Scottish Football League & Scottish Premier League

Promotion, relegation and the re-election rule 1893-date

See also Main index Club directory Expulsions Resignations Elections Play-offs and Test Matches Central League 1909-1921 Northern League

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.

Promotion and relegation as decided by the re-election procedure

1894
Club	Votes		Division
Dundee Clyde Leith Athletic Cowlairs Renton Hibernian	14 14 8 4 3 1	Re-elected Elected Re-elected Not elected Not re-elected Not elected	First Division Second Division First Division Second Division First Division Second Division

A motion by J McLaughlan of Celtic to admit the future Second Division champions automatically didn’t find a seconder.

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 Kilmarnock Leith Athletic	14 13 8 7 0 0	Re-elected Elected Re-elected Not re-elected Not elected Not elected	First Division Second Division First Division First Division Second Division Second 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
Heart of Midlothian St Mirren Partick Thistle		Re-elected Re-elected Not re-elected	First Division First Division 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 Hamilton Academical Leith Athletic	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 Raith Rovers Dumbarton Abercorn Ayr	12 9 8 2 1 0	Re-elected Re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected	First Division First Division Second Division Second Division Second Division Second 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

Promotion and relegation as decided by league placings

	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 2009-10

Promoted to SPL Hibernian St Mirren Dunfermline Athletic Livingston Partick Thistle Inverness Caledonian Th Falkirk St Mirren Gretna Hamilton Academical St Johnstone Inverness Caledonian Th

Relegated to First Dunfermline Athletic St Mirren St Johnstone Partick Thistle Dundee Livingston Dunfermline Athletic Gretna # Inverness Caledonian Th Falkirk

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 Stirling Albion Cowdenbeath*

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 Airdrie United* Ayr United

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* Livingston Forfar Athletic*

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 ** Forfar Athletic* Clyde

*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.