2023–24 Highland Football League

Football league season

Breedon Highland LeagueSeason| 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

← 2022–23

2024–25 →

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

[edit]

Banks o' Dee

Brechin City

Brora Rangers

Buckie Thistle

Clachnacuddin

Deveronvale

Formartine United

Fraserburgh

Forres Mechanics

Huntly

Inverurie Loco Works

Keith

Lossiemouth

Nairn County

Rothes

Strathspey Thistle

Turriff United

Wick Academy

class=notpageimage|

Location of teams in 2023-24 Highland Football League

### Stadia and locations

[edit]

All grounds are equipped with floodlights as required by league regulations.

Team  | Location  | Stadium  | Capacity  | Seats

|
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Banks o' Dee | Aberdeen | Spain Park  | 876  | 122
Brechin City | Brechin | Glebe Park | 4,083  | 1,519
Brora Rangers | Brora | Dudgeon Park  | 2,000  | 250
Buckie Thistle | Buckie | Victoria Park | 3,000  | 400
Clachnacuddin | Inverness | Grant Street Park | 2,074  | 154
Deveronvale | Banff | Princess Royal Park | 2,651  | 360
Formartine United | Pitmedden | North Lodge Park | 1,800  | 300
Forres Mechanics | Forres | Mosset Park | 2,700  | 502
Fraserburgh | Fraserburgh | Bellslea Park | 1,865  | 480
Huntly | Huntly | Christie Park | 2,200  | 270
Inverurie Loco Works | Inverurie | Harlaw Park | 2,500  | 250
Keith | Keith | Kynoch Park | 2,362  | 370
Lossiemouth | Lossiemouth | Grant Park | 2,050  | 250
Nairn County | Nairn | Station Park  | 2,250  | 250
Rothes | Rothes | Mackessack Park  | 1,731  | 167
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  | 300

## League table

[edit]

Pos | Team  | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Buckie Thistle (C) | 34  | 26  | 3  | 5  | 98  | 34  | +64  | 81  | Ineligible for the Pyramid play-off
2  | Brechin City | 34  | 26  | 3  | 5  | 90  | 28  | +62  | 81  |
3  | Fraserburgh | 34  | 25  | 3  | 6  | 102  | 37  | +65  | 78
4  | Banks o' Dee | 34  | 21  | 9  | 4  | 87  | 33  | +54  | 72
5  | Formartine United | 34  | 22  | 6  | 6  | 87  | 43  | +44  | 72
6  | Brora Rangers | 34  | 17  | 8  | 9  | 64  | 46  | +18  | 59
7  | Huntly | 34  | 16  | 6  | 12  | 81  | 61  | +20  | 54
8  | Nairn County | 34  | 16  | 5  | 13  | 59  | 58  | +1  | 53
9  | Turriff United | 34  | 15  | 3  | 16  | 75  | 63  | +12  | 48
10  | Inverurie Loco Works | 34  | 13  | 5  | 16  | 52  | 58  | −6  | 44
11  | Rothes | 34  | 10  | 7  | 17  | 47  | 71  | −24  | 37
12  | Wick Academy | 34  | 10  | 6  | 18  | 49  | 70  | −21  | 36
13  | Keith | 34  | 9  | 6  | 19  | 35  | 61  | −26  | 33
14  | Forres Mechanics | 34  | 7  | 9  | 18  | 37  | 64  | −27  | 30
15  | Lossiemouth | 34  | 7  | 8  | 19  | 36  | 66  | −30  | 29
16  | Deveronvale | 34  | 5  | 10  | 19  | 43  | 91  | −48  | 25
17  | Clachnacuddin | 34  | 5  | 8  | 21  | 47  | 89  | −42  | 23
18  | Strathspey Thistle | 34  | 3  | 1  | 30  | 35  | 151  | −116  | 10

Source: [3][4][5]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions

## Results

[edit]

