200102 Tarff Rovers (8)
200203 Stranraer Athletic
200304 Stranraer Athletic (2)
200405 Stranraer Athletic (3)
200506 Threave Rovers (8)
200607 Threave Rovers (9)
200708 Crichton
2008–09 Threave Rovers (10)
200910 Threave Rovers (11)
201011 Threave Rovers (12)
201112 Dalbeattie Star (4)
2012–13 Dalbeattie Star (5)
2013–14 Wigtown & Bladnoch (4)
2014–15 Wigtown & Bladnoch (5)
2015–16 St Cuthbert Wanderers (16)
2016–17 Edusport Academy *
2017–18 Threave Rovers (13)
2018–19 Stranraer Reserves
2019–20 Null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic[18]
2020–21 Null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 St Cuthbert Wanderers (17)
2022–23 Abbey Vale

* Team promoted to the Lowland League

Total titles won

Clubs currently playing in the league are shown in bold.

Rank Club Pre-war league Current league Total
1 St Cuthbert Wanderers 8 9 17
2 Stranraer Reserves 0 16 16
3 Threave Rovers 0 13 13
4 Dalbeattie Star 6 5 11
5 Tarff Rovers 0 8 8
6 Newton Stewart 3 3 6
7 Wigtown & Bladnoch 0 5 5
8 Stranraer Athletic 0 3 3
Annan Athletic 0 3 3
10 Ayr United 'A' 0 2 2
Mid-Annandale 2 0 2
12 5th KRV 1 0 1
5th KOSB 1 0 1
6 GRV 1 0 1
Abbey Vale 0 1 1
Crichton 0 1 1
Douglas Wanderers 1 0 1
Edusport Academy 0 1 1
Girvan 0 1 1
Greystone Rovers 0 1 1
Lincluden Swifts 0 1 1
Maxwelltown High School 0 1 1
Queen of the South Reserves 0 1 1

References

  1. "Stranraer bow out of South league". The Galloway Gazette. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  2. "Lowland League clubs confirmed by Scottish FA". BBC. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  3. "South Champions Start With a Home Game". DG News-Sport. Dumfries & Galloway News. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  4. Gillespie, Stuart (5 June 2016). "Threave Rovers' South of Scotland League return confirmed after three years in the Lowland League". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  5. McNaught, John (30 July 2016). "South football kicks off again this weekend". Galloway Gazette. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  6. Abbey Vale, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  7. Creetown, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  8. Lochar Thistle, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  9. "Lochmaben". nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  10. Mid-Annandale, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  11. Newton Stewart, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  12. Nithsdale Wanderers, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  13. St Cuthbert Wanderers, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  14. Stranraer reserves, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  15. Upper Annandale, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  16. Wigtown & Bladnoch, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  17. "SOUTH OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE CHAMPIONS". South of Scotland Football League. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  18. "South football season ends without a champion side". dgnews-sport.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
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