The Highland Football League was formed in August 1893 at the Inverness Workman's Club by employees of the Highland Railway Company who had their Company Headquarters located in the town.
The original league consisted of following clubs
Caledonian
(merged with Inverness Thistle in 1994 to form Inverness Caledonian Thistle)
Cameron Highlanders
(team representing The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of The British Army)
Clachnacuddin
(still members of the league)
Forres Mechanics
(still members of the league)
Inverness Union
(merged with Inverness Thistle in 1895)
Inverness Citadel
(dissolved in 1937 but re-formed in 2010 and now play in the Inverness & District Football Association Division Two alongside teams such as Cairngorm Windows, Dog House and Highland Athletic)
Inverness Thistle
(see Caledonian)
Inverness Thistle won the inaugural 1893/94 championship with Clachnacuddin then dominating things somewhat winning forurteen of their eighteen titles in 1895, 1897, 1898, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1912, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924. The Lillywhites have since won the title four more times in 1939, 1948, 1975 and in 2004.
In 1994 the league lost three teams in Inverness Thistle and Caledonian who merged to form Inverness Caledonian Thistle along with Ross County who joined the Scottish Football League. County had played in the league since 1929. Then in 2000 they lost Elgin City and Peterhead who were also accepted into the SFL.
Things changed in 2014/15 when the league champions had the chance to qualify for promotion to the Scottish Football League via a play-off with the winners of the Lowland Football League (formed in 2013) with the winners then playing off against the bottom team of the SFL. No team has yet to gain promotion but the dream is still on for many teams
2014/15 - Brora Rangers beat Lowland League title winner's Edinburgh City but lost to Montrose .
2015/16 - Cove Rangers lost to Lowland League Edinburgh City.
2016/17 - Buckie Thistle lost to Lowland League East Kilbride.
2017/18 - Cove Rangers beat Lowland League Spartans but lost to Cowdenbeath.
LEAGUE CONSTITUTION FOR 2018/19
Brora Rangers
Buckie Thistle
Clachnacuddin
Cove Rangers
Deveronvale
Formartine United
Forres Mechanics
Fort William
Fraserburgh
Huntly
Inverurie Loco Works
Keith
Lossiemouth
Nairn County
Rothes
Strathspey Thistle
Turriff United
Wick Academy
OPENING FIXTURES
2018/19 for The Breedon Highland Football League
Saturday 28th July
Brora Rangers FC v Wick Academy
Buckie Thistle v Inverurie Loco Works
Cove Rangers v Clachnacuddin
Formartine United v Nairn County
Fraserburgh v Strathspey Thistle
Huntly v Turriff United
Keith v Forres Mechanics
Lossiemouth v Deveronvale
Rothes v Fort William
Saturday 4th August
Clachnacuddin FC v Keith
Cove Rangers v Fraserburgh
Deveronvale v Nairn County
Formartine United v Turriff United
Forres Mechanics v Brora Rangers
Fort William v Buckie Thistle
Inverurie Loco Works v Huntly
Strathspey Thistle v Rothes
Wick Academy v Lossiemouth
Wednesday 8th August
Brora Rangers v Clachnacuddin
Buckie Thistle v Strathspey Thistle
Deveronvale v Formartine United
Huntly v Fort William
Keith v Fraserburgh
Lossiemouth v Forres Mechanics
Nairn County v Wick Academy
Rothes v Cove Rangers
Turriff United v Inverurie Loco Works
Last season they finished bottom for the fifteenth time since they joined the division and didn't win a game letting in 184 goals in their 34 games played. Their last league win came on Wednesday 12th April 2017 when they won 4-1 at home to Strathspey Thistle.
It would be good to see The Fort winning some games this season. They start with a trip to Rothes who finished in 10th place last season.
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