List of winners of the Scottish Championship and predecessors

A national second tier of Scottish league football was established in season 1893–94, as Division Two. Until the 1921–22 season, promotion was not automatic but decided by Scottish Football League clubs on a ballot basis, thus some champion teams were able to retain the title. In the 1946–47 season it became known as the B Division before being changed back to Division Two for season 1955–56.

The second tier became known as the First Division in season 1975–76, when the top division (Division One) became the Premier Division, although its status within the Scottish football league system league system changed in 1998–99 when clubs from the top tier (Premier Division) broke away to form the Scottish Premier League. The First Division was still the second tier in the Scottish league system, but was the top level of the Scottish Football League rather than the second. The Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League merged in 2013 to form the Scottish Professional Football League, with the second tier becoming known as the Scottish Championship.

Scottish Football League Division Two (1893–1946)

[edit]
Season Winner Runner-up Third
1893–94 Hibernian Cowlairs Clyde
1894–95 Hibernian (2) Motherwell Port Glasgow Athletic and
Renton
1895–96 Abercorn Leith Athletic Renton and
Kilmarnock
1896–97 Partick Thistle Leith Athletic Kilmarnock and
Airdrieonians
1897–98 Kilmarnock Port Glasgow Athletic Morton
1898–99 Kilmarnock (2) Leith Athletic Port Glasgow Athletic
1899–1900 Partick Thistle (2) Morton Port Glasgow Athletic
1900–01 St Bernard's Airdrieonians Abercorn
1901–02 Port Glasgow Athletic Partick Thistle Motherwell
1902–03 Airdrieonians Motherwell Ayr and
Leith Athletic
1903–04 Hamilton Academical Clyde Ayr
1904–05 Clyde Falkirk Hamilton Academical
1905–06 Leith Athletic Clyde Albion Rovers
1906–07 St Bernard's (2) Vale of Leven and
Arthurlie
1907–08 Raith Rovers Dumbarton and
Ayr
1908–09 Abercorn (2) Raith Rovers and
Vale of Leven
1909–10[A] Leith Athletic (2) and
Raith Rovers (2)
St Bernard's
1910–11 Dumbarton Ayr United Albion Rovers
1911–12 Ayr United Abercorn Dumbarton
1912–13 Ayr United (2) Dunfermline Athletic East Stirlingshire
1913–14 Cowdenbeath Albion Rovers Dundee Hibernian and
Dunfermline Athletic
1914–15 Cowdenbeath (2) Leith Athletic St Bernard's
1915–1921 Second tier suspended due to World War I
1921–22 Alloa Athletic Cowdenbeath Armadale
1922–23 Queen's Park Clydebank St Johnstone
1923–24 St Johnstone Cowdenbeath Bathgate
1924–25 Dundee United Clydebank Clyde
1925–26 Dunfermline Athletic Clyde Ayr United
1926–27 Bo'ness Raith Rovers Clydebank
1927–28 Ayr United (3) Third Lanark King's Park
1928–29 Dundee United (2) Morton Arbroath
1929–30 Leith Athletic (3) East Fife Albion Rovers
1930–31 Third Lanark Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic
1931–32 East Stirlingshire St Johnstone Raith Rovers
1932–33 Hibernian (3) Queen of the South Dunfermline Athletic
1933–34 Albion Rovers Dunfermline Athletic Arbroath
1934–35 Third Lanark (2) Arbroath St Bernard's
1935–36 Falkirk St Mirren Morton
1936–37 Ayr United (4) Morton St Bernard's
1937–38 Raith Rovers (3) Albion Rovers Airdrieonians
1938–39 Cowdenbeath (3) Alloa Athletic East Fife
1939–1946 League suspended due to World War II
A Before 1915 clubs finishing on equal points would play-off for the title. In 1909–10 Leith Athletic and Raith Rovers both finished with 33 points but decided not to play-off for the title and were therefore declared joint Champions.[1]

Scottish Football League Division B (1946–1955)

[edit]
Season Winner Runner-up Third Top scorer[2]
Player Goals
1946–47 Dundee Airdrieonians East Fife Bobby Flavell (Airdrieonians) 38
1947–48 East Fife Albion Rovers Hamilton Academical Henry Morris (East Fife) 39
1948–49 Raith Rovers (4) Stirling Albion Airdrieonians Willie Penman (Raith Rovers) 35
1949–50 Morton Airdrieonians Dunfermline Athletic Neil Mochan (Morton) 24
1950–51 Queen of the South Stirling Albion Ayr United Peter McKay (Dundee United) 31
1951–52 Clyde (2) Falkirk Ayr United Billy McPhail (Clyde) 36
1952–53 Stirling Albion Hamilton Academical Queen's Park James Cunningham (Alloa Athletic) 26
1953–54 Motherwell Kilmarnock Third Lanark Jimmy Inglis (Cowdenbeath)
Ian Roger (St Johnstone)
29
1954–55 Airdrieonians (2) Dunfermline Athletic Hamilton Academical Hugh Baird (Airdrieonians) 34

