| Full name | 2nd Highland Light Infantry F.C. | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname | the H.L.I. | |
| Founded | 1886? | |
| Dissolved | 1939? | |
| Ground | Fort George | |
The2nd Highland Light Infantry F.C. was anassociation football club active up until theSecond World War.
The club was an army side, taken from theHighland Light Infantry (originally the74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot). The earliest records for the military side are from 1886, when the battalion was stationed in India.[1]
The side had some success at army level, winning theDurand Cup in India in 1889, 1890, 1893, 1894, and 1895 - the third consecutive win entitling the regiment to possession of the trophy outright.[2] On the battalion's return to the United Kingdom in 1900, it entered - and won - theArmy Challenge Cup and Military League.[3] It won the Aldershot Cup in 1901–02, having been finalists the previous season.[4][5]
It became a senior outfit in 1907–08 when stationed atFort George, joining theScottish Football Association.[6] It entered theHighland League andScottish Qualifying Cup for the first time that season. It lost 2–1 toInverness Thistle in the first round of the Qualifying Cup, but had a good debut League season, finishing 2nd of the seven clubs, albeit 6 points behind championsClachnacuddin.[7]
Its second and last season as a senior club however was less successful, as the battalion was re-deployed toCork in January 1909, replaced at Fort George by theSeaforth Highlanders.[8] The club therefore finished the Highland League at the bottom, albeit the club did earn a surprise 3–0 win atInverness Caledonian in the Qualifying Cup,[9] losing to Clachnacuddin in the second round. It was duly struck from the Scottish FA roll at the start of the 1909–10 season[10] and never re-joined the association. On a return to the area, the H.L.I. won theNorth Caledonian League (playing mostly against Highland League reserve sides) in 1937–38 and 1938–39.[11]
The club wore white jerseys with a tartan sash, and dark shorts and stockings; the regiment used the Mackenzie tartan.[12]
The club's ground during its run as a senior club in Scotland was at its Fort George barracks nearInverness.[13] One issue was the club could not use the ground for Cup ties and had to play them all away from home, regardless of draw.
