The Central Junior Football League was a football league competition operated under the Scottish Junior Football Association between 1931 and 2002, with an expansion of its membership in 1968.[1][2]

Covering the Greater Glasgow area and also including teams in Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire from the outset, the Central league was created following the Intermediate dispute raised in 1927 by many of the Junior teams in relation to compensation payments for their players moving to Scottish Football League clubs, which in that era was a very common route of progression into the top professional level (whereas towards the end of the 20th century the Senior clubs would typically develop young players within their own youth systems, with Junior squads usually consisting of players of various ages who had been deemed not quite good enough for the professional level, and moving up from Junior to Senior being more the exception than the norm as in the past). The dispute lasted four years, with none of the teams from the powerful Glasgow Junior Football League entering the Scottish Junior Cup and instead playing in separate competitions. In 1931 these teams returned to the SJFA and the Central league was created,[1] although notes from its 1932 AGM stated that it was the 32nd such meeting, suggesting that internally it was considered a continuation of the pre-1927 GJL.[3] The Scottish Intermediate Cup was retained but re-designated the West of Scotland Junior Cup which has survived to the present day.

The Central League continued to provide many finalists in the Scottish Junior Cup, although its membership was somewhat weakened in the 1960s when several teams who had been successful in the GJL era (primarily Parkhead, Strathclyde and Shawfield) folded, due in part to changes of the urban environment in which they had drawn their support, with traditional communities being rebuilt and many residents rehomed in new peripheral estates or new towns outside the city. Clydebank also left to become a senior club.

A reorganisation of the Junior level across Scotland in 1968 resulted in the Lanarkshire Junior Football League, which had existed since 1891 but had never been as successful as the Glasgow and Central leagues which instead drew the best Lanarkshire teams away into their setup, was fully integrated into the new Central 'region', one of six in the country.[2] In that period, Cambuslang Rangers (coincidentally one of those members based in Lanarkshire but always affiliated with Glasgow leagues) were the strongest club, but their dominance faded after the mid-1970s.

From the 1968 merger until 1982, a three-division setup was in operation, organised on merit (i.e. a hierarchy with promotion and relegation between them, rather than three sections of equal prominence split geographically) but with an end-of-season playoff between the three divisional winners to determine the overall champion who claimed the Evening Times Trophy,[4][5] resulting in six of those fourteen seasons being won by the 'B Division' winners, and one – 1979–80 – in which the 'C Division' winners, Blantyre Victoria, were declared champions, although the format of the Evening Times Trophy had been amended to the Cup Winners' Cup a year earlier. In the next two seasons, Pollok then Lesmahagow were both overall champions and Evening Times Trophy winners before the playoffs were discontinued and the 1982–83 'A Division' winners were automatically declared the champions.[4][6] This system then remained in place until 2002,[2] when the Central region (in which Pollok had become the dominant force) was merged with the Ayrshire Junior Football League that had become increasingly strong in the 1990s in terms of supplying Scottish Junior Cup finalists, to form the Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region, one of three large regions. At the end of the 2019–20 season – which was curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic – all 63 West Region clubs left the SJFA setup to join a new West of Scotland Football League in the Senior pyramid,[7][8] bringing 125 years of Junior league football in the region (including the intermediate years) to an end.

Champions

1931–1968 era

Key:

Club also won the Scottish Junior Cup[9][10] (doubles in bold).
Club were also runners-up in the Scottish Junior Cup.[9][10]
Season[1] Winner Runner-up[a] Other member in Scottish Cup final[9][10]
1931–32 Shawfield Yoker Athletic Glasgow Perthshire
1932–33 Petershill Strathclyde Yoker Athletic
1933–34 Rutherglen Glencairn Yoker Athletic Benburb
1934–35 Clydebank Juniors Renfrew Petershill
1935–36 Blantyre Victoria Morton Juniors Yoker Athletic
1936–37 Arthurlie Shawfield Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
1937–38 Morton Juniors Cambuslang Rangers Benburb
1938–39 Petershill Cambuslang Rangers Rutherglen Glencairn
1939–40[11] Petershill Strathclyde Maryhill
1940–41 Clydebank Juniors Blantyre Victoria Glasgow Perthshire
1941–42 Clydebank Juniors Maryhill Harp Vale of Clyde
1942–43 Rutherglen Glencairn Benburb Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
1943–44 St Roch's Clydebank Juniors Glasgow Perthshire
1944–45 Clydebank Juniors Petershill Cambuslang Rangers
1945–46 Arthurlie Blantyre Celtic
1946–47 Vale of Leven Petershill Shawfield
1947–48 Kilsyth Rangers Pollok
1948–49 Blantyre Celtic Clydebank Juniors Petershill
1949–50 Clydebank Juniors Petershill Blantyre Victoria
1950–51 Duntocher Hibernian Benburb Petershill
1951–52 Petershill Bellshill Athletic
1952–53 Ashfield Clydebank Juniors Vale of Leven
1953–54 Kilsyth Rangers Benburb
1954–55 Ashfield Petershill Kilsyth Rangers
1955–56 Petershill Parkhead
1956–57 Kilsyth Rangers St Roch's
1957–58 Duntocher Hibernian Parkhead
1958–59 Johnstone Burgh Ashfield Shettleston
1959–60 Baillieston Juniors Shettleston Greenock Juniors
1960–61 Greenock Juniors Maryhill Harp Cambuslang Rangers
1961–62 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Shettleston Renfrew
1962–63 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Shettleston
1963–64 Petershill Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Cambuslang Rangers
1964–65 Johnstone Burgh Shettleston Baillieston Juniors
1965–66 Greenock Juniors Cambuslang Rangers
1966–67 Rutherglen Glencairn Cambuslang Rangers Kilsyth Rangers
1967–68 Johnstone Burgh Petershill

