Scottish
Football League
Re-elections
1891-1951
|
See also |
The Scottish
League, like its English counterpart, practised the extensive use of an
election procedure to control the entry into its competition. The original
rule was for the bottom three clubs to retire and make a new application to
re-join the League, in competition with other non-League sides. This was
reduced to the bottom two from the 1898-99 season.
After 1893, the First Division also used the re-election process, not
adopting automatic promotion and relegation with the Second Division until
1922. This also meant that a club could by-pass the Second
Division completely and gain a First Division spot, something which
Queen’s Park achieved in 1900. The introduction
of the Third Division in the 1920s, saw the League
suspend the rule, although it was re-introduced when the section collapsed in
disarray in 1926. Throughout the remaining inter-War period, there appeared
to be a distinct lack of applications by outside clubs with the upshot that
in most occasions the bottom two clubs were automatically re-elected at the
League’s AGMs. After the Second
World War, the re-election rule was quietly dropped by the League, with the
last instance being in 1951. |
|
1891 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
St
Mirren Vale of
Leven Cowlairs |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not re-elected |
Scottish
League Scottish
League Not
Affiliated Scottish League |
|
1892 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
St
Mirren Cambuslang Vale of Leven Kilmarnock Cowlairs Northern St Bernards |
11 7 |
Re-elected Not
re-elected Not re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
Scottish
League Scottish
League Scottish League Scottish Alliance Scottish Alliance Scottish Alliance Scottish Alliance |
By 12 votes to 4, it had been decided to
reduce the league from 12 clubs to 10.
|
1893 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Renton Dundee St
Bernards Abercorn Clyde Hibernian Morton Port Glasgow Athletic Linthouse Thistle Cowlairs |
|
Re-elected Elected Elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
Scottish
League Northern
League Scottish
Alliance Scottish
League Scottish League Not Affiliated Scottish Alliance Scottish Alliance Scottish Alliance Scottish Alliance Scottish Alliance |
Abercorn, Clyde,
Hibernian, Cowlairs, Motherwell, Partick
Thistle, Port Glasgow Athletic, Morton, Northern and Thistle thereafter formed
the new Second Division.
|
1894 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Morton Airdrieonians Dundee
Wanderers Northern Thistle |
|
Re-elected Elected Elected Not
re-elected Not re-elected |
Second
Division Scottish
Alliance Northern
League Second
Division Second Division |
|
1895 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Kilmarnock Linthouse Abercorn Raith Rovers Wishaw
Thistle Cowlairs Dundee Wanderers |
24 24 22 10 6 3 3 |
Elected Elected Re-elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
re-elected Not re-elected |
Ayrshire
Combination Second
Division Second
Division Not
Affiliated Scottish
Alliance Second
Division Second Division |
|
1896 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Motherwell Morton Linthouse Wishaw
Thistle Raith Rovers Ayr Dundee
County East
Stirlingshire Falkirk |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Re-elected Not
elected Not
elected All
these clubs failed to find a seconder |
Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Scottish
Alliance Not
Affiliated Ayrshire
Combination Not
Affiliated Midland
League Midland League |
After tying on the first ballot, Linthouse defeated Wishaw Thistle on the decider by 21
votes to 19.
