Scottish Premier League
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football league
The Scottish Premier League (SPL) was the top-level league competition for professional football clubs in Scotland. The league was founded in 1998, when it broke away from the Scottish Football League (SFL). It was abolished in 2013, when the SPL and SFL merged to form the new Scottish Professional Football League,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> with its top division being known as the Scottish Premiership. A total of 19 clubs competed in the SPL, but only the Old Firm clubs of Glasgow—Celtic and Rangers— won the league championship.
Background
For most of its history, 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 was perceived to be stagnant, and it was decided to split into a three divisional structure: Premier Division (formerly Division One), First Division (formerly Division Two) and a newly added Second Division. This system came into force for the 1975–76 season. This setup continued until the 1994–95 season, when – in response to an attempt by the biggest clubs to form a breakaway 'Super League' in 1992<ref name="super21">Rangers and Hearts owners, Hibs and Aberdeen involved, Celtic wavering - recalling failed Scottish Super League breakaway of 1992, Stephen Halliday, The Scotsman, 20 April 2021</ref> – a four divisional structure was introduced. This involved the creation of a Third Division, with all four divisions consisting of ten clubs.
On 8 September 1997, the clubs in the Premier Division decided to split from the Scottish Football League and form a Scottish Premier League. This followed an earlier example in England, which came into force during the 1992–93 season.<ref name="super21"/> 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 money was divided proportionally between clubs in all four divisions. After the SPL was formed, its clubs retained all of its commercial revenues except for an annual payment to the SFL and a parachute payment to recently relegated clubs.
Competition format
Teams received three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points were awarded for a loss. Teams were ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points was crowned league champion. If points were equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner.
Split
Originally the SPL contained 10 clubs, but it subsequently enlarged to 12 for the 2000–01 season and retained this structure until 2013. The increase from 10 clubs to 12 was part of the deal offered to obtain approval from SFL member clubs. After the expansion to 12 clubs, the SPL operated a "split" format. This was done to prevent the need for a 44-match schedule, based on playing each other four times. That format had been used in the Scottish Premier Division but was considered to be too high a number of matches in a league season.
A season, which runs from August (except in 2011–12, when that season began in July) until May, was divided into two phases. During the first phase, each club played three matches against every other team, either once at home and twice away, or vice versa. After this first phase of matches, by which time all clubs had played 33 matches, the league split into a "top six" and a "bottom six". Each club then played a further five matches against the other five teams in their own section. Points achieved during the first phase of 33 matches were carried forward to the second phase, but the teams competed only within their own sections during the second phase. After the first phase was completed, clubs could not move out of their own section in the league, even if they achieved more or fewer points than a higher or lower ranked team, respectively.
At the beginning of each season, the SPL "predicted" the likely positions of each club in order to produce a fixture schedule that ensured the best possible chance of all clubs playing each other twice at home and twice away. This was known as the league seeding and was based on clubs' performance in previous years.<ref name="SPL stand by their split decision">Template:Cite news</ref> If a club did not finish in the half where it was predicted to finish, it faced the possibility of playing an unequal number of home and away matches. For example, one club would sometimes play another three times at home and once away.<ref name="SPL stand by their split decision"/>
There was criticism of the split season format. However, the SPL defended the split format, dismissing the possibility of expanding the league due to a lack of strong enough clubs within the Scottish Football League.<ref name="SPL stand by their split decision"/> In March 2008, Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies was the latest to call for a league revamp, claiming the potential for four matches per season against the same opponent was too many.<ref name="Jefferies league revamp">Template:Cite news</ref>
Promotion and relegation
The bottom placed SPL club at the end of the season was relegated, and swapped places with the winner of the Scottish First Division, provided that the winner satisfied the SPL entry criteria. These promotion criteria sometimes caused controversy. In 2003, 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 capacity stadium it required, therefore saving Motherwell from relegation.<ref name="Falkirk lose out as SPL closes ranks and denies them place">Template:Cite news</ref>
The same situation nearly materialised in 2004. After several votes and discussion, including threats of court cases from Partick Thistle, the team threatened with relegation, Inverness Caledonian Thistle were promoted on the basis that they would ground share with Aberdeen at Pittodrie.<ref name="Inverness win SPL vote">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2005, the stadium size criterion for entry to the SPL was reduced to 6,000,<ref name="Inverness are homeward bound">Template:Cite news</ref> thereby allowing Inverness Caledonian Thistle to return to their home stadium during the 2005–06 season.<ref name="Inverness are homeward bound"/>
Old Firm dominance
One of the main criticisms of the SPL was the dominance of the two Old Firm clubs, Celtic and Rangers. No team outside the Old Firm has won the Scottish league championship since 1985. Until Rangers were ejected from the SPL due to their liquidation, there was only one SPL season (2005–06) where both clubs failed to occupy first and second positions, with Hearts finishing second behind Celtic.<ref name = "low in att">Template:Cite news</ref> While other European leagues were dominated by a few clubs in the 2000s, the Old Firm dominance in Scotland dated back to the beginning of Scottish league football, with a few exceptional periods. The average home attendances of both clubs is significantly higher than the other Scottish clubs, which resulted in the Old Firm having far greater revenues and therefore more money to spend on players. Both clubs also received significant revenues from participation in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.
