The Scottish Football League/Scottish Premier League
Formed in 1890, the SFL is the third oldest national league in the world (the Irish League was formed three weeks earlier). Originally the competition was strictly amateur, (professionalism was not recognised in Scotland until 1893) and formed of eleven clubs, ten of which were based in the West of Scotland. Of the original members, only Celtic, Dumbarton, Hearts, Rangers and St Mirren survive to this day.
Scotland is unique in having three quite separate governing bodies and structures for the sport. "Senior" competition is governed by the Scottish FA (SFA) and includes members of the Scottish Premier League, the Scottish Football League, Highland League etc. "Junior" clubs play at a level below that of the Senior clubs and are governed by the Scottish Junior FA (SJFA). "Junior" refers to the standard rather than the age of the players. Junior and Senior clubs do not compete against each other (with a few historical exceptions) and there is no mechanism for clubs to progress from Junior to Senior status. Some clubs who dropped out of the Scottish League continue to play within the Junior framework. A third body, the Scottish Amateur Football Association (SAFA) oversees some 1,000 clubs in 67 different local leagues playing at a lower level. Unlike England, there is no pyramid structure in Scotland and while clubs are free to change affiliation, they cannot progress through the different levels.
The Scottish Premier League broke away in 1998.
The SFA commissioned McLeish Report (2010), which called for a wholesale reorganisation of Scottish professional football, was shelved although the Rangers debacle in 2012 reinvigorated calls for reform of what many supporters and commentators regarded as a discredited and fragmented structure lacking leadership.
Between 1927 and 1929 the Scottish Football League directed that clubs should wear white shorts at home and black shorts when playing away. Up until 1981-82 the home club changed when there was a clash.
Dave Moor (August 2012)
- Abercorn
- Aberdeen
- Airdrie
- Airdrieonians
- Albion Rovers
- Alloa Athletic
- Annan Athletic
- Arbroath
- Armadale
- Arthurlie
- Ayr
- Ayr Parkhouse
- Ayr United
- Bathgate
- Beith
- Berwick Rangers
- Bo'ness
- Brechin City
- Broxburn United
- Cambuslang
- Celtic
- Clackmannan
- Clyde
- Clydebank (Original)
- Clydebank (Modern)
- Cowdenbeath
- Cowlairs
- Dundee
- Dundee Hibernian
- Dundee United
- Dundee Wanderers
- Dunfermline Athletic
- Dykehead
- East Fife
- East Stirlingshire
- Edinburgh City
- Elgin City
- ES Clydebank
- Falkirk
- Forfar Athletic
- Galston
- Greenock Morton
- Gretna
- Hamilton Academical
- Heart of Midlothian
- Helensburgh
- Hibernian
- Inverness Caledonian Thistle
- Johnstone
- Kilmarnock
- King's Park
- Leith Athletic
- Linthouse
- Livingston
- Lochgelly United
- Meadowbank Thistle
- Mid-Annandale
- Montrose
- Motherwell
- Nithsdale Wanderers
- Northern
- Partick Thistle
- Peebles Rovers
- Peterhead
- Port Glasgow Athletic
- Queen of the South
- Queen's Park
- Raith Rovers
- Rangers
- Renton
- Ross County
- Royal Albert
- Solway Star
- St Bernards
- St Johnstone
- St Mirren
- Stenhousemuir
- Stirling Albion
- Stranraer
- 3rd Lanarkshire Rifle Vol.
- Third Lanark
- Thistle
- Vale of Leven