|
1897 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Motherwell Port
Glasgow Athletic Ayr Dumbarton Dundee
Wanderers East
Stirlingshire Falkirk Hamilton
Academical Victoria United |
34 27 24 17 |
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not
re-elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Ayrshire
Combination Second
Division Northern
League Central
Combination Central
Combination Scottish
Combination Northern League |
|
1898 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Airdrieonians Hamilton
Academical Motherwell All the above were re-elected en bloc East Stirlingshire Falkirk Raith Rovers |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Second Division Central Combination Central Combination Not Affiliated |
|
1899 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Linthouse Abercorn Raith Rovers Dundee Wanderers Arthurlie Orion |
37 32 13 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not elected All
these clubs failed to find a seconder |
Second
Division Second Division Not Affiliated Northern League Scottish Combination Northern League |
|
1900 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Airdrieonians East
Stirlingshire Linthouse Raith Rovers |
|
Re-elected Elected Not re-elected Not elected |
Second
Division Not
Affiliated Second Division Not Affiliated |
|
1901 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Leith
Athletic Hamilton
Academical Motherwell Arthurlie Ayr Parkhouse |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Scottish
Combination Ayrshire League |
|
1902 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Abercorn Clyde Falkirk Raith Rovers |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Central
Combination Northern League |
|
1903 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Raith Rovers Albion Rovers Clyde Ayr Parkhouse St Johnstone |
31 21 17 15 14 |
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Elected Not elected |
Second
Division Scottish
Combination Second
Division Scottish
Amateur League Northern League |
|
1904 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Arthurlie Aberdeen Ayr Parkhouse |
14 6 |
Re-elected Elected Not re-elected |
Second
Division Northern League Second Division |
|
1905 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Abercorn St
Bernards Cowdenbeath Vale of Leven Ayr Parkhouse Beith Dumfries Stenhousemuir Royal Albert |
18 17 |
Re-elected Re-elected Elected Not re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Northern
League Second Division Scottish Combination Scottish Combination Not Affiliated Northern League Scottish Combination |
|
1906 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Vale
of Leven Ayr
Parkhouse East
Stirlingshire Dumbarton Alloa Dunfermline
Athletic Royal
Albert Stenhousemuir Beith Lochgelly Renton Dundee
Wanderers East Fife |
22 14 13 12 8 8 8 4 3 3 3 1 1 |
Re-elected Elected Re-elected Elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not elected |
Second
Division Scottish
Combination Second
Division Scottish
Combination Scottish
Combination Northern
League Scottish
Combination Scottish
Combination Scottish
Combination Not
Affiliated Scottish
Combination Northern
League Northern League |
|
1907 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
East
Stirlingshire Ayr
Parkhouse Renton Dunfermline Athletic |
24 16 8 6 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not
elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Scottish
Union Northern League |
|
1908 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Cowdenbeath Arthurlie Johnstone |
25 22 9 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second Division Scottish Combination |
|
1909 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Arthurlie Cowdenbeath Johnstone Renton Wishaw
Thistle Dundee Hibernian |
21 17 11 8 5 3 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Scottish
Union Scottish
Union Scottish Union Not Affiliated |
|
1910 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Cowdenbeath Dundee
Hibernian St Johnstone |
26 20 10 |
Re-elected Elected Not elected |
Second
Division Northern
League Central League |
Ayr Parkhouse, who finished bottom, didn’t seek re-election as
they had merged with Ayr as Ayr United
|
1911 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
St
Johnstone Vale of Leven |
|
Elected Re-elected |
Central
League Second Division |
As Port Glasgow
Athletic resigned their Second Division place only Vale of Leven had to apply
for re-election.
|
1912 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Albion
Rovers Vale of Leven |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
1913 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Arthurlie Leith Dumbarton
Harp East
Fife Galston Kirkcaldy
United Peebles
Rovers Wishaw Thistle |
|
Re-elected Re-elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Scottish
Reserve League Central
League Scottish
Union Central
League Eastern
League Scottish Union |
|
1914 First ballot |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Clydebank Vale
of Leven Bathgate Johnstone Lochgelly United East
Fife Forfar Athletic 1914
Second ballot
Vale
of Leven Clydebank Lochgelly United Bathgate Johnstone 1914
Third ballot
Lochgelly United Bathgate Johnstone 1914
Fourth ballot
Johnstone Bathgate |
26 25 17 17 17 13 2 29 26 22 20 17 23 17 15 15 10 |
Eliminated Eliminated Re-elected Elected Elected Re-elected |
Not
Affiliated Second
Division Central
League Second
Division Northern
League Central
League Central League Second
Division Not
Affiliated Northern
League Central
League Second Division Northern
League Central
League Second Division Second
Division Central League |
|
1915 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Arthurlie Vale of Leven |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
The Second Division was subsequently
suspended for the rest of the War, before restarting in 1921.
|
1916 - 1919 Because of the Great War, the re-election
rule was suspended. |
|
1920 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Abercorn Arthurlie Cowdenbeath Dundee
Hibernian Dunfermline
Athletic East
Stirlingshire Johnstone Leith
Athletic Lochgelly United St
Bernards St
Johnstone Vale of Leven |
|
Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not
re-elected Not re-elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second
Division Second Division |
At the Scottish League AGM the decision was
taken to drop the Second Division, despite the competition not being played
since 1915.