Despite having more resources than other Scottish clubs, the Old Firm experienced difficulty in competing with big clubs from other leagues in terms of transfer fees and player wages due to the SPL's relatively low television revenue. A recurring theme during the existence of the SPL was the prospect of the two clubs leaving the Scottish football set-up to join the English football league system, an Atlantic League with clubs from countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal, or forming a new European Super League.<ref name="Dutch resurrect Atlantic League">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="strachan"/> While some observers believed the departure of the Old Firm from the Scottish football setup would be detrimental to Scottish football as a whole,<ref name="Blatter opposes Old Firm switch">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Old Firm urged to talk">Template:Cite news</ref> others, such as Craig Levein, believed it would benefit Scottish football due to increased competition among the remaining clubs for the SPL title.<ref name="Levein wants Old Firm kicked out">Template:Cite news</ref> World football's governing body FIFA ruled out the prospect of any Old Firm move to the English set-up.<ref name="Fifa writes off Old Firm hopes">Template:Cite news</ref> The duopoly was effectively broken when Rangers entered administration in 2012 and was liquidated after it failed to reach an agreement with creditors. Rangers was relaunched by a new company and were voted into the Scottish Football League Third Division.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In March 2013, Rangers chief executive Charles Green suggested that Rangers could join the Football Conference and that EU competition law banning restraints of trade could be used to overcome any legal barriers to such a plan.<ref name="mcleman">Template:Cite news</ref> Green also suggested that Rangers and Celtic would not be playing in the Scottish league system in ten years time.<ref name="mcleman"/> Scotland manager Gordon Strachan said he believed the Old Firm clubs would join a future new 38-club two-division European Super League.<ref name="strachan">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Winter break
The SPL instituted a "winter break" during the January of each season, beginning with the 1998–99 season. However, this practice was removed beginning in the 2000–01 season, forcing clubs to play throughout January and sometimes resulting in postponement of matches and significant damage to clubs' pitches. Managers Martin O'Neill,<ref name="McLeish berates SPL">Template:Cite web</ref> Jim Duffy<ref name="McLeish berates SPL"/> and Walter Smith were among those who called for the winter break to be reinstated.<ref name="Smith sinter break">Template:Cite news</ref> Alex McLeish accused the SPL of taking Scottish football "back to the Dark Ages" after its decision to scrap the mid-season hiatus.<ref name="McLeish berates SPL"/>
European qualification
In the seasons after the SPL's inception, Scotland's UEFA coefficient improved significantly, having been ranked 26th in 1998–99,<ref name="SPL praises Euro performances">Template:Cite news</ref> they reached a high of 10th at the end of the 2007–08 season. The SPL ranking thereafter declined, the league falling back to the 24th position at the end of 2012–13.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2003, Celtic became the first Scottish club since Dundee United in 1987 to reach a European final, eventually losing 3–2 to Porto after extra time in the UEFA Cup final.<ref name="Porto end Celtic's UEFA dream">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2003–04, two Scottish clubs, Celtic and Rangers, qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time. In 2005–06, Rangers became the first Scottish club to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League,<ref name="Rangers 1-1 Inter Milan">Template:Cite news</ref> a feat repeated by Celtic the following two seasons.<ref name="Celtic 1-0 Man Utd">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="AC Milan 1-0 Celtic">Template:Cite news</ref> In the 2007–08 season, three Scottish clubs were competing in Europe after Christmas for the first time since 1970,<ref name="Calderwood aims to end 37 years of Scottish hurt in Europe">Template:Cite news</ref> while in the same season, Rangers reached the 2008 UEFA Cup final, but lost 2–0 to Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg.<ref name="Uefa Cup final—Zenit 2-0 Rangers">Template:Cite news</ref> During the season, Scotland's European representatives collected the most coefficient points since the 1982–83 season.<ref name="SPL praises Euro performances"/>
Players
Scottish Premier League clubs had almost complete freedom to sign whatever number and category of players they wish. There was no team or individual salary cap, no squad size limit, no age restrictions other than those applied by general employment law, no restrictions on the overall number of foreign players and few restrictions on individual foreign players. All players with EU nationality, including those able to claim an EU passport through a parent or grandparent, were eligible to play, and top players from outside the EU were able to obtain UK work permits.
