Football in Scotland

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Football in Scotland
Neymar and Scott Brown (5575611536).jpg
Scott Brown dummies Neymar of Brazil, 2011
CountryScotland
Governing body Scottish Football Association
National team(s) Men's national team
First played1873;151 years ago (1873)
Clubs Scottish Professional Football League
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions

Association football (Scots : fitbaa, Scottish Gaelic : ball-coise) is one of the national sports of Scotland [1] and the most popular sport in the country. [2] There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of these include carrying the ball and passing by hand, and despite bearing the name "football" bear little resemblance to association football. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Founded in 1873, [6] Scotland has the second oldest national Football Association in the world (behind England's FA), and has various professional and amateur levels. The trophy for the national cup, the Scottish Cup, is the oldest national sporting trophy in the world. [7] Scotland and Scottish football clubs hold many records for football attendances.

Origins

A game known as "football" was played in Scotland as early as the 15th century. It was prohibited by the Football Act 1424, as it distracted men from their marital duties, [8] and although the law fell into disuse, it was not repealed until 1906. The sport was played by commoners and royalty, such as King James VI and Mary, Queen of Scots, alike. [9] In Perth, apprentices progressing to become master craftsmen in the 16th-century had to pay for a banquet and a game of football. [10]

There is evidence for schoolboys playing a "football" ball game in Aberdeen in 1633 (some references cite 1636) which is notable as an early allusion to what some have considered to be passing the ball. In the 1700s, Football was known to cause riots and severe damage to both property and players. [8] Football in general had almost an ill repute. Football was mainly played during times of festival like New Years Day or Fastern's E'en. During these events, football was a "mass participant, low regulation event". [11] There were also separate matches for men and women. Association Football's use as a leisure sport started in the 1840s as working schedules started to shift with the introduction of the half day work schedule on Saturdays. This search for "rational recreation" was brought upon by the temperance movement along with city municipal and philanthropic projects. By the late 1800s, Association Football was one of the major cultural activities among the male population of Western Scotland, both as player and as spectator. Railroads helped with accessibility for travel to games in other cities, making a professional league viable. Of the thirty seven football grounds in existence in 1887, twenty of them were within one hundred yards of a railroad station. [11]

It is clear that the game was rough and tackles allowed included the "charging" and pushing/holding of opposing players ("drive that man back" in the original translation, "repelle eum" in original Latin). It has been suggested that this game bears similarities to rugby football. [12] Contrary to media reports in 2006 there is no reference to forward passing, game rules, marking players or team formation. These reports described it as "an amazing new discovery" but has actually been well documented in football history literature since the early twentieth century and available on the internet since at least 2000. [13]

Scottish Football Association

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) is the principal organising body for Scottish football. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations. It was formed in March 1873, making it the World's second oldest national football association. The founding clubs were Queen's Park, Clydesdale, Vale of Leven, Dumbreck, Third Lanark, Eastern Granville and Kilmarnock. [14]

The SFA is responsible for the operation of the Scotland national football team, the annual Scottish Cup and several other duties important to the functioning of the game in Scotland.

League

Professional league football in Scotland is run by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) comprising 4 tiers. Feeding into the bottom tier of the SPFL is the Scottish Highland Football League, and the Scottish Lowland Football League. Other leagues - East of Scotland League, South of Scotland League, West of Scotland League and the North Caledonian League are deemed to be "senior" and are administered by the Scottish Football Association. Administered separately are clubs in the Scottish Junior Football Association and Scottish Amateur Football Association. In 2014–15 season, a promotion and relegation scheme between the SPFL and the Highland and Lowland Leagues came into operation. [15]

Rangers' record attendance of 118,567 is a British record for a league match. [16]

Scottish Professional Football League

The Scottish Professional Football League is a four tier football league system consisting of 42 teams. There are 12 teams in the top tier, the Scottish Premiership, and 10 in each of the lower three tiers, named the Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two.

The Scottish Premiership is the top league in Scotland, and consists of 12 teams. It has existed since 2013, when the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League merged into the SPFL. The top tier of Scottish football is traditionally home to one of the world's most famous football rivalries, between Rangers and Celtic. Together the two clubs are known as the Old Firm, by virtue of the profitability of their rivalry. Rangers have won 55 Scottish league championships, which was a world record when the 55th title was won (2021) but has since been overtaken by Northern Irish club Linfield (56). [17] Celtic, who have won 53 Scottish league championships, were the first non-Latin and first team from Great Britain to win the European Cup, in 1967. The Old Firm rivalry was interrupted in 2012, when the company running Rangers went into liquidation and the club was forced to restart in the fourth tier of Scottish Football. The rivalry was resumed in September 2016, after Rangers had been promoted into the Scottish Premiership.

