West Highland Amateur Football Association Explained

Country:Scotland
Confed:UEFA
Founded:1985
Divisions:1
Teams:7
Levels:N/A
Champions:Sleat & Strath (2024)
Domest Cup:GF MacRae Cup, Ross Cup, Ewen MacRae Cup, Clan Donald Cup
Website:Official Website

The West Highland Amateur Football Association (WHAFA) is a football association for amateur clubs in Skye, Lochalsh and Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands. The association is affiliated to the Scottish Amateur Football Association. Member clubs take part in a summer league as well as a number of domestic cups and the Highland Amateur Cup.[1] Currently, the association is composed of a single division of seven clubs, although numbers of clubs and divisions have varied over the years.

Between 2005 and 2022, the association was known as the Skye and Lochalsh AFA. It reverted to its former name of West Highland AFA at the 2023 AGM to reflect on the widening catchment area of the league with the inclusions of Mallaig in 2018 and Fort William Reserves in 2023.[2]

2024 member clubs

The following clubs are current members of the association and take part in affiliated competitions.[3]

History

The West Highland Association was formed with the aim of bringing about the amalgamation of the Wester Ross and Skye leagues. On Thursday 9 May 1985, following a series of discussions involving representatives of the associations and consultations with the clubs involved, a meeting held in Kyle gave the go-ahead to a steering committee to formulate a draft constitution and rules for the West Highland Amateur Football Asosociation.[8] The first competitions were held in 1986, with the twelve original member clubs split in two divisions.[9] The number of teams entering varied from season to season, but the format was unchanged until 2001 and the decision to then adopt a single league. The switch was unanimously supported at the pre-season AGM.[10]

Although Portree United were the first to have a stronghold on the league, winning the first four editions, Portree AFC enjoyed a remarkable and unique period of dominance in the late 1990s and 2000s, winning eleven league titles in a row between 1997 and 2007. [11] Since 2010, Sleat & Strath have been the most successful team in the area with seven league wins as well as numerous cup successes.

In 2018, Mallaig, became the first team from Lochaber to join the association, and they have since become a major challenger for local honours. [5]

The introduction of Fort William Reserves in 2023, making them the second side from Lochaber to join, led the association to revert to the West Highland AFA name which had been dropped in 2005 for Skye and Lochalsh AFA.[12] These changes are reflections on the ever changing landscapes of clubs involved in the association. Many member clubs based in Skye and Lochalsh have folded or merged in recent years including the likes of: Bernisdale, Dunvegan, Glenelg, Plockton, Portree United, Staffin, Struan. Historically, some teams from the Wester Ross area have also been affiliated to the league, Gairloch/Aultbea United being the most recent example. [13]

Kyle FC pulled out of competitions following the 2024 AGM, putting an end to several decades of continuous participation in the local league and cups.[14] For the first time ever, there are no Lochalsh representative in the West Highland League.

Competitions

List of League winners

These are the results for the West Highland League since its inception in 1986. The trophy, named the Baghsaw Cup, has been in use since the 1930s and it was previously presented to champions of the Wester Ross League.

width=9% Yearwidth=19% Champions
width=18% Runners-upwidth=18% Third place
1986Portree United
1987Portree United (2)
1988Portree United (3)
1989Portree United (4)
1990Gairloch
1991Kyleakin
1992Portree United (5)
1993Portree United (6)
1994Portree United (7)
1995Dunvegan
1996Dunvegan (2)
1997Portree
1998Portree (2)
1999Portree (3)
2000Portree (4)Sleat & Strath
2001Portree (5)KyleakinSleat & Strath
2002Portree (6)StruanDunvegan
2003Portree (7)PlocktonSleat & Strath
2004Portree (8)KyleDunvegan
2005Portree (9)KyleDunvegan
2006Portree (10)DunveganKyleakin
2007Portree (11)DunveganKyleakin
2008SkeabostPortreeSleat & Strath
2009Kyleakin (2)Sleat & StrathSkeabost
2010Sleat & StrathDunveganPortree
2011Sleat & Strath (2)KyleakinPortree
2012Kyleakin (3)Sleat & StrathPortree Juniors
2013Sleat & Strath (3)PortreePortree Juniors
2014Sleat & Strath (4)Portree JuniorsPortree
2015Portree (12)Portree JuniorsSleat & Strath
2016Portree JuniorsKyleakinSleat & Strath
2017Kyleakin (4)Portree JuniorsSleat & Strath
2018MallaigKyleakinPortree Juniors
2019Mallaig (2)Sleat & StrathKyleakin
2020No Competition held
2021Sleat & Strath (5)MallaigNorth West Skye
2022Sleat & Strath (6)[17] MallaigNorth West Skye
2023Mallaig (3)Sleat & StrathNorth West Skye
2024Sleat & Strath (7)MallaigNorth West Skye

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Skye and Lochalsh Football season review 2019. West Highland Free Press . 2019-10-21. 2023-12-01.
  2. Web site: Sport | Football | Friday nights are alright for the West Highland Football League . Radio Skye . 2023-02-10 . 2023-09-12.
  3. Web site: West Highland Amateur Football Association (WHAFA). September 10, 2024. West Highland AFA.
  4. News: Roger Hutchinson . Roger Hutchison on Sports . West Highland Free Press .
  5. News: . 5 April 2019 . Skye and Lochalsh Football League Preview 2019 . West Highland Free Press . 11 September 2024.
  6. News: . 31 March 2000 . West Highland Football Starts . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  7. News: . 23 January 2015 . New North West Skye football club to take the place of Struan and Dunvegan . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  8. News: . 17 May 1985 . Skye and Wester Ross leagues set to amalgamate . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  9. News: . 24 January 1986 . New West Highland League will kick off in April . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  10. News: . 23 February 2001 . West Highland League Cut Back To Single Division . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  11. News: . 24 August 2007 . Portree make it 11 in a row with rout of Juniors . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  12. News: . 18 February 2005 . Bernisdale back in football league action this summer . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre .
  13. News: Adam Gordon . 16 January 2019 . Doubts cast over future of three Skye and Lochalsh League clubs ahead of 2020 season . West Highland Free Press . 11 September 2024.
  14. News: Daniel Cullen . 5 April 2024 . West Highland League season set for kick-off . West Highland Free Press .
  15. News: . 16 February 2007 . League down to ten teams as Bernisdale pull out . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  16. News: . 16 August 2002 . Portree make the final! . West Highland Free Press . Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre.
  17. Web site: MIDWEEK FOOTBALL: Fort William stun cup holders Sleat and Strath. West Highland Free Press . 2023-07-28 . 2023-12-01.