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Fife Junior Football League

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The Fife Junior Football League was a football league competition under the jurisdiction of the Scottish Junior Football Association, which operated as the top league in Fife until a merger in 2002; it existed for a further four years as a second-tier league before the name was discontinued in 2006.

History

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The league was formed in 1913 from a merger between smaller competitions across the county, initially the Howe of Fife League (played between 1892 and 1913) and the West Fife County League (1893 to 1913), later joined by teams from the East Neuk League (1908 to 1924). It continued during World War I and had periods where there were sufficient numbers involved to have West and East sections whose winners would play off for the title.[1] Due to anticipated problems with travelling distances, the Fife clubs chose not to join the Intermediate dispute of the late 1920s, instigated by clubs in the West of Scotland who broke away from the SJFA.

The league stopped for six seasons during World War II and lost a number of member teams in the late 1940s, but was still running in 1968 and considered sufficiently strong to form one of six 'regions' across Scotland in a re-organisation of Junior football at that time.[2] The Fife area suffered from an economic decline in the subsequent decades, owing to the collapse of the mining industry which had provided the main source of employment in most towns and villages, with several teams folding and others struggling to continue as small isolated communities became impoverished and residents moved away.

As membership of the Fife League fell steadily, a few well-run clubs who had joined more recently than its oldest members became dominant, and in 2002 these teams were invited to form the new regional Superleague in the east of the country along with the leading teams in the East (Lothians) League and the Tayside League. Fife's setup was retained as a feeder division to the Superleague along with the other historic districts until 2006, when they were fully integrated into the East Region; Fife's section became the Central Division below the Super League and a new Premier Division, but it was disbanded in 2013, meaning the county was no longer represented separately in the Junior grade.

Later movement of Fife clubs

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In 2018, a large group of East Junior clubs (including five from the Kingdom) followed the path taken by Kelty Hearts a year earlier and joined the East of Scotland Football League to take part in the Scottish football pyramid.[3] With Glenrothes making the same switch in 2019, this left eight local clubs in the East Region, including Tayport and Kennoway Star Hearts who never played in the old Fife Junior League. A further seven clubs left for the senior ranks in 2020, leaving Tayport as the only Junior club remaining in Fife.

Champions

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1913–1968 era

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Key:

Club also won the Scottish Junior Cup[4][5] (doubles in bold).
Club were also runners-up in the Scottish Junior Cup.[4][5]
Season[6][1] Winner Runner-up
1913–14 Glencraig Celtic Kingseat Athletic
1914–15 Windygates Rovers Glencraig Celtic
1915–16 Glencraig Celtic Denbeath Star
1916–17 Denbeath Star Glencraig Celtic
1917–18 Denbeath Star Glencraig Celtic
1918–19 Glencraig Celtic Hearts of Beath
1919–20 Inverkeithing United Glencraig Celtic
1920–21 Kingseat Juniors Hearts of Beath
1921–22[a] Kingseat Juniors Wellesley Juniors
1922–23[a] Dunnikier Colliery Juniors Kelty Rangers
1923–24[a] East Fife Juniors Cupar Juniors
1924–25[a] Newburgh West End Dunnikier Colliery Juniors
1925–26 Anstruther Rangers Kelty Rangers
1926–27 St Andrews United Wellesley Juniors
1927–28 St Andrews United Lochgelly Celtic
1928–29 St Andrews United Wellesley Juniors
1929–30 Rosslyn Juniors Wellesley Juniors
1930–31 Bowhill Rovers Rosslyn Juniors
1931–32 Rosslyn Juniors Bowhill Rovers
1932–33 Rosslyn Juniors Inverkeithing United
1933–34 Inverkeithing United Bowhill Rovers
1934–35 Bowhill Rovers Hearts of Beath
1935–36 Hearts of Beath Bowhill Rovers
1936–37 Blairhall Colliery Hearts of Beath
1937–38[a] Lochgelly Albert Thornton Hibs
1938–39[a] Lochore Welfare Rosslyn Juniors
1939–40[a] Dunnikier Colliery Juniors Hearts of Beath
1940–41 Hearts of Beath Kelty North End
1941–42 Not played
1942–43
1943–44
1944–45
1945–46
1946–47 Lochgelly Albert Blairhall Colliery
1947–48 Lochore Welfare Auchtermuchty Juniors
1948–49 Lochgelly Albert Kinglassie Colliery
1949–50 Rosyth Recreation Lochgelly Albert
1950–51 Steelend Victoria Nairn Thistle
1951–52 Dundonald Bluebell St Andrews United
1952–53 Thornton Hibs Dundonald Bluebell
1953–54 Lochore Welfare Glencraig Colliery
1954–55 Lochgelly Albert Dundonald Bluebell
1955–56 Lochore Welfare Lochgelly Albert
1956–57 Dundonald Bluebell Lochore Welfare
1957–58 Dundonald Bluebell St Andrews United
1958–59 Thornton Hibs St Andrews United
1959–60 St Andrews United Frances Colliery
1960–61 St Andrews United Blairhall Colliery
1961–62 Lochore Welfare St Andrews United
1962–63 Lochore Welfare Thornton Hibs
1963–64 Lochore Welfare St Andrews United
1964–65 St Andrews United Lochore Welfare
1965–66 Glenrothes Lochore Welfare
1966–67 Glenrothes Lochore Welfare
1967–68 Glenrothes Newburgh Juniors

