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Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region

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The Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region was one of three regions of the SJFA which organised its own distinct league and cup competitions.

The SJFA used to be split into six regions, but in 2002 they decided to reform into three (East, North and West) to try to ensure more games between the top clubs and hence increase their revenues. The region covered an area from Girvan in South Ayrshire to Denny in Central Scotland.

In 2020, the region was abolished, as all 63 clubs in the region decided to depart and join the newly-founded West of Scotland Football League.[1][2]

History

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Foundation

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Although the West Region was formed by the amalgamation of the Central and Ayrshire regions in 2002, a West of Scotland Junior FA had existed since the end of the Intermediate dispute in 1931 and administered the West of Scotland Cup since that time. The first phase of rationalisation in 1968 saw the Central Junior Football League (based around greater Glasgow and essentially a continuation of the Glasgow Junior Football League from 1895)[3] merge with the even older Lanarkshire Junior Football League (1891)[4] to create the Central region. The Western Junior League became the Ayrshire region, with Neilston Juniors and Dunoon Athletic transferring to the Central region.

Structure

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From 2002 to 2018, the league set-up in the region was a combined top division, officially known as the SJFA West of Scotland Region Super League Premier Division (12 teams), with the West of Scotland Region Super League First Division (14 teams) below. There were two district leagues below that provided the First Division with two clubs each at the end of the season. These corresponded to the former two regions that combined to create the new West region: there was a Central District League (with two divisions) and an Ayrshire District League, with the four teams relegated from the First Division assigned to their historic region. Although Ayrshire only had one division, clubs were also promoted between the two divisions of the Central District League.

In 2017 West Region clubs voted to organise all leagues on a regionwide basis and as a result, the Super League Premier Division was rebranded as the West Region Premiership for the 2018–19 season and featured 16 clubs. Clubs were relegated to a rebranded Championship also made up of 16 teams. The Ayrshire and Central district leagues were scrapped and replaced by League One and Two consisting of 16 and 15 teams respectively.[5]

End of an era

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In 2020, as part of a long process of negotiation to form an integrated footballing pyramid structure, all 63 West Region Junior clubs decided to depart and join the newly-founded West of Scotland Football League, a feeder to the Lowland Football League.[6][7]

Member clubs

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Towards the end of the 2019–20 campaign, the coronavirus pandemic interrupted the season and caused the West Region leagues to be curtailed, with champions later declared on a 'points per game' basis by the West Region management committee. At that time there were 63 member clubs in the setup.

SJFA West Region Premiership

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Club Location Home Ground Finishing position 2019–20
Auchinleck Talbot Auchinleck Beechwood Park 1st
Beith Juniors Beith Bellsdale Park 6th
Benburb F.C. Glasgow New Tinto Park 13th
Clydebank Clydebank Holm Park 9th
Cumnock Juniors Cumnock Townhead Park 10th
Glenafton Athletic New Cumnock Loch Park 4th
Hurlford United Hurlford Blair Park 7th
Irvine Meadow Irvine Meadow Park 5th
Kilbirnie Ladeside Kilbirnie Valefield Park 8th
Kilwinning Rangers Kilwinning Abbey Park 2nd
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Cumbernauld Guy's Meadow [a] 16th
Largs Thistle Largs Barrfields Stadium 12th
Pollok Glasgow Newlandsfield Park 3rd
Rossvale Glasgow New Tinto Park [b] 11th
Rutherglen Glencairn Rutherglen New Southcroft Park 15th
Troon Troon Portland Park 14th
Notes
  1. ^ Kirkintilloch Rob Roy ground-shared with Cumbernauld United.
  2. ^ Rossvale ground-shared with Benburb.

SJFA West Region Championship

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Club Location Home Ground Finishing position 2019–20
Arthurlie Barrhead Dunterlie Park 9th
Blantyre Victoria Blantyre KG Stadium 1st=
Cambuslang Rangers Cambuslang Somervell Park 14th
Craigmark Burntonians Dalmellington Station Park 15th
Cumbernauld United Cumbernauld Guy's Meadow 3rd
Dalry Thistle Dalry Merksworth Park 8th
Darvel Juniors Darvel Recreation Park 1st=
Gartcairn Juniors Airdrie MTC Park 11th
Irvine Victoria Irvine Victoria Park 16th
Kilsyth Rangers Kilsyth Duncansfield Park 7th
Neilston Juniors Neilston Brig O' Lea Stadium 6th
Petershill Glasgow Petershill Park 13th
Renfrew Renfrew New Western Park 5th
Shotts Bon Accord Shotts Hannah Park 4th
St Roch's Glasgow James McGrory Park 12th
Whitletts Victoria Ayr Dam Park 10th

