Scottish
Football League & Scottish Premier League
Promotion,
relegation and the re-election rule 1893-date
See also Central League
1909-1921 |
When the Scottish League
formed the Second Division in 1893, there was no automatic promotion and
relegation between the sections. Instead, the re-election process that was
used to regulate entry to the League itself was expanded to movement between
the two divisions. Initially the bottom three clubs had to apply for
re-election, but this was reduced to two from 1899. It was possible to bypass
the Second Division completely and apply for a First Division place, Queen’s
Park did so successfully in 1900, while the newly formed Aberdeen were not so
fortunate in 1903 losing by only three votes to the Second Division champions
Airdrieonians. A Second Division club had to have a great many friends to
gain promotion. Hibernian had to win the championship two years running to be
promoted, while Kilmarnock were beaten by Clyde on a second ballot, despite
the Glasgow side finishing in the bottom two for three years in succession
and winning only one game in 1897-98. The amateur clubs Queen’s Park and Port
Glasgow Athletic were both saved on several occasions before the outbreak of
War in 1914. There were times when the proposal of automatic promotion was
debated. Hearts proposed one up-one down at the 1907 AGM, but lost by 11
votes to 7. They proposed again in 1909, but received even fewer support. It
was then agreed on in 1912, but by the time the AGM heard the proposal,
bottom club St Mirren had already committed itself to a First Division wage
bill, so the idea was shelved. During the Great
War, the Second Division was first suspended, and then scrapped altogether.
Those clubs left outside the League formed regional leagues, the strongest of
which was the Central League. This new body, not being affiliated with the
International League Board, could poach star players without the need to pay
transfer fees. Crowds flocked to see these players, and although initially
the Scottish League was unconcerned, there were waverers in the Management
Committee. By 1921, these men convinced the League to give the Central League
what they wanted – to be part of the Scottish League (as the Second
Division), and for automatic promotion and relegation to operate. The got
their wish at a meeting of the two bodies on 11 May 1921, and in 1922, Alloa
Athletic became the first club to be automatically promoted. One of the first
victims of the new rule was Queen’s Park who had been saved a number of times
by the old re-election process. The few times that
the rule wasn’t entirely enforced was when there was league reconstruction such
as the divisions being expanded. When the Premier Division was created in
1975, ten clubs were promoted to Premier status and six moved up to the ‘new’
First Division. Further reconstruction in 1994 saw the creation of a fourth
tier when there was a big movement between the sections. Basically Stranraer
leapfrogged five clubs into the First Division, the unfortunate sides all
being relegated. When the Scottish
Premier League was founded in 1998, the automatic rule was retained despite
it being a separate league. The only difference was that all Premier grounds
had to be of a certain standard. Unless a promoted club could attain the
criteria set down (minimum seating of 10000 and undersoil heating), that club
would be denied a place and there would be no relegation from the SPL. Many
felt the 10000 seat rule to drastic, and it was later dropped to 6000, which
is easier for more clubs to achieve, Since 2005, the Scottish League has
reintroduce play-offs to determine som promotion places. It had previously
used them between 1995 and 1997. |
1894 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Dundee Leith Athletic Clyde Renton Hibernian Cowlairs |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not re-elected Not elected Not elected |
First Division First Division Second Division First Division Second Division Second Division |
1895 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Dundee Hibernian Dumbarton Motherwell Leith Athletic |
14 11 10 4 3 |
Re-elected Elected Re-elected Not elected Not re-elected |
First Division Second Division First Division Second Division First Division |
1896 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Clyde St Mirren Abercorn Leith Athletic Dumbarton Renton |
14 13 8 4 2 1 |
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not elected Not re-elected Not elected |
First Division First Division Second Division Second Division First Division Second Division |
1897 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Third Lanark Partick Thistle Clyde Abercorn |
14 13 8 7 |
Re-elected Elected Re-elected Not re-elected |
First Division Second Division First Division First Division |
1898 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
St Bernards Partick Thistle Clyde Kilmarnock Morton Port Glasgow Athletic |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
First
Division First
Division First
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second Division |
Clyde beat Kilmarnock on a second ballot
1899 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Kilmarnock Dundee Partick Thistle Leith Athletic |
15 10 5 2 |
Elected Re-elected Not re-elected Not elected |
Second Division First Division First Division Second Division |
This year the rule was changed so that only
the bottom two First Division clubs had to apply for re-election
1900 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division / League |
Morton Queen’s Park Partick Thistle Clyde |
|
Elected Elected Elected Not re-elected |
First Division Not affiliated First Division First Division |
Partick Thistle tied with Clyde on the
first ballot so lots were drawn to decide on who played in the First Division.
