Highland League reveals fixtures for new season

The Breedon Highland League fixtures for the 2023-24 season have been released with champions Brechin City hosting Formartine United when the league kicks off on July 29.

Last season’s runners-up Buckie Thistle travel to Clachnacuddin while the 2022 champions Fraserburgh welcome Lossiemouth to Bellslea.

Elsewhere, Banks o’ Dee host Wick Academy, Deveronvale take on Keith, Brora Rangers head to Nairn County, Rothes face Huntly, Turriff United meet Inverurie Locos and Forres Mechanics will play Strathspey Thistle.

The title has gone to the final weekend in the past two seasons and Highland League secretary John Campbell would be unsurprised if the battle for the championship goes the distance once again.

He said: “Brechin City, Buckie Thistle and Fraserburgh have been challenging at the top over the last two seasons but I think there will be pressure put on by a number of different clubs this season.

“I think you could have any one of six clubs fighting for the title this time, even going into the later stages of the season.

“I would like to think there won’t be a runaway winner and the league will hopefully go all the way to the end of the season.”

Last season’s top two will meet for the first time this season on October 7 when Buckie Thistle host Brechin City at Victoria Park.

Campbell added: “It can be difficult putting the fixtures together given the geographical spread of the Highland League.

“The fact we have taken the Highland League Cup further forward in the season this year added a challenge to getting the fixtures completed.

“But that will help the Aberdeenshire FA and the North of Scotland FA in allowing them to run their competitions later in the season.

“In terms of the fixtures, it wasn’t as hard as first feared but it wasn’t straightforward.”

Saturday July 29 2023

– Banks o’ Dee v Wick Academy, Brechin City v

Formartine United, Clachnacuddin v Buckie Thistle, Deveronvale v Keith, Forres Mechanics v Strathspey Thistle, Fraserburgh v Lossiemouth, Nairn County v Brora Rangers, Rothes v Huntly, Turriff United v Inverurie Loco Works.

Saturday August 5

– Banks o’ Dee v Nairn County, Brora Rangers v Rothes, Buckie Thistle v Turriff United, Formartine United v Strathspey Thistle, Huntly v Brechin City, Inverurie Loco Works v Fraserburgh, Keith v Clachnacuddin, Lossiemouth v Forres Mechanics, Wick Academy v Deveronvale.

Saturday August 12 –

Brechin City v Brora Rangers, Clachnacuddin v Deveronvale, Forres Mechanics v Inverurie Loco Works, Fraserburgh v Buckie Thistle, Lossiemouth v Formartine United, Nairn County v Wick Academy, Rothes v Banks o’ Dee, Strathspey Thistle v Huntly, Turriff United v Keith.

Wednesday August 16 –

Banks o’ Dee v Brechin City, Brora Rangers v Strathspey Thistle, Buckie Thistle v Forres Mechanics, Deveronvale v Turriff United, Huntly v Lossiemouth, Inverurie Loco Works v Formartine United, Keith v Fraserburgh, Nairn County v Rothes, Wick Academy v Clachnacuddin.

Saturday August 19 –

Brechin City v Nairn County, Formartine United v Buckie Thistle, Forres Mechanics v Keith, Fraserburgh v Deveronvale, Inverurie Loco Works v Huntly, Lossiemouth v Brora Rangers, Rothes v Wick Academy, Strathspey Thistle v Banks o’ Dee, Turriff United v Clachnacuddin.

Saturday September 2

– Banks o’ Dee v Lossiemouth, Brora Rangers v Inverurie Loco Works, Buckie Thistle v Huntly, Clachnacuddin v Fraserburgh, Deveronvale v Forres Mechanics, Keith v Formartine United, Nairn County v Strathspey Thistle, Rothes v Brechin City, Wick Academy v Turriff United.

Saturday September 9

2023 - Brechin City v Wick Academy, Buckie Thistle v Brora Rangers, Formartine United v Deveronvale, Forres Mechanics v Clachnacuddin, Fraserburgh v Turriff United, Huntly v Keith, Inverurie Loco Works v Banks o’ Dee, Lossiemouth v Nairn County, Strathspey Thistle v Rothes.

Saturday September 16

– Banks o’ Dee v Buckie Thistle, Brechin City v Strathspey Thistle, Clachnacuddin v Formartine United, Deveronvale v Huntly, Keith v Brora Rangers, Nairn County v Inverurie Loco Works, Rothes v Lossiemouth, Turriff United v Forres Mechanics, Wick Academy v Fraserburgh.

Saturday September 30

– Brora Rangers v Deveronvale, Buckie Thistle v Nairn County, Formartine United v Turriff United, Forres Mechanics v Fraserburgh, Huntly v Clachnacuddin, Inverurie Loco Works v Rothes, Keith v Banks o’ Dee,Lossiemouth v Brechin City, Strathspey Thistle v Wick Academy.

