SFA North and South Region Challenge Cups

The North and South Region Challenge Cups are regional senior non-league competitions run by the Scottish Football Association. The southern tournament is open to full member non-league clubs in the south of the country, while similar stipulations applied to its northern counterpart.

History

The Challenge Cup competitions replaced the Scottish Qualifying Cup North and South competitions in 2007, after the SFA decided to allow full member clubs at non-league level direct entry to the Scottish Cup proper, and as a consequence the Qualifying Cups were scrapped. To compensate clubs for the demise of the tournaments, two new ones were put in their place.[1]

North

SFA North Region Challenge Cup
Founded2007
Abolished2009
Most successful club(s)Huntly,
Inverurie Locos
(1 title each)

The North competition was scrapped in 2009.

Finals

Season Winner Score Runner-up Ref
2007–08 Huntly 1–0 Deveronvale [1][2]
2008–09 Inverurie Locos 3–1 Cove Rangers [1][2]

South

SFA South Region Challenge Cup
Founded2007
Number of teams163
Current championsEast Kilbride
(4th title)
Most successful club(s)The Spartans and East Kilbride (4 titles)
Websitesouthchallengecup.co.uk
2024–25 South Challenge Cup

The South Challenge Cup features 163 senior non-league clubs from the Lowland Football League (16), East of Scotland Football League (57), South of Scotland Football League (11), and West of Scotland Football League (79).

The reserve teams of Stirling University and Stranraer, as well as Celtic B and Hearts B, do not take part. It is an unseeded straight knock-out tournament, without replays. It is currently an all-in draw from the start, having previously seen the opening rounds regionalised at times during the competition's history.

The competition is named the CarMatKings South Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons in 2024–25.

Finals

  • (aet) = Result after extra time.
  • Bold = Winning team were also champions of their league
Season Winner Score Runner-up Venue Ref
2007–08 Annan Athletic 3–2 Edinburgh City Netherdale, Galashiels [1][3][4]
2008–09 The Spartans 6–0 Edinburgh University Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh [5]
2009–10 The Spartans (2) 3–1 Gretna 2008 Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh [6][7]
2010–11 The Spartans (3) 3–0 Edinburgh City [8]
2011–12 Stirling University 4–2 Duns Netherdale, Galashiels [9][10][11]
2012–13 Whitehill Welfare 3–1 Dalbeattie Star Galabank, Annan [12][13]
2013–14 East Kilbride 2–0 Dalbeattie Star Palmerston Park, Dumfries [14][15]
2014–15 BSC Glasgow 2–0 Civil Service Strollers Ferguson Park, Rosewell [16][17]
2015–16 Whitehill Welfare (2) 2–2
aet
3–2 pen. 		Edinburgh City East Peffermill, Edinburgh [18][19][20]
2016–17 East Kilbride (2) 4–2 Cumbernauld Colts Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk [21]
2017–18 Civil Service Strollers 2–1
aet 		BSC Glasgow Olivebank Stadium, Musselburgh [22]
2018–19 East Kilbride (3) 2–1 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Meggetland Stadium, Edinburgh [23]
2019–20 Dunipace 3–1 Broomhill Prestonfield, Linlithgow [24]
2020–21 Competition postponed at the third round stage due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later cancelled.
2021–22 Auchinleck Talbot 3–1 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk
2022–23 The Spartans (4) 2–1 Drumchapel United Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld
2023–24 East Kilbride (4) 2–0 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy [25]
2024–25

Performance by club

As of after 2023–24
Club Wins Last win Runners-up Last final lost
The Spartans 4 2023 — —
East Kilbride 4 2024 — —
Whitehill Welfare 2 2016 — —
BSC Glasgow / Broomhill 1 2015 2 2020
Civil Service Strollers 1 2018 1 2015
Annan Athletic 1 2008 — —
Stirling University 1 2012 — —
Dunipace 1 2020 — —
Auchinleck Talbot 1 2022 — —
Edinburgh City — — 3 2016
Dalbeattie Star — — 2 2014
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic — — 2 2022
Edinburgh University — — 1 2009
Gretna 2008 — — 1 2010
Duns — — 1 2012
Cumbernauld Colts — — 1 2017
Drumchapel United — — 1 2023
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy — — 1 2024

References

  1. ^ a b c d "SFA North & South Challenge Cups". SFHA. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b "The SFA North Region Challenge Cup Winners". HFL. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  3. ^ "JOHNSTONE LATE SHOW SEALS VICTORY FOR ANNAN". Solway Press. 10 May 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  4. ^ "HISTORY OF ANNAN ATHLETIC by Jim Stewart". Scotland's Footballers. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  5. ^ "PREVIOUS SFA SOUTH REGION CHALLENGE CUP FINALS". Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  6. ^ "SFA South Region Cup Final". Daily Record. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  7. ^ "SPARTANS LIFT SFA CUP". Solway Press. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  8. ^ "Cup winning match report and other scores". Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Gallant Duns lose to Stirling in cup final". Berwickshire News. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  10. ^ "STIRLING LIFT SOUTH CHALLENGE CUP". Solway Press. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  11. ^ "2011-2012 Results". University of Stirling. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Whitehill Welfare 3-1 Dalbeattie Star". The Scotsman. 22 April 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  13. ^ "Football: Whitehill Welfare win Challenge Cup". Midlothian Advertiser. 24 April 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  14. ^ "East Kilbride FC claim maiden trophy triumph". Daily Record. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  15. ^ "East Kilbride FC set for South Region Challenge Cup defence". Daily Record. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  16. ^ "South of Scotland Challenge Cup Final". BSC Glagow. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  17. ^ "Civil Service Strollers 0-2 BSC Glasgow". Civil Service Strollers. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  18. ^ "Whitehill hail Caesar after winning South Challenge Cup". Edinburgh News. 22 May 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Welfare lift the South Challenge Cup". Whitehill Welfare. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  20. ^ "Results and Fixtures 2015-16". Edinburgh City. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Cumbernauld Colts 2-4 East Kilbride". eosfl.com. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  22. ^ "Strollers win South Challenge Cup". liveedinburghnews. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Rose beaten in "battle of champions"". Midlothian Advertiser. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  24. ^ "A victory to make us all proud as Dunipace lift cup by beating Broomhill 3-1". Falkirk Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  25. ^ Thomson, Paul (2024-05-28). "EK lift cup as boss insists season still a success despite promotion pain". Daily Record. Retrieved 2024-08-16.