The only restriction on selection was the "Under-21 rule". This rule stated that each club must include at least three players under the age of 21 in its matchday squad. Opinions on this rule were divided among SPL managers. Walter Smith, Gus MacPherson and Jim Jefferies expressed their disapproval of the policy.<ref name="Under-21 ruling">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> John Collins approved of the ruling, claiming it is healthy for Scottish football and encouraged the development of young players.<ref name="Under-21 ruling"/>
A decline in television revenue resulted in relatively little spending among SPL clubs, with major transfer spending mostly limited to the Old Firm clubs. As a result, most clubs became reliant on developing their own young players and selling them on for profit. This also resulted in a large proportion of SPL clubs' squads being made up of Scottish players (73% in the 2004–05 season).<ref name="SPL FAQ">Template:Cite news</ref>
Finances
Attendance
Due to its relatively low income from television and commercial partners, Scottish clubs were highly dependent on revenues from fans attending matches. More people in Scotland per head of population watched their domestic top-level league than any other European nation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> All ten of the clubs that played in the 1998–99 Scottish Premier League also participated in the 2011–12 Scottish Premier League.<ref name = "low in att"/> Nine of those ten clubs recorded lower average attendance.<ref name = "low in att"/> Celtic had a 14% decline in attendance since a peak season of 2000–01, when the club won the domestic treble.<ref name = "low in att"/> Dunfermline, who were newly promoted to the SPL in 2011–12, only saw an increase of 939 in average attendance from the 2010–11 Scottish First Division season.<ref name = "low in att"/> They also attracted a bigger crowd for a Fife derby game in the First Division against Raith Rovers than any game in the SPL.<ref name = "low in att"/>
Sponsorship
The Bank of Scotland, which had sponsored the league since March 1999 (the League was unsponsored for most of the inaugural season), did not renew its sponsorship at the end of the 2006–07 season. Talks began with Clydesdale Bank,<ref name="bank">Template:Cite news</ref> and a four-year contract worth £8 million came into effect from July 2007;<ref name="clydesdale">Template:Cite web</ref> in 2010, the contract was extended until 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Insolvency events
During the SPL era, six of its member clubs entered administration. Serious financial difficulties first arose in 2002 when broadcaster Sky Sports withdrew its interest in the League's television rights when the SPL rejected its offer of £45 million, hoping a better deal would arise from another broadcaster.<ref name="Telegraph report">Template:Cite news</ref> However, a superior deal failed to arise, adding to the clubs' already delicate financial position.<ref name="Telegraph report"/> Total debt among SPL clubs was estimated during 2001–02 to be around £132m, having been barely into double figures two years previously.<ref name="Telegraph report"/> Motherwell became the first SPL club to enter administration in April 2002, with debts of £11 million and a wage bill totalling 97% of the club's annual turnover.<ref name="Telegraph report"/> Dundee were next to follow, when in November 2003 it sacked 25 staff after debts of £20 million.<ref name="Telegraph report"/>
The severity of the SPL's financial problems were revealed in September 2003 when combined losses for SPL clubs during 2001–02 was estimated to have been £60 million.<ref name="SPL posts record losses">Template:Cite web</ref> A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in 2003 described five SPL clubs – Dundee, Dunfermline Athletic, Hearts, Hibernian and Livingston – as "technically insolvent". Livingston became the third SPL club to enter administration in February 2004 with debts of £3.5 million.<ref name="Livi in administration">Template:Cite web</ref> Dunfermline Athletic's financial position also looked bleak, with several players asked to take wage-cuts,<ref name="Pars players face wage cuts">Template:Cite web</ref> while Rangers chairman David Murray announced in September 2004 a plan to raise £57 million via a rights issue in an attempt to eliminate a large proportion of the club's debts.<ref name="Rangers to raise £57m">Template:Cite web</ref>
After widespread cost-cutting measures, the finances of SPL clubs began to show signs of improvement. Both Motherwell and Dundee came out of administration in April<ref name="'Well end administration">Template:Cite web</ref> and August 2004<ref name="Dundee to enter new era">Template:Cite web</ref> respectively, while Livingston ended its 15-month spell in administration in May 2005.<ref name="Livingston out of administration">Template:Cite web</ref> The 2006 report on SPL finances by PWC revealed operating profits of £2.8 million among SPL clubs, the first collective operating profit made by Scotland's top-flight clubs in over a decade.<ref name="SPL continues economic recovery">Template:Cite web</ref> Seven of the SPL's 12 clubs had a wage turnover ratio of less than 60%.<ref name="SPL continues economic recovery"/>
The 2007 report by PWC revealed a collective loss of £9 million for 2005–06, although six clubs – Falkirk, Hibernian, Inverness CT, Kilmarnock, Motherwell and Rangers – made a profit.<ref name="Hearts buck debt reduction trend">Template:Cite web</ref> The report highlighted the increasingly precarious financial position of Hearts, describing its current finances as "unsustainable" with debt rising by £7 million to £28 million and a wage bill which represents 97% of its turnover.<ref name="Hearts buck debt reduction trend"/> The figures for 2006–07 showed a collective profit of £3 million, with eight clubs making a profit.<ref name=" Profits on the up for SPL clubs">Template:Cite web</ref>
