30-622: The Midlands Football League is a junior football league based in the Tayside area of Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the Scottish football league system , acting as a feeder to the Highland Football League . Founded in 2021, the inaugural season was contested by 19 clubs, largely from those who still remained in the SJFA East Region from the previous season. Geographically,
60-534: A Junior Cup Final is 77,650 for the 1951 final between Petershill and Irvine Meadow XI . In 2010, Linlithgow Rose lifted the Scottish Junior Cup for the fourth time in their history and third in a decade. They now join a small group of teams that have managed to lift the cup more than three times. The cup's long-term sponsor, the OVD Rum company, which, as of 2006, had an eighteen-year-long association with
90-598: A fully-integrated level below the Highland League from 2021–22. West Region (Divisions and cups) Scottish Junior Football Association The Scottish Junior Football Association ( SJFA ) is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the junior grade of football in Scotland . The term "junior" refers to the level of football played, not
120-621: A number of its proposals rejected at SJFA meetings, seceded from the SJFA in 1907 but returned a year later. Further disputes occurred in 1922 over "poaching" clubs and, in 1927, the GJFA was instrumental in the Intermediate dispute which split the SJFA for four seasons. The record number of clubs to enter the Junior Cup was 412 in 1922–23. The local associations continued to run their leagues until 1968, when
150-506: Is Scotland's national 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 and the first season's Junior Cup saw 39 clubs take part. Junior football had existed since
180-550: Is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association . The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA on the 2nd October 1886 and, as of the 2023–24 edition, 112 teams compete in the tournament. The cup has an unseeded knockout format with no replays, semi-finals played over two legs, and the final usually played at a neutral venue of an SPFL club. Since
210-420: Is open to all member clubs of Scottish Junior Football Association, and all clubs in tier 6 and below in the Scottish pyramid system on payment of entry fee, subject to the approval of the committee. Matches which are tied after 90 minutes proceed directly to penalty kicks , and semi-finals take place over two legs. Prior to the 2020–21 season, drawn matches were replayed. The Cup has been competed for since
240-459: The 1886–87 season , when Fairfield Govan became the first winners. The SJFA purchased an exact replica in 2007, to replace the original which was showing its age. Auchinleck Talbot are the most successful club, winning the trophy 14 times to date, including three times in a row from 1986 to 1988 and 2018 to 2022 (no team won in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic ). The record attendance for
270-553: The 2006–07 season, the winner of the Junior Cup Final has qualified for the following season's senior Scottish Cup . The competition is named the Clydebuilt Home Improvements Scottish Junior Cup for sponsorship reasons. Darvel are the current holders, having defeated Arthurlie 2–1 in the final on 2 June 2024 at Broadwood Stadium to win the trophy for the first time. The competition
300-639: The North Caledonian League the East of Scotland Football League , the South of Scotland Football League and the West 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
330-544: The SJFA East Region announced the fixtures for the 2021–22 season straight away on 21 June, with 19 clubs shown as league members, Dundee St James and Letham being new clubs in addition to all members of the 2020–21 East Premiership North . On 5 July 2021, it was announced that subject to SFA approval, the Midlands league would be joined at Tier 6 by the SJFA North Superleague and North Caledonian League to form
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#1732851283960360-528: The 2015–16 season, Linlithgow Rose became the first junior team to reach the last 16 of the Scottish Cup after beating Forfar Athletic . (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
390-566: 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 the Scottish football league system , with a play-off enabling promotion to the Highland League for clubs with an SFA licence. There was previously a West Region league system which contained 63 clubs at the end of the 2019–20 season, prior to its members leaving
420-454: The Juniors to join a new West of Scotland Football League in the senior pyramid . 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 the East of Scotland Football League ahead of the 2018–19 season, with a further 20 clubs making the move over
450-527: The Midlands League) had existed in the region since 1969. It was formed as one of the six new regions of the SJFA in part of a wider restructure of Scottish junior football, bringing several local junior leagues from the area together. It operated until 2002 when it merged with the Fife League and the East (Lothians) League to form a new larger East Region. From 2017, most of the East Region clubs departed
480-487: The Non-Professional Game Board alongside other organisations such as the East of Scotland Football League , South of Scotland Football League and Scottish Amateur Football Association . 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
