Scottish football league system
Encyclopedia
The Scottish football league system is a series of generally unconnected leagues
for Scottish
football
clubs. The Scottish system is more complicated than many other national league system
s, consisting of two completely separate systems of leagues and clubs, senior football and junior football. The two systems have nothing to do with the ages of the players involved.
In senior football in Scotland there are two national leagues, the Scottish Premier League
and the Scottish Football League
(which has three divisions). There are also several regional leagues (most notably the Highland Football League
), but there is no regular promotion or relegation between the regional leagues and the national league.
Rangers are the current record holders with 53 titles.
One senior club based in England
(Berwick Rangers
) plays in the Scottish system in the Scottish Football League. A small number of English amateur clubs in the lowest levels of the game, based on or around the Anglo-Scottish border
, also compete in the Scottish system for geographical and travel reasons.
is amongst the most fractured and multi-faceted in Europe
, being unique in having a plurality of adult male governing bodies (with Seniors, Juniors, Amateurs and Welfarers - see below). It is also unusual in the modern era in having declined to create a structured pyramid system, and as a result it is practically impossible for clubs at the bottom of the system to progress to the top, or for weak clubs to be relegated down the leagues.
While discussions about the creation of a pyramid system
have existed for many decades, no serious action has ever been taken by the Scottish Football Association
(SFA) or the leagues.
Gretna
's resignation from the Scottish Football League injected new life into this debate, with SFA chief executive, Gordon Smith, starting discussions with the regional and junior leagues.
It is not uncommon for a given town or county to have clubs in as many as 3 or 4 separate systems.
season. For each division, its official name, sponsored name and number of clubs is given:
Below this national structure, but entirely separate of it and of each other, are the three regional leagues, the Highland Football League
consisting of 18 clubs, the East of Scotland Football League
consisting of 24 clubs and the South of Scotland Football League
consisting of 14 clubs (three of the teams at this level are reserve teams of SFL clubs with one playing in the East of Scotland League and two in the South of Scotland League). They are all overseen by the Scottish Football Association and most enter the Scottish Cup
, although some are not eligible because their grounds are not adequately appointed. All three leagues have their own cup tournaments, sometimes involving reserve teams fielded by the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League clubs.
In the 2007/8 season, the Scottish qualifying cups were disbanded and a new structure was adopted for the Scottish Cup. All non SPL/SFL sides that are entitled to enter now start in the first round. A phasing in of SFL/SPL division clubs happen in later rounds. A point of controversy is that a small number of Junior sides are now invited to enter.
, are the three junior regions, Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region of 63 clubs; Scottish Junior Football Association, East Region also of 63 clubs; and the Scottish Junior Football Association, North Region of 34 clubs. These clubs operate entirely separately from the Scottish Football Association (except Girvan
who for historical reasons are a member of both the SFA and the SJFA) and participate in a number of their own cup competitions, as well as the nationally renowned Scottish Junior Cup
. The term 'junior' refers not to the age of the players but the level of football played.
which claims to oversee 35,000 players competing in 67 different leagues - although this includes a small number of Sunday League football
and Futsal
competitions, and a few youth football bodies which did not amalgamate with many others into the Scottish Youth Football Association. Again due to historical anomaly, certain local associations of the Scottish Amateur Football Association - including the North Caledonian Football League
- are also associated with the Scottish Football Association. Three member clubs of the Scottish Amateur Football Association - Glasgow University
, Burntisland Shipyard Amateur
and Golspie Sutherland
- are members of the Scottish Football Association and are permitted to enter the Scottish Cup.
, and oversees around 500 clubs competing in summer and winter football, predominantly in the north of Scotland.
, while all Scottish Football League clubs also contest the Scottish Challenge Cup.
From 2007-2008 season a restructuring of the Scottish cup saw the Scottish Qualifying Cup
competition scrapped and the 36 SFA member clubs outwith the SPL and SFL given direct entry to the 1st Round of the cup. Additionally, the league winners of the East of Scotland and South of Scotland Leagues are also in the draw. Clubs from Scottish Junior football have been admitted for the first time. Up to four Junior clubs are allowed to enter, these being the winners of the previous season's North Premier League, West Premier League and East Superleague, and the winner of the Scottish Junior Cup if they have not also won one of the three regional league champions.
32 teams (16 ties)
20 teams (10 ties)
16 teams (8 ties)
16 teams (8 ties)
16 teams (8 ties)
16 teams (8 ties)
, with the third and fourth placed teams qualifying for the UEFA Europa League. The winners of the Scottish Cup also qualify for the Europa League; if the Scottish Cup winners have already qualified for European competition via their league position, the European slot passes to the Scottish Premier League, resulting in the fifth placed side qualifying.
League system
A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...
for Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
clubs. The Scottish system is more complicated than many other national league system
League system
A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...
s, consisting of two completely separate systems of leagues and clubs, senior football and junior football. The two systems have nothing to do with the ages of the players involved.