In March 2008, Gretna became the fourth SPL club to enter administration.<ref name="Gretna edging closer to closure"/> The club's main benefactor, Brooks Mileson, was forced to withdraw his financial support due to failing health.<ref name="Gretna edging closer to closure">Template:Cite web</ref> The club was liquidated after it had been relegated to the Scottish Football League at the end of the 2007–08 Scottish Premier League.<ref name = "gretna liq"/> Gretna fans formed a new club, Gretna 2008, which entered the East of Scotland Football League.<ref name = "gretna liq">Template:Cite news</ref>
SPL clubs were badly affected by the Great Recession in Europe.<ref name="Clubs expect more financial woes">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 21st PWC annual review found that SPL clubs made a collective loss of £22 million during the 2008–09 season, although this loss was almost entirely due to problems at two clubs.<ref name = "basket case">Template:Cite news</ref> Rangers incurred a £14 million loss after losing most of their European revenues due to an early defeat by FBK Kaunas, while Hearts lost £8 million.<ref name = "basket case"/> In 2010, Hearts was described by The Scotsman as the only true financial "basket case" in the SPL, with the club having a wages-to-turnover ratio of 126% and debt of over three times turnover.<ref name = "basket case"/> Rangers stabilised financially in the next two seasons, thanks to income generated from Champions League participation.<ref name = "basket case"/> Rangers entered administration on 14 February 2012,<ref name="Administrators' appointment">Template:Cite web</ref> owing an approximate £9 million in unpaid taxes and with an ongoing tribunal with HMRC.<ref name="Administrators' report">Template:Cite web</ref> HMRC blocked a proposed Company Voluntary Arrangement in June 2012, forcing preferred bidder Charles Green to use a new company to buy out the business and assets of Rangers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Weeks before the SPL merged into the Scottish Professional Football League, Hearts became the sixth SPL club to enter administration.
Media coverage
Television
Between 1998–99 and 2001–02, exclusive television rights for live Scottish Premier League matches were held by Sky Sports. In January 2002, the SPL rejected a £45 million offer from Sky Sports and began considering setting up its own pay-per-view channel, dubbed "SPL TV".<ref name="SPL set to launch its own TV station as Sky switch off">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> However, these plans broke down in April 2002 when the Old Firm clubs – Rangers and Celtic – utilised the 11–1 voting system to veto the proposals.<ref name="Old Firm scupper SPL TV">Template:Cite web</ref> This caused discontent among the remaining ten SPL clubs, which subsequently announced their intention to resign from the league.<ref name="Scottish league faces collapse">Template:Cite web</ref>
Despite a two-year television deal being agreed with BBC Scotland in July 2002 for a significant amount less than previously offered by Sky Sports,<ref name="SPL signs BBC deal">Template:Cite web</ref> the ten non-Old Firm clubs confirmed their resignation from the SPL in August 2002, citing discontent with the voting system.<ref name="Scottish clubs quit SPL">Template:Cite web</ref> The ten clubs withdrew their resignations in January 2003 after an agreement was reached to change some of the voting procedures and to change the distribution of TV revenue.<ref name="SPL ends internal strife">Template:Cite web</ref>
The SPL agreed a television rights deal with Irish broadcaster Setanta Sports in February 2004 in a four-year deal worth £35 million.<ref name="Setanta wins SPL TV deal">Template:Cite web</ref> This deal was revised in 2006, with a two-year extension to the original deal agreed, the new four-year deal now being worth £54.5 million and running to 2010. In June 2008, it was announced that a further four-year deal would commence for the 2010–11 season, worth £125 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Setanta lost the rights to show live SPL matches in the United Kingdom as it was unable to pay the £3 million it owed to the SPL.<ref name = "sky and espn">Template:Cite web</ref> The SPL then agreed a deal with ESPN and Sky Sports worth £13 million per season to the clubs.<ref name = "sky and espn"/> This was comparable to the deal which was in place with Setanta,<ref name = "sky and espn"/> but it was around half the amount Setanta was due to pay from 2010.<ref name = "of blast"/> The Old Firm criticised the decision of nine of the other SPL clubs to accept that offer from Setanta, instead of taking an alternative package from Sky that would have been worth significantly more than the deal signed after Setanta went into administration.<ref name = "of blast">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2009, Sky and ESPN agreed a five-year deal with the SPL where they would pay a total of £65 million for the rights to show 30 matches each per season. In November 2011, it was announced that a five-year extension to the contract would commence from the 2012–13 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This deal was amended after Rangers entered insolvency and was not allowed to transfer its SPL membership to a new company.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The rights held by ESPN were acquired by BT Sport in February 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
BBC Scotland's Sportscene held the rights to broadcast highlights of each match first on terrestrial TV. The BBC also held the rights to show online Internet highlights to UK users for one week after each match. BBC Alba, launched in September 2008, showed one full SPL match per week in delayed coverage.<ref name = "alba"/> BBC Alba also showed some live matches in the 2012–13 season.<ref name = "alba">Template:Cite web</ref> The SPL was broadcast in Australia by Setanta Sports Australia, in Canada by Sportsnet World and in the United States by Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus.
