2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Niall Harkiss)
Highland football clubs operating at the grassroots level have been taking steps to meet new criteria for participation after the summer. Member clubs of the North Caledonian League decided last June to adopt a new requirement that all clubs must attain the Scottish FA Quality Mark before the start of the 2025-26 season. : Formally agreed at the league’s annual general meeting, the nationally recognised certification will now be a pre-requisite for any clubs looking to compete in the sixth-tier league.
The scheme, which was first introduced by Scottish FA in 2017, aims to “reward those who have a desire to be the very best they can be” by asking clubs to demonstrate how they raise the standards of playing, coaching and administration at their grassroots level, by operating a “community club” oriented system. A refreshed Quality Mark scheme was introduced at the start of 2019 with a view towards modernising and streamlining the process for clubs nationwide. Now with over 500 clubs awarded across Scotland, the Quality Mark has become the national football body’s flagship project when it comes to club accreditation.
Quality Mark clubs across the north already include a mix of Highland League teams, such as Clachnacuddin, Brora Rangers and Nairn County, and those in the junior, amateur and youth ranks, such as Caithness United. This season, the onus has been on bringing all North Caledonian League clubs up to speed to help them attain a bronze level award (as a minimum), with the help of Scottish FA North football development officer, Michael Mackenzie. Sandy Stephen, vice-president of the North Caledonian League, said: “For the North Caley, it’s about ensuring our clubs are well run and that they have the resources and support available to them to consistently strive for higher standards.
“We have made some great strides as a league in recent seasons, with the and securing , and this is just another step in raising the overall standard of our league. “The Quality Mark scheme enables us to say with confidence that our member clubs are growing and developing both on and off the field, while also meeting an agreed standard across grassroots football. “It also creates an opportunity for clubs to share ideas, and to meet the ever-changing needs of football with a common approach.
“Almost all of our member clubs are over the line with their certification, and I am confident we will be going into 2025-26 as a fully Quality Mark accredited league. “We are very grateful to the Scottish FA for their support throughout this, and Michael Mackenzie in particular who has been a great help to clubs.”.
