The North Caledonian Cup, originally known as the North of Scotland Junior Cup and later the North of Scotland 2nd XI Cup is an annual association football cup for competition between football clubs across the Highlands & Islands of Scotland.
The cup is a registered Scottish FA competition which runs under the auspices of the North Caledonian FA.
Origins First introduced during the 1887–88 season as the flagship competition of the Inverness Junior Football Association, the North Caledonian Cup was initially known as the North of Scotland Junior FA Cup, introduced as an association football cup for competition between juniors clubs from Inverness and the surrounding districts across the North of Scotland.
In the season that followed, the Inverness Junior FA became known as the North of Scotland Junior FA and the cup would become its marquee competition.
The first competition was competed for between eighteen teams across the North of Scotland and was won in its first season by Inverness-based junior club Crusaders F.C.
History In its infancy, much like the Highland Football League, cup entrants were mostly teams from the Inverness area and its surrounding districts and for the latter part of the 19th century the competition was dominated by the 2nd XI combinations of senior clubs from the Highland League.
It was not until the 1902 that the trophy eventually left Inverness when Dingwall Victoria United - who would later become known as Ross County - won the trophy in two consecutive seasons.
While 2nd XI (reserve) clubs were still a dominant force, the growth of the junior club scene eventually led to teams from Tain, Grantown-on-spey, Elgin and Muir of Ord adding their name to the trophy.
When the North of Scotland Junior FA dropped its junior status in 1935, the competition became known as the North of Scotland 2nd XI Cup.
By the late 1960s, a surge in the formation of senior clubs throughout Ross-shire, Sutherland and Caithness resulted in a break-up in the dominance shown by the Highland Football League "2nd XI" sides.
In 1984, the association took the decision to rename the association once again, this time taking the name North Caledonian League, in a bid to "shake off" the 2nd XI reserve football stigma which had been attached to the cup since its introduction 97 years prior.
Almost a year later, at the annual general meeting of the North Caledonian FA, the trophy was renamed the North Caledonian Challenge Cup. Since 1972, only six senior reserve teams have won the trophy, the last being Inverness Caledonian Thistle 'A' in 1998–99.
In 2008, the original 121-year-old trophy was retired due to being in a state of poor repair and was sent to Hampden for safe keeping and refurbishment. Though the competition's lineage remained intact, a new trophy, more simply inscribed with the name North Caledonian Cup, was introduced to replace the original.
At the same time, the cup was briefly recognized and referred to as the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup before the competitions became two separate cups.
