Scottish Junior Football Association

Founded	1886 (140 years ago) (1886)
Headquarters	Hampden Park,Glasgow
Chief Operating Officer	Alex McDowall[1]
Website	http://www.scottishjuniorfa.com/

TheScottish Junior Football Association (SJFA) is an affiliated national association of theScottish Football Association and is the governing body for the junior grade offootball inScotland. The term "junior" refers to the level of football played, not the age of the players.^[2][3][4] The closest equivalent terminology would benon-League football inEngland, the difference being that junior football in Scotland was not similarly integrated into itsfootball league system until 2021.

Founded in 1886, the SJFA is responsible for disciplinary matters within the grade, certain player registration procedures and organising the annualScottish Junior Cup. Other league and cup competitions are organised by regional committees. The association headquarters are atHampden Park,Glasgow, which is Scotland'snational football stadium. There was an earlier Scottish Junior FA, which was founded in Glasgow in October 1880. This body also ran a Scottish Junior Cup competition during 1880–81 season but appears to have disbanded at the end of that season.

The SJFA was formed in Glasgow on 2 October 1886^[5] and the first season's Junior Cup saw 39 clubs take part.^[6] Junior football had existed since the early 1880s, initially as separate local associations across Scotland for clubs not in membership of the SFA. This new national association acted as an umbrella for these local junior associations, as well as establishing the Scottish Junior Cup, a national cup competition. The first three winners of the Scottish Junior Cup all joined the SFA and stepped up to senior level.^[7] Gradually, a number of junior leagues grew in strength — particularly in Glasgow, where leading clubs drew large crowds. The Glasgow Junior FA, having seen a number of its proposals rejected at SJFA meetings, seceded from the SJFA in 1907 but returned a year later.^[8] Further disputes occurred in 1922 over "poaching" clubs and, in 1927, the GJFA was instrumental in theIntermediate dispute which split the SJFA for four seasons. The record number of clubs to enter the Junior Cup was 412 in 1922–23.^[9]

The local associations continued to run their leagues until 1968, when the SJFA instituted major reforms. This first phase of regionalisation removed the need for the many local associations, replacing them instead with six regional committees. These six regions — Ayrshire, Central, East, Fife, Tayside and North — still exist, to a certain extent, as divisions in the national league structure and as operators of certain cup competitions.

The last major league reform took place in 2002, with the six regions "merging" to create a three-pronged regional league setup consisting of East, North, and West regions (see "Organisation and regions").

Since the2007–08 season, up to four Junior sides have been able to qualify for theScottish Cup. The four teams are the three Superleague winners (West,East andNorth) and the Scottish Junior Cup winners, all from the previous season.^[10] In the 2015–16 season,Linlithgow Rose became the first junior team to reach the last 16 of the Scottish Cup after beatingForfar Athletic.^[11] (see "Juniors in the Scottish Cup").

In 2011, the Scottish Football Association created two new operational boards, Professional and Non-Professional, to provide more focused governance in these differing areas of the game. Junior football is represented on the Non-Professional Game Board alongside other organisations such as theEast of Scotland Football League,South of Scotland Football League andScottish Amateur Football Association.^[12]

The term "junior" does not relate to the age of players. Football for young players is generally known as "Youth" (up to Under-19) or "Juvenile" (which is to Under-21 level) football. In the late 19th century, membership of the SFA conferred "senior" status on a club and the junior grade developed outside the SFA framework. Today, the senior grade of football in Scotland is played in theScottish Professional Football League (until 2013 divided into theScottish Premier League and theScottish Football League), as well as the six senior non-leagues: theHighland Football League, theLowland Football League, theNorth Caledonian League theEast of Scotland Football League, theSouth of Scotland Football League and theWest of Scotland Football League. Over time, as various local football associations and leagues — both junior and senior — have risen in strength, or in some cases disappeared completely. Scottish football developed its current pattern with either junior or senior non-leagues taking precedence in various parts of the country with some occasional overlap. Nowadays, membership of the SJFA automatically confers on a club registered membership of the SFA; however, junior and senior non-league clubs still play in separate competitions.

Despite the lesser media coverage the juniors get, many of the club sides are fairly popular, and some of the bigger games (such as the local derbies betweenArthurlie andPollok, andCumnock Juniors vs.Auchinleck Talbot) can attract attendances in the thousands. Crowds were far bigger in the past (76,000 for the Junior Cup Final in 1951, with nearly 90,000 watching the semi-finals (including a replay) compared to the level of support attracted now.