Radio
Radio broadcasting rights were held by BBC Radio Scotland.<ref name="Radio Scotland">Template:Cite web</ref> BBC Radio Scotland also provided internet webcasts to all Scottish Premier League matches, having become the first broadcaster to introduce such a service in June 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Old Firm matches were also broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live and 102.5 Clyde 1.
Member clubs
Template:Main The clubs listed below competed in the Scottish Premier League. Teams in italics were founder members, who played in the 1998–99 competition.
Stadia
Template:Main The following stadia were used by clubs in the Scottish Premier League.
| Stadium | Club(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Almondvale Stadium | Livingston and Gretna | Gretna played one home game at Almondvale during the 2007–08 season due to the bad condition of the Fir Park pitch. |
| Caledonian Stadium | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | |
| Celtic Park | Celtic | The biggest club stadium in Scotland by seating capacity.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| Dens Park | Dundee | |
| East End Park | Dunfermline Athletic | |
| Easter Road | Hibernian | |
| Falkirk Stadium | Falkirk | |
| Fir Park | Motherwell and Gretna | Gretna used Fir Park for most of the 2007–08 season because their normal home ground, Raydale Park, did not meet SPL requirements. |
| Firhill Stadium | Partick Thistle | |
| Ibrox Stadium | Rangers | |
| Love Street | St Mirren | Love Street was closed in January 2009. |
| McDiarmid Park | St Johnstone | First purpose-built all-seater stadium in Scotland.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| New Douglas Park | Hamilton Academical | |
| Pittodrie Stadium | Aberdeen and Inverness C.T. | Inverness C.T. moved to Aberdeen's Pittodrie Stadium for part of the 2004–05 season while the Caledonian Stadium was upgraded to meet capacity regulations. |
| Rugby Park | Kilmarnock | |
| St Mirren Park | St Mirren | Opened in January 2009. |
| Tannadice Park | Dundee United | |
| Tynecastle Stadium | Heart of Midlothian | |
| Victoria Park | Ross County |
Statistics
Championships
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Relegated | Top scorer | Players' Player of the Year | Writers' Player of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | Rangers (1) | Celtic (1) | Dunfermline Athletic | Henrik Larsson 29 (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) |
| 1999–2000 | Rangers (2) | Celtic (2) | No relegation<ref group = "note">The SPL was expanded from 10 teams in 1999–2000 to 12 teams in 2000–01. There was due to be a play-off involving the team that finished bottom of the SPL (Aberdeen) and the teams finishing second and third in the First Division (Dunfermline Athletic and Falkirk) for two places in the SPL, but this was cancelled because Falkirk did not meet the stadium criteria for SPL membership.</ref> | Mark Viduka 25 (Celtic) | Mark Viduka (Celtic) | Barry Ferguson (Rangers) |
| 2000–01 | Celtic (1) | Rangers (1) | St Mirren | Henrik Larsson 35 (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) |
| 2001–02 | Celtic (2) | Rangers (2) | St Johnstone | Henrik Larsson 29 (Celtic) | Lorenzo Amoruso (Rangers) | Paul Lambert (Celtic) |
| 2002–03 | Rangers (3) | Celtic (3) | No relegation<ref group = "note">Motherwell finished bottom of the SPL but avoided relegation because the team that finished top of the First Division (Falkirk) did not meet the stadium criteria for SPL membership.</ref> | Henrik Larsson 28 (Celtic) | Barry Ferguson (Rangers) | Barry Ferguson (Rangers) |
| 2003–04 | Celtic (3) | Rangers (3) | Partick Thistle | Henrik Larsson 30 (Celtic) | Chris Sutton (Celtic) | Jackie McNamara (Celtic) |
| 2004–05 | Rangers (4) | Celtic (4) | Dundee | John Hartson 25 (Celtic) | John Hartson (Celtic) Fernando Ricksen (Rangers) |