In senior football in Scotland there are two national leagues, the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
and the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
(which has three divisions). There are also several regional leagues (most notably the Highland Football League
Highland Football League
The Press & Journal Highland Football League is a league of football clubs operating not just in the Scottish Highlands, as the name may suggest, but also in the north-east lowlands...
), but there is no regular promotion or relegation between the regional leagues and the national league.
Rangers are the current record holders with 53 titles.
One senior club based in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(Berwick Rangers
Berwick Rangers F.C.
Berwick Rangers Football Club are a football team based in the English Border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, although they play in the Scottish Football League Third Division...
) plays in the Scottish system in the Scottish Football League. A small number of English amateur clubs in the lowest levels of the game, based on or around the Anglo-Scottish border
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
, also compete in the Scottish system for geographical and travel reasons.
Rejection of a Pyramid System
Overall, the structure of football in ScotlandFootball in Scotland
Association football is the national sport in Scotland and highly popular throughout the country. 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...
is amongst the most fractured and multi-faceted in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, being unique in having a plurality of adult male governing bodies (with Seniors, Juniors, Amateurs and Welfarers - see below). It is also unusual in the modern era in having declined to create a structured pyramid system, and as a result it is practically impossible for clubs at the bottom of the system to progress to the top, or for weak clubs to be relegated down the leagues.
While discussions about the creation of a pyramid system
League system
A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...
have existed for many decades, no serious action has ever been taken by the Scottish Football Association
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
(SFA) or the leagues.
Gretna
Gretna F.C.
Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...
's resignation from the Scottish Football League injected new life into this debate, with SFA chief executive, Gordon Smith, starting discussions with the regional and junior leagues.
It is not uncommon for a given town or county to have clubs in as many as 3 or 4 separate systems.
Senior football
The current system has been in place since the creation of the Scottish Premier League at the start of the 1998–991998-99 in Scottish football
The 1998–99 season was the 102nd season of Scottish league football.-Summary:The 1998–99 SPL season was one that ended in success for Rangers. Dutchman Dick Advocaat was brought in to replace Walter Smith at Rangers and made major changes, bringing in many players.Rangers were...
season. For each division, its official name, sponsored name and number of clubs is given:
| Level | League/Division |
|---|---|
| 1 | Scottish Premier League Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland... (Clydesdale Bank Premier League) 12 clubs |
| 2 | Scottish Football League First Division Scottish Football League First Division The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system.... (Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division) 10 clubs |
| 3 | Scottish Football League Second Division Scottish Football League Second Division The Scottish Football League Second Division is the second highest division of the Scottish Football League and the third highest overall in the Scottish football league system.... (Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Second Division) 10 clubs |
| 4 | Scottish Football League Third Division Scottish Football League Third Division The Scottish Football League Third Division is the lowest division of the Scottish Football League and the fourth overall in the Scottish football league system.... (Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division) 10 clubs |
Below this national structure, but entirely separate of it and of each other, are the three regional leagues, the Highland Football League
Highland Football League
The Press & Journal Highland Football League is a league of football clubs operating not just in the Scottish Highlands, as the name may suggest, but also in the north-east lowlands...
consisting of 18 clubs, the East of Scotland Football League
East of Scotland Football League
The East of Scotland Football League is a league of football teams from south-east Scotland formed in 1923. It is one of Scotland's three "senior" non-leagues which sit below the Scottish Football League , the other two being the Highland Football League and the South of Scotland Football League...
consisting of 24 clubs and the South of Scotland Football League
South of Scotland Football League
The South of Scotland Football League is an amateur football competition based in the south of Scotland. Another earlier league of the same name briefly existed during the early days of competitive football...
consisting of 14 clubs (three of the teams at this level are reserve teams of SFL clubs with one playing in the East of Scotland League and two in the South of Scotland League). They are all overseen by the Scottish Football Association and most enter the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
, although some are not eligible because their grounds are not adequately appointed. All three leagues have their own cup tournaments, sometimes involving reserve teams fielded by the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League clubs.
In the 2007/8 season, the Scottish qualifying cups were disbanded and a new structure was adopted for the Scottish Cup. All non SPL/SFL sides that are entitled to enter now start in the first round. A phasing in of SFL/SPL division clubs happen in later rounds. A point of controversy is that a small number of Junior sides are now invited to enter.
Junior football
Also outside of the national structure, overseen by the Scottish Junior Football AssociationScottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
, are the three junior regions, Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region of 63 clubs; Scottish Junior Football Association, East Region also of 63 clubs; and the Scottish Junior Football Association, North Region of 34 clubs. These clubs operate entirely separately from the Scottish Football Association (except Girvan
Girvan F.C.
Girvan Football Club are a Scottish football club, based in the town of Girvan, South Ayrshire. Nicknamed the Seasiders, they were formed in 1947, and play at Hamilton Park...
who for historical reasons are a member of both the SFA and the SJFA) and participate in a number of their own cup competitions, as well as the nationally renowned Scottish Junior Cup
Scottish Junior Cup
The Scottish Junior Cup, known as The Emirates Junior Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association for all its member clubs. The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA in 1886 and as of the...