The SJFA has 112 member clubs, comprising:Midlands League (19 clubs),North of Scotland League (33 clubs) in SJFA-administered leagues, as well as 52West of Scotland League and 8East of Scotland League teams who have retained their membership or rejoined the SJFA after moving leagues.^[13]

Midlands League (19)

Arbroath Victoria, Blairgowrie, Brechin Victoria, Broughty Athletic, Carnoustie Panmure, Coupar Angus, Downfield, Dundee North End, Dundee St. James, Dundee Violet, East Craigie, Forfar United, Forfar West End, Kirriemuir Thistle, Letham, Lochee Harp, Lochee United, Scone Thistle, Tayport

North of Scotland League (33)

Aberdeen East End, Aberdeen University, Banchory St Ternan, Banks O' Dee Juniors, Bridge of Don Thistle, Buchanhaven Hearts, Buckie Rovers, Burghead Thistle, Colony Park, Cruden Bay, Culter, Deveronside, Dufftown, Dyce, Ellon United, Forres Thistle, Fraserburgh United, Glentanar, Hall Russell United, Hermes, Islavale, Longside, Lossiemouth United, Maud, Montrose Roselea, Nairn St Ninian, New Elgin, Newmachar United, Rothie Rovers, Stonehaven, Stoneywood Parkvale, Sunnybank, Whitehills

East of Scotland League (8)

Armadale Thistle, Bathgate Thistle, Harthill Royal, Livingston United, Pumpherston, Stoneyburn, Syngenta^[SFA], West Calder United

West of Scotland League (52)

Ardeer Thistle, Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Arthurlie, Ashfield, Auchinleck Talbot^[SFA], Beith Juniors, Belshill Athletic, Benburb^[SFA], Blantyre Victoria, Cambuslang Rangers, Carluke Rovers, Craigmark Burntonians, Cumbernauld United, Cumnock Juniors^[SFA], Dalry Thistle, Darvel^[SFA], East Kilbride Thistle, Gartcairn, Glasgow Perthshire, Glasgow United, Glenafton Athletic, Greenock, Hurlford United, Irvine Meadow XI^[SFA], Irvine Victoria, Johnstone Burgh, Kilbirnie Ladeside, Kilsyth Rangers, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, Lanark United, Largs Thistle, Larkhall Thistle, Lesmahagow, Lugar Boswell Thistle, Maryhill, Maybole, Muirkirk, Newmains United, Petershill, Rossvale, Royal Albert, Rutherglen Glencairn^[SFA], St. Anthony's, St. Roch's, Saltcoats Victoria, Shotts Bon Accord, Thorniewood United, Troon, Vale of Clyde, Vale of Leven, Wishaw, Yoker Athletic

Note

^SFA Club with an SFA Licence^[14]

Currently there are two regional junior league systems: the East Region with a single division and the North Region with two divisions. The top division of each region sits at tier 6 of theScottish football league system, with a play-off enabling promotion to theHighland League for clubs with an SFA licence.

There was previously aWest Region league system which contained 63 clubs at the end of the 2019–20 season, prior to its members leaving the Juniors to join a newWest of Scotland Football League in thesenior pyramid.^[15][16] 53 of those clubs kept their membership of the SJFA in order to enter the Scottish Junior Cup. A similar move had also greatly reduced the East Region's membership two years earlier when 25 clubs joined theEast of Scotland Football League ahead of the 2018–19 season,^[17] with a further 20 clubs making the move over the next three years.

As well as the local leagues, there are a number of local cup competitions competed for; however, the biggest competition is theScottish Junior Cup, which every junior club competes for annually, with the final generally held at the end of May. This cup was established in 1886. The final broadcast live on BBC Alba. The cup's sponsor for 18 years, until the start of the 2006–07 season, was OVD Demerara Rum, replaced at the semi-final stage of the2006–07 competition by Scottish coach operatorCitylink. The airlineEmirates sponsored the tournament from 2009–2013^[18] and ETHX Energy was the sponsor for 2015–16.^[19] The current tournament sponsor isMacron.^[20]

The first attempt by theScottish Football Association to allow Junior representation in theScottish Cup was voted down in June 2005.^[21] In June 2007 however, the SFA did approve changes to the way that all non-league clubs entered the Scottish Cup. The North and SouthQualifying Cups for full and associate member clubs in non-league football, which had both sent their four semi-finalists into the main competition, were scrapped and all these clubs now qualified automatically for the first round. In addition, the winners of theEast of Scotland Football League,South of Scotland Football League and top two clubs in theHighland Football League all received a bye to the second round, even if that club was only a registered member of the SFA.

