Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare Football Association

Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare Football Association

The Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare Football Association is the governing body overseeing amateur Scottish Welfare football in the Badenoch and Strathspey area of Scotland. It is affiliated to Scottish Welfare Football Association and Scottish Football Association and has been running intermittently since its inaugural season in 1929-30. The winners on that occasion were the now defunct Nethy Bridge FC.

Competitions

There is an annual league competition which runs from April to July/August with each member club playing the others twice over the course of the season. For the 2014 season, all league games take place on Tuesday evenings. The SBWFA League is presently sponsored by local Carrbridge firm David Ritchie & Sons Ltd.

Each club is also responsible for hosting its own Cup competition, but due to a limited number of competing clubs, as of season 2013 Cup matches will take place on Friday evenings. 2014 has 5 cups competitions. These are:

Clubs

Member club numbers tend to fluctuate from season to season, with the most recent notable extinctions being Kingussie F.C. and Strathspey Thistle Colts F.C. The 2014 season is being competed for by the following clubs:

Aviemore Thistle
One of two sides based at the village of Aviemore, Thistle share their home park with local rivals RBL Aviemore. Thistle underwent a rebirth at the end of 2007 when the club almost went extinct, but the name and colours were saved at the 11th hour and a Jags side was successfully fielded for the 2008 season.
Boat of Garten Ospreys
The latest incarnation of Boat of Garten FC, making a return to the SBWFA after a long absence.
Carrbridge
Another side making a comeback to the SBWFA, having been mothballed since 2008.
Cromdale
Cromdale recently returned to the SBWFA after being unable to field a side in the 2009 season.
Grantown
Like neighbours Grantown Utd, Grantown have returned to the SBWFA after a long absence.
Grantown United
Grantown Utd reformed for the 2013 season, having previously played in the SBWFA for several years. They were the last winners of the old SBWFA championship shield.
RBL Aviemore
RBL are Aviemore's other Welfare club. The RBL part stands for Royal British Legion and, unsurprisingly, the local Legion is the club's base. RBL won their first ever League title in 2009.
Tomatin United
United were formed by a group of Tomatin FC (now an Inverness Welfare FA side) players unable to get a regular game for the club due to its impressive squad. In 2011 they finished outside the bottom 2 for the first time since joining the SBWFA..

Previous League Winners

The complete list of League winning clubs since the Association's inception is given below:

External links