1901 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Partick Thistle |
|
Relegated |
First Division |
To even the First Division to ten clubs,
Partick Thistle, as the bottom placed side, were demoted.
1902 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Port Glasgow Athletic Partick Thistle |
|
Elected Elected |
Second Division Second Division |
These two clubs were promoted to increase
the First Division to twelve clubs.
1903 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Morton Port Glasgow Athletic Motherwell Airdrieonians Aberdeen |
11 8 5 |
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Elected Not elected |
First Division First Division Second Division Second Division Not affiliated |
With the First Division expanding to
fourteen clubs, two clubs were to be promoted. The two bottom placed clubs, Morton
and Port Glasgow Athletic were automatically re-elected.
1904 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division / League |
Motherwell Kilmarnock Aberdeen Hamilton Academical Clyde East Stirlingshire Falkirk |
10 8 4 2 0 0 0 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
First Division First Division Northern League Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division |
1905 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Aberdeen Morton Motherwell Falkirk Albion Rovers Clyde Plus two from Hamilton Academical Leith Athletic Arthurlie |
12 |
Elected Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
Second Division First Division First Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division |
1906 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
First
ballot
Kilmarnock Queen’s Park Second
ballot
Hamilton
Academical
Clyde Albion Rovers Leith Athletic Raith Rovers Third
ballot
Clyde
Albion Rovers |
10 7 7 6 3 9 6 |
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not elected Not elected Elected Not elected |
First Division First Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division |
The decision had been taken to increase the
First Division to eighteen clubs.
1907 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Hamilton Academical Kilmarnock Port Glasgow Athletic Dumbarton Leith Raith Rovers St Bernards Vale of Leven |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Re-elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not elected |
First Division First Division First Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division |
At the League’s AGM, it was decided not to
split the bottom three clubs after they had all finished on 21 points, and they
were all required to apply for re-election.
1908 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Clyde Port Glasgow Athletic |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
First Division First Division |
1909 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Morton Partick
Thistle
Raith Rovers Dumbarton |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Not elected Not elected |
First Division First Division Second Division Second Division |
1910 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Morton Raith Rovers Ayr United Abercorn Dumbarton Port Glasgow Athletic |
16 13 2 1 0 |
Re-elected Elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Resigned |
First Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division First Division |
1911 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Motherwell Queen’s Park |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
First Division First Division |
1912 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Queen’s Park St Mirren |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
First Division First Division |
At the League’s AGM on 4 June 1912. it was
agreed that St MIrren, as the lowest placed First Division club would be replaced
by Second Division champions, Ayr United. However, as St Mirren had committed
themselves to First Division wage bill for the new season, the proposal was
held over to the following season, but not taken up.
1913 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Partick Thistle Queen’s Park Ayr United Dumbarton Cowdenbeath Dundee Hibernian Dunfermline Athletic St Bernards |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Elected Not
elected Not elected Not
elected Not elected |
First Division First Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second Division |
Dumbarton were chosen over Cowdenbeath on
the chairman’s vote.
The First Division was increased from
eighteen to twenty clubs.