Further to this move, allowing registered member clubs to qualify for the Scottish Cup for the first time, it was announced that the winners of theScottish Junior Cup,North Superleague,East Superleague andWest of Scotland Super League Premier Division would qualify for the first round.^[22] This process has continued with the winners of theScottish Amateur Cup qualifying for the first round from 2015 onwards.^[23]Girvan still qualified for the Scottish Cup from 2007 as a result of their historic full membership of the SFA. In 2014, they were joined as annual entrants to the competition byBanks O' Dee andLinlithgow Rose who achieved the SFA National Club Licensing criteria.^{[citation needed]} Girvan themselves were awarded a National Club License in June 2016.^[24]

If a Junior club does a "double" by winning their respective Superleague championship and the Junior Cup, runners-up do not qualify and the Juniors are only represented by three qualifying entrants. This occurred in the2007–08 Scottish Cup which was the first competition since the changes asLinlithgow Rose had won both league and cup. Rose performed the best of all three Junior qualifiers in this inaugural season, reaching the fourth round before losing to eventual finalists,Queen of the South. Of the other early entrants,Pollok defeatedSt Cuthbert Wanderers before takingMontrose to a replay in Glasgow, watched by 1,873 spectators. North championsCulter defeated twoEast of Scotland League clubs before losing toHighland League sideHuntly in the third round.

In the2008–09 competition,Banks O' Dee achieved the first double figure scoreline by a Junior club, with a 10–0 defeat of Highland LeagueFort William.^[25] This was bettered in the2016–17 cup byBonnyrigg Rose Athletic, whose 14–0 defeat ofBurntisland Shipyard remains the largest margin of victory by a Junior side in the competition.^[26]

Irvine Meadow became the first Junior side to knock out Scottish Football League opposition in 2009, defeatingArbroath in the third round and became the first side to face Premier League opposition when they drewHibernian in the next round.^[27]Linlithgow Rose's defeat ofForfar Athletic in the2015–16 competition saw them become the first Junior side to reach the fifth round.^[28] In 2016-17 Bonnyrigg defeatedScottish Championship sideDumbarton away from home in the third Round.

In the intervening years, Junior clubs have had reasonable success with several clubs defeating Scottish Football League opposition. These results are listed below:

Irvine Meadow vArbroath

28 November 2009	Irvine Meadow	1−0	Arbroath	Irvine
	Barr 36'	Report		Stadium:Meadow Park Attendance: 1,150

Albion Rovers vSunnybank

23 October 2010	Albion Rovers	0−1	Sunnybank	Coatbridge
15:00		Report	10' Gordon	Stadium:Cliftonhill Stadium Attendance: 357

Bo'ness United vQueen's Park

23 October 2010	Bo'ness United	2−1	Queen's Park	Bo'ness
	Fleming 45' (pen.) Shields 75'	Report	9' Brough	Stadium:Newtown Park Attendance: 1,271

Bo'ness United vElgin City

8 November 2014	Bo'ness United	5−4	Elgin City	Bo'ness
	Gribben 4',31' Snowdon 17' Campbell 65' Walker 77'	Report	11' (pen.),42'Sutherland 72' Nicolson 88'Andrews	Stadium:Newtown Park Attendance: 1,280

Forfar Athletic vLinlithgow Rose

26 January 2016	Forfar Athletic	0−1 (a.e.t.)	Linlithgow Rose	Forfar
		Report	115'Kelbie	Stadium:Station Park Attendance: 1,168

Dumbarton vBonnyrigg Rose

6 December 2016	Dumbarton	0–1	Bonnyrigg Rose	Dumbarton
19:45		Flashscores.com	Nelson 86'	Stadium:Dumbarton Football Stadium Attendance: 632

Auchinleck Talbot vAyr United

19 January 2019	Auchinleck Talbot	1–0	Ayr United	Auchinleck
12:15	McCracken 78'	Report		Stadium:Beechwood Park Attendance: 3,100 Referee: Euan Anderson

Auchinleck Talbot vCove Rangers

19 October 2019	Auchinleck Talbot	1–0	Cove Rangers	Auchinleck
14:30	Hyslop 88'	[29]		Stadium:Beechwood Park Attendance: 750 Referee: Kevin Graham

Scotland Juniors

Head coach	Keith Burgess
Captain	Craig Pettigrew
Mostcaps	Bert McNab (12)
Top scorer	George Wilson (7) Dennis Gray (7)
Firstcolours
First international
Scotland 10–1 England (Hamilton,Scotland; 11 May 1889)
Biggest win
Scotland 11–0 Ireland (Glasgow,Scotland; 15 February 1890)
Biggest defeat
England 5–0 Scotland (Wolverhampton,England; 9 April 1927)