The second, third and fourth tiers in the league structure are called the Scottish Championship, Scottish League One and Scottish League Two respectively, each consisting of 10 teams. Teams are relegated and promoted between the divisions. Relegation from the fourth tier may occur at the end of every season (from 2014 to 2015 thereafter); the last placed team in the fourth tier will play the winner of a play-off between the Highland and Lowland League champions. [15] Dismissal from the fourth tier is still possible, however, if a club finishes bottom three seasons in a row. In case of dismissal or withdrawal of a team (such as for economic reasons, etc.) a senior non-League level side can be elected in its place.

The top team in the Championship is eligible for promotion to the Premiership. Since the 2013–14 season, a second promotion place is available via play-offs between 3 Championship sides and 1 Premiership side. Falkirk were refused possible entry to the top tier in 2000 [18] and 2003 [19] due to not meeting the stadium requirements. Previously, requirements were that clubs had to have 10,000 seats in their ground, but this was changed to 6,000. Clubs must also have under-soil heating systems to prevent cancellation of matches caused by frozen pitches.

Queen's Park, uniquely, were the only true amateur (players are not paid) member of the League still standing, having been a League member since 1900, until its membership voted to end that status in 2019.

LevelDivisionNumber of clubs
1 SPFL Premiership 12
2 SPFL Championship 10
3 SPFL League One 10
4 SPFL League Two 10

Senior non-league level

Immediately below the SPFL are two regionalised leagues:

At the end of the season a play-off is held between the champions of the Highland League and the Lowland League. The winner plays the bottom club in the SPFL League Two for a place in League Two in the following season.

Other "senior" leagues are

There is no automatic promotion between these leagues and the Lowland or Highland Leagues, however a play-off takes place between the champions of the East of Scotland, South of Scotland, and West of Scotland for promotion to the Lowland League, subject to clubs meeting the required licensing criteria.

LevelLeagueNumber of clubs (2024–25)
5 Highland Football League 18
5 Lowland Football League 18
6 East of Scotland Football League 58
6 South of Scotland Football League 12
6 West of Scotland Football League 80
6 North Caledonian Football League 12

Clubs at level 6 automatically enter the Scottish Cup preliminary rounds provided they are members of the Scottish Football Association.

Junior football

Operating separately from the SPFL professional leagues and the four senior leagues, are the two junior leagues. Although called junior, this refers to the level of football played, not the age of the participants. The junior leagues are organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association and are regionalised into two areas, East and North. There is a Scottish Junior Cup which all members of the association participate in, having done so since the Nineteenth century.

Junior clubs, unlike those in the senior non-league level, were not in the main eligible to participate in the Scottish Cup until 2007–08. The one previous exception to this rule, Girvan, participated in the Scottish Qualifying Cup (South) by virtue of the fact that they opted to switch from the senior level to the junior level, but still retained their right to attempt to qualify. From the 2007–08 Scottish Cup however, the winners of each of the two (previously three) regional leagues and the winner of the Junior Cup enter the first round of the Scottish Cup proper, following a decision by the SFA to allow them entry at their previous Annual General Meeting. Additional junior clubs (Banks o'Dee) have received an SFA licence which permits them to participate in the Scottish Cup.

SJFA regionNumber of divisionsNumber of clubs (2021–22)
Scottish Junior Football Association, East Region 119
Scottish Junior Football Association, North Region 332

Amateur football

There are a vast number of amateur footballers in Scotland. [20] They play in leagues across the country of varying standard, usually confined to a specific localised geographic area. Many amateur clubs run teams in more than one of the amateur leagues. Some of the teams are well known with a history of success and producing players who go on to a higher level, such as Drumchapel Amateur. The activities of clubs at the amateur level are co-ordinated by the Scottish Amateur Football Association.

The winner of the Scottish Amateur Cup enters the Scottish FA Cup in the following season.

There are three categories of amateur football administered by the SAFA - "Winter" Saturday, "Winter" Sunday and Summer football. Summer football tends to be popular in the Northern and Western Isles and in the north of the mainland. In addition to the Scottish Amateur Cup (for 'Saturday' teams) there is the Scottish Sunday Amateur Trophy and the Highland Amateur Cup for summer teams.

