South of Scotland Football League
Founded1892 (original)
1946 (current)
Country Scotland
ConfederationUEFA
Divisions1
Number of teams12
Level on pyramid6
Promotion toLowland Football League
Domestic cup(s)Scottish Cup (licensed clubs and league winners)
South Region Challenge Cup
League cup(s)South of Scotland League Cup
Southern Counties FA Challenge Cup
Cree Lodge Cup
Haig Gordon Cup
Potts Cup
Tweedie Cup
Current championsAbbey Vale (1st title)
(2022–23)
Most championships13 titles
St Cuthbert Wanderers
WebsiteOfficial Website
Current: 2023–24 South of Scotland Football League

The South of Scotland Football League (SoSFL) is a senior football league based in south-west Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.

Founded in 1946, it is currently composed of 12 member clubs in a single division. Geographically, the league currently covers Dumfries and Galloway although clubs have also been located in East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.

Since 2014–15 it has featured in the senior pyramid system. The winners take part in an end of season promotion play-off with the East of Scotland Football League and West of Scotland Football League champions, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria.

History

Original league

A league of the same name briefly existed during the early days of competitive football. The original South of Scotland Football League was created in 1892–93 and featured seven clubs:

The clubs preferred to play in cup competitions and traditional friendlies, so most of the league fixtures were not played. The competition was subsequently abandoned and no championship was awarded.

Current league

When league football was re-established in 1946, the Southern Counties League name could not be used because Ayr United 'A' and Kilmarnock 'A' were not members of the Southern Counties F.A.. Instead, the new competition was called the South of Scotland Football League. The first season saw the league played in two sections, East and West, but it has been played as a single league ever since.

Teams play each other on a home and away basis. In seasons where league membership has been low, clubs have played each other four times, instead of the usual twice. Recent changes in league membership have been:

Member clubs

South of Scotland Football League is located in Dumfries and Galloway
Abbey Vale
Creetown
Dalbeattie Star
Lochar Thistle
Lochmaben
Mid-Annandale
Newton Stewart
Nithsdale Wanderers
St. Cuthbert Wanderers
Stranraer reserves
Stranraer reserves
Upper Annandale
Wigtown & Bladnoch
Location of teams in 2023–24 South of Scotland Football League within Dumfries & Galloway
Team Location Home ground Surface Capacity Seats Floodlit
Abbey Vale New Abbey Maryfield Park Grass 500[6] 48 No
Creetown Creetown Castlecary Park Grass 500[7] 0 Yes
Dalbeattie Star Dalbeattie Islecroft Stadium Grass 1,320 100 Yes
Lochar Thistle Dumfries Wilson Park Grass 1,000[8] 0 Yes
Lochmaben Lochmaben Whitehills Park Grass 1,000[9] 0 No
Mid-Annandale Lockerbie New King Edward Park Artificial 500[10] 0 Yes
Newton Stewart Newton Stewart Blairmount Park Artificial 1,000[11] 0 Yes
Nithsdale Wanderers Sanquhar Lorimer Park Grass 1,000[12] 0 Yes
St Cuthbert Wanderers Kirkcudbright St Mary's Park Artificial 1,000[13] 0 Yes
Stranraer reserves Stranraer Stair Park Grass 4,178[14] 1,830 Yes
Upper Annandale Moffat Moffat Academy Grass 1,000[15] 0 No
Wigtown & Bladnoch Wigtown Trammondford Park Grass 888[16] 0 Yes

League membership

Bold indicates a current league member.

