the hfl was formed on 4 august 1893, at the inverness workman's club. the original league consisted of seven teams: inverness thistle, caledonian, clachnacuddin, forres mechanics, inverness union, inverness citadel and cameron highlanders. ross county were an eighth original member, but resigned membership in november 1893. of the original teams, two are still playing in the league today (clachnacuddin and forres mechanics), and two merged to become current scottish premier league club inverness caledonian thistle.