Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League (SPL for short) is the top division within the current structure of Scottish football. It is also known as the Bank of Scotland Premier League after its main sponsor, the Bank of Scotland.
Previously the Scottish Football League had a two divisional structure (Divisions One and Two) between which clubs were promoted and relegated at the end of each season. However, by the mid 1970s this organisation had become a bit stagnant and it was decided to split into a three divisional structure (Premier Division, First Division and Second Division).
This set up continued till the mid 1990s when it was decided to split into a four divisional structure with the addition of a Third Division.
In 1998 the football clubs in the Premier Division decided to split from the Scottish Football League and form the Scottish Premier League. This decision was fuelled by a desire by the top clubs in Scotland to retain more of the revenue generated by the game. Originally league sponsorship monies were divided between clubs in every league, after the SPL was formed this was no longer the case.
Since 2000, the SPL has operated a "split league format". Under this system, after 33 games (i.e. when every club has played every other club 3 times, either twice away and once at home, or vice versa), the division is split into 2 halves, and clubs play a further 5 matches, against the teams in their half of the division, taking their total to 38 games. This can (and often does) result in the team placed 7th having a higher points total than the team placed 6th, because their final 5 games are considerably easier.
Providing they meet certain criteria to do with their stadium it is still possible for clubs to be promoted from the Scottish Football League, First Division to the SPL.
Originally the SPL contained 10 clubs, but it subsequently decided to enlarge itself to a membership of 12.
In 2003, the league's promotion criteria caused controversy as the chairmen of the member clubs voted against Falkirk's proposed ground share with Airdrie United and stopped the club from having the 10,000 fan stadium capacity it required, thus saving Motherwell from relegation.
The same situation nearly materialised in 2004, but after several votes and discussion, including threats of court cases from Partick Thistle, the team then threatened with prospect of relegation, Inverness Caledonian Thistle were finally allowed promotion provided that they groundshared with north rivals Aberdeen at Pittodrie, a ground over 160 km (100 miles) away. In 2005 the stadia criteria for entry to the SPL was reduced to 6,000 thereby allowing Inverness Caledonian Thistle to return to their home stadium during the season.
Current SPL members
Dundee were relegated at the end of the 2004-2005 season. The teams currently playing in the SPL for the 2005-2006 season are:
- Aberdeen
- Celtic
- Dundee United
- Dunfermline Athletic
- Falkirk
- Heart of Midlothian
- Hibernian
- Inverness Caledonian Thistle
- Kilmarnock
- Livingston
- Motherwell
- Rangers
SPL managers
Here is a list of the current managers in the SPL. The list is in order of the longest serving manager first down to the shortest serving manager.
¹John Hughes was appointed when Falkirk were playing in the Scottish Football League.
SPL Season Summary
| Season | Winners | Runners-up | Relegated | Top Scorer | PFA Player of the Year | Writers Player of the Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998/99 Details | Rangers | Celtic | Dunfermline | Henrik Larsson 29 (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | |
| 1999/00 Details | Rangers | Celtic | No Relegation | Mark Viduka 25 (Celtic) | Mark Viduka (Celtic) | Barry Ferguson (Rangers) | |
| 2000/01 Details | Celtic | Rangers | St Mirren | Henrik Larsson 35 (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | |
| 2001/02 Details | Celtic | Rangers | St Johnstone | Henrik Larsson 29 (Celtic) | Lorenzo Amoruso (Rangers) | Paul Lambert (Celtic) | |
| 2002/03 Details | Rangers | Celtic | No Relegation | Henrik Larsson 28 (Celtic) | Barry Ferguson (Rangers) | Barry Ferguson (Rangers) | |
| 2003/04 Details | Celtic | Rangers | Partick Thistle | Henrik Larsson 30 (Celtic) | Chris Sutton (Celtic) | Jackie McNamara (Celtic) | |
| 2004/05 Details | Rangers | Celtic | Dundee | John Hartson 25 (Celtic) | John Hartson (Celtic) / Fernando Ricksen (Rangers) | John Hartson (Celtic) | |
SPL Records
Data accurate as at 08 February 2006
- Most goals in a season: Celtic, 105 goals, 2003/04
- Most points in one season: Celtic, 103 points, 2001/02
- Fewest goals conceded in one season: Celtic, 18 goals, 2001/02
- Best goal difference in a season: Celtic, 80, 2003/04
- Fewest goals in a season: St Johnstone, 24 goals, 2002/03
- Most goals conceded in a season: Aberdeen, 83 goals, 1999/2000
- Fewest points in a season: St Johnstone, 21 points, 2001/02
- Biggest win: Celtic 7-0 Aberdeen, 1999 and 2002; Hibernian 7-0 Livingston, 2006; Rangers 7-0 St Johnstone, 1998
- Top goalscorer in any one season: Henrik Larsson, 35 goals, 2000/01
- All-time SPL goalscorer Henrik Larsson, 158 goals, 1998-2004
- Player with most hat tricks: Henrik Larsson, 12, 1998-2004
- Oldest player: Jim Leighton, for Aberdeen vs Dundee, 41 years 6 months and 28 days
- Youngest player: Greg Cameron, for Dundee United vs Kilmarnock, 16 years 8 months and 1 day
- Youngest goalscorer: Robert Snodgrass, for Livingston vs Dunfermline, 17 years 1 month and 9 days
- Most consecutive shut outs: Robert Douglas, Celtic, 7 games, 16/12/00 - 21/2/01
- Most SPL appearances: Barry Smith, Dundee, 242