West of Scotland Football League
The West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) is a newly-created senior football league, featuring 67 clubs based in the west of Scotland.
 | |
| Founded | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Country |  Scotland (67 teams) |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Conferences | 3 (Tier 7) |
| Number of teams | 67 |
| Level on pyramid | 6–7 |
| Promotion to | Lowland Football League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Cup South Region Challenge Cup |
| Website | wosfl.co.uk |
| Current: 2020–21 West of Scotland Football League | |
The winners will take part in an end of season promotion play-off with the East of Scotland Football League and South of Scotland Football League champions, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria. This means the league will sit at level six on the Scottish football pyramid system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.
Initial plans for the inaugural season would have seen the league operate a conference format in order to facilitate all 67 clubs at the same level. However, following a video conference with the Scottish Football Association, the league will be split into a top tier and lower divisions, similar to that utilised by the East of Scotland Football League.[1]
Member clubs
On 14 April 2020, the Lowland League announced it had approved 67 applications to join the new league, which included all 63 clubs from the Scottish Junior Football Association's West Region,[lower-alpha 1] and four others: Glasgow amateurs Drumchapel United and Glasgow University, Kilmarnock side Bonnyton Thistle moving sideways from the South of Scotland League and Newton Mearns-based youth club St Cadoc's Youth Club from the Paisley, Johnstone & District League.[2]
League setup
– Tier 6 
– Tier 7 Conference A 
– Tier 7 Conference B 
– Tier 7 Conference COn 1 May 2020, the League confirmed that a top division of 20 teams would contest the first season in 2020–21, comprising the 16 teams who had played in the 2019–20 West Region Premiership, the top three placed from the West Championship and one moving 'sideways' from the South of Scotland Football League.[1] This ran contrary to some clubs' expectations that the inaugural campaign would not use a hierarchical system,[3][4] but the league stated "that option was not on the table" due to legal issues. Teams below the top division would be distributed into three balanced conferences;[5] the list for which was published three days later.[6]
On 17 September 2020, the League announced that the Premier Division would be split into two groups based on the Points Per Game formula that was used to declare the league winners of the SJFA West Region. There will be two phases to the season. In Phase 1, teams will play other teams within their group twice, home and away. Phase 2 consists of a further ten games, five home and five away, with teams being drawn against teams from the other group.[7]
Premier Division
- Group 1
- Auchinleck Talbot
- Benburb
- Blantyre Victoria
- Bonnyton Thistle
- Clydebank
- Glenafton Athletic
- Irvine Meadow XI
- Kilbirnie Ladeside
- Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
- Largs Thistle
- Group 2
- Beith Juniors
- Cumbernauld United
- Cumnock Juniors
- Darvel
- Hurlford United
- Kilwinning Rangers
- Pollok
- Rossvale
- Rutherglen Glencairn
- Troon
Tier 7
Notes
- SJFA West Region teams: Annbank United, Ardeer Thistle, Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Arthurlie, Ashfield, Auchinleck Talbot, Beith Juniors, Bellshill Athletic, Benburb, Blantyre Victoria, Cambuslang Rangers, Carluke Rovers, Clydebank, Craigmark Burntonians, Cumbernauld United, Cumnock Juniors, Dalry Thistle, Darvel, East Kilbride Thistle, Forth Wanderers, Gartcairn Juniors, Girvan, Glasgow Perthshire, Glenafton Athletic, Greenock Juniors, Hurlford United, Irvine Meadow XI, Irvine Victoria, Johnstone Burgh, Kello Rovers, Kilbirnie Ladeside, Kilsyth Rangers, Kilwinning Rangers, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, Lanark United, Largs Thistle, Larkhall Thistle, Lesmahagow, Lugar Boswell Thistle, Maryhill, Maybole, Muirkirk, Neilston Juniors, Newmains United, Petershill, Pollok, Port Glasgow, Renfrew, Rossvale, Royal Albert, Rutherglen Glencairn, Saltcoats Victoria, Shettleston, Shotts Bon Accord, St Anthony's, St Roch's, Thorniewood United, Troon, Vale of Clyde, Vale of Leven, Whitletts Victoria, Wishaw, Yoker Athletic.
References
- "West of Scotland League structure confirmed with top flight of 20". Daily Record. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- "Pyramid Update – 67 Applications Approved". Scottish Lowland League. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- Junior clubs threaten revolt over pyramid move amid claims they've been conned, Daily Record, 2 May 2020
- Shotts plot West of Scotland league revolt after 20-team tier six snub, Daily Record, 6 May 2020
- Every word of the West of Scotland League statement confirming bumper tier six after initial SFA KO, Daily Record, 1 May 2020
- Pirie, Mark (4 May 2020). "West of Scotland League unveil full conference list ahead of huge non-league overhaul". Daily Record. Reach plc. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- "Division Structures for 2020/21 – West of Scotland Football League". Retrieved 17 September 2020.