John Hartson (Celtic) |
| 2005–06 | Celtic (4) | Heart of Midlothian (1) | Livingston | Kris Boyd 32 (15 – Kilmarnock, 17 – Rangers) | Shaun Maloney (Celtic) | Craig Gordon (Hearts) |
| 2006–07 | Celtic (5) | Rangers (4) | Dunfermline Athletic | Kris Boyd 20 (Rangers) | Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic) | Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic) |
| 2007–08 | Celtic (6) | Rangers (5) | Gretna | Scott McDonald 25 (Celtic) | Aiden McGeady (Celtic) | Carlos Cuéllar (Rangers) |
| 2008–09 | Rangers (5) | Celtic (5) | Inverness CT | Kris Boyd 27 (Rangers) | Scott Brown (Celtic) | Gary Caldwell (Celtic) |
| 2009–10 | Rangers (6) | Celtic (6) | Falkirk | Kris Boyd 23 (Rangers) | Steven Davis (Rangers) | David Weir (Rangers) |
| 2010–11 | Rangers (7) | Celtic (7) | Hamilton Academical | Kenny Miller 21 (Rangers) | Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) | Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) |
| 2011–12 | Celtic (7) | Rangers (6) | Dunfermline Athletic | Gary Hooper 24 (Celtic) | Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) | Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) |
| 2012–13 | Celtic (8) | Motherwell (1) | Dundee | Michael Higdon 26 (Motherwell) | Michael Higdon (Motherwell) | Leigh Griffiths (Hibernian) |
All-time SPL table
This table is a cumulative record of all SPL matches played. The table is accurate from the 1998–99 season to the end of the 2012–13 season, inclusive.<ref name="records">Template:Cite web</ref>
| P |
Club |
Ssn |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
PPG |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic | 15 | 566 | 412 | 82 | 72 | 1304 | 453 | +851 | 1318 | {{#expr: 1318 / 566 round 3}} | 8 | 7 | ||
| 2 | Rangers<ref group = "note">Rangers were deducted 10 points for going into administration in the 2011–12 season.</ref> | 14 | 528 | 364 | 93 | 71 | 1150 | 418 | +732 | 1175 | {{#expr: 1175 / 528 round 3}} | 7 | 6 | 1 | |
| 3 | Heart of Midlothian | 15 | 566 | 229 | 139 | 198 | 733 | 670 | +63 | 826 | {{#expr: 826 / 566 round 3}} | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| 4 | Motherwell | 15 | 566 | 195 | 132 | 239 | 708 | 839 | −131 | 717 | {{#expr: 717 / 566 round 3}} | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| 5 | Kilmarnock | 15 | 566 | 189 | 145 | 232 | 685 | 811 | −126 | 712 | {{#expr: 712 / 566 round 3}} | 3 | |||
| 6 | Aberdeen | 15 | 566 | 188 | 143 | 235 | 651 | 785 | −134 | 707 | {{#expr: 707 / 566 round 3}} | 1 | 4 | ||
| 7 | Hibernian | 14 | 530 | 183 | 134 | 213 | 712 | 761 | −49 | 683 | {{#expr: 683 / 530 round 3}} | 2 | 2 | ||
| 8 | Dundee United | 15 | 566 | 173 | 162 | 231 | 674 | 845 | −171 | 681 | {{#expr: 681 / 566 round 3}} | 1 | 2 | ||
| 9 | Inverness CT | 8 | 304 | 97 | 83 | 124 | 380 | 417 | −37 | 374 | {{#expr: 374 / 304 round 3}} | 1 | |||
| 10 | St Johnstone | 8 | 300 | 90 | 87 | 123 | 307 | 398 | −91 | 357 | {{#expr: 357 / 300 round 3}} | 2 | |||
| 11 | Dunfermline Athletic | 9 | 340 | 83 | 89 | 168 | 335 | 565 | −230 | 338 | {{#expr: 338 / 340 round 3}} | 1 | |||
| 12 | Dundee | 8 | 300 | 87 | 70 | 143 | 336 | 478 | −142 | 331 | {{#expr: 331 / 300 round 3}} | ||||
| 13 | St Mirren | 8 | 304 | 68 | 91 | 145 | 277 | 446 | −169 | 295 | {{#expr: 295 / 304 round 3}} | ||||
| 14 | Falkirk | 5 | 190 | 51 | 48 | 91 | 197 | 277 | −80 | 201 | {{#expr: 201 / 190 round 3}} | ||||
| 15 | Livingston | 5 | 190 | 48 | 45 | 97 | 205 | 306 | −101 | 189 | {{#expr: 189 / 190 round 3}} | 1 | |||
| 16 | Hamilton Academical | 3 | 114 | 30 | 26 | 58 | 93 | 158 | −65 | 116 | {{#expr: 116 / 114 round 3}} | ||||
| 17 | Partick Thistle | 2 | 76 | 14 | 19 | 43 | 76 | 125 | −49 | 61 | {{#expr: 61 / 76 round 3}} | ||||
| 18 | Ross County | 1 | 38 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 47 | 48 | −1 | 53 | {{#expr: 53 / 38 round 3}} | ||||