SJFA West Region League One

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Club Location Home Ground Finishing position 2019–20
Ardrossan Winton Rovers Ardrossan Winton Park 2nd
Bellshill Athletic Bellshill Rockburn Park 6th
Carluke Rovers Carluke John Cumming Stadium 10th
East Kilbride Thistle East Kilbride The Showpark 15th
Girvan Girvan Hamilton Park 11th
Glasgow Perthshire Possilpark, Glasgow Keppoch Park 8th
Greenock Juniors Greenock Ravenscraig Stadium 7th
Kello Rovers Kirkconnel Nithside Park 13th
Lanark United Lanark Moor Park 3rd
Larkhall Thistle Larkhall Gasworks Park 9th
Lesmahagow Lesmahagow Craighead Park 5th
Maryhill Maryhill Lochburn Park 12th
Port Glasgow Port Glasgow Parklea Community Stadium 4th
Royal Albert Stonehouse Tilework Park 16th
Shettleston Shettleston Greenfield Park 1st
Wishaw Juniors Wishaw Beltane Park 14th

SJFA West Region League Two

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Club Location Home Ground Finishing position 2019–20
Annbank United Annbank New Pebble Park 9th
Ardeer Thistle Stevenston Ardeer Stadium 15th
Ashfield Possilpark, Glasgow Saracen Park 3rd
Forth Wanderers Forth Kingshill Park 7th
Johnstone Burgh Johnstone Keanie Park 1st
Lugar Boswell Thistle Lugar Rosebank Park 14th
Maybole Maybole Ladywell Stadium 8th
Muirkirk Muirkirk Burnside Park 2nd
Newmains United Newmains Victoria Park 12th
Saltcoats Victoria Saltcoats Campbell Park 13th
St Anthony's Cardonald McKenna Park 11th
Thorniewood United Viewpark Robertson Park 6th
Vale of Clyde Tollcross Fullarton Park 10th
Vale of Leven Alexandria Millburn Park 4th
Yoker Athletic Clydebank Holm Park 5th

Cup competitions

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The West Region organised several cup competitions for member clubs:

  • West of Scotland Cup: This was a knockout tournament for all West Region clubs. The competition originated as the Scottish Intermediate Cup in 1927–28 and was renamed The West of Scotland Cup following the ending of the Intermediate dispute in 1931.[8]
  • Sectional League Cup: Introduced for the 2018–19 season as a combination of the Central and Ayrshire sectional league cups, clubs competed in eight regional groups with the group winners progressing to the knockout stages.
  • Evening Times Champions Cup: This was a knockout tournament played at the end of the season between the winners of the four or five West Region league competitions during the preceding season. The champions of the Ayrshire District League and Central District Second Division played in a preliminary round tie with the winners of that game joining the other three clubs at the semi-final stage.[9] The Evening Times trophy was first presented in 1896–97 to the winners of the Glasgow Junior League and has been awarded to the winners of various competitions over the years. Between 2003 and 2012, the competition involved all ten league and cup winners in the West Region and was known as the Evening Times Cup Winners Cup.[10]

Pre-2018 competitions

  • Central League Cup. This was a knockout tournament for former Central Region clubs in the West Region. It was first played for in 1921–22 when known as the Glasgow Junior League Cup.
  • Ayrshire Cup. This was a knockout tournament for former Ayrshire Region clubs in the West Region. The tournament originated in 1889–90 as the Ayrshire Junior Challenge Cup and was won for the first three seasons by Glenbuck Cherrypickers.[11]
  • Central Sectional League Cup. This tournament was for former Central Region clubs and was the opening competition of the season. Clubs initially competed in eight groups (sections) with the group winners advancing to a knockout competition. Based geographically, the groups comprised the same clubs each season. Matches in the group stages were played under league rules so a player was not cup-tied by turning out for a particular club.
  • Ayrshire Sectional League Cup. This tournament was for former Ayrshire Region clubs. Clubs initially competed in four groups (sections) with group winners and runners up advancing to the knockout stages, otherwise the format was the same as that of the Central Sectional League Cup

Holders

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2018–19 winners unless stated.