1914 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
Division |
Dumbarton St Mirren |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
First Division First Division |
1915 |
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
Arthurlie Vale of Leven |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
Promoted to First Division |
Relegated to Second Division |
Promoted to Second Division |
Relegated to Third Division |
1921-22 1922-23 1923-24 1924-25 1925-26 1926-27 1927-28 1928-29 1929-30 1930-31 1931-32 1932-33 1933-34 1934-35 1935-36 1936-37 1937-38 1938-39 1946-47 1947-48 1948-49 1949-50 1950-51 1951-52 1952-53 1953-54 1954-55 1955-56 1956-57 1957-58 1958-59 1959-60 1960-61 1961-62 1962-63 1963-64 1964-65 1965-66 1966-67 1967-68 1968-69 1969-70 1970-71 1971-72 1972-73 1973-74 |
Alloa Athletic Queen’s Park Clydebank St Johnstone Cowdenbeath Dundee United Clydebank Dunfermline AThletic Clyde Bo’ness Raith Rovers Ayr United Third Lanark Dundee United Morton Leith Athletic East Fife Third Lanark Dundee United East Stirlingshire St Johnstone Hibernian Queen of the South Albion Rovers Dunfermline Athletic Third Lanark Arbroath Falkirk St Mirren Ayr United Morton Raith Rovers Albion Rovers Cowdenbeath Alloa Athletic Dundee Airdrieonians East Fife Albion Rovers Raith Rovers Stirling Albion Morton Airdrieonians Queen of the South Stirling Albion Clyde Falkirk Stirling Albion Hamilton Academical Motherwell Kilmarnock Airdrieonians Dunfermline Athletic Queen’s Park Ayr United Clyde Third Lanark Stirling Albion Dunfermline Athletic Ayr United Arbroath St Johnstone Dundee United Stirling Albion Falkirk Clyde Queen of the South St Johnstone East Stirlingshire Morton Clyde Stirling Albion Hamilton Academical Ayr United Airdrieonians Morton Raith Rovers St Mirren Arbroath Motherwell Ayr United Falkirk Cowdenbeath Partick Thistle East Fife Dumbarton Arbroath Clyde Dunfermline Athletic Airdrieonians Kilmarnock |
Dumbarton Queen’s Park Clydebank Albion Rovers Alloa Athletic Clyde Clydebank Ayr United Third Lanark Raith Rovers Clydebank Morton Dundee United Bo’ness Dunfermline Athletic Third Lanark Raith Rovers Dundee United St Johnstone Hibernian East Fife Dundee United Leith Athletic Morton East Stirlingshire Third Lanark Cowdenbeath St Mirren Falkirk Airdrieonians Ayr United Dunfermline Athletic Albion Rovers Dundee Morton Queen’s Park Raith Rovers Kilmarnock Hamilton Academical Airdrieonians Queen’s Park Morton Albion Rovers Queen of the South Stirling Albion Clyde Falkirk Morton Stirling Albion Motherwell Third Lanark Airdrieonians Hamilton Academical Clyde Stirling Albion Dunfermline Athletic Ayr United East Fife Queen’s Park Falkirk Queen of the South Stirling Albion Arbroath Clyde Ayr United St Johnstone Stirling Albion Clyde Raith Rovers Queen of the South East Stirlingshire Airdrieonians Third Lanark Morton Hamilton Academical St Mirren Ayr United Motherwell Stirling Albion Falkirk Arbroath Raith Rovers Partick Thistle St Mirren Cowdenbeath Clyde Dunfermline Athletic Kilmarnock Airdrieonians East Fife Falkirk |
Arthurlie East Stirlingshire Nithsdale Wanderers Queen of the South Stirling Albion Leith Athletic East Stirlingshire Forfar Athletic Brechin City Berwick Rangers Dumbarton East Stirlingshire Montrose Stranraer |
Vale of Leven Lochgelly United Johnstone Forfar Athletic Leith Athletic East Stirlingshire Dumbarton |
In 1974-75, the usual promotion and
relegation procedure was suspended as the League reconstructed itself into
three divisions, Premier, First and Second.
|
Promoted to Premier Division |
Relegated to First Division |
Promoted to First Division |
Relegated to Second Division |
1974-75 1975-76 1976-77 1977-78 1978-79 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1984-85 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 |
Rangers Hibernian Celtic Dundee United Aberdeen Dundee Ayr United Heart of Midlothian St Johnstone Motherwell Partick Thistle Kilmarnock St Mirren Clydebank Morton Heart of Midlothian Dundee Kilmarnock Heart of Midlothian Airdrieonians Hibernian Dundee Motherwell Kilmarnock St Johnstone Heart of Midlothian Morton Dumbarton Motherwell Clydebank Hamilton Academical Falkirk Morton Dunfermline Athletic Hamilton Academical Dunfermline Athletic St Johnstone Falkirk Airdrieonians Dundee Partick Thistle Raith Rovers Kilmarnock Falkirk |