Saturday Leagues (Winter)

LeaguesDivisions
Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association

60 clubs

1Premier Division

14 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

2Division One (North)

14 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

Division One (East)

14 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

3Division Two (North)

9 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Division Two (East)

9 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Ayrshire Amateur Football Association

37 clubs

1Premier League

12 clubs
↓ 2 relegation spots

2Division 1

11 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots

↓ 2 relegation spots

3Division 2

14 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots

Border Amateur Football League

28 clubs

1A League

10 clubs

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot

2B League

10 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot

↓ 3 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot

3C League

8 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot

Caledonian Amateur Football League

23 clubs

1Premier Division

14 clubs
↓ 3 relegation spots

2First Division

9 clubs

↑ 3 promotion spots

Central Scottish Amateur Football League

25 clubs

1Premier Division

12 clubs

↓ 2 relegation spots

2Championship

13 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots

Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League

41 clubs

1Division 1

12 clubs

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot

2Division 2

12 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots + 1 promotion playoff spot

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot

3Division 3A

9 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spots+ 1 promotion playoff spot

Division 3B

8 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spots+ 1 promotion playoff spot

Kingdom of Fife Amateur Football Association

35 clubs

1Premier League

12 clubs

↓ 2 relegation spots

2Championship

12 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots

↓ 2 relegation spots

3Division 1

11 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots

Lothian & Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (Saturday)

49 clubs

1Premier Division

12 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spot

2Championship

12 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spot

↓ TBC relegation spots

3Division 1

12 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spot

↓ TBC relegation spot

2Division 2

13 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spot

Midlands Amateur Football Association

14 clubs

1Premier Division

14 clubs

Perthshire Amateur Football Association

21 clubs

1Division One

10 clubs

↓ 2 relegation spots

2Division Two

11 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots

Scottish Amateur Football League

16 clubs

1Premier

16 clubs

Stirling & District Amateur Football Association

11 clubs

1Premier Division

11 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

Dundee Saturday Morning Amateur Football League

39 clubs

1Premier Division

12 clubs

↓ 1 relegation spot + 2 relegation playoff spots

21st Division

12 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot + 2 promotion playoff spots

↓ 2 relegation spots + 1 relegation playoff spot

32nd Division

15 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot + 2 promotion playoff spots

Glasgow Colleges Amateur Football Association

34 clubs

1Premier Division

14 clubs

↓ 2 relegation spots

2Division One (A)

10 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot

Division One (B)

10 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot

Saturday Morning Amateur Football League

64 clubs

1Premier Division

14 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

2Championship

14 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

2Division 1A

14 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Division 1B

12 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Football League

22 clubs

1Premier Division

12 clubs

↓ 1 relegation spot

2Division 1

10 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot

Saturday Leagues (Summer)

LeaguesDivisions
Caithness Amateur Football Association

14 clubs

1Division 1

8 clubs

↓ 1 relegation spot

2Division 2

6 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot

Inverness & District Amateur Football Association

26 clubs

1Premier Division

8 clubs

↓ 1 relegation spot

21st Division

8 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot

↓ 1 relegation spot

32nd Division

10 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot

Lewis & Harris Amateur League

9 clubs

19 clubs
North West Sutherland Amateur Football League

8 clubs

18 clubs
Orkney Amateur Football Association

12 clubs

1A League

7 clubs

↓ 1 relegation spot

2B League

5 clubs

↑ 1 promotion spot

Shetland Amateur Football Association

8 clubs

1Premier League

8 clubs

West Highland Amateur Football Association

7 clubs

17 clubs
Uist & Barra Amateur Football Association

6 clubs

16 clubs

Sunday Leagues

LeaguesDivisions
Aberdeen Sunday Football Association

17 clubs

1Premier Division

8 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

2First Division

9 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Airdrie & Coatbridge Sunday Amateur Football League

40 clubs

1Premier Division

12 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

2Championship Division

13 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

3First Division

15 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Ayrshire Sunday Amateur Football Association

11 clubs

1Division 1

11 clubs

Dumfries Sunday Amateur Football League

14 clubs

1Premier Division

15 clubs

Fife Sunday Amateur Football League

16 clubs

1Premier Division

6 clubs

↓ 1 relegation spot

2Championship

10 clubs

↑ 2 promotion spots

Glasgow & District Sunday Championship Amateur Football League

43 clubs

1Premiership

10 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

2Championship

12 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

3Division 1

11 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

4Division 2

10 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

Lothians & Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (Sunday)

