Scottish Amateur Football League

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Scottish Amateur Football League is a football (soccer) league competition for amateur teams in Scotland. It was formed in 1909 when Scottish Football League club Queen's Park F.C. decided that their fourth team needed regular competition. Queen's Park were successful in winning the first league title, but Edinburgh Civil Service won the league the following year, so Queen's Park decided to enter their third team for the third season of the competition, indicating a high standard of football was played at this level from an early stage.

Despite being called the Scottish Amateur Football League (SAFL) the league has never included clubs from across the country. Prior to the Second World War membership stretched across the Scottish Central Belt, with a number of clubs from the East of the country participating. However, following the end of the war membership became concentrated in the West of the country. The SAFL has been successful in embracing a number of clubs from the Argyll area which otherwise might not have regular competition.

At it's peak in the early 1980s the SAFL contained 12 divisions, but this number is now a bit lower at five. The League is split into a Premier section of three divisions, with two divisions below that level.

[edit] Present League Membership

Premier

Cambria, Duncanrig FP, Gartcosh United AFC, Gourock Athletic, Greenock HSFP, Kilpatrick FC, Kings Park Rangers AFC, Oban Saints, Pollok AFC, St Patrick's FP

Premier 1

Busby AFC, Campbeltown Pupils, Eaglesham, Glencastle Sparta, Inverclyde AFC, Kilbowie Union, Moorcroft, Port Glasgow OBU, Postal Utd, Sandiefield Star, St. Joseph's

Premier 2

Campbeltown Boys, Carlton YM, Centre AFC, Clydebank College, Dunoon, Paisley Reid Kerr, Rolls Royce EK, Rutherglen, Shawlands FP, St Thomas

Division 1

Cambria (B), Castlemilk Amateurs, Duncanrig FP (B), Inverkip Thistle, Kings Park Rangers AFC (B), Lochgilphead Red Star, Rosehill Star, St Patricks AFC (B), Strathkelvin Thistle, Tarbert

Division 2

Busby (B), Carlton YM (B), Centre AFC (B), Dumbarton Rock, Eaglesham (B), East Kilbride YMCA, Glencastle Sparta (B), Hamilton FP, Millerston Thistle, Port Glasgow Amateurs, Shawlands FP (B), Whitehill FP