|
1922 Dundee Hibernian and Clackmannan were
demoted to even up the two Divisions to twenty clubs each. |
|
1923 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Arbroath Dundee
Hibernian East
Stirlingshire Arthurlie Clackmannan Leith
Athletic Queen of the South |
21 16 |
Re-elected Elected Not
re-elected Not
elected Not
elected Not
elected Not elected |
Second
Division Scottish
Alliance Second
Division Western
League Eastern
League Eastern
League Western League |
|
1924 & 1925 With the Third Division in operation, the
re-election rule was suspended. |
|
1926 First ballot |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Leith
Athletic Forfar
Athletic Bathgate Dykehead Helensburgh Broxburn United 1926
Second ballot
Bathgate Forfar
Athletic Leith Athletic 1926
Third ballot
Forfar
Athletic Leith Athletic |
19 18 18 23 21 20 17 16 |
Eliminated Eliminated Not re-elected Re-elected Elected Not elected |
Third
Division Third
Division Second
Division Third
Division Third
Division Second Division Second
Division Third
Division Third Division Third
Division Third Division |
Forfar Athletic beat
Leith Athletic on the Scottish League chairman’s casting vote after tying on 16
votes apiece.
|
1927 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Arbroath Leith
Athletic Nithsdale Wanderers |
|
Re-elected Elected Not re-elected |
Second
Division Scottish
Alliance Second Division |
|
1928 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Bathgate Armadale Nithsdale Wanderers Brechin City Montrose |
27 23 14 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not Elected Not elected Not elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Scottish Alliance Not Affiliated Not Affiliated |
|
1929 As both Arthurlie and Bathgate resigned from the League during
the season, the re-electionrule wasn’t enforced
this season. Instead a ballot was taken at the Scottish League’s AGM to
replace them. |
|
1930 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Alloa Brechin City |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
1931 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Bo’ness Clydebank |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
Clydebank subsequently
disbanded on 26 June 1931 so another ballot was taken to replace them
|
1932 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Edinburgh
City Brechin City Nithsdale Wanderers |
36 33 6 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not Elected |
Second
Division Second
Division Southern Counties League |
|
1933 Bo’ness
and Armadale were both expelled during the season
for not meeting the gate guarantees. Their records were expunged on 5 April
1933 and no re-elections were held. |
|
1934 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Dundee
United Edinburgh City |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
1935 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Edinburgh
City Montrose |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
1936 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Dumbarton Raith Rovers |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
1937 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Edinburgh
City King’s Park |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
1938 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Brechin City Edinburgh City |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
|
1939 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
East
Stirlingshire Edinburgh City |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Second
Division Second Division |
In 1946, the League was restarted with A, B
and C Divisions, the latter section having no representatives on the League
Management Committee.
|
1947 ‘C’ Division had been
won by Stirling Albion who were promoted. Cowdenbeath who were bottom of ‘B’ Division should have
been relegated to ‘C’ Division at the end of 1946-47 but it had already been
decided that ‘B’ Division would be expanded from 14 clubs to 16 thus an election
was held at the SFL AGM. Edinburgh City moved that Cowdenbeath
be re-elected to ‘B’ Division and the meeting chairman did not need to look
for a seconder: “The meeting was spontaneous in its
unanimity that Cowdenbeath should be re-elected”. |
|
1948 & 1949 Because a Third
(or C) Division was operating, the re-election rule wasn’t applied in these
seasons. |
|
1950 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Alloa Dumbarton |
|
Re-elected Re-elected |
Division
B Division B |
A motion from East Stirlingshire that they
along with Brechin City, Leith Athletic and Montrose
should be admitted to the ‘B’ Division but not participate in the Scottish
League Cup was defeated 22-15.
Note there was no mention of a ‘B’ Division place for Stranraer who were in the ‘C’ Division South & West
section at the time.
|
1951 |
|
|
|
|
Club |
Votes |
|
League |
|
Stenhousemuir Alloa Athletic Leith Athletic Brechin City East Stirlingshire Montrose Berwick Rangers |
30 29 6 4 3 2 0 |
Re-elected Re-elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected Not elected |
Division B Division B Division C Division C Division C Division C East of Scotland League |
NOTE: Berwick Rangers
were admitted to Division C, Newton Stewart’s application was unsuccessful as
there was no proposer.
It would appear
that this was the last re-election vote taken in the Scottish League.
