Bell's Scotch Cup

Page created: 23 March 2022

Updated: 6 April 2022

 

The Bell's Scotch Whisky company sponsored two competitions for Highland League clubs during the 1970s and these were organised as two cups, East and West (later called North). As the East cup was organised by the Aberdeenshire FA, this also included Aberdeen University FC. Rothes had tried to enter this cup but were excluded because they were not members of the AFA. They were later allowed to enter the North cup but this was a bone of contention due to the poor returns for the visiting clubs and they subsequently scratched form the last edition.

The earlier competitions saw matches played on neutral grounds but this rule was subsequently scrapped due to poor attendances.

The final edition of the North cup was held over until the start of the 1979-80 season but the East cup was still played over two weeks in May 1979, arguing they hadn't been requested otherwise despite widespread press coverage of the sponsor's concerns.

 

Winners

 

Bell's Scotch Cup (West 1971-1976 North 1976-1980)

1971-72 Elgin City

1972-73 Elgin City

1973-74 Elgin City

1974-75 Inverness Caledonian

1975-76 Inverness Caledonian

1976-77 Inverness Caledonian

1977-78 Clachnacuddin

1978-79 held over

1979-80 Inverness Caledonian

 

 

Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

1971-72 Huntly

1972-73 Fraserburgh

1973-74 Fraserburgh

1974-75 Huntly

1975-76 Fraserburgh

1976-77 Fraserburgh

1977-78 Deveronvale

1978-79 Fraserburgh

 

 

 

 

 

1971-72 Bell's Scotch Cup (West)

First round

12 Jan Nairn County v Forres Mechanics 3-0

19 Jan Clachnacuddin v Inverness Caledonian 2-3

19 Jan Elgin City v Lossiemouth 3-0

26 Jan Inverness Thistle v Ross County 3-2

 

Semi-final

27 Jan Elgin City v Nairn County 5-1

9 Feb Inverness Caledonian v Inverness Thistle 2-0

 

Final - 2 legs

21 Mar Inverness Caledonian v Elgin City 2-3

29 Mar Elgin City v Inverness Caledonian 0-0

 

 

 

1971-72 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

29 Apr Fraserburgh v Aberdeen University 3-1

26 Apr Keith v Peterhead 1-3

26 Apr Buckie Thistle v Huntly 4-5 aet

Deveronvale bye

 

Semi-final

3 May Fraserburgh v Deveronvale 0-2

8 May Peterhead v Huntly 1-2

 

Final- 2 legs

11 May Huntly v Deveronvale 6-1

13 May Deveronvale v Huntly 1-4

 

1972-73 Bell's Scotch Cup (West)

First round

28 Nov Nairn County v Lossiemouth 1-2

29 Nov Ross County v Forres Mechanics

29 Nov Inverness Thistle v Elgin City

6 Dec Clachnacuddin v Inverness Caledonian 2-2, aet, 2-3 pens

 

Semi-final

6 Dec Lossiemouth v Elgin City 0-3

18 Dec Inverness Caledonian v Ross County 1-2

 

Final - 2 legs

27 Dec Ross County v Elgin City 3-3

3 Jan Elgin City v Ross County 0-0 aet, 5-3 pens

 

 

 

1972-73 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

28 Apr Buckie Thistle v Fraserburgh 1-5

25 Apr Peterhead v Aberdeen University 2-1

25 Apr Huntly v Deveronvale 4-0

Keith bye

 

Semi-final

2 May Keith v Huntly 0-2

2 May Peterhead v Fraserburgh 0-3

 

Final - 2 legs

7 May Fraserburgh v Huntly 0-0

10 May Huntly v Fraserburgh 1-5

 

 

1973-74 Bell's Scotch Cup (West)

Section 1

First round

22 Oct Clachnacuddin v Inverness Thistle 0-2

29 Oct Lossiemouth v Inverness Caledonian 1-0

 

Semi-final

Inverness Thistle v Lossiemouth

 

Section 2

First round

22 Oct Nairn County v Elgin City 0-5

29 Oct Forres Mechanics v Ross County 2-3

 

Semi-final

1 Apr Ross County v Elgin City 0-1

 

Final - 2 legs

8 Apr Inverness Thistle v Elgin City 1-4

15 Apr Elgin City v Inverness Thistle 2-2

 

 

 

1973-74 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

22 Apr Deveronvale v Fraserburgh 0-5

24 Apr Huntly v Buckie Thistle 2-3

24 Apr Keith v Peterhead 3-2

Aberdeen University bye

 

Semi-final

30 Apr Fraserburgh v Buckie Thistle 6-1

2 May Keith v Aberdeen University 3-2

 

Final at Kynoch Park, Keith

8 May Fraserburgh v Keith 2-0

 

1974-75 Bell's Scotch Cup (West)

First round

13 Nov Clachnacuddin v Nairn County 5-0

13 Nov Elgin City v Forres Mechanics 6-1

13 Nov Ross County v Inverness Thistle 2-3

21 Nov Inverness Caledonian v Lossiemouth 3-0

 

Semi-final

20 Nov Clachnacuddin v Elgin City 1-0

27 Nov Inverness Thistle v Inverness Caledonian 4-1

 