1968–2002 era

Key:

Club also won the Scottish Junior Cup[10] (doubles in bold).
Club were also runners-up in the Scottish Junior Cup.[10]
Season[2] Winner Runner-up[a] Other member in Scottish Cup final[10]
1968–69[b] Petershill[c] Pollok[d] Cambuslang Rangers
1969–70 Vale of Leven[e] Renfrew[d] Blantyre Victoria
1970–71 Cambuslang Rangers[f] Cumbernauld United[g]
1971–72 Cambuslang Rangers[h] St Roch's[i]
1972–73 Cambuslang Rangers[h] St Roch's[j]
1973–74 Cambuslang Rangers[h] Maryhill[j]
1974–75 East Kilbride Thistle[k] Larkhall Thistle[l] Rutherglen Glencairn
1975–76 East Kilbride Thistle[k] Port Glasgow[m]
1976–77 Glasgow Perthshire[n] Shettleston[o] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
1977–78 Cumbernauld United[p] Lesmahagow[o] Stonehouse Violet
1978–79 Pollok[q] Port Glasgow[r]
1979–80 Blantyre Victoria[s] East Kilbride Thistle[t] Baillieston Juniors
1980–81 Pollok[u] Blantyre Victoria[j] Arthurlie
1981–82 Lesmahagow[s] East Kilbride Thistle[v] Blantyre Victoria
1982–83 Petershill Baillieston Juniors East Kilbride Thistle
1983–84 Petershill Pollok Baillieston Juniors
1984–85 Pollok Yoker Athletic Petershill
1985–86 Pollok Kilsyth Rangers
1986–87 Pollok Baillieston Juniors
1987–88 Arthurlie Kilsyth Rangers Petershill
1988–89 Arthurlie Pollok
1989–90 Petershill Pollok Lesmahagow
1990–91 Pollok Arthurlie
1991–92 Lesmahagow Petershill
1992–93 Petershill Pollok
1993–94 Arthurlie Lesmahagow
1994–95 Pollok Arthurlie
1995–96 Pollok Petershill
1996–97 Maryhill Pollok
1997–98 Shotts Bon Accord Maryhill Arthurlie
1998–99 Maryhill Pollok
1999–2000 Benburb Pollok Johnstone Burgh
2000–01 Arthurlie Benburb Renfrew
2001–02 Johnstone Burgh Larkhall Thistle

Notes

  1. ^ a b In some seasons, this was the losing finalist in a playoff between two section winners.
  2. ^ Denotes overall champion (Evening Times Trophy winner) and losing finalist after playoffs involving A, B and C Division winners.
  3. ^ Petershill were also A Division winners.
  4. ^ a b Shotts Bon Accord were A Division runners-up.
  5. ^ Renfrew were A Division winners.
  6. ^ Cumbernauld United were A Division winners.
  7. ^ Petershill were A Division runners-up.
  8. ^ a b c Cambuslang Rangers were also A Division winners.
  9. ^ Pollok were A Division runners-up.
  10. ^ a b c East Kilbride Thistle were A Division runners-up.
  11. ^ a b East Kilbride Thistle were also A Division winners.
  12. ^ Johnstone Burgh were A Division runners-up.
  13. ^ Shettleston were A Division runners-up.
  14. ^ Shettleston were A Division winners.
  15. ^ a b Kirkintilloch Rob Roy were A Division runners-up.
  16. ^ Lesmahagow were A Division winners.
  17. ^ Port Glasgow were A Division winners.
  18. ^ Renfrew were A Division runners-up.
  19. ^ a b East Kilbride Thistle were A Division winners.
  20. ^ Glasgow Perthshire were A Division runners-up.
  21. ^ Pollok were also A Division winners.
  22. ^ Larkhall Thistle were A Division runners-up.

