2017–18 Highland Football League


The 2017–18 Highland Football League was the 115th season of the Highland Football League, and the 4th season as the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 29 July 2017 and ended on 5 May 2018. Buckie Thistle were the defending champions.
The previous season's runners-up Cove Rangers won their sixth Highland Football League title after beating Clachnacuddin 5–0 on 7 April 2018. At the time, they were unbeaten with 26 wins from their 29 matches. They defeated the winners of the 2017–18 Lowland Football League in the League Two play-offs semi-finals, but lost to Cowdenbeath 3–2 on aggregate in the final.

Teams

All grounds are equipped with floodlights as required by league regulations.
TeamLocationStadiumCapacitySeats
Brora RangersBroraDudgeon Park4,000200
Buckie ThistleBuckieVictoria Park5,000400
ClachnacuddinInvernessGrant Street Park3,000154
Cove RangersInverurieHarlaw Park2,500250
DeveronvaleBanffPrincess Royal Park2,600360
Formartine UnitedPitmeddenNorth Lodge Park2,500300
Forres MechanicsForresMosset Park2,700502
Fort WilliamFort WilliamClaggan Park4,000400
FraserburghFraserburghBellslea Park3,000480
HuntlyHuntlyChristie Park2,200270
Inverurie Loco WorksInverurieHarlaw Park2,500250
KeithKeithKynoch Park4,000370
LossiemouthLossiemouthGrant Park3,250250
Nairn CountyNairnStation Park2,250250
RothesRothesMackessack Park2,700184
Strathspey ThistleGrantown-on-SpeySeafield Park1,600150
Turriff UnitedTurriffThe Haughs2,135135
Wick AcademyWickHarmsworth Park2,412102

League table

Results

Promotion play-offs

A number of postponements over the winter period resulted in fixture congestion later in the season. As a champion could not be crowned in time, the dates for the semi-finals were pushed back a week. Cove Rangers played 2017–18 Lowland Football League champions Spartans in the League Two play-off, winning 4–0 at home in the first leg. Cove went through on with a 5–2 aggregate win despite losing the second leg 2–1.
This set up a final against Cowdenbeath. The first leg at Harlaw Park finished 0–0 before Cove lost 3–2 in the second leg at Central Park, meaning that Cowdenbeath were victorious on aggregate and retained their place in League Two. Cove would remain in the Highland League.