Past winners +Season WinnerScoreRunner-upVenueNotes2025–26Invergordon 5–0Fort WilliamDalmore Park, Alness2024–25Invergordon 2–0Golspie SutherlandKing George V Park, Golspie2023–24Invergordon 4–3Loch NessDalmore Park, Alness2022–23Invergordon 2–1Golspie SutherlandKing George V Park, Golspie2021–22St Duthus 1–0Halkirk UnitedDudgeon Park, Brora2020–21Competition not completed due to suspension of football activities as a result of COVID-19 outbreak2019–20Competition not completed due to suspension of football activities as a result of COVID-19 outbreak2018–19Invergordon 2–0Alness UnitedDudgeon Park, Brora2017–18St Duthus 3–1 Golspie SutherlandKing George V Park, Golspie2016–17Golspie Sutherland 2–1InvergordonDudgeon Park, Brora2015–16Golspie Sutherland 4–2 Lewis & HarrisDalmore Park, Alness2014–15Lewis & Harris1–0Golspie SutherlandDalmore Park, AlnessFirst team from the Western Isles to win the cup2013–14Alness United 3–1Muir of Ord RoversPavilion Park, Muir of Ord2012–13Muir of Ord Rovers 1–0ThursoDalmore Park, Alness2011–12Halkirk United 2–1 Golspie SutherlandDudgeon Park, Brora2010–11Thurso 4–1InvergordonKing George V Park, Golspie2009–10Muir of Ord Rovers 2–1 Halkirk UnitedBonar Bridge Park2008–09Halkirk United 5–2ThursoRecreation Grounds, InvergordonContested and promoted as the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup2007–08Golspie Sutherland 2–2 p Inverness CityRecreation Grounds, Invergordon2006–07Inverness City2–2 p Golspie SutherlandRecreation Grounds, Invergordon2005–06Halkirk United3–1 aetAlness UnitedSeaboard Park, Balintore2004–05Balintore 2–2 pInvergordonSeaboard Park, Balintore2003–04Thurso 1–0 BalintoreDudgeon Park, Brora2002–03Golspie Sutherland 3–1DornochDudgeon Park, Brora2001–02Thurso2–1Alness UnitedKing George V Park, Golspie2000–01Golspie Sutherland Alness United1999–2000Alness United Golspie Sutherland1998–99Inverness Caledonian Thistle reserves 2–0Golspie SutherlandGrant Park, Tain1997–98Balintore 3–2Invergordon1996–97Balintore 4–0Halkirk UnitedKing George V Park, Golspie1995–96Fearn Thistle 4–3Ross County reservesSeaboard Park, BalintoreAfter extra time1994–95Clachnacuddin reserves 1993–94Bonar Bridge 2–1St DuthusAfter extra time1992–93Ross County reserves 2–1Caledonian reservesTelford Street Park, InvernessAfter extra time1991–92Clachnacuddin reserves 1990–91Caledonian reserves Balintore1989–90Tain St Duthus 1–0BalintoreAlness1988–89Caledonian reserves 3–1Wick AcademyDudgeon Park, Brora1987–88Invergordon3–3 pBalintoreVictoria Park, Dingwall1986–87Tain St Duthus 3–2Brora Rangers reservesKing George V Park, Golspie1985–86Wick Academy 4–2Dingwall ThistleDudgeon Park, Brora1984–85Balintore2–1Bunillidh ThistleKing George V Park, Golspie1983–84Tain St Duthus 1–1 pBalintoreVictoria Park, Dingwall1982–83Muir of Ord Rovers 2–0Bunillidh ThistleVictoria Park, Dingwall1981–82Bunillidh Thistle 1–0Muir of Ord RoversDudgeon Park, Brora1980–81Wick Academy 1–0InvergordonDudgeon Park, Brora1979–80Wick Academy2–1Muir of Ord RoversDudgeon Park, BroraFirst team from Caithness to win the cup1978–79Tain St Duthus 3–2Alness UnitedMigdale Park, Bonar Bridge1977–78Bonar Bridge1976–77Dingwall Thistle1975–76Golspie Sutherland 1974–75Golspie Sutherland 1973–74Alness United1972–73Ross County reserves 1971–72Bunillidh Thistle1970–71Caledonian reserves 1969–70Ross County reserves 1968–69Golspie Sutherland1967–68Muir of Ord Rovers 1966–67Black Rock Rovers (Evanton)1965–66Caledonian reserves 1964–65Brora Rangers reserves First team from Sutherland to win the cup1963–64Clachnacuddin reserves 1962–63Clachnacuddin reserves 1960–61Clachnacuddin reserves 1959–60Caledonian reserves 1958–59Ross County reserves 1957–58Clachnacuddin reserves 1956–57Clachnacuddin reserves 1955–56Clachnacuddin reserves 1954–55Caledonian reserves 1953–54Nairn County reserves 1952–53Nelson (Inverness) 1951–52Loco Rangers 1950–51Ross County reserves 1949–50Clachnacuddin reserves 1948–49Caledonian reserves 1947–48Caledonian reserves 1946–47Ross County reserves5–4InvergordonGrant Street Park, Inverness1938–39Highland Light Infantry1937–38Muir