510-772: 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 the Scottish Professional Football League (until 2013 divided into the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League ), as well as the six senior non-leagues: the Highland Football League , the Lowland Football League ,
540-2046: The SJFA after moving leagues. East Region (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 Region (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 , West Calder United West of Scotland League (52) Ardeer Thistle, Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Arthurlie, Ashfield, Auchinleck Talbot , Beith Juniors, Belshill Athletic, Benburb , Blantyre Victoria, Cambuslang Rangers, Carluke Rovers, Craigmark Burntonians, Cumbernauld United, Cumnock Juniors , Dalry Thistle, Darvel , East Kilbride Thistle, Gartcairn, Glasgow Perthshire, Glasgow United, Glenafton Athletic, Greenock, Hurlford United, Irvine Meadow XI , 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 , St. Anthony's, St. Roch's, Saltcoats Victoria, Shotts Bon Accord, Thorniewood United, Troon, Vale of Clyde, Vale of Leven, Wishaw, Yoker Athletic Note Club with an SFA Licence Currently there are two regional junior league systems:
570-437: 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
600-599: The age of the players. The closest equivalent terminology would be non-League football in England , the difference being that junior football in Scotland was not similarly integrated into its football league system until 2021. Founded in 1886, the SJFA is responsible for disciplinary matters within the grade, certain player registration procedures and organising the annual Scottish Junior Cup . Other league and cup competitions are organised by regional committees. The association headquarters are at Hampden Park , Glasgow , which
630-403: The competition, withdrew their backing before the start of the 2006–07 competition. Unlike most other sponsored contests whose names change often, OVD had become so ingrained into the Scottish Junior Cup that it was often simply referred to as the "OVD Junior Cup". The Scottish Junior Football Association announced in 2006 that they would provide the sponsorship and prize money themselves, meaning
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#1732851283960660-481: 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 between Arthurlie and Pollok , and Cumnock Juniors vs. Auchinleck Talbot ) can attract attendances in
690-494: The cup would be known simply as the Scottish Junior Cup . A new sponsor was found during the 2006–07 competition for the semi-finals and final - Scottish Citylink , a long-distance coach operator. The competition was sponsored by Emirates between 2009 and 2013. The tournament was without a sponsor in 2013–14, with Barr Construction sponsoring the final only, then the SJFA entered a partnership with Dementia Scotland for
720-538: 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. Gradually, a number of junior leagues grew in strength — particularly in Glasgow, where leading clubs drew large crowds. The Glasgow Junior FA, having seen
750-507: The junior ranks to join the senior East of Scotland League which was part of the pyramid with promotion to the Lowland League , including some former Tayside teams from Perthshire. By 2020, there were only 30 teams left in the East Region, which was restructured into two regional leagues of North and South. At the end of the season, all of the South teams (mostly from West Lothian) departed to join
780-470: The league covers Angus , Perth and Kinross , Dundee and Fife (all East Region clubs based further south already having left the SJFA to join the East of Scotland Football League over the previous five years). The winners take part in an end-of-season promotion play-off with the SJFA North Superleague and North Caledonian League champions, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria. The Tayside Junior Football League (originally named
810-560: The next three years. 19 clubs playing 36 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot to Highland League 14 clubs playing 26 games ↑ 1 promotion playoff spot to Highland League ↓ 2 relegation spots 16 clubs playing 30 games ↑ 4 promotion spots 1945–1951 1912–1922 1922–1929 1926–1929 1892–1897 1897–1898 1929–1941 1945–1968 1968–2002 2002–2021 1904–1922 1892–1922 1904–1922 1893–1915 1913–1919 1919–1921 1921–1968 1968–2002 1919–1921 1908–1922 Scottish Junior Cup The Scottish Junior Cup
840-511: The senior ranks, leaving only the North teams (former Tayside Junior members) remaining which went on to join the pyramid system underneath the Highland League. On 1 April 2021, the Scottish Junior Football Association stated their aim to establish a Midlands League for the 2021–22 season at Tier 6 of the Scottish football pyramid. Although there was no official announcement of the league's formation,
870-458: The six regions "merging" to create a three-pronged regional league setup consisting of East, North, and West regions (see "Organisation and regions"). Since the 2007–08 season , up to four Junior sides have been able to qualify for the Scottish Cup . The four teams are the three Superleague winners ( West , East and North ) and the Scottish Junior Cup winners, all from the previous season. In
900-516: 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: East Region (19 clubs), North Region (33 clubs) in SJFA-administered leagues, as well as 52 West of Scotland League and 8 East of Scotland League teams who have retained their membership or rejoined
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