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Scottish Amateur Football League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scottish Amateur Football League
Founded1901 disbanded 2023
CountryScotland
ConfederationUEFA
DivisionsPremier
Division 1 Championship
Number of teams23
Level on pyramid3
Promotion to2 up
Relegation to2 Down
Domestic cup(s)Scottish Amateur Cup
West of Scotland Cup/ Jimmy Marshall Trophy / Centenary Cup

The Scottish Amateur Football League (SAFL) was Scotland's oldest football league competition for amateur teams in Scotland, before disbanding in 2023 when it merged with the Central Scottish Amateur League to form the Scottish Premier Amateur League.

Although the League officially records itself as having been founded in 1909, when Scottish Football League club Queen's Park decided that their fourth team needed regular competition, research published by the Scottish Football Historical Archive confirms that the league was actually founded by six clubs at a meeting at Glasgow University in late June 1901, with Paisley Academicals winning the first championship. Queen's Park were successful in winning the league title in 1909–10, but Edinburgh Civil Service won the league the following year, so Queen's Park decided to enter their third team for the third season of the competition, indicating a high standard of football was played at this level from an early stage.[citation needed]

History

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Despite being called the Scottish Amateur Football League, the league has never included clubs from across the country. Although, prior to the official formation of the league a SAFL side made at least one visit to Fife for a match. Prior to the Second World War membership stretched across the Scottish Central Belt, with a number of clubs from the East of the country participating. However, following the end of the war membership became concentrated in the West of the country. The SAFL has been successful in embracing a number of clubs from the Argyll area which otherwise might not have regular competition.

At its peak in the early 1980s, the SAFL contained 12 divisions, but for season 2020/21, there will be 3. For more than 20 years, the League was split into a Premier section of three divisions, with two or three further divisions comprising Section One, so named as it preserved the divisions of the original league. But following an SAFA directive during the 2011–12 season, this format has been changed back to one all-in competition, with effect from the start of the 2012–13 season. The three premier divisions are retained, and the lowest two divisions become two sections of equal status, decided by a balloted draw prior to the start of each season. The top two teams from each section will be promoted to Premier 2, which will start the 2012–13 season with 11 clubs, but will have 12 clubs from the start of the following season.

Hall of fame

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In March 2013, the League held its inaugural Hall of Fame Dinner, attended by well over 300 guests, at which the following became the first inductees to the SAFL Hall of Fame:

  • Alan Bruce (Busby AFC)
  • Alan & Russel Davidson (Whitehill FP AFC)
  • Eamon Gowen (Nolt Gulch Town)
  • Charlie Henderson (Paisley AFC)
  • Duncan McAulay (Campbeltown Pupils AFC)
  • Keith Millar (Oban Saints)
  • Derek Yuille (Rutherglen AFC)

Executive Members 2021-2022

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Office Bearers

  • Margaret McMillan – President
  • Maiwill Hunman – Vice President
  • Raymond McMillan – Secretary
  • Derek Milton – Match Secretary
  • Robert Bowman – Minutes Secretary
  • Campbell McPherson - Treasurer
  • Margaret McMillan – Discipline Secretary
  • Stewart Cameron - Registration Secretary

Divisional Representatives

  • Frank McCann – Premier
  • Danny Cameron - Premier 1

League Membership 2021-2022

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Premier

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  • Castlemilk BC
  • Easthall Star
  • Ffellomarghey
  • Glynhill Moorcroft
  • Hillington
  • Inverclyde
  • Kings Park Rangers
  • Neilston
  • Parkhall
  • Rutherglen
  • Port Glasgow Ams

Division 1 Championship

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  • Arthurlie U21's
  • Baljaffray Ams
  • Busby
  • Cardross Ams
  • Carlton YM
  • Claremont
  • Duncanrig FP
  • Dunoon
  • Glenburn
  • Lochgilphead Red Star
  • Port Glasgow OBU
  • St.Convals
  • Tarbert

League winners

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Year Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Tier 5 Tier 6
1994 St Patrick's Fernhill Villa Oban Saints Campbeltown Boys Blairbeth Dunoon AFC
1995 St Patrick's Greenock High School Former Pupils Port Glasgow Hibs Strathclyde Police Dunoon Ams Westhill AFC
1996 Fernhill Villa Torrance United Campbeltown Boys Busby Glasgow Harp Bishopbriggs AFC
1997 St Patrick's Hamilton FP Port Glasgow OBU Pollok Westhill Amateurs Millerston Thistle
1998 Hamilton FP Oban Saints Pollok Strathclyde Police Millerston Thistle Shamrock BC
1999 Gourock Athletic Campbeltown Pupils Gartcosh United Westhill Shamrock BC No competition
2000 Campbeltown Pupils Camphill Kilbowie Union Shamrock Boys Club Leven Valley No competition
2001 Gartcosh United Kilbowie Union Shamrock Boys Club Rothesay Brandane Glencastle Sparta No competition
2002 St Patrick's Oban Saints Busby Glencastle Sparta Glasgow Harp (B) No competition
2003 Glasgow Harp Busby Cumbernauld Ams Inverclyde East Kilbride YM FC No competition
2004 St Patrick's Kings Park Rangers Inverclyde Dunoon Sandiefield Star No competition
2005 St Patrick's Kilpatrick Eaglesham Sandiefield Star Leven Valley No competition
2006 St Patrick's Cambria AFC Inverclyde St Patricks FP (B) Rosehill Star No competition
2007 Greenock High School Former Pupils Busby Shawlands FP Castlemilk Ams Carlton YMCA (B) No competition
2008 St Patrick's Kilpatrick Aikenhead Thistle St Patricks FP (B) Duncanrig FP (B) No competition
2009 St. Josephs Castlemilk AFC Thorn Athletic Tarbert Haldane Utd No competition
2010 Oban Saints Thorn Athletic Rolls Royce EK Haldane United Aikenhead Thistle B No competition
2011 Aikenhead Thistle Postal United Finnart AFC Gourock Thistle East Kilbride YM FC Alba Thistle
2012 Postal United Finnart AFC Alba Thistle Paisley East Kilbride FC No competition
2013 Postal United Alba Thistle Campbeltown Pupils AFC East Kilbride FC
2014 Oban Saints AFC Campbeltown Pupils AFC East Kilbride FC Drumchapel Amateurs Colts Motherwell Thistle AFC
2015 St. Josephs FP AFC East Kilbride FC Drumchapel Amateur Colts Dumbarton Wanderers
2016 East Kilbride FC Drumchapel Amateurs Colts Bridgewater AFC Port Glasgow AFC
2017 St Joseph's FPs Alba Thistle Arkleston
2018 Goldenhill Arkleston Lochgilphead Red Star
2019 St Joseph's FPs Castlemilk BC Glynhill Moorcroft
2020 Competition suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland
2021 Competition suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland
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