North Region Junior Football League Explained

Teams:30
Promotion:Highland League
Level:6–7
Domest Cup:Scottish Cup (SFA licensed clubs and Premier League winners)
Scottish Junior Cup
Champions:Culter (9th title)
Season:2023–24
Most Champs:Culter (9 titles)
Current:2024–25 North Region Junior Football League
Website:SJFA North Region

The North Region Junior Football League is a football league based in the north east of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–7 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Highland Football League.

Geographically, the league covers Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray.

The winners take part in an end of season promotion play-off with the Midlands Football League and North Caledonian Football League champions, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria.

From 2018 to 2022, the league consisted of three divisions at Tiers 6 to 8. The 2018 league was essentially a continuation of a two division system which operated from 2003. It was split into two geographical sections at Tier 7 from 2011, with the lower (Tier 8) Division Two disbanded two years later. After five seasons of that setup, a three-division model was restored. The league currently consists of two divisions, a Premier League and a Championship.

Member clubs for the 2023–24 season

The current system sees two clubs automatically relegated from the Premier League, who are replaced by two clubs from the Championship. The third-bottom club in the Premier League enters a play-off with the clubs who finish between third and fifth in the Championship. In the semi-finals, the Premier League side plays the fifth-placed Championship side, and the fourth and fifth-placed teams play each other, both games over two legs. The winners then progress to a single-leg final.

Premier League

ClubLocationGroundFinishing position 2022–23
Aberdeen Sports Village 5th
Buchanhaven HeartsRaemoss Park 4th in Championship
Colony ParkColony Park 11th
CulterCrombie Park 1st
DyceIan Mair Park 3rd
East EndNew Advocates Park 7th
Ellon UnitedThe Meadows 8th
Fraserburgh UnitedCollege Park 2nd in Championship
HermesLochside Park 2nd
MaudMaud Pleasure Park 10th
Nairn St NinianShowfield Park 12th
Newmachar UnitedCharles Gordon Park 5th in Championship
Stoneywood ParkvaleClark Commercial Park 6th
SunnybankHeathryfold Park 1st in Championship
StonehavenGlenury Park 4th
Rothie RoversForgue Road 3rd in Championship

Championship

ClubLocationGroundFinishing position 2022–23
Banchory St TernanMilton Park 13th in Premier League
Banks o' Dee JuniorsSpain Park 7th
Burghead ThistleForest Park 10th
Cruden BayWatson Park14th
DeveronsideMyrus Centre12th
DufftownWestburn Park14th in Premier League
Forres ThistleLogie Park 6th
GlentanarWoodside Sports Complex11th
Hall Russell UnitedDenmore ParkIn abeyance
IslavaleSimpson Park8th
LongsideDavidson Park9th
Lossiemouth UnitedPhoenix Park15th
New ElginNicol-Togneri Park16th
WhitehillsDaniel Morgan ArenaIn abeyance

Champions and season summaries

YearWinnerRunners-upRelegatedPromotedChampions' progression
in Scottish Cup
2001–02Formartine UnitedCulterBuchanhaven HeartsAberdeen Lads ClubN/A
2002–03SunnybankCulterDeveronsideTurriff UnitedN/A
2003–04CulterSunnybankCruden Bay
Aberdeen Lads Club
Maud
Ellon United
N/A
2004–05Culter (2)GlentanarEast End
Maud
Parkvale
Fraserburgh United
N/A
2005–06Culter (3)Formartine UnitedFraserburgh United
FC Stoneywood
Dyce
Islavale
N/A
2006–07Culter (4)SunnybankIslavale
Glentanar
East End
Maud
3rd Round 2007–08
2007–08Banks o' DeeSunnybankFormartine United
Parkvale
Banchory St Ternan
Lewis United
2nd Round 2008–09
2008–09Banks o' Dee (2)SunnybankHillhead
Stonehaven
Buchanhaven Hearts
FC Stoneywood
2nd Round 2009–10
2009–10Sunnybank (2)CulterEast End
Buchanhaven Hearts
Fraserburgh United
Stonehaven
3rd Round 2010–11
2010–11Culter (5)Hall Russell UnitedFraserburgh UnitedForres Thistle3rd Round 2011–12
2011–12HermesStonehavenForres Thistle
Sunnybank
Fraserburgh United
Deveronside
1st Round 2012–13
2012–13Culter (6)DyceLewis United
Fraserburgh United
New Elgin
East End
3rd Round 2013–14
2013–14Culter (7)Banks o' DeeEast End
Longside
Inverness City
Cruden Bay
2nd Round 2014–15
2014–15Hermes (2)MaudNew Elgin
Cruden Bay
Bridge of Don Thistle
Dufftown
2nd Preliminary round 2015–16
2015–16Banks o' Dee (3)HermesEllon United
FC Stoneywood
Buckie Rovers
Colony Park
2nd Round 2016–17
2016–17Banks o' Dee (4)DyceBuckie Rovers
Deveronside
Ellon United
Montrose Roselea
3rd Round 2017–18
2017–18Banks o' Dee (5)HermesBanchory St Ternan
Inverness City
East End
Nairn St Ninian
1st Preliminary round 2018–19
2018–19[1] Banks o' Dee (6)Bridge of Don ThistleDufftown
Stonehaven
Banchory St Ternan
Deveronside
2nd Round 2019–20
2019–20[2] Season declared Null and void on 2 May 2020 after vote among SJFA North clubs, no champion was declared and no relegation applied.[3] N/A
2020–21Season declared Null and void by SJFA on 16 Mar 2021, no champion was declared and no relegation applied.[4] N/A
2021–22Banks o' Dee (7)Bridge of Don ThistleDeveronsideStonehaven
Stoneywood Parkvale
Dufftown
1st Round 2022–23
2022–23Culter (8)HermesDufftown
Banchory St Ternan
Sunnybank
Fraserburgh United
Rothie Rovers
Buchanhaven Hearts
Newmachar United
1st Round 2023–24
2023–24Culter (9)Bridge of Don ThistleStoneywood Parkvale
Nairn St Ninian
Islavale
Banks o' Dee Juniors
TBD

Notes and References

  1. http://northregion-jfa.pitchero.com/archive7855-match-info/tables?table_id=d-42945 McBookie.Com Superleague Table 18/19
  2. http://northregion-jfa.pitchero.com/match-info/tables?table_id=d-52353 McBookie.Com Superleague Table 19/20
  3. Web site: North junior football season is declared null and void as season over for Nairn St Ninian. Clark. Will. 2020-05-02. Inverness Courier. en. 2020-05-05.
  4. Web site: SEASON 2020/21 ENDED. 2021-07-05. Scottish Junior FA. en.