Wednesday October 4 –

Brechin City v Inverurie Loco Works, Clachnacuddin v Brora Rangers, Deveronvale v Banks o’ Dee, Fraserburgh v Formartine United, Nairn County v Keith, Rothes v Buckie Thistle, Strathspey Thistle v Lossiemouth, Turriff United v Huntly, Wick Academy v Forres Mechanics.

Saturday October 7 –

Banks o’ Dee v Clachnacuddin, Brora Rangers v Turriff United, Buckie Thistle v Brechin City, Deveronvale v Nairn County, Formartine United v Forres Mechanics, Huntly v Fraserburgh, Inverurie Loco Works v Strathspey Thistle, Lossiemouth v Wick Academy, Keith v Rothes.

Saturday October 21 –

Brechin City v Keith, Clachnacuddin v Nairn County, Formartine United v Wick Academy, Forres Mechanics v Huntly, Fraserburgh v Brora Rangers, Lossiemouth v Inverurie Loco Works, Rothes v Deveronvale, Strathspey Thistle v Buckie Thistle, Turriff United v Banks o’ Dee.

Saturday November 4 –

Banks o’ Dee v Fraserburgh, Brora Rangers v Forres Mechanics, Buckie Thistle v Lossiemouth, Clachnacuddin v Rothes, Deveronvale v Brechin City, Huntly v Formartine United, Keith v Strathspey Thistle, Nairn County v Turriff United, Wick Academy v Inverurie Loco Works.

Saturday November 11

– Brechin City v Clachnacuddin, Formartine United v Brora Rangers, Forres Mechanics v Banks o’ Dee, Fraserburgh v Nairn County, Inverurie Loco Works v Buckie Thistle, Lossiemouth v Keith, Strathspey Thistle v Deveronvale, Turriff United v Rothes, Wick Academy v Huntly.

Saturday November 18

– Banks o’ Dee v Formartine United, Brora Rangers v Huntly, Buckie Thistle v Wick Academy, Clachnacuddin v Strathspey Thistle, Deveronvale v Lossiemouth, Keith v Inverurie Loco Works, Nairn County v Forres Mechanics, Rothes v Fraserburgh, Turriff United v Brechin City.

Saturday November 25

– Brechin City v Fraserburgh, Buckie Thistle v Keith, Formartine United v Nairn County, Forres Mechanics v Rothes, Huntly v Banks o’ Dee, Inverurie Loco Works v Deveronvale, Lossiemouth v Clachnacuddin, Strathspey Thistle v Turriff United, Wick Academy v Brora Rangers.

Saturday December 2

– Banks o’ Dee v Brora Rangers, Clachnacuddin v Inverurie Loco Works, Deveronvale v Buckie Thistle, Forres Mechanics v Brechin City, Fraserburgh v Strathspey Thistle, Keith v Wick Academy, Nairn County v Huntly, Rothes v Formartine United, Turriff United v Lossiemouth.

Saturday December 9 –

Brora Rangers v Nairn County, Buckie Thistle v Clachnacuddin, Formartine United v Brechin City, Huntly v Rothes, Inverurie Loco Works v Turriff United, Keith v Deveronvale, Lossiemouth v Fraserburgh, Strathspey Thistle v Forres Mechanics, Wick Academy v Banks o’ Dee.

Saturday December 16

– Brechin City v Huntly, Deveronvale v Wick Academy, Clachnacuddin v Keith, Forres Mechanics v Lossiemouth, Fraserburgh v Inverurie Loco Works, Nairn County v Banks o’ Dee, Rothes v Brora Rangers, Turriff United v Buckie Thistle, Strathspey Thistle v Formartine United.

Saturday December 23

– Banks o’ Dee v Rothes, Brora Rangers v Brechin City, Buckie Thistle v Fraserburgh, Deveronvale v Clachnacuddin, Formartine United v Lossiemouth, Huntly v Strathspey Thistle, Inverurie Loco Works v Forres Mechanics, Keith v Turriff United, Wick Academy v Nairn County.

Saturday December 30

– Brechin City v Banks o’ Dee, Clachnacuddin v Wick Academy, Formartine United v Inverurie Loco Works, Forres Mechanics v Buckie Thistle, Fraserburgh v Keith, Lossiemouth v Huntly, Rothes v Nairn County, Strathspey Thistle v Brora Rangers, Turriff United v Deveronvale.

Saturday January 6 2024

– Banks o’ Dee v Strathspey Thistle, Brora Rangers v Lossiemouth, Buckie Thistle v Formartine United, Clachnacuddin v Turriff United, Deveronvale v Fraserburgh, Huntly v Inverurie Loco Works, Keith v Forres Mechanics, Nairn County v Brechin City, Wick Academy v Rothes.