Club Years Active Titles Won
Abbey Vale 2001– 1
Annan Athletic 1977–1987 2
Annan Athletic Reserves 1987–1991, 1992–2009, 2017–2019
Ayr United 'A' 1946–1948 2
Bonnyton Thistle 2017–2020
Caledonian Braves Reserves 2019–2023
Creetown 1946–1948, 1972–
Crichton 1992–2016 1
Dalbeattie Star 1946–1947, 1976–2001, 2009–2012, 2023– 5
Dalbeattie Star Reserves 2001–2009
Dumfries 2000–2008
Dumfries High School Former Pupils 1994–2000
Dumfries United 1987–1988
Dumfries YMCA 2014–2019
Edusport Academy 2014–2017 1
Fleet Star 2004–2016
Girvan 1951–1962, 1975–2005 1
Glenluce 1948–1950
Gretna Reserves 2001–2003
Gretna Community 1991–1992
Greystone Rovers 1956–1958 1
Heathhall Athletic 1948–1950
Heston Rovers 2008–2021
Kilmarnock 'A' 1946–1948
Lincluden Swifts 1977–1980 1
Lochar Thistle 2013–
Lochmaben 2016–
Maxwelltown High School Former Pupils 1990–2000 1
Mid-Annandale 2003–
Newton Stewart 1946– 3
Nithsdale Wanderers (1) 1946–1947, 1948–1950
Nithsdale Wanderers (2) 2001–
Queen of the South Reserves 1972–1973, 1992–1993, 1996–1997, 2003–2004 1
RAF West Freugh 1948–1949
St Cuthbert Wanderers 1946– 8
Solway Star 1946–1947
Stranraer 1946–1949
Stranraer Reserves 1949–1988, 1990–1991, 2003–2004, 2007–2012, 2017– 16
Stranraer Athletic 1995–2008 3
Tarff Rovers 1946–1988, 1990–2003 8
Threave Rovers 1959–1998, 2004–2012, 2016–2022 13
Upper Annandale 2014–
Whithorn 1946–1959, 1962–1963, 1964–69
Wigtown & Bladnoch 1946–2017, 2018– 5

Notes:

  1. Crichton was known as Blackwood Dynamos until 1999. The club was to be called Crichton Royal, but the suffix has never been used.
  2. Dumfries was formed by the merger of Dumfries High School Former Pupils and Dumfries Amateurs.
  3. Heston Rovers Youth (formed in 1978) merged with Dumfries in 2008, retaining Heston Rovers as the name of the new club.
  4. Annan Athletic (1987–2008), Dalbeattie Star (2001–2009) and Threave Rovers (1998–2004) have all run teams in the East of Scotland League. From the 2008–09 season, Annan Athletic has played in the Scottish Football League. Dalbeattie Star and Threave Rovers joined the newly formed Scottish Lowland Football League for the 2013–14 season.
  5. The following clubs have resigned during the season:

Cup competitions

In 1950, the league's membership had been reduced to just seven clubs. To compensate for the lack of fixtures, the League Cup was introduced. The final is usually contested by the winners of two mini-leagues, but has also been played as a straight knock-out competition. There was no separate League Cup competition between 1962–1968 and 1973–1975. Instead the trophy was awarded to the runner-up in the League.

The Southern Counties Cup, also known as the Challenge Cup, is the league's main knockout competition. It has been played for since 1891, and the first winners were the 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers.

Creetown, Dalbeattie Star, Newton Stewart, St Cuthbert Wanderers, and Wigtown & Bladnoch are full members of the Scottish Football Association therefore enter the Scottish Cup, as do the winners of the league.

Holders

2022–23 winners unless stated.

List of winners

Season Original League
1892–93 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers
1893–94 No Competition
1894–95 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1895–96 St Cuthbert Wanderers (2)
1896–97 6 GRV
1897–98 Newton Stewart
1898–99

to 1909–10

No Competition
1910–11 Douglas Wanderers
1911–12 No Competition
1912–13 No Competition
1913–14 Newton Stewart (2)
1914–15 5th KOSB
1915–16

to 1929–20

No Competition
1920–21 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1921–22 Mid-Annandale
1923–23 Mid-Annandale (2)
1923–24 Newton Stewart (3)
1924–25 Dalbeattie Star
1925–26 No Competition
1926–27 No Competition
1927–28 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1928–29 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1929–30 Dalbeattie Star
1930–31 Dalbeattie Star
1931–32 Dalbeattie Star
1932–33 Dalbeattie Star
1933–34 Dalbeattie Star
1934–35 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1935–36 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1936–37 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1937–38

