Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region


The Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region was one of three regions of the SJFA which organised its own distinct league and cup competitions. The SJFA used to be split into six regions, but in 2002 they took the decision to reform into three to try to ensure more games between the top clubs and hence increase their revenues. The region covered an area from Girvan in South Ayrshire to Denny in Central Scotland.

History

Foundation

Although the West Region was formed by the amalgamation of the Central and Ayrshire regions in 2002, a West of Scotland Junior FA had existed since the end of the Intermediate dispute in 1931 and administered the West of Scotland Cup since that time. The first phase of rationalisation in 1968 saw the Central Junior Football League merge with the even older Lanarkshire Junior Football League to create the Central region. The Western Junior League became the Ayrshire region, with Neilston Juniors and Dunoon Athletic transferring to the Central region.

Structure

From 2002 to 2018, the league set-up in the region was a combined top division, officially known as the SJFA West of Scotland Region Super League Premier Division, with the West of Scotland Region Super League First Division below. There were two district leagues below that provided the First Division with two clubs each at the end of the season. These corresponded to the former two regions that combined to create the new West region: there was a Central District League and an Ayrshire District League, with the four teams relegated from the First Division assigned to their historic region. Although Ayrshire only had one division, clubs were also promoted between the two divisions of the Central District League.
In 2017 West Region clubs voted to organise all leagues on a regionwide basis and as a result, the Super League Premier Division was rebranded as the West Region Premiership for the 2018–19 season and featured 16 clubs. Clubs were relegated to a rebranded Championship also made up of 16 teams. The Ayrshire and Central district leagues were scrapped and replaced by League One and Two consisting of 16 and 15 teams respectively.

End of an era

In 2020, as part of a long process of negotiation to form an integrated footballing pyramid structure, all 63 West Region Junior clubs decided to depart and join the newly-founded West of Scotland Football League, a feeder to the Lowland League.

Member clubs

Towards the end of the 2019–20 campaign, the coronavirus pandemic interrupted the season and caused the West Region leagues to be curtailed, with champions later declared on a 'points per game' basis by the West Region management committee. At that time there were 63 member clubs in the setup.

SJFA West Region Premiership

ClubLocationHome GroundFinishing position 2019–20
Auchinleck TalbotAuchinleckBeechwood Park1st
Beith JuniorsBeithBellsdale Park6th
Benburb F.C.GlasgowNew Tinto Park13th
ClydebankClydebankHolm Park9th
Cumnock JuniorsCumnockTownhead Park10th
Glenafton AthleticNew CumnockLoch Park4th
Hurlford UnitedHurlfordBlair Park7th
Irvine MeadowIrvineMeadow Park5th
Kilbirnie LadesideKilbirnieValefield Park8th
Kilwinning RangersKilwinningAbbey Park2nd
Kirkintilloch Rob RoyCumbernauldGuy's Meadow 16th
Largs ThistleLargsBarrfields Stadium12th
PollokGlasgowNewlandsfield Park3rd
RossvaleGlasgowNew Tinto Park 11th
Rutherglen GlencairnRutherglenNew Southcroft Park15th
TroonTroonPortland Park14th

; Notes

SJFA West Region Championship

ClubLocationHome GroundFinishing position 2019–20
ArthurlieBarrheadDunterlie Park9th
Blantyre VictoriaBlantyreKG Stadium1st=
Cambuslang RangersCambuslangSomervell Park14th
Craigmark BurntoniansDalmellingtonStation Park15th
Cumbernauld UnitedCumbernauldGuy's Meadow3rd
Dalry ThistleDalryMerksworth Park8th
Darvel JuniorsDarvelRecreation Park1st=
Gartcairn JuniorsAirdrieMTC Park11th
Irvine VictoriaIrvineVictoria Park16th
Kilsyth RangersKilsythDuncansfield Park7th
Neilston JuniorsNeilstonBrig O' Lea Stadium6th
PetershillGlasgowPetershill Park13th
RenfrewRenfrewNew Western Park5th
Shotts Bon AccordShottsHannah Park4th
St Roch'sGlasgowJames McGrory Park12th
Whitletts VictoriaAyrDam Park10th

SJFA West Region League One

ClubLocationHome GroundFinishing position 2019–20
Ardrossan Winton RoversArdrossanWinton Park2nd
Bellshill AthleticBellshillRockburn Park6th
Carluke RoversCarlukeJohn Cumming Stadium10th
East Kilbride ThistleEast KilbrideThe Showpark15th
GirvanGirvanHamilton Park11th
Glasgow PerthshirePossilpark, GlasgowKeppoch Park8th
Greenock JuniorsGreenockRavenscraig Stadium7th
Kello RoversKirkconnelNithside Park13th
Lanark UnitedLanarkMoor Park3rd
Larkhall ThistleLarkhallGasworks Park9th
LesmahagowLesmahagowCraighead Park5th
MaryhillMaryhillLochburn Park12th
Port GlasgowPort GlasgowParklea Community Stadium4th
Royal AlbertStonehouseTilework Park16th
ShettlestonShettlestonGreenfield Park1st
Wishaw JuniorsWishawBeltane Park14th

SJFA West Region League Two

ClubLocationHome GroundFinishing position 2019–20
Annbank UnitedAnnbankNew Pebble Park9th
Ardeer ThistleStevenstonArdeer Stadium15th
AshfieldPossilpark, GlasgowSaracen Park3rd
Forth WanderersForthKingshill Park7th
Johnstone BurghJohnstoneKeanie Park1st
Lugar Boswell ThistleLugarRosebank Park14th
MayboleMayboleLadywell Stadium8th
MuirkirkMuirkirkBurnside Park2nd
Newmains UnitedNewmainsVictoria Park12th
Saltcoats VictoriaSaltcoatsCampbell Park13th
St Anthony'sCardonaldMcKenna Park11th
Thorniewood UnitedViewparkRobertson Park6th
Vale of ClydeTollcrossFullarton Park10th
Vale of LevenAlexandriaMillburn Park4th
Yoker AthleticClydebankHolm Park5th

Cup competitions

The West Region organised several cup competitions for member clubs:
Pre-2018 competitions
2018–19 winners unless stated.
SeasonWest PremiershipWest ChampionshipWest League OneWest League Two
2018–19Auchinleck Talbot Rutherglen GlencairnGartcairn JuniorsLanark United
2019–20Auchinleck Talbot Blantyre Victoria /
Darvel 		ShettlestonJohnstone Burgh