SJFA West Region Premiership
The SJFA West Region Premiership (also known as the McBookie.com West Region Premiership for sponsorship reasons) was a semi-professional football league run by the West Region of the Scottish Junior Football Association, and was the highest tier of league competition for its member clubs.
| Founded | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2020 |
| Country |  Scotland |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Promotion to | no promotion |
| Relegation to | West Region Championship |
| Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Junior Cup |
| Last champions | Auchinleck Talbot (7th title) (2019–20) |
| Most championships | Auchinleck Talbot (7 titles) |
| Website | Scottish Junior FA |
Formerly known as the West of Scotland Super League Premier Division, the league was created in 2002 with the amalgamation of the top leagues of the Central and Ayrshire regions.
It was abolished in 2020 when all SJFA West Region clubs moved to join the newly-formed senior West of Scotland Football League.
The final champions and most successful club were Auchinleck Talbot, who won seven league titles. A total of 32 clubs competed in the league.
History
Initially two clubs were automatically relegated to the Super League First Division at the end of each season, and replaced by the clubs placed first and second in that division. A relegation play-off was added in 2006–07 which saw the club finishing third bottom contest a two-legged play-off against the team which finished third in the Super League First Division.
From the 2007–08 season, the winners of the league were eligible to enter the senior Scottish Cup at its earliest stage, with Pollok being the first champions to take part in the Scottish Cup.[1]
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. The league was also expanded to sixteen clubs, and with clubs were relegated to a rebranded Championship also consisting of sixteen teams.[2]
The final season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Member clubs for the 2019–20 season
| Club | Location | Home Ground | Finishing position 2018–19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auchinleck Talbot | Auchinleck | Beechwood Park | 1st |
| Beith Juniors | Beith | Bellsdale Park | 4th |
| Benburb | Govan, Glasgow | New Tinto Park | 2nd in Championship |
| Clydebank | Clydebank | Holm Park | 8th |
| Cumnock Juniors | Cumnock | Townhead Park | 10th |
| Glenafton Athletic | New Cumnock | Loch Park | 5th |
| Hurlford United | Hurlford | Blair Park | 2nd |
| Irvine Meadow | Irvine | Meadow Park | 6th |
| Kilbirnie Ladeside | Kilbirnie | Valefield Park | 13th |
| Kilwinning Rangers | Kilwinning | Kilwinning Sports Club | 9th |
| Kirkintilloch Rob Roy | Cumbernauld | Guy's Meadow [lower-alpha 1] | 11th |
| Largs Thistle | Largs | Barrfields Stadium | 7th |
| Pollok | Newlands, Glasgow | Newlandsfield Park | 3rd |
| Rossvale | Govan, Glasgow | New Tinto Park [lower-alpha 2] | 3rd in Championship |
| Rutherglen Glencairn | Rutherglen | New Southcroft Park | 1st in Championship |
| Troon | Troon | Portland Park | 12th |
- Notes
- Kirkintilloch Rob Roy ground-shared with Cumbernauld United.
- Rossvale ground-shared with Benburb.
Champions and season summaries
Note: Champions in bold completed the 'Double' by also winning the Junior Cup.
- Season suspended in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Champions calculated using 'points per game' algorithm, announced on 21 April.[17][18]
All-time table
This table is a cumulative record of matches played in the Super League Premier Division and West Region Premiership since its inception in 2002. The table is accurate from the 2002–03 season to the end of the 2019–20 season, inclusive.[21] Teams highlighted in bold were members of the 2019–20 West Region Premiership – due to that season being curtailed with the number of fixtures completed by each club varying widely (e.g. Auchinleck had played 16, Clydebank had played 28), their figures do not provide a consistent total.
| P | Club | Ssn | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | PPG | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Rel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auchinleck Talbot | 18 | 398 | 238 | 73 | 87 | 878 | 422 | 456 | 787 | 1.98 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2 | Hurlford | 7 | 159 | 86 | 37 | 36 | 326 | 210 | 116 | 295 | 1.86 | 3 | 1 | |||
| 3 | Pollok | 17 | 382 | 191 | 77 | 114 | 744 | 546 | 198 | 660 | 1.73 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Irvine Meadow | 12 | 272 | 139 | 42 | 91 | 497 | 407 | 90 | 459 | 1.69 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| 5 | Beith Juniors | 12 | 271 | 129 | 64 | 78 | 527 | 417 | 110 | 451 | 1.66 | 2 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 6 | Kilwinning Rangers | 7 | 165 | 78 | 31 | 56 | 294 | 245 | 49 | 265 | 1.61 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| 7 | Glenafton Athletic | 15 | 326 | 137 | 75 | 122 | 509 | 480 | 29 | 486 | 1.49 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 8 | Arthurlie | 15 | 330 | 141 | 65 | 124 | 556 | 546 | 10 | 473[lower-alpha 1] | 1.43 | 4 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 9 | Ashfield | 2 | 44 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 81 | 76 | 5 | 59 | 1.34 | 1 | ||||