to 1945–46

No league championship for the duration of the Second World War
Season Current League
1946–47 Ayr United 'A'
1947–48 Ayr United 'A'
1948–49 Stranraer Reserves
1949–50 Tarff Rovers
1950–51 Newton Stewart (4)
1951–52 Wigtown & Bladnoch
1952–53 Tarff Rovers (2)
1953–54 Wigtown & Bladnoch (2)
1954–55 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1955–56 Newton Stewart (5)
1956–57 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1957–58 Greystone Rovers
1958–59 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1959–60 Stranraer Reserves
1960–61 Stranraer Reserves
1961–62 Stranraer Reserves
1962–63 Tarff Rovers (3)
1963–64 Tarff Rovers (4)
1964–65 Threave Rovers
1965–66 Stranraer Reserves
1966–67 Stranraer Reserves
1967–68 Stranraer Reserves
1968–69 Threave Rovers (2)
1969–70 Stranraer Reserves
1970–71 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1971–72 Threave Rovers (3)
1972–73 Stranraer Reserves
1973–74 St Cuthbert Wanderers
1974–75 Stranraer Reserves
1975–76 Stranraer Reserves
1976–77 Stranraer Reserves
1977–78 Stranraer Reserves
1978–79 Threave Rovers (4)
1979–80 Lincluden Swifts
1980–81 St Cuthbert Wanderers (14)
1981–82 Stranraer Reserves
1982–83 Stranraer Reserves
1983–84 Annan Athletic
1984–85 Dalbeattie Star
1985–86 Dalbeattie Star (2)
1986–87 Annan Athletic (2)
1987–88 Newton Stewart (6)
1988–89 Dalbeattie Star (3)
1989–90 Girvan
1990–91 Maxwelltown High School
1991–92 Wigtown & Bladnoch (3)
1992–93 Threave Rovers (5)
1993–94 Threave Rovers (6)
1994–95 Threave Rovers (7)
1995–96 St Cuthbert Wanderers (15)
1996–97 Queen of the South Reserves
1997–98 Tarff Rovers (5)
1998–99 Tarff Rovers (6)
1999–00 Tarff Rovers (7)
2000–01 No competition due to the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak
2001–02 Tarff Rovers (8)
2002–03 Stranraer Athletic
2003–04 Stranraer Athletic (2)
2004–05 Stranraer Athletic (3)
2005–06 Threave Rovers (8)
2006–07 Threave Rovers (9)
2007–08 Crichton
2008–09 Threave Rovers (10)
2009–10 Threave Rovers (11)
2010–11 Threave Rovers (12)
2011–12 Dalbeattie Star (4)
2012–13 Dalbeattie Star (5)
2013–14 Wigtown & Bladnoch (4)
2014–15 Wigtown & Bladnoch (5)
2015–16 St Cuthbert Wanderers (16)
2016–17 Edusport Academy *
2017–18 Threave Rovers (13)
2018–19 Stranraer Reserves
2019–20 Null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic[18]
2020–21 Null and void due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 St Cuthbert Wanderers (17)
2022–23 Abbey Vale

* Team promoted to the Lowland League

Total titles won

Clubs currently playing in the league are shown in bold.

Rank Club Pre-war league Current league Total
1 St Cuthbert Wanderers 8 9 17
2 Stranraer Reserves 0 16 16
3 Threave Rovers 0 13 13
4 Dalbeattie Star 6 5 11
5 Tarff Rovers 0 8 8
6 Newton Stewart 3 3 6
7 Wigtown & Bladnoch 0 5 5
8 Stranraer Athletic 0 3 3
Annan Athletic 0 3 3
10 Ayr United 'A' 0 2 2
Mid-Annandale 2 0 2
12 5th KRV 1 0 1
5th KOSB 1 0 1
6 GRV 1 0 1
Abbey Vale 0 1 1
Crichton 0 1 1
Douglas Wanderers 1 0 1
Edusport Academy 0 1 1
Girvan 0 1 1
Greystone Rovers 0 1 1
Lincluden Swifts 0 1 1
Maxwelltown High School 0 1 1
Queen of the South Reserves 0 1 1

References

  1. ^ "Stranraer bow out of South league". The Galloway Gazette. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  2. ^ "Lowland League clubs confirmed by Scottish FA". BBC. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  3. ^ "South Champions Start With a Home Game". DG News-Sport. Dumfries & Galloway News. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  4. ^ Gillespie, Stuart (5 June 2016). "Threave Rovers' South of Scotland League return confirmed after three years in the Lowland League". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  5. ^ McNaught, John (30 July 2016). "South football kicks off again this weekend". Galloway Gazette. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  6. ^ Abbey Vale, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  7. ^ Creetown, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  8. ^ Lochar Thistle, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Lochmaben". nonleaguescotland.org.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  10. ^ Mid-Annandale, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  11. ^ Newton Stewart, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  12. ^ Nithsdale Wanderers, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  13. ^ St Cuthbert Wanderers, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  14. ^ Stranraer reserves, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  15. ^ Upper Annandale, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  16. ^ Wigtown & Bladnoch, nonleaguescotland.org.uk, Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  17. ^ "SOUTH OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE CHAMPIONS". South of Scotland Football League. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  18. ^ "South football season ends without a champion side". dgnews-sport.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2020.

External links

South of Scotland Football League
Men's football in Scotland
Sixth-level football leagues of Europe (UEFA)
Categories