List of winners

Club[1][2] 1931–1968 era 1968–2002 era Overall
Win R-up First win Last win Win R-up First win Last win Win R-up
Petershill 6 5 1932–33 1963–64 5[a] 2[b] 1968–69 1992–93 11[a] 7[b]
Pollok 0 1 N/A 8[a] 8[b] 1978–79 1994–95 8[a] 8[b]
Arthurlie 2 0 1936–37 1945–46 4 2 1987–88 2000–01 6 2
Clydebank Juniors 5 3 1934–35 1949–50 0 0 N/A 5 3
Cambuslang Rangers 0 4 N/A 4 0 1970–71 1973–74 4 4
Johnstone Burgh 3 0 1958–59 1967–68 1 0[b] 2001–02 4 0[b]
Kilsyth Rangers 3 0 1947–48 1956–57 0 2 N/A 3 2
Rutherglen Glencairn 3 0 1933–34 1966–67 0 0 N/A 3 0
East Kilbride Thistle 0 0 N/A 2[c] 2[d] 1974–75 1975–76 2[c] 2[d]
Maryhill 0 0 N/A 2 2 1996–97 1998–99 2 2
Lesmahagow 0 0 N/A 2[a] 2 1981–82 1991–92 2[a] 2
Blantyre Victoria 1 1 1935–36 1 1 1979–80 2 2
Ashfield 2 1 1952–53 1954–55 0 0 N/A 2 1
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 2 1 1961–62 1962–63 0 0[e] N/A 2 1[e]
Vale of Leven 1 0 1946–47 1 0 1969–70 2 0
Greenock Juniors 2 0 1960–61 1965–66 0 0 N/A 2 0
Duntocher Hibernian 2 0 1950–51 1957–58 0 0 N/A 2 0
Benburb 0 3 N/A 1 1 1999–2000 1 4
St Roch's 1 1 1943–44 0 2 N/A 1 3
Baillieston Juniors 1 0 1959–60 0 2 N/A 1 2
Cumbernauld United 0 0 N/A 1[a] 1 1977–78 1[a] 1
Blantyre Celtic 1 1 1948–49 0 0 N/A 1 1
Morton Juniors 1 1 1937–38 0 0 N/A 1 1
Shawfield 1 1 1931–32 0 0 N/A 1 1
Shotts Bon Accord 0 0 N/A 1 0[e] 1997–98 1 0[e]
Glasgow Perthshire 0 0 N/A 1 0[b] 1976–77 1 0[b]
Shettleston 0 4 N/A 0[a] 1[b] N/A 0[a] 5[b]
Yoker Athletic 0 2 N/A 0 1 N/A 0 3
Renfrew 0 1 N/A 0[a] 1[b] N/A 0[a] 2[b]
Larkhall Thistle 0 0 N/A 0 2[b] N/A 0 2[b]
Port Glasgow 0 0 N/A 0[a] 2 N/A 0[a] 2
Strathclyde 0 2 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 2
Maryhill Harp 0 2 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 2
Bellshill Athletic 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Were 'Division A' winners on 1 additional occasion between 1969 and 1982, but did not win champions playoff final so instead recorded as runner-up.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Were 'Division A' runners-up on 1 additional occasion between 1969 and 1982, but not involved in champions playoffs.
  3. ^ a b Were 'Division A' winners on 2 additional occasions between 1969 and 1982, but did not win champions playoff final so instead recorded as runner-up.
  4. ^ a b Were 'Division A' runners-up on 3 additional occasions between 1969 and 1982, but not involved in champions playoffs.
  5. ^ a b c d Were 'Division A' runners-up on 2 additional occasions between 1969 and 1982, but not involved in champions playoffs.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Central Junior League: Including the Scottish Central Junior League, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 4 September 2020
  2. ^ a b c d e Central Region Junior League, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 4 September 2020
  3. ^ Glasgow Junior League, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 27 August 2020
  4. ^ a b Evening Times Competitions Archived 2 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine, AntsHistory
  5. ^ History, Cumbernauld United F.C.
  6. ^ Evening Times Trophy, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 21 April 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021
  7. ^ Pyramid Update – 67 Applications Approved, Scottish Lowland Football League, 14 April 2020
  8. ^ Junior clubs in the west are about to get the best of both worlds, The Scotsman, 19 April 2020
  9. ^ a b c "Scottish Junior Cup > Finals 1886 to 1956". Scottish Football Association (archive version, 2018). Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Scottish Junior Cup > Finals 1957 - Present [2009]". Scottish Football Association (archive version, 2018). Archived from the original on 16 January 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  11. ^ Petershill FC, 1940 (Glasgow Caledonian University, Research Collections, Kevin Morrison Collection, The Glasgow Story
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