Home \ Away  | BAN | BRE | BRO | BUC | CLA | DEV | FOU | FOM | FRA | HUN | INV | KEI | LOS | NAI | RTH | STR | TUR | WIC

|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|

Banks o' Dee |  | 0–1  | 2–2  | 2–0  | 2–2  | 4–1  | 2–1  | 4–0  | 2–0  | 2–1  | 3–0  | 2–0  | 1–1  | 3–0  | 4–0  | 4–1  | 3–2  | 4–0
Brechin City | 0–0  |  | 2–1  | 2–3  | 6–0  | 5–1  | 1–0  | 6–1  | 0–1  | 5–0  | 2–1  | 3–1  | 2–0  | 2–0  | 3–1  | 5–0  | 5–1  | 3–1
Brora Rangers | 1–2  | 1–2[a] |  | 1–5  | 1–0  | 3–3[b] | 1–4  | 3–2  | 1–2  | 3–0  | 1–1  | 4–1[c] | 3–2[d] | 2–1  | 1–0  | 3–1  | 4–2[e] | 1–0[f]
Buckie Thistle | 2–1  | 2–1  | 2–0[g] |  | 2–3  | 6–1  | 2–0  | 3–1  | 1–0[h] | 3–0  | 1–1  | 1–0  | 3–0  | 6–0  | 3–1[i] | 6–1  | 4–0  | 5–2
Clachnacuddin | 1–0  | 0–2  | 0–2  | 2–3  |  | 2–2  | 0–5  | 1–4  | 2–6  | 2–4  | 2–4  | 3–1  | 2–0  | 0–1  | 0–1  | 4–4  | 1–5  | 8–0
Deveronvale | 3–3  | 0–4  | 0–3  | 0–0  | 0–0  |  | 0–3  | 1–1  | 2–4  | 0–6  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 3–1  | 1–3  | 2–2  | 0–3  | 0–1  | 0–0
Formartine United | 1–4  | 4–3  | 3–3  | 1–1  | 3–0  | 5–0  |  | 2–0  | 2–2  | 2–1  | 1–1  | 6–2  | 2–2  | 5–1  | 6–1  | 4–0  | 2–4  | 3–1
Forres Mechanics | 2–2  | 1–1  | 0–1  | 1–8  | 1–1  | 0–2  | 0–4  |  | 1–2  | 2–2  | 0–1  | 2–1  | 1–1  | 0–0  | 0–1  | 2–1  | 1–0  | 3–1
Fraserburgh | 2–1  | 4–2  | 2–0  | 1–3  | 2–2  | 3–2  | 1–2  | 2–1  |  | 6–0  | 4–2  | 3–0  | 3–1  | 3–0  | 5–0  | 11–0  | 3–0  | 3–0
Huntly | 1–3  | 2–2  | 1–0  | 2–3  | 8–0  | 5–1  | 0–1  | 3–0  | 4–1  |  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 0–0  | 4–4  | 7–0  | 4–2  | 2–1
Inverurie Loco Works | 0–2  | 0–2  | 2–2  | 0–2  | 1–0  | 3–0  | 1–2  | 1–0  | 0–7  | 2–3  |  | 1–2  | 1–1  | 6–0  | 0–1  | 5–0  | 1–4  | 3–1
Keith | 1–3  | 0–1  | 0–1  | 0–3  | 1–1  | 3–2  | 2–3  | 1–1  | 2–2  | 1–0  | 1–2  |  | 1–0  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 3–1  | 1–0  | 0–4
Lossiemouth | 1–6  | 0–3  | 1–1  | 2–1  | 5–3  | 3–3  | 1–2  | 0–3  | 0–1  | 1–3  | 0–1  | 1–0  |  | 1–4  | 3–1  | 2–1  | 0–0  | 1–0
Nairn County | 3–3  | 0–1  | 0–1  | 3–0  | 1–1  | 4–2  | 0–2  | 2–1  | 0–3  | 2–4  | 4–0  | 3–2  | 5–1  |  | 0–2  | 4–1  | 2–1  | 2–0
Rothes | 2–2  | 0–2  | 0–1  | 1–3  | 3–2  | 2–1  | 2–2  | 1–1  | 0–3  | 1–4  | 1–4  | 0–0  | 1–0  | 0–3  |  | 8–2  | 1–3  | 3–0
Strathspey Thistle | 0–6  | 1–6  | 1–10  | 0–7  | 2–1  | 5–2  | 0–1  | 0–2  | 1–5  | 1–4  | 0–2  | 1–2  | 0–3  | 0–4  | 2–4  |  | 1–8  | 1–6
Turriff United | 0–4  | 0–3  | 2–2  | 1–3  | 4–1  | 1–3  | 1–2  | 2–0  | 3–2  | 4–0  | 4–1  | 1–2  | 0–0  | 1–3  | 3–1  | 7–1  |  | 3–1
Wick Academy | 1–1  | 1–2  | 0–0  | 3–1  | 3–0  | 2–2  | 3–1  | 3–2  | 0–3  | 2–2  | 2–1  | 2–0  | 3–0  | 2–3  | 0–0  | 3–2  | 1–5  |

Source: [14][15]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:

