This is a list of former member clubs of the Scottish Football League, detailing all the clubs to have played in the league since its formation but which are no longer in membership. The Scottish Football League was established in 1890, initially as an amateur league as professionalism had not been legalised in Scottish football.[1] In 1893 a Second Division was formed, with the existing single division renamed the First Division. The Second Division was discontinued during the First World War but revived in 1921.[2] A Third Division was added in 1923 but collapsed three years later as a number of its member clubs found themselves unable to complete their fixtures for financial reasons, with many folding altogether. After the Second World War the divisions were rebranded as Division A and Division B and a Division C was added. This included a mixture of new member clubs and the reserve teams of clubs from the higher divisions, but this division was dropped in 1955.[3] A major re-organisation of the league in 1975 led to the existing two divisions being split into three smaller divisions, with a new Premier Division at the highest level. This structure remained in place until 1998, when the teams then in the Premier Division broke away to form the Scottish Premier League, which supplanted the Premier Division as the highest level of football in Scotland.[4]
Unlike in England, where since 1987 clubs finishing at the foot of the Football League have been relegated out of the competition,[5] there is no mechanism in place in Scotland for clubs at the bottom of the Scottish League to be relegated.[6] A number of clubs who resigned or were expelled from the Scottish League have gone on to play in non-league football, either in "senior" leagues such as the East of Scotland Football League or in leagues governed by the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA).[7][8]
Contents |
The tables show the first and last seasons in which each club competed in the league. Some clubs' membership was intermittent between their first and last seasons. Clubs shown in bold were among the founder members of the league. As of 2008 the only founder member club still playing in the league is Dumbarton.
| Club | First league season |
Last league season |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 1904–05 | 1997–98 | [9] |
| Celtic | 1890–91 | 1997–98 | [10] |
| Dundee United | 1910–11 | 1997–98 | [11] |
| Dunfermline Athletic F.C. | 1902–03 | 2010–11 | [12] |
| St Johnstone | 1897–98 | 2008–09 | [13] |
| Heart of Midlothian | 1890–91 | 1997–98 | [14] |
| Hibernian | 1893–94 | 1998–99 | [15] |
| Inverness CT | 1994–95 | 2003–04 | [16] |
| Kilmarnock | 1895–96 | 1997–98 | [17] |
| Motherwell | 1893–94 | 1997–98 | [18] |
| Rangers | 1890–91 | 1997–98 | [19] |
| St. Mirren | 1890–91 | 2005–06 | [20] |
| Club | First league season |
Last league season |
Current status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abercorn | 1890–91 | 1914–15 | Defunct effectively from 1920 due to being unable to secure a new ground, officially in 1922 (an annual club dinner however was held until 1939). | [21] |
| Airdrieonians | 1894–95 | 2001–02 | Technically defunct, but former owners took over the Clydebank club and renamed it as Airdrie United | [22][23] |
| Armadale | 1921–22 | 1931–32 | Defunct, reconstituted as Armadale Thistle playing in Junior leagues | [24] |
| Arthurlie | 1901–02 | 1928–29 | Competing in the SJFA West Premier League | [7][25] |
| Ayr | 1897–98 | 1909–10 | Merged with Ayr Parkhouse to form Ayr United | [26][27] |
| Ayr Parkhouse | 1902–03 | 1909–10 | Merged with Ayr to form Ayr United | [27][28] |
| Bathgate | 1921–22 | 1928–29[29] | Defunct | [30] |
| Beith | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Reformed as Beith Juniors and currently competing in the SJFA West Premier League | [7][31][32] |
| Bo'ness | 1921–22 | 1931–32 | Merged with Bo'ness Cadora to form Bo'ness United and currently competing in the SJFA East Premier League | [33][34] |
| Broxburn United | 1921–22 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [35] |
| Cambuslang | 1890–91 | 1891–92 | Defunct | [36] |
| Clackmannan | 1921–22 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [37] |
| Clydebank (original club) | 1914–15 | 1930–31 | Defunct | [38] |
| Clydebank (second club) | 1965–66 | 2001–02 | Taken over by the former owners of the defunct Airdrieonians, who renamed the club as Airdrie United whilst selling the rights to the name Clydebank FC to that side's supporters club | [23][39] |
| Cowlairs | 1890–91 | 1894–95 | Defunct | [40] |
| Dumbarton Harp | 1923–24 | 1924–25 | Defunct - although amateur side continues | [41] |
| Dundee Wanderers | 1894–95 | 1894–95 | Defunct | [42] |
| Dykehead | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [43] |
| Edinburgh City | 1931–32 | 1948–49 | Currently playing in the East of Scotland League Premier Division | [44][45] |
| Galston | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [46] |
| Gretna | 2002–03 | 2006–07[47] | Defunct, though a 'new' club set up by its supporters, Gretna 2008, play in the East of Scotland League at the same ground | [48][49] |
| Helensburgh | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [50] |
| Johnstone | 1912–13 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [51] |
| King's Park | 1921–22 | 1938–39 | Technically defunct - but see Stirling Albion | [52] |
| Leith Athletic | 1891–92 | 1952–53 | Defunct - revived version of the club currently competing in the East of Scotland League | [53] |
| Linthouse | 1895–96 | 1899–1900 | Defunct | [54] |
| Lochgelly United | 1914–15 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [55] |
| Meadowbank Thistle | 1974–75 | 1994–95 | Relocated and became Livingston. The current club considers its founding date to be 1995. | [56][57] |
| Mid-Annandale | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Defunct, revived version of the club currently competing in the South of Scotland League | [8][58] |
| Nithsdale Wanderers | 1923–24 | 1926–27 | Defunct, revived version of the club currently competing in the South of Scotland League | [8][59] |
| Northern | 1893–94 | 1893–94 | Defunct | [60] |
| Peebles Rovers | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Recently renamed Peebles and currently competing in the East of Scotland League Division One | [61][62] |
| Port Glasgow Athletic | 1893–94 | 1910–11 | Officially defunct, however the current Port Glasgow Juniors celebrated their "centenary" in 1993. | [63] |
| Renton | 1890–91 | 1897–98 | Defunct in 1922. Resurrected several times, most recently in 2008 | [64] |
| Royal Albert | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Currently competing in the SJFA West Central Division Two | [7][65] |
| Solway Star | 1923–24 | 1925–26 | Defunct | [66] |
| St Bernard's | 1893–94 | 1938–39 | Joined local Edinburgh & District Amateur League | [67] |
| Third Lanark | 1890–91 | 1966–67 | Defunct 1967, however amateur side has continued haphazardly in Glasgow amateur leagues | [68] |
| Thistle | 1893–94 | 1893–94 | Defunct | [69] |
| Vale of Leven | 1890–91 | 1925–26 | Currently competing in the SJFA West Central Division Two | [7][70] |
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