Scottish Football League Division Two (1955–1975)

[edit]
Season Winner Runner-up Third Top scorer[2]
Player Goals
1955–56 Queen's Park (2) Ayr United St Johnstone Peter Price (Ayr United) 41
1956–57 Clyde (3) Third Lanark Cowdenbeath Basil Keogh (Clyde) 36
1957–58 Stirling Albion (2) Dunfermline Athletic Arbroath Peter Price (Ayr United) 45
1958–59 Ayr United (5) Arbroath Stenhousemuir David Easson (Arbroath) 45
1959–60 St Johnstone (2) Dundee United Queen of the South John Liddell (St Johnstone) 26
1960–61 Stirling Albion (3) Falkirk Stenhousemuir David Campbell (Stenhousemuir) 30
1961–62 Clyde (4) Queen of the South Morton Peter Smith (Alloa Athletic) 30
1962–63 St Johnstone (3) East Stirlingshire Morton Allan McGraw (Morton) 29
1963–64 Morton (2) Clyde Arbroath Allan McGraw (Morton) 51
1964–65 Stirling Albion (4) Hamilton Academical Queen of the South William Forsyth (Hamilton Academical) 33
1965–66 Ayr United (6) Airdrieonians Queen of the South Tommy Murray (Airdrieonians) 33
1966–67 Morton (3) Raith Rovers Arbroath Joe Mason (Morton) 34
1967–68 St Mirren Arbroath East Fife Dennis Bruce (Arbroath) 32
1968–69 Motherwell (2) Ayr United East Fife John Deans (Motherwell) 30
1969–70 Falkirk (2) Cowdenbeath Queen of the South John Dickson (Cowdenbeath) 31
1970–71 Partick Thistle (3) East Fife Arbroath Jimmy Jack (Arbroath)
Kenny Wilson (Dumbarton)
28
1971–72 Dumbarton (2) Arbroath Stirling Albion Kenny Wilson (Dumbarton) 38
1972–73 Clyde (5) Dunfermline Athletic Stirling Albion Brian Third (Montrose) 28
1973–74 Airdrieonians (3) Kilmarnock Hamilton Academical Ian Fleming (Kilmarnock) 32
1974–75 Falkirk (3) Queen of the South Montrose Ian Reid (Queen of the South) 27

Scottish Football League First Division (1975–2013)

[edit]
Season Winner Runner-up Third Top scorer[2]
Player Goals
1975–76 Partick Thistle (4) Kilmarnock Montrose John Bourke (Dumbarton)
John Whiteford (Falkirk)
17
1976–77 St Mirren (2) Clydebank Dundee Billy Pirie (Dundee) 36
1977–78 Morton (4) Heart of Midlothian Dundee Billy Pirie (Dundee) 35
1978–79 Dundee (2) Kilmarnock Clydebank Blair Millar (Clydebank) 28
1979–80 Heart of Midlothian Airdrieonians Ayr United John Brogan (St Johnstone)
Sandy Clark (Airdrieonians)
22
1980–81 Hibernian (4) Dundee St Johnstone Ally McCoist (St Johnstone) 22
1981–82 Motherwell (3) Kilmarnock Heart of Midlothian Blair Millar (Clydebank) 20
1982–83 St Johnstone (4) Heart of Midlothian Clydebank Bobby Williamson (Clydebank) 23
1983–84 Morton (5) Dumbarton Partick Thistle Derek Frye (Clyde)
John McNeil (Morton)
17
1984–85 Motherwell (4) Clydebank Falkirk Gerry McCoy (Falkirk) 22
1985–86 Hamilton Academical (2) Falkirk Kilmarnock Ken Eadie (Brechin City) 22
1986–87 Morton (6) Dunfermline Athletic Dumbarton Rowan Alexander (Morton) 23
1987–88 Hamilton Academical (3) Meadowbank Thistle Clydebank Gordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 25
1988–89 Dunfermline Athletic (2) Falkirk Clydebank Kenny MacDonald (Airdrieonians) 22
1989–90 St Johnstone (5) Airdrieonians Clydebank Ken Eadie (Clydebank) 21
1990–91 Falkirk (4) Airdrieonians Dundee Gordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 25
1991–92 Dundee (3) Partick Thistle Hamilton Academical Gordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 26
1992–93 Raith Rovers (5) Kilmarnock Dunfermline Athletic Gordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 33
1993–94 Falkirk (5) Dunfermline Athletic Airdrieonians Peter Duffield (Hamilton Academical) 19
1994–95 Raith Rovers (6) Dunfermline Athletic Dundee Peter Duffield (Hamilton Academical) 20
1995–96 Dunfermline Athletic (3) Dundee United Greenock Morton George O'Boyle (St Johnstone) 21
1996–97 St Johnstone (6) Airdrieonians Dundee Roddy Grant (St Johnstone) 19
1997–98 Dundee (4) Falkirk Raith Rovers James Grady (Dundee) 15
1998–99 Hibernian (5) Falkirk Ayr United Glynn Hurst (Ayr United) 18
1999–2000 St Mirren (3) Dunfermline Athletic Falkirk Mark Yardley (St Mirren) 19
2000–01 Livingston Ayr United Falkirk Dennis Wyness (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) 24
2001–02 Partick Thistle (5) Airdrieonians Ayr United Owen Coyle (Airdrieonians) 23
2002–03 Falkirk (6) Clyde St Johnstone Owen Coyle (Falkirk) 20
2003–04 Inverness Caledonian Thistle Clyde St Johnstone Ian Harty (Clyde) 15
2004–05 Falkirk (7) St Mirren Clyde Darryl Duffy (Falkirk) 17
2005–06 St Mirren (4) St Johnstone Hamilton Academical Bryan Prunty (Airdrie United)
Jason Scotland (St Johnstone)
15
2006–07 Gretna St Johnstone Dundee Colin McMenamin (Gretna) 20
2007–08 Hamilton Academical (4) Dundee St Johnstone Richard Offiong (Hamilton Academical) 19
2008–09 St Johnstone (7) Partick Thistle Dunfermline Athletic Stephen Dobbie (Queen of the South) 24
2009–10 Inverness Caledonian Thistle (2) Dundee Dunfermline Athletic Adam Rooney (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) 24
2010–11 Dunfermline Athletic (4) Raith Rovers Falkirk Mark Stewart (Falkirk)
Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle)
15
2011–12 Ross County Dundee Falkirk Colin McMenamin (Ross County) 19
2012–13 Partick Thistle (6) Greenock Morton Falkirk Stevie May (Hamilton Academical) 25