of Ord Rovers1936–37Clachnacuddin reserves 1935–36Nelson (Inverness) 1934–35Muir of Ord Rovers 1933–34Muir of Ord Rovers1932–33Nelson (Inverness) 1–0Muir of Ord RoversKingsmills Park, Inverness1931–32Inverness Thistle reserves 1930–31Inverness Thistle reserves Inverness Citadel reserves Telford Street Park, Inverness1929–30Clachnacuddin reserves 1928–29Nelson (Inverness) 1927–28Dingwall Victoria United 1926–27Cameron Highlanders 1925–26Inverness Thistle reserves 1924–25St Duthus2–1 Catch-my-Pal (Inverness)Thistle Park, Inverness1923–24Fortrose & Rosemarkie Union1922–23Clachnacuddin reserves 1921–22Caledonian reserves Inverness Citadel reserves Final was replayed after first match ended 1–11920–21Inverness Citadel reserves 1–0Dingwall Victoria UnitedGrant Street Park, Inverness1919–20Clachnacuddin reserves 1913–14Albert (Inverness)3–2 Dingwall Victoria UnitedInverness1912–13Bishopmill United 5–3 Dingwall Victoria UnitedGrant Street Park, Inverness1911–12Bishopmill United2–1 Dingwall Victoria UnitedKingsmills Park, Inverness1910–11Grantown Athletic 2–0 Inverness Thistle reservesGrant Street Park, InvernessFirst team from Moray to win the cup.1909–10Inverness Thistle reserves 1908–09Clachnacuddin reserves 3–0 Dingwall Victoria UnitedKingsmills Park, Inverness1907–08Nelson (Inverness) 4–2 Inverness Citadel reservesInverness1906–07Caledonian reserves 3–1 Clachnacuddin reservesKingsmills Park, InvernessFinal was replayed after first match at Kingsmills Park ended 3–31905–06Nelson (Inverness)Awarded after Inverness Citadel reserves refused to contest replay. After a first match ended in a draw, the game was replayed at Telford Street Park, Inverness, but at 2-0 to Citadel the referee abandoned the game due to mist with ten minutes left to play. A replay was scheduled but Citadel refused to contest it. The association thereafter awarded the trophy to Nelson.1904–05Caledonian reserves 1903–04Dingwall Victoria United 4–3Caledonian reservesClachnacuddin Park, Inverness1902–03Dingwall Victoria United1–0Inverness Citadel reserves Clachnacuddin Park, InvernessFirst team from outside of Inverness / first team from Ross & Cromarty to win the cup.1901–02Clachnacuddin reserves 4–0Inverness Citadel reserves Kingsmills Park, Inverness1900–01Inverness Thistle reserves Caledonian reservesClachnacuddin Park, Inverness1899–1900Caledonian reserves 1898–99Heatherley FC (Inverness)1897–98Inverness Citadel reserves 2–1Dingwall Victoria UnitedThistle Park, Inverness1896–97Inverness Citadel reserves 3–2Inverness CelticClachnacuddin Park, InvernessFinal was replayed after first match at Telford Street Park ended 2–21895–96Caledonian reserves 3–1Cameron HighlandersKingsmills Park, Inverness1894–95Caledonian reserves 5–1Heatherley FC (Inverness)Clachnacuddin Park, Inverness1893–94Inverness Thistle reserves 5–1Caledonian reservesThistle Park, InvernessFinal was replayed after first match at Clachnacuddin Park was abandoned in the second half due to snow with scores at 1–11892–93Caledonian reserves4–1Inverness Citadel reserves Telford Street Park, Inverness1891–92Crown Strollers (Inverness)3–2Inverness Citadel reserves Northern Meeting Park, Inverness1890–91Inverness Thistle reserves5–3Caledonian reservesMidmills Park, Inverness1889–90Inverness Union reserves 2–0Clachnacuddin reserves Needlefield Park, Inverness1888–89Cameron Highlanders1–0Inverness Union reserves Needlefield Park, InvernessFinal was replayed after first match ended 2–21887–88Crusaders (Inverness)1–0 Crown (Inverness)Cameron BarracksFirst ever cup final
Performance by club