Saturday January 13 –

Brechin City v Rothes, Formartine United v Keith, Forres Mechanics v Deveronvale, Fraserburgh v Clachnacuddin, Huntly v Buckie Thistle, Inverurie Loco Works v Brora Rangers, Lossiemouth v Banks o’ Dee, Strathspey Thistle v Nairn County, Turriff United v Wick.

Saturday January 20 –

Banks o’ Dee v Inverurie Loco Works, Brora Rangers v Buckie Thistle, Clachnacuddin v Forres Mechanics, Deveronvale v Formartine United, Keith v Huntly, Nairn County v Lossiemouth, Rothes v Strathspey Thistle, Turriff United v Fraserburgh, Wick Academy v Brechin City.

Saturday January 27 –

Brora Rangers v Keith, Buckie Thistle v Banks o’ Dee, Formartine United v Clachnacuddin, Forres Mechanics v Turriff United, Fraserburgh v Wick Academy, Huntly v Deveronvale, Inverurie Loco Works v Nairn County, Lossiemouth v Rothes, Strathspey Thistle v Brechin City.

Saturday February 3 –

Banks o’ Dee v Keith, Brechin City v Lossiemouth, Clachnacuddin v Huntly, Fraserburgh v Forres Mechanics, Deveronvale v Brora Rangers, Nairn County v Buckie Thistle, Rothes v Inverurie Loco Works, Turriff United v Formartine United, Wick Academy v Strathspey Thistle.

Saturday February 10 –

Banks o’ Dee v Deveronvale, Brora Rangers v Clachnacuddin, Buckie Thistle v Rothes, Formartine United v Fraserburgh, Forres Mechanics v Wick Academy, Huntly v Turriff United, Inverurie Loco Works v Brechin City, Keith v Nairn County, Lossiemouth v Strathspey Thistle.

Saturday February 17 –

Brechin City v Buckie Thistle, Clachnacuddin v Banks o’ Dee, Forres Mechanics v Formartine United, Fraserburgh v Huntly, Nairn County v Deveronvale, Rothes v Keith, Strathspey Thistle v Inverurie Loco Works, Turriff United v Brora Rangers, Wick Academy v Lossiemouth.

Saturday March 2 –

Banks o’ Dee v Turriff United, Brora Rangers v Fraserburgh, Buckie Thistle v Strathspey Thistle, Deveronvale v Rothes, Huntly v Forres Mechanics, Inverurie Loco Works v Lossiemouth, Keith v Brechin City, Nairn County v Clachnacuddin, Wick Academy v Formartine United.

Saturday March 9 –

Brechin City v Deveronvale, Formartine United v Huntly, Forres Mechanics v Brora Rangers, Fraserburgh v Banks o’ Dee, Inverurie Loco Works v Wick Academy, Lossiemouth v Buckie Thistle, Rothes v Clachnacuddin, Strathspey Thistle v Keith, Turriff United v Nairn County.

Saturday March 16 –

Banks o’ Dee v Forres Mechanics, Brora Rangers v Formartine United, Buckie Thistle v Inverurie Loco Works, Clachnacuddin v Brechin City, Deveronvale v Strathspey Thistle, Huntly v Wick Academy, Keith v Lossiemouth, Nairn County v Fraserburgh, Rothes v Turriff United.

Saturday March 23 –

Brechin City v Turriff United, Formartine United v Banks o’ Dee, Forres Mechanics v Nairn County, Fraserburgh v Rothes, Huntly v Brora Rangers, Inverurie Loco Works v Keith, Lossiemouth v Deveronvale, Strathspey Thistle v Clachnacuddin, Wick Academy v Buckie Thistle.

Saturday April 6 –

Banks o’ Dee v Huntly, Brora Rangers v Wick Academy, Clachnacuddin v Lossiemouth, Deveronvale v Inverurie Loco Works, Fraserburgh v Brechin City, Keith v Buckie Thistle, Nairn County v Formartine United, Rothes v Forres Mechanics, Turriff United v Strathspey Thistle.

Saturday April 13 –

Brechin City v Forres Mechanics, Brora Rangers v Banks o’ Dee, Buckie Thistle v Deveronvale, Formartine United v Rothes, Huntly v Nairn County, Inverurie Loco Works v Clachnacuddin, Lossiemouth v Turriff United, Strathspey Thistle v Fraserburgh, Wick Academy v Keith.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Brechin City, pictured celebrating their title success at Buckie Thistle last season, will start the next campaign at home to Formartine United.

Buckie Thistle will aim to be title contenders again.

Brora Rangers will host Fraserburgh on March 2.