2023–24 Highland Football League
Football league season
Breedon Highland League Season 2023–24 Dates 29 July 2023 – 27 April 2024 Champions Buckie Thistle Matches played 306 Goals scored 1,124 (3.67 per match) Biggest home win Fraserburgh 11–0 Strathspey Thistle (20 April 2024)Biggest away win Strathspey Thistle 1–10 Brora Rangers (6 March 2024)Highest scoring Strathspey Thistle 1–10 Brora Rangers (6 March 2024)Fraserburgh 11–0 Strathspey Thistle (20 April 2024)Longest winning run 10 matches:Brechin City & Fraserburgh Longest unbeaten run 19 matches:Banks o' Dee Longest winless run 16 matches:Clachnacuddin & Strathspey Thistle Longest losing run 14 matches: Strathspey Thistle
All statistics correct as of 27 April 2024.
The 2023–24 Highland Football League (known as the Breedon Highland League for sponsorship reasons) was the 121st season of the Highland Football League , and the 10th season as part of the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system . Brechin City were the reigning champions, and were one of three teams that could have won the title in the final round of games, along with Buckie Thistle and Fraserburgh .
Buckie Thistle's 1–0 win – a sixth consecutive win to finish the season – over Keith gave them their 12th Highland League title on goal difference from Brechin City,[1] with Fraserburgh three points behind in third, having won their last ten games. However, Buckie Thistle were not eligible for the pyramid play-off as they did not hold a bronze-level club licence.[2]
Teams
Location of teams in
2023-24 Highland Football League
Stadia and locations
All grounds are equipped with floodlights as required by league regulations.
Team
Location
Stadium
Capacity
Seats
Banks o' Dee
Aberdeen
Spain Park
876
100
Brechin City
Brechin
Glebe Park
4,083
1,519
Brora Rangers
Brora
Dudgeon Park
4,000
200
Buckie Thistle
Buckie
Victoria Park
5,000
400
Clachnacuddin
Inverness
Grant Street Park
2,074
154
Deveronvale
Banff
Princess Royal Park
2,600
360
Formartine United
Pitmedden
North Lodge Park
2,500
300
Forres Mechanics
Forres
Mosset Park
2,700
502
Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh
Bellslea Park
3,000
480
Huntly
Huntly
Christie Park
2,200
270
Inverurie Loco Works
Inverurie
Harlaw Park
2,500
250
Keith
Keith
Kynoch Park
4,000
370
Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth
Grant Park
2,050
250
Nairn County
Nairn
Station Park
2,250
250
Rothes
Rothes
Mackessack Park
2,700
184
Strathspey Thistle
Grantown-on-Spey
Seafield Park
1,600
150
Turriff United
Turriff
The Haughs
2,135
135
Wick Academy
Wick
Harmsworth Park
2,412
102
League table
Source:
[3] [4] [5] Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions
Results
Source:
[14] [15] Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie .[6]
^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie , due to an unplayable pitch at Dudgeon Park.[7]
^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie , due to an unplayable pitch at Dudgeon Park.[8]
^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie .[9]
^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie .[10]
^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie .[11]
^ Match played at Grant Park, Lossiemouth , due to an unplayable pitch at Victoria Park .[12]
^ Match played at Grant Park, Lossiemouth .[13]
^ Match played at Princess Royal Park , Banff .[13]
Highland League play-off
Subject to the tier 6 champion clubs meeting the required licensing criteria for promotion,[16] [17] a play-off was scheduled to take place between the winners of the 2023–24 Midlands Football League , 2023–24 North Caledonian Football League and the 2023–24 North Region Junior Football League , with the winners then playing Strathspey Thistle , who finished bottom of the Highland League. However, none of the tier 6 champions had the required SFA licence and as such there was no promotion to, or relegation from, the Highland League.
References
^ Clark, Jonny (20 April 2024). "Buckie Thistle are 2023-24 Highland League champions after narrow win over Keith at Victoria Park" . The Northern Scot . Highland News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ "Scottish FA Statement: Pyramid Play-Off Tie" . Scottish Football Association . 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024 .
^ "Highland League Table" . BBC. Retrieved 27 April 2024 .
^ "Highland Football League, Scotland - League Table" . Highland Football League. Retrieved 27 April 2024 .
^ "Summary - Football League" . Soccerway. Retrieved 27 April 2024 .
^ Mew, Steven (18 April 2024). "Match Preview | Brora Rangers v Brechin City" . Brechin City F.C. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ Clark, Will (3 April 2024). "Venue changed for Brora Rangers clash with Deveronvale tonight" . The Northern Times . Highland News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 3 April 2024 .
^ Law, Callum (26 January 2024). "Brora Rangers v Keith in Highland League switched to Golspie" . The Press and Journal . Aberdeen Journals . Retrieved 27 January 2024 .
^ Clark, Will (21 February 2024). "Brora Rangers announce change of venue eight hours before kick-off for Highland League match with Golspie [sic]" . The Northern Times . Highland News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ Law, Callum (26 April 2024). "Highland League preview: Brora legends bow out against Turriff; Keith and Wick battle for 12th and Clach make new signings" . The Press and Journal . Aberdeen Journals . Retrieved 27 April 2024 . Player-manager Ally MacDonald, goalkeeper Joe Malin, midfielder Dale Gillespie and attacker Paul Brindle are all leaving the Cattachs following the fixture at King George V Park in Golspie.
^ Chalk, Paul (24 April 2024). "Brora Rangers edge past Wick Academy to seal sixth spot in Highland League" . The Press and Journal . Aberdeen Journals . Retrieved 24 April 2024 . The Cattachs, playing their final few games in Golspie due to a troublesome Dudgeon Park [...]
^ Christie, Craig (10 April 2024). "Buckie Thistle switch crucial Highland League clash to Lossiemouth's Grant Park while Brechin City await verdict on Keith's Kynoch Park surface" . The Northern Scot . Highland News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 10 April 2024 .
^ a b Clark, Jonathan (8 February 2024). "Buckie Thistle to play home matches at Deveronvale's Princess Royal Park and Lossiemouth's Grant Park" . The Northern Scot . Highland News and Media Ltd. Retrieved 10 February 2024 .
^ "Highland League Results" . Highland Football League. Retrieved 27 April 2024 .
^ "Highland League 2023/24 fixtures revealed" . The Press and Journal . Retrieved 2 June 2023 .
^ Chalk, Paul. "George Manson takes over top Highland League role at AGM" . The Press and Journal . Retrieved 9 May 2023 .
^ Fraser, Alasdair. "Relegation dawns for Highland League clubs as tier six north set for next season" . Inverness Courier . Retrieved 9 May 2023 .
External links
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