49 clubs

MorningsAfternoons
1Premier Division

10 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

Premier Division

14 clubs

2Championship

11 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

3Division 1

14 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Football Central Amateur Football League

54 clubs

Lanarkshire–
1Premier Division

10 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

Premier Division

12 clubs

↓ TBC relegation spots

2Championship

9 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Championship

12 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

↓ TBC relegation spots

3First Division

11 clubs

↑ TBC promotion spots

Cup competitions

Scottish Cup

The Scottish Cup is the world's oldest national cup but not the oldest competition, first contested in 1873 and being predated only by England's FA Cup. It is a pure knockout tournament with single matches, with replays being held if the first match is a tie. All 42 SPFL clubs automatically enter the tournament. A number of non-league clubs used to participate by virtue of having qualified through one of two regionalised qualifying cups (since 2007–08 they have qualified automatically for the First Round); or since 2007–08 by having won the Scottish Junior Cup or one of the three regionalised Junior leagues. The final is usually played at Hampden Park. The attendance of 146,433 for the 1937 Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Aberdeen at Hampden Park is a European record for a club match. [16]

Scottish League Cup

The Scottish League Cup is open to members of the SPFL and the Highland League and Lowland League champions. It has been contested since the 1946–47 season and was the first ever League Cup formed.

Scottish Challenge Cup

The Scottish Challenge Cup is open to members of the SPFL clubs contesting in the Championship, League One & League Two and the top four clubs in the Highland League and Lowland League, and has been contested since the 1990–91 season. Since 2016–17 season all 12 Premiership Development teams have taken part in the competition along with teams from the Welsh Premier League and Northern Irish Premiership, with teams from the English National League joining in 2017–18 season.

Scottish Junior Cup

The Scottish Junior Cup is contested by all members of the SJFA and has been competed for since the 1886–87 season. Currently, up to 132 teams are eligible to take part.

Scottish Amateur Cup

The Scottish Amateur Cup is the principal competition for amateur clubs, competed for since 1909–10. Currently around 600 clubs enter.

Scottish Irn Bru Schools Cup

The Scottish Irn Bru Schools Cup is contested by Scotland's Schools and has been done since 1999. Currently 190 schools can take part.

Current Scottish national cup eligibility summary

LevelLeague(s)Scottish CupScottish League CupScottish Challenge CupScottish Junior CupScottish Amateur Cup
1 SPFL Premiership YesYesNoNoNo
2 SPFL Championship Yes
3 SPFL League One
4 SPFL League Two
5 Highland League League champions

Runner-up from one league

Top 4 teams from each league
Lowland League
6 Midlands League League Champions

Licensed Clubs

NoNo Scottish Junior FA members
6 North Caledonian League
6–8 North Region Junior Football League
6–9 East of Scotland League League Champions

Licensed Clubs

Cup Winners' Shield holders

6 South of Scotland League
6–10 West of Scotland League
Scottish Amateur FA Scottish Amateur Cup winnersNoYes
Additional participantsScottish Junior Cup winners12 x Premiership U21 teams

2 x NIFL Premiership teams

2 x Cymru Premier teams

Total clubs (2022–22)1264553108

European competitions

Three Scottish clubs have won UEFA competitions. Celtic won the 1967 European Cup Final, then lost the 1970 European Cup Final. The highest ever attendance for a UEFA competition match was in the 1969–70 European Cup semi-final at Hampden Park, Scotland's National stadium. A record 136,505 people attended that Cup semi-final played between Celtic and Leeds United. [16]

Rangers won the 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup final, and reached the finals of the same competition in 1961 and 1967, losing out both times. The most recent victory by a Scottish club in a European competition was when Aberdeen won the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup final and then won the consequent 1983 European Super Cup.

No Scottish club has won the UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League, although three have reached the final. Dundee United reached the 1987 final, and their fans won an award for their good behaviour from UEFA after their defeat to IFK Gothenburg. Celtic fans won a similar award after their team lost in extra time to FC Porto in the 2003 final. Rangers lost 2–0 to Zenit Saint Petersburg in the 2008 final. [21] The most recent appearance by a Scottish club in a European final was when Rangers lost on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2022 UEFA Europa League final. [22] [23]

National team

The Scottish national team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. The team has played international football longer than any other nation in the world along with England, [24] whom they played in the world's first international football match at Hamilton Crescent, Partick, Glasgow in 1872. [25] Scotland have qualified for eight World Cups and three European Championships, but have never progressed beyond the first round.

