Only one tier six north football club is currently eligible for promotion to the Highland League - We ask leading teams and officials from the North of Scotland Football League when they think more clubs from Aberdeen and the North-east will receive the SFA Entry Licence
FOUR years ago, the Highland League play-offs were introduced to give ambitious clubs at tier six level the chance of being promoted.
However, there has never been a play-off.
Banks O’Dee are the only team to be promoted to the Highland League after winning the North Region Premiership in 2022. But they went up automatically after Fort William forfeited the play-off due to being unable to field a team after finishing bottom of the Highland League.
Fort William were relegated to the North Caledonian League and have since lost their SFA Entry Licence, making them ineligible for promotion back to the Highland League.
Since then, none of the champions of the North Caledonian League, North of Scotland Football League or the Midlands League have been eligible for promotion due to not meeting the requirements of the SFA entry licence.
Now with the Midlands League set to fall under the Lowland League East ladder from next season, only the North Caledonian League and North of Scotland Football League will remain under the Highland League.
To obtain an SFA Entry Licence, clubs must meet the minimum requirements of first team, ground and youth system along with legal, admin and finance codes. They also must win their respective division to be considered to play in a promotion play-off.
Currently, only Golspie Sutherland in the North Caledonian League hold an SFA Entry Licence.
North Caledonian League champions Invergordon have announced their intention to obtain an entry licence and build a Highland League ready ground by next year.
However, in the North of Scotland Football League, previously known as the North Region Premiership, clubs and officials say it could be a number of years before one of their 31 clubs are in a position to obtain an entry licence and challenge for promotion.
Culter have become the dominant force in north junior football, winning the division for the last three seasons. However, with no entry licence, the Peterculter outfit are not eligible for promotion.
Club president Gordon Thomson says they have aspirations of achieving the entry licence and putting themselves in contention for promotion to the Highland League.
But due to the financial implications of achieving an entry licence, it could be 2028 at the earliest before they succeed in their aim.
He said: “At the start of the year, we had an SFA liaison officer that visited Crombie Park and told us what we would require to achieve an entry level licence.
“We need floodlights and we put an application to the council which was approved. We are applying for grants as they are expensive at around £85,000.
“That would be the first phase, then we would need to increase the capacity of the dressing room, put in additional toilets and disability facilities along with one side of the pitch has to be closed off. The total upgrades required would be between £200,000 and £250,000 and for a junior club that is a lot of money.
“We have just merged with Culter Youth Football Club last month, we’re going to become a community club and the youth team will be a big part of that and good for the community.
“Then we will go for membership of the Highland League Under-18 Development League. We are starting an new online lotto fundraiser, purely to get Crombie Park facilities and gain an SFA licence.
“But in all honesty, we could be two to three years away from achieving that. Our target would be two and a half years.”
Thomson believes Culter could become a successful Highland League club.
But as well as meeting the minimum requirements of an entry licence, they also have to ensure they could operate in the division.
“We have to work out the finances such as travelling costs and paying players more. We would like to try it, but it depends how the committee vote and if we can afford to do that. Once we get it, we have to make it sustainable.
“It is a big step, especially travel costs. We estimate bus costs to Brora would be around £1500 alone.
“We are a village team that are well supported and have a good support home and away. But it is all about money at the end of the day.
“I believe the entry level licence regulations are fair and I think they are feasible for us.”
Dyce are considered by many in the NOSFL to be the closest to achieving an entry level licence.
Club secretary Keith McIntosh says while they have improved their facilities at Ian Mair Park, it is a case of wait and see if they are awarded an SFA Entry Licence.
He said: “None of the NOSFL clubs have the required SFA licence, with most being quite some distance from achieving it.
“As a club we monitor the pyramid system closely and always aim to have the best facilities we possibly can.
“Only time will tell if this ultimately leads to obtaining SFA licencing, but we are no further forward than that really.”
Bridge of Don Thistle also have ambitions of potential promotion to Highland League in the future.
Acting chairman Lewis Muirhead believes five or six teams in the North of Scotland Football League share their aspirations of promotion.
However, he says clubs will take a pragmatic approach to ensure they are in a position to operate as a sustainable Highland League club.
But he personally doesn’t see an NOSFL club gaining an entry licence for at least the rest of this decade.
He said: “To be ambitious, you need to have your documents in order. In the North of Scotland Premier League, nobody is currently at that stage, but there are clubs working towards it.
“From Bridge of Don’s perspective it will take time as we have never had our own home ground. We have been nomads renting facilities as we are currently doing just now. We have been granted from a developer a new park within the Cloverhill estate. But there is still a facility to build before it can get near the juniors Premier level, before even thinking about the next phase.
“We always knew that this would be a slow burner for the club. It was never in the remit to fast forward it or have a non sustainable situation as people can get carried away with ambition and end up like Gretna.
“Our model will be slow but significant. We want to master what we want in our own league before we even think about the next bit.
“At the end of the day, ambition has to be sensible. Bridge of Don in its entirety will be looking for ambition of reaching the Highland League, but no further than that.
“Most clubs will be content to increase their standards to be a good Premier club in the junior ranks. That will be their level. Within the whole organisation of the NOSFL, there are maybe half a dozen clubs that could go to the next level in the Highland League with their ambition, within their means and making it a sustainable business.”
Muirhead also thinks that the requirements for achieving an entry level licence are fair and ensures clubs would be in a position to operate as a sustainable Highland League club.
He said: “The Entry Licence is asking clubs for what ambition entails.
“Ambition has to be planned, done on commitment and perhaps with some luck. In reality, you need to have the right people at the club at the right time to go to the next level. Success lies with being sustainable. Sustainable lies with selling your club and making sure you have back up from the community and youngsters coming through and give community football at all levels.
“Ambition costs and you need to be clever and have innovative ideas to raise your funds to keep football clubs healthy or at least surviving.”
North of Scotland Football League president Brian Johnston says they are supportive of any club considering gaining an entry licence and challenging for promotion to the Highland League.
However, he says the price involved of becoming a Highland League club might put any future aspirations for some out of reach.
He said: “There are probably a couple of clubs looking at gaining promotion to the Highland League. But clubs have to look at their infrastructure which brings financial implications.
“As a league, we won’t stop any club looking to be promoted, but finances could be a different matter for clubs to look at. Some clubs have decent grounds, but they need a lot of investment to get up to the entry level.
The North of Scotland Football League wants every team to look at improving their facilities and offer a better spectator experience. But I think that is a long way off for a lot of our clubs and I think we are a few years away from one of our top teams looking at promotion.
“It is the financial aspect that will stop most North of Scotland Football League clubs making the step up. We are a good few years away from one of the clubs getting an entry level licence because of improvements needed to the grounds. If there was not that restriction, the likes of Bridge of Don, Culter, Dyce and Hermes would look to enter the Highland League. But some clubs need the stability of the North of Scotland Football League.
“There would be a desire if there wasn’t a criteria clubs had to meet. I think the top four teams in our league could compete in the Highland League.
“Clubs might have to look at a five-year plan to achieve an entry licence. It could be the financial aspect which puts off most clubs going for an entry level licence.”