North Caledonian League season set to launch third cup competition next season for all clubs in division
The North Caledonian League Football Association have confirmed it will be reintroducing a third cup competition for all teams next season.
All NCL clubs will be eligible to participate in the Jock Mackay Cup for the 2025/26 campaign.
A proposal to reinstate the cup as a regular season competition was put before the league management committee and accepted at an end-of-season meeting last week.
The full season calendar, including the league's start date is still to be confirmed.
Since 2022, the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup, has been presented to the winner of the derby clash between Alness United and Invergordon.
Invergordon claimed the trophy in a 3-1 victory over Alness United in November.
The North Caledonian Football Association have only been running two cup competitions, the Football Times Cup and North Caledonian Cup since the Covid pandemic in 2020.
North Caledonian Football Association president Niall Harkiss said it is a historic competition which they are delighted to bring back to the calendar for all clubs in the North Caledonian League.
"Dating back to 2004, the Jock Mackay Cup had held a significant place in our North Caledonian League calendar, introduced in memory of one of the league's greatest servants and custodians.
"Jock was hugely instrumental in the growth of the North Caledonian League as we know it now.
"He played a big part in moving us away from the days of being a 'second eleven' league, and as his family will attest, he gave everything to the cause.
"Having reduced our cup competitions down to just two after Covid hit, which was the least we have ever run, it is very pleasing to confirm that the cup will now be making a return for 2025-26.
"It's more football, and it's a chance for our clubs to compete for more honours in the season, but most especially - it is the wish of Jock's family that the cup be reinstated as a competition for all of our teams.
"We look forward to welcoming Jock's daughter Andrea and her family back for a final in future."