Final - 2 legs

19 Mar Clachnacuddin v Inverness Thistle 1-4

26 Mar Inverness Thistle v Clachnacuddin 1-1

 

 

 

1974-75 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

30 Apr Deveronvale v Fraserburgh 2-2 aet, 3-2 pens

12 Apr Buckie Thistle v Huntly 2-3 aet

 

 

Semi-final

3 May Huntly v Aberdeen University

10 May Peterhead v Deveronvale 1-0 aet, 90 mins 0-0

 

Final at Recreation Park, Peterhead

17 May Huntly v Peterhead 1-0 aet

 

 

1975-76 Bell's Scotch Cup (West)

First round

20 Apr Clachnacuddin v Rothes 3-4 aet

21 Apr Forres Mechanics v Nairn County 2-0

21 Apr Inverness Thistle v Inverness Caledonian 3-4 aet

26 Apr Lossiemouth v Ross County 2-0

Elgin City and Rothes byes

 

Second round

29 Apr Elgin City v Rothes 4-0

Rest byes

 

Semi-final

6 May Lossiemouth v Elgin City 1-0

28 Apr Forres Mechanics v Inverness Caledonian 2-3

 

Final - 2 legs

11 May Inverness Caledonian v Lossiemouth 0-2

18 May Lossiemouth v Inverness Caledonian 0-3

 

 

 

1975-76 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

1 May Fraserburgh v Huntly 3-2

5 May Keith v Aberdeen University 4-1

24 Apr Deveronvale v Buckie Thistle

Peterhead bye

 

Semi-final

13 May Peterhead v Keith 3-2

8 May Fraserburgh v Buckie Thistle 1-0

 

Final

20 May Fraserburgh v Peterhead 1-0

 

 

1976-77 Bell's Scotch Cup (North)

First round

4 May Clachnacuddin v Elgin City 0-2

Rest byes

 

Second round

9 May Inverness v Clachnacuddin v Elgin City 4-2

10 May Inverness Caledonian v Nairn County 2-1

10 May Forres Mechanics v Rothes 0-2 aet

11 May Lossiemouth v Ross County 1-2

 

Semi-final

14 May Inverness Thistle v Inverness Caledonian 1-2

14 May Ross County v Rothes 1-4

 

Final - 2 legs

18 May Rothes v Inverness Caledonian 2-1

21 May Inverness Caledonian v Rothes 5-1

 

 

 

 

1976-77 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

4 May Buckie Thistle v Keith 0-2

4 May Aberdeen University v Deveronvale 4-0

4 May Huntly v Peterhead 1-3

Fraserburgh bye

 

Semi-final

14 May Peterhead v Fraserburgh 1-1 aet, Fraserburgh on pens

14 May Keith v Aberdeen University 5-2

 

Final

21 May Fraserburgh v Keith 2-1

 

1977-78 Bell's Scotch Cup (North)

First round

5 May Clachnacuddin v Lossiemouth 5-1

Rest byes

 

Second round

7 May Elgin City v Forres Mechanics 6-0

9 May Clachnacuddin v Nairn County 3-2 aet

8 May Inverness Thistle v Inverness Caledonian 1-3

8 May Rothes v Ross County 1-0

 

Semi-final

11 May Inverness Caledonian v Elgin City 0-0 aet, Elgin on pens

11 May Rothes v Clachnacuddin 0-1

 

Final - 2 legs

15 May Elgin City v Clachnacuddin 1-1

18 May Clachnacuddin v Elgin City 4-0

 

 

 

 

1977-78 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

7 May Buckie Thistle v Keith 0-2

9 May Deveronvale v Aberdeen University 3-0

9 May Peterhead v Fraserburgh 0-2

Huntly bye

 

Semi-final

14 May Fraserburgh v Deveronvale 0-3

14 May Keith v Huntly 0-0 aet, 3-4 pens

 

Final

17 May Deveronvale v Huntly 2-2 aet, 4-1 pens

 

1978-79 Bell's Scotch Cup (North)

Held over until start of following season

 

 

1979-80 Bell's Scotch Cup (North)

First round

30 Jul Ross County v Lossiemouth 5-3 aet, 90 mins 3-3

31 Jul Inverness Caledonian v Clachnacuddin 2-1 aet, 90 mins 1-1

1 Aug Inverness Thistle v Forres Mechanics 1-3

1 Aug Elgin City v Nairn County 2-4

 

Semi-final

3 Aug Ross County v Inverness Caledonian 2-3

3 Aug Forres Mechanics v Nairn County 0-3

 

Final - 2 legs

6 Aug Inverness Caledonian v Nairn County 3-1

13 Aug Nairn County v Inverness Caledonian 0-2

 

1978-79 Bell's Scotch Cup (East)

First round

5 May Huntly v Aberdeen University 5-0

7 May Buckie Thistle v Deveronvale 2-1

9 May Fraserburgh v Peterhead 2-1

Keith bye

 

Semi-final

13 May Fraserburgh v Keith 4-2

13 May Huntly v Buckie Thistle 1-0 aet

 

Final at Fraserburgh

17 May Fraserburgh v Buckie Thistle 6-2 aet