. The term 'junior' refers not to the age of the players but the level of football played.
Amateur football
Again separate from the above, and generally agreed to lie 'below' the senior and junior levels, are the over 1,000 clubs in membership of the Scottish Amateur Football AssociationScottish Amateur Football Association
The Scottish Amateur Football Association is the organising body for amateur football across Scotland. An affiliate of the Scottish Football Association, the SAFA has in turn 50 regional associations affiliated to it and some 67 different league competitions organised by these associations...
which claims to oversee 35,000 players competing in 67 different leagues - although this includes a small number of Sunday League football
Sunday league football
Sunday league football is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe those association football leagues which play on Sunday, as opposed to the more usual Saturday. These leagues tend to be lower standard amateur competitions, whose players may have less ability, or less time to devote to...
and Futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
competitions, and a few youth football bodies which did not amalgamate with many others into the Scottish Youth Football Association. Again due to historical anomaly, certain local associations of the Scottish Amateur Football Association - including the North Caledonian Football League
North Caledonian Football League
The North Caledonian Football League or North Caley is an amateur football league operating in the highlands of Scotland. Founded in 1896, the league has regularly contained a number of "A" or Reserve teams of Highland Football League clubs alongside local amateur teams...
- are also associated with the Scottish Football Association. Three member clubs of the Scottish Amateur Football Association - Glasgow University
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, Burntisland Shipyard Amateur
Burntisland Shipyard Amateur F.C.
Burntisland Shipyard Amateur Football Club is a Scottish football club based at the Recreation Ground in the town of Burntisland, Fife. It was formed from the Burntisland Shipbuilding Company's recreation fund, which had been established in 1919 by weekly subscription from the workers at the...
and Golspie Sutherland
Golspie Sutherland F.C.
Golspie Sutherland F.C. are a Scottish football club from Golspie, Sutherland, that competes in the North Caledonian Football League. As Golspie are associate members of the Scottish Football Association they are eligible to compete in the Scottish Cup...
- are members of the Scottish Football Association and are permitted to enter the Scottish Cup.
Welfare football
Roughly concurrent with the Scottish Amateur Football Association is the Scottish Welfare Football Association, which has a very low profile nationally. The SWFA was established in the aftermath of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and oversees around 500 clubs competing in summer and winter football, predominantly in the north of Scotland.
Domestic cups
All Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League clubs directly enter the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League CupScottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
, while all Scottish Football League clubs also contest the Scottish Challenge Cup.
From 2007-2008 season a restructuring of the Scottish cup saw the Scottish Qualifying Cup
Scottish Qualifying Cup
The Scottish Qualifying Cup was a football competition played in Scotland between 1895 and 2007. During that time, apart from a brief spell in the 1950s, it was the only way for non-league teams to qualify for the Scottish Cup...
competition scrapped and the 36 SFA member clubs outwith the SPL and SFL given direct entry to the 1st Round of the cup. Additionally, the league winners of the East of Scotland and South of Scotland Leagues are also in the draw. Clubs from Scottish Junior football have been admitted for the first time. Up to four Junior clubs are allowed to enter, these being the winners of the previous season's North Premier League, West Premier League and East Superleague, and the winner of the Scottish Junior Cup if they have not also won one of the three regional league champions.
First round
32 teams (16 ties)
- 2 teams Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
- 10 teams Scottish Football League First DivisionScottish Football League First DivisionThe Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....
- 10 teams Scottish Football League Second DivisionScottish Football League Second DivisionThe Scottish Football League Second Division is the second highest division of the Scottish Football League and the third highest overall in the Scottish football league system....
- 10 teams Scottish Football League Third DivisionScottish Football League Third DivisionThe Scottish Football League Third Division is the lowest division of the Scottish Football League and the fourth overall in the Scottish football league system....
Second round
20 teams (10 ties)
- 16 first round winners
- 4 teams Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Third round
16 teams (8 ties)
- 10 second round winners
- 6 teams Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
North & East region
16 teams (8 ties)
- 14 teams Scottish Football LeagueScottish Football LeagueThe Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
North & East region - 2 teams Highland Football LeagueHighland Football LeagueThe Press & Journal Highland Football League is a league of football clubs operating not just in the Scottish Highlands, as the name may suggest, but also in the north-east lowlands...
South & West region
16 teams (8 ties)
- 16 teams Scottish Football LeagueScottish Football LeagueThe Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
South & West region
Second round
16 teams (8 ties)
- 8 first round North & East region winners
- 8 first round South & West region winners
European cups
From season 2008-09, the top two sides in the Scottish Premier League qualify for the Champions LeagueUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, with the third and fourth placed teams qualifying for the UEFA Europa League. The winners of the Scottish Cup also qualify for the Europa League; if the Scottish Cup winners have already qualified for European competition via their league position, the European slot passes to the Scottish Premier League, resulting in the fifth placed side qualifying.