Highlands and Islands League

{{Infobox football league

| logo =

| pixels =

| country = {{Flagicon|Scotland}} Scotland

| confed =

| founded = 2019

| divisions =

| teams = 8

| promotion =

| relegation =

| levels =

| domest_cup = Scottish Women's Cup

| league_cup = Highlands and Islands League Cup

| confed_cup =

| champions = Buckie

| season =

| most successful club = Clachnacuddin (1 title),
Inverness CT Dev. (1 title), Buckie (1 title)

| website = [http://scotwomensfootball.com/ Scottish Women's Football]

| current =

}}

The Highlands and Islands League is an amateur women's association football league in Scotland, run by Scottish Women's Football (SWF). Founded in 2019, the league sits outside the current Scottish Women's Football League pyramid. It comprises eight teams: one based in Caithness, one in Moray, one in Ross-shire, one in Nairnshire, one in Orkney, two in Sutherland, and one in Inverness-shire.

History

In September 2018, a proposal to create a women's Highlands and Islands League for 2019 was ratified by Scottish Women's Football (SWF).{{cite web|url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/future-bright-for-girls-grassroots-football-in-highlands-and-islands/|publisher=Scottish Football Association|date=30 September 2018|language=|accessdate=22 March 2019|title=Future bright for girls’ grassroots football in Highlands and Islands}} On 25 February 2019, SWF officially announced the creation of the new league.{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/highlands-islands-launch/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|date=25 February 2019|language=|accessdate=22 March 2019|title=New Highlands and Islands League set to launch}} The inaugural season ran from March to October, with each team playing 12 games, and was won by Clachnacuddin. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/sport/league-winning-manager-and-captain-decide-to-leave-clachnacuddin-222913/|work=Strathspey & Badenoch Herald|date=27 December 2020|first=Will|last=Clark|language=|accessdate=20 June 2021|title=Highlands and Islands League winning manager Bobby Beckwith steps down as Clachnacuddin Women boss}}

Clubs

=2023 season=

The following eight teams are competing in the Highlands and Islands League during the 2023 season:{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/league-competitions/highlands-and-islands-league/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|date=|language=|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Highlands & Islands League}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: left;"
Team

! Home ground

! Location

! First season

! Ref.

Brora Rangers

| Dudgeon Park

| Brora, Sutherland

| 2019

|{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/brora-rangers/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Brora Rangers}}

Buckie

| Gordon Park

| Portgordon, Moray

| 2019

| {{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/buckie-ladies/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Buckie Ladies}}

Caithness

| Sir Georges Park

| Thurso, Caithness

| 2019

|{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/caithness/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Caithness}}

Clachnacuddin

| Grant Street Park

| Inverness, Inverness-shire

| 2019

|{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/clachnacuddin/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Clachnacuddin}}

Nairn St Ninian

| Nairn Showfield

| Nairn, Nairnshire

| 2019

|{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/nairn/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Nairn}}

Ross & Cromarty

| Ferry Brae Park

| North Kessock, Ross-shire

| 2023

|{{cite web|url=https://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/sport/ross-and-cromarty-women-make-debut-in-highlands-and-islands-308806/|first=Will|last=Clark|website=Ross-shire Journal|accessdate=29 August 2023|date=30 March 2023|title=Ross and Cromarty women make debut in Highlands and Islands League}}

Orkney

| Kirkwall Grammar School

| Kirkwall, Orkney

| 2020

|{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/orkney/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=22 February 2020|title=Orkney}}

Sutherland

| Couper Park

| Helmsdale, Sutherland

| 2020

|{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/sutherland/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=22 February 2020|title=Sutherland}}

=Former clubs=

class="wikitable sortable"
scope="col" style="width: 180px;" | Team

! Home ground

! Location

! First season

! Last season

! Ref.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle DevelopmentMillburn AcademyInverness, Inverness-shire20192022{{cite web|url=https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/watch-new-womens-football-club-to-enter-highlands-and-isl-300680/|website=Inverness Courier|first=Will|last=Clark|date=22 January 2023|language=|accessdate=29 August 2023|title=WATCH - Ross and Cromarty WFC to debut in Highlands and Islands League for 2023}}
Lewis and HarrisUllapool High SchoolUllapool, Ross and Cromarty20192019{{cite web|url=https://www.whfp.com/2019/08/22/19819/|website=West Highland Free Press|date=22 August 2019|language=|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Lewis and Harris women’s team aim for a glorious ending to a memorable chapter}}
Kirkwall CityThe Pickaquoy CentreKirkwall, Orkney20192021{{cite web|url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/club-directory/kirkwall-city/|publisher=Scottish Women's Football|accessdate=11 January 2020|title=Kirkwall City}}

Seasons

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
Season

! Champions

! Runners-up

! Ref

2019ClachnacuddinInverness Caledonian Thistle Development
2020colspan=2 | Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic{{cite news |title=Orkney Women’s Football Team Loses Out to Coronavirus |url=https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/or/onlinenewspaper/2020/05/28/orkney-womens-football-team-loses-out-to-coronavirus/ |work=Glow Scotland |date=28 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710005249/https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/or/onlinenewspaper/2020/05/28/orkney-womens-football-team-loses-out-to-coronavirus/ |archive-date=10 Jul 2022 |url-status=live}}
2021Inverness Caledonian Thistle DevelopmentClachnacuddin{{cite news |title=Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development are Highlands and Islands League champions |url=https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/inverness-caledonian-thistle-development-win-highlands-and-i-252487/ |work=Inverness Courier |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928184612/https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/sport/inverness-caledonian-thistle-development-win-highlands-and-i-252487/ |archive-date=28 Sep 2021 |url-status=live}}
2022BuckieClachnacuddin[https://scotwomensfootball.com/league-competitions/highlands-and-islands-league/ Highlands & Islands League, season 2022] SWF

Highlands and Islands League Cup

The Cup competition began in the 2019 season, along with the foundation of the Highlands and Islands League. Lewis and Harris won the first edition.

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
Season

! scope="col" style="width: 180px;" | Winners

! scope="col" style="width: 180px;" | Runners-up

! Result

! Venue

! Ref.

2019Lewis and HarrisClachnacuddin7–0Caledonian Stadium, Inverness{{cite web |last=Frith|first=Wilf|title=Lewis & Harris lift first ever Highlands & Islands Women’s League Cup|work=She Kicks|date=25 August 2019|accessdate=14 January 2020|url=https://shekicks.net/lewis-harris-lift-first-ever-highlands-islands-womens-league-cup/}}
2021SutherlandClachnacuddin3–2Station Park, Nairn{{cite web |title=SWF Highlands & Islands League Cup Final 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGqUhqhJK30 |website=Scottish Women's Football - Official Channel |date=4 Oct 2021}}
2022BuckieSutherland2–2 a.e.t.
(3–1 pen)
Station Park, Nairn{{cite web |title=Brave Buckie battle out historic league cup victory |url=https://scotwomensfootball.com/brave-buckie-battle-out-historic-league-cup-victory/ |website=SWF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710004338/https://scotwomensfootball.com/brave-buckie-battle-out-historic-league-cup-victory/ |archive-date=10 Jul 2022}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20220710004254/https://scotwomensfootball.com/cup-competitions/highlands-islands-league-cup/ SWF results (archive)]

References

{{reflist}}