Dundee St Johnstone Heart of Midlothian Kilmarnock Ayr united Clydebank Heart of Midlothian Motherwell Dundee Hibernian Kiolmarnock Heart of Midlothian Particjk Thistle Airdrieonians Morton Kilmarnock St Johnstone Motherwell Dumbarton Morton Clydebank Hamilton Academical Falkirk Dunfermline Athletic Morton Hamilton Academical Dundee St Mirren Motherwell Falkirk Airdrieonians St Johnstone Raith Rovers Dundee |
Falkirk Queen of the South Montrose Hamilton Academical East Fife St Mirren Clydebank Raith Rovers Stirling Albion Alloa Athletic Clyde Raith Rovers Berwick Rangers Dunfermline Athletic Falkirk East Stirlingshire Queen’s Park Queen of the South Clyde Alloa Athletic Brechin City Meadowbank Thistle Forfar Athletic East Fife Montrose Alloa Athletic Dunfermline Athletic Queen of the South Meadowbank Thistle Raith Rovers Ayr United St Johnstone Albion Rovers Alloa Athletic Brechin City Kilmarnock Stirling Albion Montrose Dumbarton Cowdenbeath Clyde Brechin City Stranraer |
Dunfermline Athletic Clyde Raith Rovers Falkirk Alloa Athletic East Fife Montrose Queen of the South Arbroath Clyde Stirling Albion Berwick Rangers East Stirlingshire Queen of the South Dunfermline AThletic Queen’s Park Raith Rovers Alloa Athletic Meadowbank Thistle St Johnstone Ayr United Alloa Athletic Brechin City Montrose East Fife Dumbarton Kilmarnock Queen of the South Albion Rovers Alloa Athletic Clyde Brechin City Montrose Forfar Athletic Meadowbank Thistle Cowdenbeath Dumbarton Stirling Albion Clyde Morton Brechin City |
1994-95 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 |
Promoted
to Premier Raith
Rovers Dunfermline
Athletic Dundee
United St
Johnstone Dundee |
Relegated
to First Dundee
United Partick
Thistle Falkirk Raith
Rovers Hibernian |
Promoted
to First Morton Dumbarton Stirling
Albion East
Fife Ayr
United Hamilton
Academical Stranraer Clydebank |
Relegated
to Second Ayr
United Stranraer Hamilton
Academical Dumbarton Clydebank East
Fife Partick
Thistle Stirling
Albion |
Promoted
to Second Forfar
Athletic Montrose Livingston Brechin
City Caledonian
Thistle Forfar
Athletic Alloa
Athletic Arbroath |
Relegated
to Third Meadowbank
Thistle Brechin
City Forfar
Athletic Montrose Dumbarton Berwick
Rangers Stenhousemuir Brechin
City |
In 1998, the ten Premier Division clubs
formed the Scottish Premier League. There was still promotion and relegation
between them and the Scottish League, but to be promoted, the First Division
champion’s ground had to meet certain criteria.
1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 |
Promoted to SPL Hibernian St Mirren Dunfermline Athletic Livingston Partick Thistle Inverness Caledonian Th Falkirk St Mirren Gretna Hamilton Academical St Johnstone |
Relegated to First Dunfermline Athletic St Mirren St Johnstone Partick Thistle Dundee Livingston Dunfermline Athletic Gretna # Inverness Caledonian Th |
Promoted to First Livingston Inverness Caledonian Th Clyde Alloa Athletic Partick Thistle Arbroath Queen of the South Alloa Athletic Raith Rovers Brechin City Airdrie United Hamilton Academical Brechin City Stranraer Gretna Partick Thistle* Morton Stirling Albion* Ross County Airdrie United # Raith Rovers |
Relegated to Second Hamilton Academical Stranraer Airdrieonians Clydebank Morton Alloa Athletic Raith Rovers Alloa Athletic Arbroath Ayr United Brechin City Partick Thistle Raith Rovers Stranraer* Brechin City Airdrie United* Ross County Stirling Albion Clyde |
Promoted to Second Ross County Stenhousemuir Queen’s Park Berwick Rangers Hamilton Academical Cowdenbeath Brechin City Dumbarton Morton East Fife Stranraer Striling Albion Gretna Peterhead Cowdenbeath Berwick Rangers Queen’s Park* East Fife Stranraer # Dumbarton Stenhousemuir* |
Relegated to Third East Fife Forfar Athletic Queen of the South Hamilton Academcal Queen’s Park Stirling Albion Stenhousemuir Morton Stranraer Cowdenbeath East Fife Stenhousemuir Arbroath Berwick Rangers Dumbarton Stranraer* Forfar Athletic Berwick Rangers Queen’s Park* Stranraer Livingston ** |
*These clubs gained
promotion or were relegated through the play-off procedure
# Because Gretna
were still in administration, they were relegated to the Third Division for the
2008-09 season. This didn’t help in any takeover bids and the club subsequently
disbanded. Consequently, this
invalidated the promotion and relegation playoffs as a vacancy arose in the
Third Division that was eventually filled by Annan Athletic.
** Livingston were
demoted from the First to Third Division after they entered administration.