| 19 | Gretna<ref group = "note">Gretna were deducted 10 points for going into administration in the 2007–08 season.</ref> | 1 | 38 | 5 | 8 | 25 | 32 | 83 | −51 | 13 | {{#expr: 13 / 38 round 3}} |
P = Position; Ssn = Number of seasons; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; Ppg = Points per game
Top goalscorers
Kilmarnock and Rangers player Kris Boyd scored the most goals in the SPL, with 167 goals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He broke the previous record of 158, set by Henrik Larsson, by scoring five goals for Rangers in a 7–1 win against Dundee United on 30 December 2009. Boyd and Larsson were the only players who scored more than 100 goals in the SPL era. There are players who scored far more goals in the predecessor Scottish Football League competition, with Jimmy McGrory holding the overall record with 408 goals in the top flight of Scottish football.<ref>Scotland – All-Time Topscorers, RSSSF.</ref>
Top 10 SPL goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Club(s)<ref group = "note" name="clubs note">Clubs only include those where players scored goals in the Scottish Premier League.</ref> | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kris Boyd | Kilmarnock (2001–2006) Rangers (2006–2010) Kilmarnock (2013) |
167 |
| 2 | Henrik Larsson<ref group = "note" name = "sfl">Player also scored goal(s) in the Scottish Football League.</ref> | Celtic (1998–2004) | 158 |
| 3 | Derek Riordan<ref group = "note" name = "sfl"/> | Hibernian (2001–2006) Celtic (2006–2008) Hibernian (2008–2011) St Johnstone (2012) |
95 |
| 4 | Scott McDonald | Motherwell (2004–2007) Celtic (2007–2010) |
93 |
| 5 | John Hartson | Celtic (2001–2006) | 88 |
| 6 | Kenny Miller<ref group = "note" name = "sfl"/> | Hibernian (1999–2000) Rangers (2000–2001) Celtic (2006–2007) Rangers (2008–2011) |
75 |
| 7 | Michael Higdon | Falkirk (2007–2009) St Mirren (2009–2011) Motherwell (2011–2013) |
73 |
| Nacho Novo<ref group = "note" name = "sfl"/> | Dundee (2002–2004) Rangers (2004–2010) | ||
| 9 | Anthony Stokes | Falkirk (2006–2007) Hibernian (2009–2010) Celtic (2010–2013) |
67 |
| 10 | Colin Nish<ref group = "note" name = "sfl"/> | Dunfermline Athletic (1999–2003) Kilmarnock (2003–2008) Hibernian (2008–2011) Dundee (2012–2013) |
64 |
Records and awards
- Biggest home win
- Celtic 9–0 Aberdeen (2010–11)<ref name = "records"/>
- Biggest away win
- Dunfermline Athletic 1–8 Celtic (2005–06)<ref name = "records"/>
- Most goals in a game
- Motherwell 6–6 Hibernian (2009–10)<ref name = "records"/>
- Most consecutive wins
- Celtic, 25, 2003–04<ref name = "records"/>
- Most consecutive games unbeaten
- Celtic, 32, 2003–04<ref name = "records"/>
- Most consecutive defeats
- Partick Thistle, 10, 2003–04<ref name = "records"/>
- Most consecutive games without a win
- Hamilton Academical, 22, 2010–11
- Most consecutive games without scoring a goal
- Dunfermline Athletic, 9, 2006–07<ref name = "records"/>
- Most points in a season
- Celtic, 103 points, 2001–02<ref name = "records"/>
- Fewest points in a season
- Gretna, 13 points, 2007–08<ref name = "records"/><ref group = "note">Gretna's points total would have been 23 points without a 10-point administration penalty they received. The lowest points total without such a penalty is 18 points, which was recorded by Livingston in 2005–06.</ref>
- Most goals scored in a season
- Celtic, 105 goals, 2003–04<ref name="records"/>
- Fewest goals scored in a season
- St Johnstone, 23 goals, 2010–11<ref name = "records"/>
- Most goals conceded in a season
- Aberdeen, 83 goals, 1999–00<ref name = "records"/>
Gretna, 83 goals, 2007–08<ref name = "records"/> - Fewest goals conceded in a season
- Celtic, 18 goals, 2001–02<ref name = "records"/>
- Most wins in a season
- Celtic, 33, 2001–02<ref name = "records"/>
- Fewest wins in a season
- Dunfermline Athletic, 4, 1998–99<ref name = "records"/>
Livingston, 4, 2005–06<ref name = "records"/> - Fewest defeats in a season
- Celtic, 1, 2001–02<ref name = "records"/>