Scottish Championship (2013–)

[edit]
Season Winner Runner-up Third Top scorer
Player Goals
2013–14 Dundee (5) Hamilton Academical Falkirk Rory Loy (Falkirk) 20
2014–15 Heart of Midlothian (2) Hibernian Rangers Jason Cummings (Hibernian) 18
2015–16 Rangers Falkirk Hibernian Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) 20
2016–17 Hibernian (6) Falkirk Dundee United Jason Cummings (Hibernian)
Stephen Dobbie (Queen of the South)
19
2017–18 St Mirren (5) Livingston Dundee United Stephen Dobbie (Queen of the South) 18
2018–19 Ross County (2) Dundee United Inverness Caledonian Thistle Lawrence Shankland (Ayr United) 24
2019–20 Dundee United (3) Inverness Caledonian Thistle Dundee Lawrence Shankland (Dundee United) 24
2020–21 Heart of Midlothian (3) Dundee Raith Rovers Liam Boyce (Heart of Midlothian) 14
2021–22 Kilmarnock (3) Arbroath Inverness Caledonian Thistle Michael McKenna (Arbroath) 15
2022–23 Dundee (6) Ayr United Queen's Park Dipo Akinyemi (Ayr United) 20
2023–24 Dundee United (4) Raith Rovers Partick Thistle Brian Graham (Partick Thistle) 20

Total titles won

[edit]
As of 4 May 2024
Club Winners Runners-up Third
Falkirk 7 9 7
St Johnstone 7 3 6
Dundee 6 5 7
Ayr United 6 5 6
Raith Rovers 6 5 3
Greenock Morton 6 4 5
Partick Thistle 6 3 2
Hibernian 6 1 1
Clyde 5 6 3
St Mirren 5 2
Dunfermline Athletic 4 9 7
Dundee United 4 4 3
Hamilton Academical 4 3 6
Stirling Albion 4 2 2
Motherwell 4 2 1
Airdrieonians (1878) 3 9 4
Kilmarnock 3 6 3
Leith Athletic 3 4 1
Cowdenbeath 3 3 1
Heart of Midlothian 3 2 1
Dumbarton 2 2 2
Third Lanark 2 2 1
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2 1 2
Abercorn 2 1 1
Queen's Park 2 1 1
St Bernard's 2 4
Ross County 2
Queen of the South 1 3 4
Albion Rovers 1 3 3
East Fife 1 2 4
Port Glasgow Athletic 1 1 3
East Stirlingshire 1 1 1
Alloa Athletic 1 1
Livingston 1 1
Rangers 1 1
Bo'ness 1
Gretna 1
Arbroath 5 6
Clydebank (1965) 2 5
Clydebank (1914) 2 1
Vale of Leven 2
Ayr 1 2
Arthurlie 1
Cowlairs 1
Meadowbank Thistle 1
Montrose 2
Renton 2
Stenhousemuir 2
Armadale 1
Bathgate 1
King's Park 1

References

[edit]

Specific

  1. ^ "Scottish Football League Division Two Champions 1894–1922". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "Scottish Football League & Scottish Premier League Top goalscorers per division". Scottish Football History. Archived from the original on 23 September 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.

General