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The Scottish Amateur Football League (SAFL) was Scotland's oldest football league competition for amateur teams in Scotland, before disbanding in 2023 when it merged with the Central Scottish Amateur League to form the Scottish Premier Amateur League.
 |
 | |
| Founded | 1901 disbanded 2023 |
|---|---|
| Country | Scotland |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Divisions | Premier Division 1 Championship |
| Number of teams | 23 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | 2 up |
| Relegation to | 2 Down |
| Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Amateur Cup West of Scotland Cup/ Jimmy Marshall Trophy / Centenary Cup |
Although the League officially records itself as having been founded in 1909, when Scottish Football League club Queen's Park decided that their fourth team needed regular competition, research published by the Scottish Football Historical Archive confirms that the league was actually founded by six clubs at a meeting at Glasgow University in late June 1901, with Paisley Academicals winning the first championship. Queen's Park were successful in winning the league title in 1909–10, 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.[citation needed]
Despite being called the Scottish Amateur Football League, the league has never included clubs from across the country. Although, prior to the official formation of the league a SAFL side made at least one visit to Fife for a match. 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 its peak in the early 1980s, the SAFL contained 12 divisions, but for season 2020/21, there will be 3. For more than 20 years, the League was split into a Premier section of three divisions, with two or three further divisions comprising Section One, so named as it preserved the divisions of the original league. But following an SAFA directive during the 2011–12 season, this format has been changed back to one all-in competition, with effect from the start of the 2012–13 season. The three premier divisions are retained, and the lowest two divisions become two sections of equal status, decided by a balloted draw prior to the start of each season. The top two teams from each section will be promoted to Premier 2, which will start the 2012–13 season with 11 clubs, but will have 12 clubs from the start of the following season.
Hall of fame
In March 2013, the League held its inaugural Hall of Fame Dinner, attended by well over 300 guests, at which the following became the first inductees to the SAFL Hall of Fame:
- Alan Bruce (Busby AFC)
- Alan & Russel Davidson (Whitehill FP AFC)
- Eamon Gowen (Nolt Gulch Town)
- Charlie Henderson (Paisley AFC)
- Duncan McAulay (Campbeltown Pupils AFC)
- Keith Millar (Oban Saints)
- Derek Yuille (Rutherglen AFC)
Office Bearers
- Margaret McMillan – President
- Maiwill Hunman – Vice President
- Raymond McMillan – Secretary
- Derek Milton – Match Secretary
- Robert Bowman – Minutes Secretary
- Campbell McPherson - Treasurer
- Margaret McMillan – Discipline Secretary
- Stewart Cameron - Registration Secretary
Divisional Representatives
- Frank McCann – Premier
- Danny Cameron - Premier 1
Premier
- Castlemilk BC
- Easthall Star
- Ffellomarghey
- Glynhill Moorcroft
- Hillington
- Inverclyde
- Kings Park Rangers
- Neilston
- Parkhall
- Rutherglen
- Port Glasgow Ams
Division 1 Championship
- Arthurlie U21's
- Baljaffray Ams
- Busby
- Cardross Ams
- Carlton YM
- Claremont
- Duncanrig FP
- Dunoon
- Glenburn
- Lochgilphead Red Star
- Port Glasgow OBU
- St.Convals
- Tarbert
| Year | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 | Tier 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | St Patrick's | Fernhill Villa | Oban Saints | Campbeltown Boys | Blairbeth | Dunoon AFC |
| 1995 | St Patrick's | Greenock High School Former Pupils | Port Glasgow Hibs | Strathclyde Police | Dunoon Ams | Westhill AFC |
| 1996 | Fernhill Villa | Torrance United | Campbeltown Boys | Busby | Glasgow Harp | Bishopbriggs AFC |
| 1997 | St Patrick's | Hamilton FP | Port Glasgow OBU | Pollok | Westhill Amateurs | Millerston Thistle |
| 1998 | Hamilton FP | Oban Saints | Pollok | Strathclyde Police | Millerston Thistle | Shamrock BC |
| 1999 | Gourock Athletic | Campbeltown Pupils | Gartcosh United | Westhill | Shamrock BC | No competition |
| 2000 | Campbeltown Pupils | Camphill | Kilbowie Union | Shamrock Boys Club | Leven Valley | No competition |
| 2001 | Gartcosh United | Kilbowie Union | Shamrock Boys Club | Rothesay Brandane | Glencastle Sparta | No competition |
| 2002 | St Patrick's | Oban Saints | Busby | Glencastle Sparta | Glasgow Harp (B) | No competition |
| 2003 | Glasgow Harp | Busby | Cumbernauld Ams | Inverclyde | East Kilbride YM FC | No competition |
| 2004 | St Patrick's | Kings Park Rangers | Inverclyde | Dunoon | Sandiefield Star | No competition |
| 2005 | St Patrick's | Kilpatrick | Eaglesham | Sandiefield Star | Leven Valley | No competition |
| 2006 | St Patrick's | Cambria AFC | Inverclyde | St Patricks FP (B) | Rosehill Star | No competition |
| 2007 | Greenock High School Former Pupils | Busby | Shawlands FP | Castlemilk Ams | Carlton YMCA (B) | No competition |
| 2008 | St Patrick's | Kilpatrick | Aikenhead Thistle | St Patricks FP (B) | Duncanrig FP (B) | No competition |
| 2009 | St. Josephs | Castlemilk AFC | Thorn Athletic | Tarbert | Haldane Utd | No competition |
| 2010 | Oban Saints | Thorn Athletic | Rolls Royce EK | Haldane United | Aikenhead Thistle B | No competition |
| 2011 | Aikenhead Thistle | Postal United | Finnart AFC | Gourock Thistle | East Kilbride YM FC | Alba Thistle |
| 2012 | Postal United | Finnart AFC | Alba Thistle | Paisley | East Kilbride FC | No competition |
| 2013 | Postal United | Alba Thistle | Campbeltown Pupils AFC | East Kilbride FC | ||
| 2014 | Oban Saints AFC | Campbeltown Pupils AFC | East Kilbride FC | Drumchapel Amateurs Colts | Motherwell Thistle AFC | |
| 2015 | St. Josephs FP AFC | East Kilbride FC | Drumchapel Amateur Colts | Dumbarton Wanderers | ||
| 2016 | East Kilbride FC | Drumchapel Amateurs Colts | Bridgewater AFC | Port Glasgow AFC | ||
| 2017 | St Joseph's FPs | Alba Thistle | Arkleston | |||
| 2018 | Goldenhill | Arkleston | Lochgilphead Red Star | |||
| 2019 | St Joseph's FPs | Castlemilk BC | Glynhill Moorcroft | |||
| 2020 | Competition suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland | |||||
| 2021 | Competition suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland | |||||
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