The majority of Scotland's home matches are played at Hampden Park in Glasgow, opened in 1903. The Scottish team have become famous for their travelling support, known as the Tartan Army, who have won awards from UEFA for their combination of vocal support, friendly nature and charity work. The attendance of 149,415 for the Scotland vs. England match of 1937 at Hampden Park is also a European record. [16]

Clubs

Seasons

The following articles detail the major results and events in each season since 1871–72. Each article provides the final league tables for that season, with the exception of the current one, as well as details on cup results, Scotland national football team results and a summary of any other important events during the season.

1870s 1871–72 1872–73 1873–74 1874–75 1875–76 1876–77 1877–78 1878–79 1879–80
1880s 1880–81 1881–82 1882–83 1883–84 1884–85 1885–86 1886–87 1887–88 1888–89 1889–90
1890s 1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900
1900s 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10
1910s 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20
1920s 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30
1930s 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40
1940s 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50
1950s 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60
1960s 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970s 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
2000s 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010s 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
2020s 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 2026–27 2027–28 2028–29 2029–30

Women's football

As in the men's game, the women's league structure consists of a Premier League and a Football League with Divisions One and Two, but the second division is split into North, West, and Central & East regions. In the women's SFL, reserve and youth squads may compete as long as they do not compete in the same division as the titular club. There are also four cup competitions, the Scottish Cup, Scottish Premier League Cup, Scottish First Division Cup and the Scottish Second Division Cup.

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highland Football League</span> Association football league in Scotland

The Scottish Highland Football League is a senior football league based in the north of Scotland. The league sits at level 5 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Scottish Professional Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East of Scotland Football League</span> Association football league in Scotland

The East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) is a senior football league based in the east and south-east of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–9 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.

The Scottish football league system is a series of generally connected leagues for Scottish football clubs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Cup</span> Association football tournament in Scotland

The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the Scottish Cup, is an annual association football knock-out cup competition for men's football clubs in Scotland. The competition was first held in 1873–74. Entry is open to all 122 clubs with full membership of the Scottish Football Association (SFA), along with up to eight other clubs who are associate members. The competition is called Scottish Gas Men's Scottish Cup for sponsorship reasons.

The Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup, commonly known as the Scottish League Challenge Cup or Scottish Challenge Cup, and currently known as the SPFL Trust Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an association football knock-out cup competition run by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL). It is recognised as the third most prestigious knockout trophy in Scottish football, after the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish League Cup</span> Association football tournament in Scotland

The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) clubs. First held in 1946–47, it is the oldest national League cup in existence. The competition had a straight knockout format but became a group and knockout competition from 2016–17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Spartans F.C.</span> Association football club in Scotland

The Spartans Football Club are a Scottish football club based in Edinburgh. They were formed in 1951 by ex-players of Edinburgh University and the original intention was the team would be exclusively graduates of the university. However, the club is now open to players of any background. Spartans play at Ainslie Park and wear white shirts, red shorts and white socks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelty Hearts F.C.</span> Association football club in Scotland

Kelty Hearts Football Club is a football club based in the village of Kelty in Fife, Scotland. Formed in 1975 and nicknamed the Hearts, the Maroon Machine and the Jambos, they play their home games at New Central Park. Their home colours are maroon shirts, white shorts and maroon socks, while their away colours are typically all blue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Scottish football</span>

Scotland was one of the earliest modern footballing nations, with Glasgow club Queen's Park early pioneers of the game throughout the UK. More clubs formed in Scotland, resulting in the commencement of the first major competition in 1873, the Scottish Cup, then the founding of the Scottish Football League in 1890. With the official sanctioning of professionalism, the Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers became dominant in Scotland, and remain so, although other clubs have enjoyed brief periods of success too.

The Scottish Lowland Football League and the Park’s Motor Group Scottish Lowland League for sponsorship reasons is a senior football league based in central and southern Scotland. The league sits at level 5 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Scottish Professional Football League, and is above three regional leagues at level 6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Professional Football League</span> Association football league in Scotland

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) is the national men's association football league in Scotland. The league was formed in June 2013 following a merger between the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League. As well as operating its league competition, which consists of the top four levels of the Scottish football league system, the SPFL also operates two domestic cup competitions, the Scottish League Cup and the Scottish Challenge Cup. While the Scottish Cup includes all the teams within the SPFL, the competition is run and organised by the Scottish Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Premiership</span> Association football league in Scotland

The Scottish Premiership known as the William Hill Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottish Premiership was established in July 2013, after the SPFL was formed by a merger of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League. There are 12 teams in this division, with each team playing 38 matches per season. Sixteen clubs have played in the Scottish Premiership since its creation in the 2013–14 season. Celtic are the current league champions, having won the 2023–24 Scottish Premiership.