1. ^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie.[6]
2. ^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie, due to an unplayable pitch at Dudgeon Park.[7]
3. ^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie, due to an unplayable pitch at Dudgeon Park.[8]
4. ^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie.[9]
5. ^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie.[10]
6. ^ Match played at King George V Park, Golspie.[11]
7. ^ Match played at Grant Park, Lossiemouth, due to an unplayable pitch at Victoria Park.[12]
8. ^ Match played at Grant Park, Lossiemouth.[13]
9. ^ Match played at Princess Royal Park, Banff.[13]

## Highland League play-off

[edit]

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

[edit]

1. ^ 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.
2. ^ "Scottish FA Statement: Pyramid Play-Off Tie". Scottish Football Association. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
3. ^ "Highland League Table". BBC. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
4. ^ "Highland Football League, Scotland - League Table". Highland Football League. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
5. ^ "Summary - Football League". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
6. ^ Mew, Steven (18 April 2024). "Match Preview | Brora Rangers v Brechin City". Brechin City F.C. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
7. ^ 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.
8. ^ 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.
9. ^ 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.
10. ^ 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."
11. ^ 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 [...]"
12. ^ 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.
13. ^ 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.
14. ^ "Highland League Results". Highland Football League. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
15. ^ "Highland League 2023/24 fixtures revealed". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
16. ^ Chalk, Paul. "George Manson takes over top Highland League role at AGM". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
17. ^ Fraser, Alasdair. "Relegation dawns for Highland League clubs as tier six north set for next season". Inverness Courier. Retrieved 9 May 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Highland Football League

2024–25 teams|

* Banks o' Dee
* Brechin City
* Brora Rangers
* Buckie Thistle
* Clachnacuddin
* Deveronvale
* Formartine United
* Forres Mechanics
* Fraserburgh
* Huntly
* Inverurie Loco Works
* Keith
* Lossiemouth
* Nairn County
* Rothes
* Strathspey Thistle
* Turriff United
* Wick Academy

Former teams|

* Aberdeen 'A'
* Caledonian
* Cove Rangers
* Elgin Caledonian
* Elgin City
* Fort William
* Highland Light Infantry
* Inverness Celtic
* Inverness Citadel
* Inverness Thistle
* Inverness Union
* Peterhead
* Ross County

Associated competitions|

* Highland League Cup
* Aberdeenshire Cup
* Aberdeenshire League
* Aberdeenshire Shield
* Caledonia Trophy
* Inverness Cup
* North of Scotland Cup

Seasons|

* 1985-86
* 1986-87
* 1987-88
* 1988-89
* 1989-90
* 1990-91
* 1991-92
* 1992-93
* 1993-94
* 1994-95
* 1995-96
* 1996-97
* 1997-98
* 1998-99
* 1999–2000
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

* v
* t
* e

2023–24 in Scottish football

« 2022–23

2024–25 »

Domestic leagues|

* SPFL
* Premiership
* Championship
* League One
* League Two
* Highland
* Lowland
* Midlands
* North Caledonian
* North Region Junior
* East of Scotland
* South of Scotland
* West of Scotland
* Women's Premier League
* SWPL 1
* SWPL 2
* Women's Championship

Domestic cups|

* Scottish Cup
* Final
* League Cup
* Group stage
* Final
* Challenge Cup
* Final
* South Region Challenge Cup
* Junior Cup
* Youth Cup
* Women's Cup
* Women's Premier League Cup
* Final

European competitions|

* Champions League
* Europa League
* Europa Conference League
* Youth League

Related to national team|

* Results
* Men's
* Women's
* UEFA Euro 2024
* UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
* UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying
* 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League

Transfers|

* Summer 2023
* Winter 2023–24

Club seasons

Premiership|

* Aberdeen
* Celtic
* Dundee
* Heart of Midlothian
* Hibernian
* Kilmarnock
* Livingston
* Motherwell
* Rangers
* Ross County
* St Johnstone
* St Mirren

Championship|

* Airdrieonians
* Arbroath
* Ayr United
* Dundee United
* Dunfermline Athletic
* Greenock Morton
* Inverness Caledonian Thistle
* Partick Thistle
* Queen's Park
* Raith Rovers

League One|

* Alloa Athletic
* Annan Athletic
* Cove Rangers
* Edinburgh City
* Falkirk
* Hamilton Academical
* Kelty Hearts
* Montrose
* Queen of the South
* Stirling Albion

League Two|

* Clyde
* Dumbarton
* Bonnyrigg Rose
* East Fife
* Elgin City
* Forfar Athletic
* Peterhead
* Spartans
* Stenhousemuir
* Stranraer

*[Pos]: Position
*[Pld]: Played
*[W]: Won
*[D]: Drawn
*[L]: Lost
*[GF]: Goals for
*[GA]: Goals against
*[GD]: Goal difference
*[Pts]: Points
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template