Juniors also play internationally, with the best players being picked to play for the Scottish Junior international team against other countries' non-league select teams. TheUmbro-sponsoredJunior International Quadrangular Tournament takes place every two years and is contested between teams from Scotland, theRepublic of Ireland,Northern Ireland and theIsle of Man.^[30] The tournament is hosted in turn by each country, with matches taking place at the larger junior grounds in the host country, such as Dunterlie Park,Pollok's Newlandsfield andPetershill Park when the tournament was held in Scotland in 2005.^{[citation needed]} The team's most capped player is Bert McNab, ofPetershill, who won 12 caps between 1951 and 1955.^[31][32]

The team have been led since 2008 by formerGlenrothes,Tayport andKelty manager, Keith Burgess.^[33][34]

After the formation of the Scottish Junior Football Association in 1886, officials began to explore opportunities for representative international matches. On receipt of a £17 guarantee, the Lancashire Junior League in England agreed to raise a team, and on 11 May 1889 the first junior international was played atDouglas Park,Hamilton, with Scotland winning 10–1. A return fixture could not be arranged as the Lancashire league could not provide a sufficient guarantee.^[35]

On 15 February 1890, Scotland played their first match against Ireland atHibernian Park, Glasgow.^[36] The 11–0 scoreline in the hosts' favour remains a record victory for the Scottish Junior international team. This fixture did become an annual event, and on 14 February 1891 the team travelled toBelfast for their first away match, a 1–1 draw at Ulsterville, the home ofLinfield.^[37]

In 1894, games against England resumed with a fixture againstBirmingham & District Counties F.A. in Leamington. These games continued untilWorld War II, then were revived for a short period in the 1970s. Scotland suffered a record 5–0 defeat in the 1927 fixture atMolineux,Wolverhampton.^[38]Games against Wales began in 1912 with a fixture against a representative side of the North Wales Coast F.A, the first game taking place inBangor on 13 April, Scotland winning 2–1.^[39]

In 1920, the Scottish Junior international side created history by being the first representative football side from Scotland to undertake a foreign tour. In June, a party of 13 players and three officials visitedNorway and played three games each inStavanger andBergen.^[40][41] Thefull Scottish national side did not play a match outwith the British Isles until 1929 when they also travelled to Norway.

A game against theIrish Free State was played on 9 March 1929 inDublin with Scotland winning 2–1 but regular games against a Republic of Ireland side did not begin until 1947. The first game in this series was played atDalymount Park,Dublin on 25 May, with Scotland winning 3–2.^[42]

In September 1975, the team travelled toOsnabrück,West Germany, to play three matches against aBAOR Select side, winning two of the games.^[43]

The number of games against the different home nations has varied in regularity over the years. From 1958 until 1967, Northern Ireland were Scotland's only opponents, while in the 1970s there was an eight-year gap between the two sides meeting. Currently, games against England and Wales are in abeyance, and the team contest the biannual Quadrangular Tournament with friendly and testimonial matches arranged intermittently in the intervening seasons.

The following players were selected for theJunior International Quadrangular Tournament which was held inGlasgow, from 11–14 October 2017.^[44]

The following list, with one exception, notes players who all went on to gain full international honours forScotland after winning junior international caps,^[45] the junior club with which they played at the time and the year of their junior cap.^[46][47]

Bob Foyers was a member of the team which played the first ever Scotland Junior international fixture in May 1889, and after joiningSt Bernard's the following year, became the first dual Junior/Senior international in 1893 when capped againstWales.^[48]

Harry Rennie earned his Junior cap as a defender and signed forMorton as such, but became a goalkeeper aged 23 in 1897 and won ten Senior caps in his new position.^[49]

The highest number of players from a Junior international match to go on to win Senior caps is four. In April 1896,Hugh Morgan,Willie Muir,Tommy Low andBobby Walker, helped Scotland defeat England 4–0 atAston Villa'sWellington Road ground. A further six players from the team also stepped up to Senior football.

The one exception noted on the list isPaul Wilson. The formerCeltic forward was capped in 1980 after his Senior career while turning out forBlantyre Celtic, alongside another former Celt and dual international,Jimmy Johnstone.^[50]

Two players also received full caps for other nations after playing for Scotland Juniors:Archie Blue forAustralia andTommy O'Hara for theUnited States.

¹Round-robin tournament format used from 2000–01 onwards.

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