The 2016–17 Scottish League Cup was the 71st season of Scotland's second-most prestigious football knockout competition.

In addition to their first team competing in the Scottish Premiership, Aberdeen Football Club also maintain further teams for younger age groups playing in competitions such as the Scottish Challenge Cup and the Scottish Youth Cup within the club's academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Scottish Challenge Cup final</span> Football match

The 2017 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the Irn-Bru Cup final for sponsorship reasons, is a football match that took place on 25 March 2017 at Fir Park, between Dundee United and St Mirren. It was the 26th final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the now defunct Scottish Football League and the fourth since the Scottish Professional Football League was formed. Both teams progressed through four elimination rounds to reach the final. The match was won by Dundee United 2–1, marking their first win in the tournament since its inception and their first silverware since the 2009–10 Scottish Cup.

The 2019–20 Scottish Challenge Cup known as the Tunnock's Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup due to sponsorship reasons, was the 29th season of the competition. The total number of participating clubs is 58. The competition began on 6 August 2019 with the First Round and was due to end on 28 March 2020 with the final at McDiarmid Park in Perth. However, the final had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was never subsequently played.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West of Scotland Football League</span> Association football league in Scotland

The West of Scotland Football League (WoSFL) is a senior football league based in the west of Scotland. The league sits at levels 6–10 on the Scottish football league system, acting as a feeder to the Lowland Football League.

The 2022–23 Scottish Lowland Football League was the 10th season of the Lowland Football League, part of the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic were the reigning champions, but were unable to defend their title following their promotion to Scottish League Two.

References

  1. ↑ "Football - Talent Scotland". TalentScotland. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  2. ↑ Scotland's Sport
  3. ↑ "Scotland's amazing role in football's success". The Scotsman. 29 June 2006. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  4. ↑ Barclay, Patrick (11 August 2013). "After 150 years the truth: Scotland invented football". The Independent. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  5. ↑ Spence, Jim (25 March 2011). "Jim Spence: Should Scottish football go back to go forward?". BBC. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "Scottish FA > About". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  7. ↑ "Scottish Cup > History & Archives". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  8. 1 2 Cormack, Wade (2016). "Playing By the Rules?: Early Modern Sport and Control in the Northern Mainland Royal Burghs of Scotland". Sport in History. 36 (3): 305–327. doi:10.1080/17460263.2015.1100671. S2CID   147272360 – via Ebscohost.
  9. ↑ "Football History". Sports Heritage Scotland. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  10. ↑ Michael Pearce, 'A French Furniture Maker and the 'Courtly Style' in Sixteenth-Century Scotland', Regional Furniture, XXXII (2018), p. 127.
  11. 1 2 McDowell, Matthew L. (2013). A Cultural History of Association Football in Scotland, 1865-1902 : Understanding Sports As a Way of Understanding Society. Lewiston: The Edwin Mellen Press. p. 3.
  12. ↑ Karon, Tony (2 April 2012). "Why England Is Playing Catch-up In Global Soccer". Time . Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  13. ↑ [Marples, Morris. A History of Football, Secker and Warburg, London 1954]
  14. ↑ "History of the Cup". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  15. 1 2 "The Rules of the SPFL" (PDF). Scottish Professional Football League . Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Football". Cypscotwest.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Most wins of a national top division in football (soccer)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Sinclair, Paul (1 April 2000). "SPL throw out Falkirk's Murrayfield plea". Daily Record . Trinity Mirror . Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  19. ↑ "SPL nixes Falkirk promotion bid". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 May 2003. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  20. ↑ "Outdated football culture has meant the modern game has passed us by ..." The Herald . 17 October 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  21. ↑ Lindsay, Clive (14 May 2008). "Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Rangers". BBC. BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  22. ↑ "Rangers 'couldn't write better script' after reaching Europa League final". BBC Sport. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  23. ↑ "Eintracht Frankfurt 1–1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  24. ↑ "The first international football match". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 May 2007.
  25. ↑ "This day in history". The History Channel. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2007.
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