- Most defeats in a season
- Livingston, 28, 2005–06<ref name = "records"/>
- Most draws in a season
- Dunfermline Athletic, 16, 1998–99<ref name = "records"/>
St Mirren, 16, 2011–12<ref name = "records"/> - Fewest home defeats in a season
- Celtic, 0, 2001–02 and 2002–03<ref name = "records"/>
Rangers, 0, 2009–10<ref name = "records"/> - Fewest away defeats in a season
- Celtic, 0, 2003–04<ref name = "records"/>
- Fewest home wins in a season
- Hamilton Academical, 1, 2010–11<ref name = "records"/>
Dunfermline Athletic, 1, 2011–12<ref name = "records"/> - Fewest away wins in a season
- Dunfermline Athletic, 0, 1998–99<ref name = "records"/>
- Youngest player
- Scott Robinson, for Hearts vs Inverness CT, Template:Age in years and days<ref name="ind records">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Youngest goalscorer
- Fraser Fyvie, for Aberdeen vs Heart of Midlothian, Template:Age in years and days<ref name = "ind records"/>
- Oldest player
- Andy Millen, for St Mirren vs Hearts, 42 years 279 days, 15 March 2008<ref name = "ind records"/>
- Most goals in a season
- Henrik Larsson (Celtic), 35 goals, 2000–01<ref name = "ind records"/>
- Fastest goal
- Kris Commons, 12.2 seconds, Celtic 4 - 3 Aberdeen, 16 March 2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- All-time top scorer
- Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock and Rangers), 164 goals<ref name = "ind records"/>
- Most hat-tricks
- Henrik Larsson (Celtic), 12<ref name = "ind records"/>
- Hat-tricks in consecutive games
- Henrik Larsson (Celtic), 2000–01<ref name = "ind records"/>
Anthony Stokes (Falkirk), 2006–07<ref name = "ind records"/> - Most goals in a game
- Kenny Miller, 5, Rangers v St Mirren, 4 November 2000<ref name = "ind records"/>
Kris Boyd, 5, Kilmarnock v Dundee United, 25 September 2004<ref name = "ind records"/>
Kris Boyd, 5, Rangers v Dundee United, 30 December 2009<ref name = "ind records"/>
Gary Hooper, 5, Celtic v Heart of Midlothian, 13 May 2012 - Most consecutive clean sheets
- Robert Douglas, Celtic, 7 games, 2000–01<ref name = "ind records"/>
- Most clean sheets in a season
- Fraser Forster and Łukasz Załuska, Celtic, 25 games, 2011–12<ref name="SPL statistics">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Most SPL appearances
- James Fowler, 401 (correct to the end of the 2012–13 season)
- Highest attendance
- 60,440, Celtic v St Mirren, 7 April 2001<ref name="SPL statistics2">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Lowest attendance
- 431, Gretna v Inverness CT, 5 April 2008<ref name="SPL statistics2"/>
- Highest average attendance
- 59,369, Celtic, 2000–01<ref name="SPL statistics2"/>
- Lowest average attendance
- 2,283, Gretna, 2007–08<ref name="SPL statistics2"/>
- Highest transfer fee paid
- Tore André Flo, from Chelsea to Rangers, £12 million, 23 November 2000<ref name="Tore André Flo">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Highest transfer fee received
- Aiden McGeady, from Celtic to Spartak Moscow, £9.5 million, 13 August 2010<ref name="Aiden McGeady">Template:Cite news</ref>
- Highest transfer fee between two SPL clubs
- Scott Brown, from Hibernian to Celtic, £4.4 million, 1 June 2007<ref name="Scott Brown">Template:Cite news</ref>
See also
- List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues
- Scottish Premier League monthly awards
Notes
<references group="note" />
References
Template:Reflist Template:Commons category
Template:Scottish Premier League Template:Defunct football competitions in Scotland Template:UEFA leagues Template:Authority control
- Pages with broken file links
- Scottish Premier League
- Defunct top-level football leagues in Europe
- Defunct football leagues in Scotland
- 1998 establishments in Scotland
- 2013 disestablishments in Scotland
- Football governing bodies in Scotland
- Sports leagues established in 1998
- Sports leagues disestablished in 2013