South of Scotland Football League


The South of Scotland Football League is a senior football league based in south-west Scotland. The league sits at level 6 on the football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Founded in 1946, it is currently composed of 11 member clubs in a single division. Geographically, the league currently covers Dumfries and Galloway although clubs have previously also been located in East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.
Since 2014–15 it has featured in the senior pyramid system. The winners take part in an end of season promotion play-off with the East of Scotland Football League and West of Scotland Football League champions, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria.
WWW sosfl.webs.com

History

Original league

A league of the same name briefly existed during the early days of competitive football. The original South of Scotland Football League was created in 1892–93 and featured seven clubs:
The clubs preferred to play in cup competitions and traditional friendlies, so most of the league fixtures were not played. The competition was subsequently abandoned and no championship was awarded.

Current league

When league football was re-established in 1946, the Southern Counties League name could not be used because Ayr United 'A' and Kilmarnock 'A' were not members of the Southern Counties F.A.. Instead, the new competition was called the South of Scotland Football League. The first season saw the league played in two sections, East and West, but it has been played as a single league ever since.
Teams play each other on a home and away basis. In seasons where league membership has been low, clubs have played each other four times, instead of the usual twice. Recent changes in league membership have been:

Member clubs

TeamLocationHome groundSurfaceCapacitySeatsFloodlit
Abbey ValeNew AbbeyMaryfield ParkGrass50048No
CreetownCreetownCastlecary ParkGrass5000Yes
Dalbeattie StarDalbeattieIslecroft StadiumGrass1,320100Yes
Lochar ThistleDumfriesWilson ParkGrass1,0000Yes
LochmabenLochmabenWhitehills ParkGrass1,0000No
Mid-AnnandaleLockerbieNew King Edward ParkArtificial50050Yes
Newton StewartNewton StewartBlairmount ParkArtificial1,0000Yes
Nithsdale WanderersSanquharLorimer ParkGrass1,0000Yes
St Cuthbert WanderersKirkcudbrightSt Mary's ParkArtificial1,0000Yes
Stranraer reservesStranraerStair ParkGrass4,1781,830Yes
Wigtown & BladnochWigtownTrammondford ParkGrass8880Yes

League membership

Bold indicates a current league member.
ClubYears ActiveTitles won
Abbey Vale2001–1
Annan Athletic1977–19872
Annan Athletic Reserves1987–1991, 1992–2009, 2017–2019
Ayr United 'A'1946–19482
Bonnyton Thistle2017–2020
Caledonian Braves Reserves2019–2023
Creetown1946–1948, 1972–
Crichton1992–20161
Dalbeattie Star1946–1947, 1976–2001, 2009–2012, 2023–6
Dalbeattie Star Reserves2001–2009
Dumfries2000–2008
Dumfries High School Former Pupils1994–2000
Dumfries United1987–1988
Dumfries YMCA2014–2019
Edusport Academy2014–20171
Fleet Star2004–2016
Girvan1951–1962, 1975–20051
Glenluce1948–1950
Gretna Reserves2001–2003
Gretna Community1991–1992
Greystone Rovers1956–19581
Heathhall Athletic1948–1950
Heston Rovers2008–2021
Kilmarnock 'A'1946–1948
Lincluden Swifts1977–19801
Lochar Thistle2013–1
Lochmaben2016–
Maxwelltown High School Former Pupils1990–20001
Mid-Annandale2003–
Newton Stewart1946–3
Nithsdale Wanderers 1946–1947, 1948–1950
Nithsdale Wanderers (2)2001–
Queen of the South Reserves1972–1973, 1992–1993, 1996–1997, 2003–20041
RAF West Freugh1948–1949
St Cuthbert Wanderers1946–8
Solway Star1946–1947
Stranraer1946–1949
Stranraer Reserves1949–1988, 1990–1991, 2003–2004, 2007–2012, 2017–16
Stranraer Athletic1995–20083
Tarff Rovers1946–1988, 1990–20038
Threave Rovers1959–1998, 2004–2012, 2016–202213
Upper Annandale2014–2025
Whithorn1946–1959, 1962–1963, 1964–69
Wigtown & Bladnoch1946–2017, 2018–5

Notes:
  1. Crichton was known as Blackwood Dynamos until 1999. The club was to be called Crichton Royal, but the suffix has never been used.
  2. Dumfries was formed by the merger of Dumfries High School Former Pupils and Dumfries Amateurs.
  3. Heston Rovers Youth merged with Dumfries in 2008, retaining Heston Rovers as the name of the new club.
  4. Annan Athletic, Dalbeattie Star and Threave Rovers have all run teams in the East of Scotland League. From the 2008–09 season, Annan Athletic has played in the Scottish Football League. Dalbeattie Star and Threave Rovers joined the newly formed Scottish Lowland Football League for the 2013–14 season.
  5. The following clubs have resigned during the season:
  • Creetown 1975–76
  • Girvan 1978–79
  • Gretna Community 1991–92
  • RAF West Freugh 1948–49
  • St Cuthbert Wanderers 1977–78
  • Wigtown & Bladnoch 1962–63 and 1972–73
  • Dumfries United resigned prior to the start of the 1987–88 season.

Cup competitions

In 1950, the league's membership had been reduced to just seven clubs. To compensate for the lack of fixtures, the League Cup was introduced. The final is usually contested by the winners of two mini-leagues, but has also been played as a straight knock-out competition. There was no separate League Cup competition between 1962–1968 and 1973–1975. Instead the trophy was awarded to the runner-up in the League.
The Southern Counties Cup, also known as the Challenge Cup, is the league's main knockout competition. It has been played for since 1891, and the first winners were the 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers.
Creetown, Dalbeattie Star, Newton Stewart, St Cuthbert Wanderers, and Wigtown & Bladnoch are full members of the Scottish Football Association therefore enter the Scottish Cup, as do the winners of the league.

Holders

2024–25 winners unless stated.SFA South Region Challenge Cup: East KilbrideAlba Cup: Lochar ThistleSouth & East of Scotland Cup-Winners Shield: WhitburnSouth of Scotland League Cup: Lochar ThistleSouthern Counties FA Challenge Cup: Caledonian BravesJ Haig Gordon Memorial Trophy: Edusport Academy SCFA Potts Cup: StranraerWDFA Cree Lodge Cup: Lochar ThistleWDFA Tweedie Cup: No competition

List of winners

'''* Team promoted to the Lowland League'''

Total titles won

Clubs currently playing in the league are shown in bold.
RankClubPre-war leagueCurrent leagueTotal
1St Cuthbert Wanderers8917
2Stranraer Reserves01616
3Threave Rovers01313
4Dalbeattie Star6612
5Tarff Rovers088
6Newton Stewart336
7Wigtown & Bladnoch055
8=Stranraer Athletic033
8=Annan Athletic033
10=Ayr United 'A'022
10=Mid-Annandale202
12=5th KRV101
12=5th KOSB101
12=6 GRV101
12=Abbey Vale011
12=Crichton011
12=Douglas Wanderers101
12=Edusport Academy011
12=Girvan011
12=Greystone Rovers011
12=Lincluden Swifts011
12=Lochar Thistle011
12=Maxwelltown High School011
12=Queen of the South Reserves011