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Denotes winner and finalist in playoff between winners of East and West Divisions.

1968–2002 era

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Club also won the Scottish Junior Cup[4][5] (doubles in bold).
Club were also runners-up in the Scottish Junior Cup.[4][5]
Season[6][2] Winner Runner-up
1968–69 Thornton Hibs Lochore Welfare
1969–70 Glenrothes Newburgh Juniors
1970–71 Glenrothes Oakley United
1971–72 Oakley United Lochore Welfare
1972–73[a] Newburgh Juniors Lochgelly Albert
1973–74 Lochgelly Albert Glenrothes
1974–75 Glenrothes Newburgh Juniors
1975–76 Glenrothes Comrie Colliery
1976–77 Newburgh Juniors Glenrothes
1977–78 Glenrothes Newburgh Juniors
1978–79[b] Oakley United Clackmannan Juniors[c]
1979–80[b] Oakley United Tulliallan Thistle[d]
1980–81 Halbeath Juniors Kelty Hearts
1981–82 Leven Juniors Lochore Welfare
1982–83 Dundonald Bluebell Kelty Hearts
1983–84 Glenrothes Dundonald Bluebell
1984–85 Glenrothes Clackmannan Juniors
1985–86 Oakley United Glenrothes
1986–87[a] Hill of Beath Hawthorn Oakley United
1987–88[e] Oakley United Halbeath Juniors[f]
1988–89[e] Hill of Beath Hawthorn Thornton Hibs[f]
1989–90 St Andrews United Hill of Beath Hawthorn
1990–91[e] Kelty Hearts Newburgh[g]
1991–92 Kelty Hearts Hill of Beath Hawthorn
1992–93 Kelty Hearts Hill of Beath Hawthorn
1993–94 Hill of Beath Hawthorn Oakley United
1994–95 Hill of Beath Hawthorn Kelty Hearts
1995–96 Hill of Beath Hawthorn Kelty Hearts
1996–97 Kelty Hearts Hill of Beath Hawthorn
1997–98 Hill of Beath Hawthorn Kelty Hearts
1998–99 Kelty Hearts Hill of Beath Hawthorn
1999–2000 Hill of Beath Hawthorn Kelty Hearts
2000–01 Oakley United Hill of Beath Hawthorn
2001–02 Hill of Beath Hawthorn Glenrothes

Notes

  1. ^ a b Denotes winner and finalist in playoff between winners of 'A' (West) and 'B' (East) Divisions.
  2. ^ a b Denotes winner and finalist in playoff between winners of Divisions One and Two, arranged on merit – in both cases Oakley United, the Division One winners, won the overall championship.
  3. ^ Glenrothes were Division One runners-up.
  4. ^ Halbeath Juniors were Division One runners-up.
  5. ^ a b c Denotes winner and finalist in playoff between winners of Divisions 'A' and 'B', arranged by merit – in each case, the A Division winners were also the overall champions.
  6. ^ a b Kelty Hearts were A Division runners-up.
  7. ^ St Andrews United were A Division runners-up.