Roll of Honour

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Season West Super League
Premier Division
West Super League
First Division
Ayrshire District League Central District League
First Division
Central District League
Second Division
2002–03 Pollok Arthurlie Lugar Boswell Thistle Kilsyth Rangers St Anthony's
2003–04 Kilwinning Rangers Bellshill Athletic Maybole Cambuslang Rangers Clydebank
2004–05 Pollok (2) Kilsyth Rangers Largs Thistle Vale of Clyde Lanark United
2005–06 Auchinleck Talbot Neilston Juniors Irvine Meadow Lesmahagow Blantyre Victoria
2006–07 Pollok (3) Irvine Meadow Kilbirnie Ladeside Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Ashfield
2007–08 Pollok (4) Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Hurlford United Port Glasgow Vale of Leven
2008–09 Irvine Meadow Largs Thistle Dalry Thistle Rutherglen Glencairn Blantyre Victoria
2009–10 Beith Juniors Rutherglen Glencairn Hurlford United Cumbernauld United Johnstone Burgh
2010–11 Irvine Meadow (2) Ashfield Ardrossan Winton Rovers Kilsyth Rangers Yoker Athletic
2011–12 Irvine Meadow (3) Glenafton Athletic Maybole Glasgow Perthshire Carluke Rovers
2012–13 Auchinleck Talbot (2) Hurlford United Kilwinning Rangers Greenock Juniors Cambuslang Rangers
2013–14 Auchinleck Talbot (3) Troon Irvine Victoria Neilston Juniors Blantyre Victoria
2014–15 Auchinleck Talbot (4) Pollok Ardrossan Winton Rovers Blantyre Victoria Rossvale
2015–16 Auchinleck Talbot (5) Cumnock Juniors Girvan Renfrew Forth Wanderers
2016–17 Glenafton Athletic Girvan Darvel Juniors Cambuslang Rangers Glasgow Perthshire
2017–18 Beith Juniors (2) Petershill Dalry Thistle Rossvale Royal Albert
Season West Premiership West Championship West League One West League Two
2018–19 Auchinleck Talbot (6) Rutherglen Glencairn Gartcairn Juniors Lanark United
2019–20[a] Auchinleck Talbot (7) Blantyre Victoria /
Darvel (shared)
Shettleston Johnstone Burgh
  1. ^ Season suspended in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Champions calculated using 'points per game' algorithm, announced on 21 April.[18][19]

References

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  1. ^ Pirie, Mark (15 April 2020). "Lanarkshire juniors exodus confirmed as ALL clubs revealed as part of West of Scotland League". Daily Record. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  2. ^ Junior clubs in the west are about to get the best of both worlds, The Scotsman, 19 April 2020
  3. ^ "Glasgow Junior League (overview)". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Lanarkshire Junior League". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  5. ^ Goldthorp, Craig (13 July 2017). "Junior football overhaul sees merger of Scotland's West and Ayrshire clubs". www.carlukegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  6. ^ Pirie, Mark (15 April 2020). "Lanarkshire juniors exodus confirmed as ALL clubs revealed as part of West of Scotland League". Daily Record. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  7. ^ Junior clubs in the west are about to get the best of both worlds, The Scotsman, 19 April 2020
  8. ^ "West of Scotland Junior Cup". Ants History. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  9. ^ Jim O'Donnell (26 July 2012). "Champions will battle to become talk of the Times". Evening Times.
  10. ^ "Evening Times Competitions". Ants History. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  11. ^ McGlone, David; McLure, Bill (1987). The Juniors - 100 Years. Edinburgh: Mainstream. p. 205. ISBN 1-85158-060-3.
  12. ^ Bark, Stephen (28 June 2018). "Beith lose out on penalties to Hurlford United". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  13. ^ McConnell, Stewart (28 June 2017). "Beith Juniors celebrate Champions Cup win after league triumph". Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  14. ^ Driver, Eric (28 June 2018). "Cumbernauld push Pollok all the way in League Cup final". Cumbernald News. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  15. ^ McConnell, Stewart (13 June 2018). "Kilwinning Rangers defeat Largs Thistle to land Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  16. ^ Robertson, Alan (6 November 2017). "Clydebank dump Pollok to lift Sectional League Cup and skipper insists glory is springboard for season". Daily Record. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  17. ^ Bark, Stephen (13 October 2017). "Next stop Banff in Scottish Cup journey for Glenafton Athletic after Ardagh Cup heartache". Cumnock Chronicle. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  18. ^ Auchinleck Talbot awarded Scottish junior title despite being 12 points off top, BBC Sport, 21 April 2020
  19. ^ Junior football chiefs explain reasoning behind controversial league winners decision, Daily Record, 21 April 2020
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