| 10 | Clydebank | 7 | 168 | 66 | 25 | 77 | 263 | 274 | -11 | 223 | 1.33 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 11 | Petershill | 11 | 250 | 92 | 58 | 100 | 369 | 421 | -52 | 331[lower-alpha 2] | 1.32 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 12 | Maryhill | 5 | 110 | 40 | 24 | 46 | 176 | 175 | 1 | 144 | 1.31 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 13 | Rossvale | 1 | 25 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 33 | 39 | -6 | 32 | 1.28 | |||||
| 14 | Kirkintilloch Rob Roy | 11 | 245 | 88 | 43 | 114 | 379 | 460 | -81 | 305 | 1.24 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 15 | Cumnock Juniors | 16 | 363 | 123 | 76 | 164 | 597 | 646 | -49 | 445 | 1.23 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 16 | Neilston Juniors | 5 | 110 | 37 | 20 | 53 | 171 | 205 | -34 | 131 | 1.19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 17 | Kilbirnie Ladeside | 12 | 274 | 90 | 56 | 128 | 426 | 497 | -71 | 326 | 1.19 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 18 | Largs Thistle | 7 | 165 | 55 | 29 | 81 | 252 | 303 | -51 | 194 | 1.18 | 3 | ||||
| 19 | Bellshill Athletic | 6 | 132 | 43 | 25 | 64 | 175 | 231 | -56 | 154 | 1.17 | 1 | ||||
| 20 | Renfrew | 4 | 96 | 31 | 19 | 46 | 132 | 187 | -55 | 112 | 1.17 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 21 | Shotts Bon Accord | 5 | 110 | 36 | 20 | 54 | 153 | 210 | -57 | 128 | 1.16 | 2 | ||||
| 22 | Shettleston | 1 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 32 | -6 | 25 | 1.14 | 1 | ||||
| 23 | Troon | 7 | 164 | 49 | 32 | 83 | 240 | 319 | -79 | 186[lower-alpha 3] | 1.13 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 24 | Johnstone Burgh | 4 | 88 | 25 | 18 | 45 | 100 | 165 | -65 | 93 | 1.06 | 1 | ||||
| 25 | Larkhall Thistle | 4 | 88 | 22 | 27 | 39 | 132 | 164 | -32 | 93 | 1.06 | 1 | ||||
| 26 | Lanark United | 2 | 44 | 12 | 8 | 24 | 66 | 93 | -27 | 44 | 1.00 | 1 | ||||
| 27 | Kilsyth Rangers | 3 | 66 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 79 | 140 | -61 | 59 | 0.89 | 1 | ||||
| 28 | Vale of Clyde | 2 | 44 | 8 | 9 | 27 | 54 | 107 | -53 | 33 | 0.75 | 1 | ||||
| 29 | Rutherglen Glencairn | 2 | 39 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 50 | 99 | -49 | 25 | 0.64 | 1 | ||||
| 30 | Benburb | 2 | 42 | 6 | 6 | 30 | 45 | 102 | -57 | 24 | 0.57 | 1 | ||||
| 31 | Girvan | 1 | 22 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 59 | -35 | 12 | 0.55 | 1 | ||||
| 32 | Cambuslang Rangers | 1 | 30 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 35 | 92 | -57 | 14[lower-alpha 4] | 0.47 | 1 |
P = Position; Ssn = Number of seasons; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; PPG = Points per game; Rel = Relegated
- Notes
- Arthurlie deducted 15 points in 2005–06 season.
- Petershill deducted 3 points in 2018–19 season.
- Troon deducted 3 points in 2003–04 season.
- Cambuslang Rangers deducted 3 points in 2018–19 season.
References
- "Pollok 0-1 Montrose". BBC Sport. 3 November 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- Goldthorp, Craig (13 July 2017). "Junior football overhaul sees merger of Scotland's West and Ayrshire clubs". www.carlukegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- "Spartans leave it late in City Park's last Scottish Cup tie". The Scotsman. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- "Hibernian 3 - 0 Irvine Meadow". BBC Sport. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- "Beith 3-4 Airdrie United". BBC Sport. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- Robertson, Alan (20 November 2011). "Irvine Meadow 0 Livingston 6". Daily Record. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- "Third Division Montrose and Peterhead exit Scottish Cup". BBC Sport. 29 September 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- "Shoot-out drama as Largs win". Evening Times. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- "Auchinleck Talbot 2 – 3 Stranraer". BBC Sport. 9 November 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- Thomson, Nick (11 June 2014). "Things are looking up". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- "Edinburgh City 2-1 Auchinleck Talbot". BBC Sport. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- Hepburn, David (5 June 2015). "Promotion joy for Kirkintilloch Rob Roy". www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- "Scottish Cup: East Stirlingshire and Clyde eliminated". BBC Sport. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- McGowan, Eric (11 June 2016). "Buffs shoot down Shettleston to win promotion back to the top flight". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- O'Donnell, Jim (13 September 2016). "Don't write off Auchinleck Talbot after William Hill Scottish Cup defeat, says victorious Beith skipper John Sheridan". Evening Times. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- McGowan, Eric (3 June 2017). "Kilwinning Rangers retain top flight status after play-off drama at Abbey Park". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- Auchinleck Talbot awarded Scottish junior title despite being 12 points off top, BBC Sport, 21 April 2020
- Junior football chiefs explain reasoning behind controversial league winners decision, Daily Record, 21 April 2020
- Pyramid Update – 67 Applications Approved, Scottish Lowland Football League, 14 April 2020
- Junior clubs in the west are about to get the best of both worlds, The Scotsman, 19 April 2020
- http://www.west-region-results.co.uk/
External links
- West Region Super Premier League at Non-League Scotland (archive version, 2007-08 membership)