List of winners

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Club 1919–1968 era 1968–2002 era Overall
Win R-up First win Last win Win R-up First win Last win Win R-up
Glenrothes 3 0 1965–66 1967–68 7 4[a] 1969–70 1984–85 10 4[a]
Hill of Beath Hawthorn 0 0 N/A 8 6 1986–87 2001–02 8 6
Lochore Welfare 7 4 1947–48 1963–64 0 3 N/A 7 7
St Andrews United 6 5 1927–28 1964–65 1 0[a] 1989–90 6 6[a]
Oakley United 0 0 N/A 6 3 1971–72 2000–01 6 3
Kelty Hearts 0 0 N/A 5 6[b] 1990–91 1998–99 5 6[b]
Lochgelly Albert 4 2 1937–38 1954–55 1 1 1973–74 5 3
Dundonald Bluebell 3 2 1951–52 1957–58 1 1 1982–83 4 3
Newburgh 1 1 1924–25 2 3 1972–73 1976–77 3 4
Glencraig Celtic 3 4 1913–14 1918–19 0 0 N/A 3 4
Rosslyn Juniors 3 2 1929–30 1932–33 0 0 N/A 3 2
Hearts of Beath 2 5 1935–36 1940–41 0 0 N/A 2 5
Bowhill Rovers 2 3 1930–31 1934–35 0 0 N/A 2 3
Denbeath Star 2 1 1916–17 1917–18 0 0 N/A 2 1
Inverkeithing United 2 1 1919–20 1933–34 0 0 N/A 2 1
Kingseat Juniors 2 1 1920–21 1921–22 0 0 N/A 2 1
Dunnikier Colliery Juniors 2 1 1922–23 1939–40 0 0 N/A 2 1
Thornton Hibernian 1 2 1958–59 1 1 1968–69 2 3
Blairhall Colliery 1 2 1936–37 0 0 N/A 1 2
Steelend Victoria 1 0 1950–51 0 1 N/A 1 1
Halbeath Juniors 0 0 N/A 1 1[a] 1980–81 1 1[a]
Rosyth Recreation 1 0 1949–50 0 0 N/A 1 0
Windygates Rovers 1 0 1914–15 0 0 N/A 1 0
East Fife Juniors 1 0 1923–24 0 0 N/A 1 0
Anstruther Rangers 1 0 1925–26 0 0 N/A 1 0
Wellesley Juniors 0 4 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 4
Kelty Rangers 0 2 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 2
Clackmannan Juniors 0 0 N/A 0 2 N/A 0 2
Leven Juniors 0 0 N/A 1 0 1981–82 1 0
Cupar Juniors 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1
Lochgelly Celtic 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1
Auchtermuchty Juniors 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1
Kinglassie Colliery 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1
Nairn Thistle 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1
Glencraig Colliery 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1
Frances Colliery 0 1 N/A 0 0 N/A 0 1
Tulliallan Thistle 0 0 N/A 0 1 N/A 0 1

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Were 'Division A' runners-up on 1 additional occasion in a season with a playoff, but were not involved in this final.
  2. ^ a b Were 'Division A' runners-up on 2 additional occasions in a season with a playoff, but were not involved in this final.

References

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  1. ^ a b Fife County Junior League, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 20 December 2020
  2. ^ a b Fife Region Junior League, Scottish Football Historical Archive, 15 December 2020
  3. ^ McLauchlin, Brian (7 June 2018). "East of Scotland League vote signals exodus of 25 junior clubs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d "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.
  5. ^ a b c d "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.
  6. ^ a b Towns, Fields and Clubs of Fife, via Scottish Football Historical Archive, 2012
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