Scottish Premier League
| Scottish Premier League |
|---|
 Scottish Premier League 2007-08 |
 |
| Founded |
| 1998 |
| Nation |
Scotland |
| Relegation to |
| S.F.L. First Division |
| Number of teams |
| 12 |
| European qualification |
| Champions League UEFA Cup Intertoto Cup |
| Champions (2006-07) |
| Celtic FC |
| Most Successful Club |
| Celtic FC (5) |
| Website |
| Official |
The Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League commonly known as the Scottish Premier League, Premier League or SPL is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top level of the Scottish football league system - above the Scottish Football League. Per head of population, more people in Scotland watch their domestic top level league than any other nation in Europe.[1] The Scottish Premier League is currently ranked eleventh in the UEFA rankings of European leagues, which are based on the performances of member clubs in European competitions.[2] The current champions of Scotland and holders of the SPL title are Celtic.
History
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 was perceived to be stagnant, and it was decided to split into a three divisional structure (Premier Division, First Division and Second Division).
This setup continued until the mid-1990s when it was decided to split into a four divisional structure with the addition of a Third Division.
Formation of the SPL
In 1998, the football clubs in the Premier Division decided to split from the Scottish Football League and form the Scottish Premier League, following an earlier example in England in 1992. 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 between clubs in every league; after the SPL was formed, this was no longer the case.
Originally the SPL contained 10 clubs, but it subsequently enlarged to 12 for the 2000-01 season onwards. The increase from 10 clubs to 12 was part of the deal offered to obtain approval from SFL member clubs. Since then, the SPL has operated a "split league format" to prevent the need for a 44-game schedule, which has been tried in the past, but is now considered to be too high a number of games in a league season. 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. In the 2005/2006 season, the 7th-placed club (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) gained more points than the 4th-placed club (Hibernian).
Promotion and relegation
Providing they meet certain criteria regarding their stadium, the top club from the Scottish First Division is promoted to the SPL, with the 12th-placed SPL club relegated.
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 stadium size criterion for entry to the SPL was reduced to 6,000, thereby allowing Inverness Caledonian Thistle to return to their home stadium partway during the season.
SPL 2?
On Thursday, 17 August 2006, SPL Chairman Lex Gold announced a proposal to create an "SPL 2" with the teams from the First Division.[3] The new league structure would started in the 2008-09 season and would have promotion and relegation from the next highest level of the SFL.
The SPL 2 concept is unpopular with fans of some SFL clubs because they fear that their clubs would be cut off from the higher levels of the game due to the entry criteria that are proposed for membership of SPL 2. These include having full-time football, a 3000 all-seated stadium and pitch protection, each of which would be uneconomic for most clubs in the Scottish Second Division and the Scottish Third Division.
Some SFL clubs, however, were very much in favour of the proposal because the SFL had no title sponsor in place for either the league or Challenge Cup competitions. In July 2007, however, Scottish drink manufacturers AG Barr agreed to sponsor the SFL with their main brand, Irn-Bru. This deal seemingly weakened the argument for an SPL2. Setanta Sports have been rumoured to be interested in broadcasting SFL highlights because this would allow access to the archives of SFL Premier Division games.
Many supporters disagree with the formation of the SPL 2, and would prefer to see a reduction in Scottish leagues to two enlarged divisions in order to see teams playing less frequently than 4 times a season. The small league format has been criticised as boring and repetitive, particularly as cup competitions can result in teams playing each other up to 7 times in one season. Another option would be a pyramid system to provide access to the SFL for clubs presently outside senior football, similar to the format of the English Conference.
Sponsorship
The Bank of Scotland, who had sponsored the league since its formation, did not renew their sponsorship at the end of the 2006-07 season. Talks began with Clydesdale Bank,[4] and a deal was confirmed shortly afterwards. A four-year deal for £8m came into effect from July 2007.[5]
Media coverage
Irish broadcasting firm Setanta Sports currently hold the rights to broadcast televised live and exclusive Scottish Premier League games. Setanta won the rights in 2004[6] and began broadcasting in season 2004-05. The rights were previously owned by Sky Sports and BBC Scotland. STV's Scotsport currently own the rights to broadcast highlights of each game, held jointly with BBC Scotland's Sportscene from season 2007-08 onwards. Radio broadcasting rights are held by BBC Radio Scotland,[7] who also own Internet broadcasting rights of all matches to online listeners.
SPL clubs
SPL members for 2007-08
The following twelve clubs will be competing in the Scottish Premier League during the 2007-08 season.
| Club |
Finishing position in 2006–07 |
|---|---|
| Aberdeen | 3rd |
| Celtic | 1st |
| Dundee United | 9th |
| Falkirk | 7th |
| Gretna | 1st in Scottish First Division |
| Hearts | 4th |
| Hibernian | 6th |
| Inverness | 8th |
| Kilmarnock | 5th |
| Motherwell | 10th |
| Rangers | 2nd |
| St. Mirren | 11th |
Former SPL members
These are previous members in reverse order of them losing membership, dates are the period that the club was in the SPL.
| Club |
Period in SPL |
|---|---|
| Dunfermline | 1998 - 1999, 2000 - 2007 |
| Livingston | 2001 - 2006 |
| Dundee | 1998 - 2005 |
| Partick Thistle | 2002 - 2004 |
| St. Johnstone | 1998 - 2002 |
Current member club, St Mirren, were previously in the SPL for one season during 2000/2001, having won promotion the previous season but were relegated the at the end of the 2000/2001 season. Currently they are the only club to be relegated after just one SPL season after promotion, but are also the only club to have managed to be promoted into the SPL twice. Dunfermline are the only club to have been relegated twice.
Stadia
| Overall Rank |
Stadium | Capacity | Club | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic Park | 60,832 | Celtic F.C. | Celtic Park took 59.9% of the votes in a BBC Radio Five Live Poll on the UK's favourite sporting venue. It is also the second-largest club football stadium in the UK after Old Trafford. |
| 2 | Ibrox Stadium | 51,444 | Rangers F.C. | Ibrox Stadium is one of two UEFA 5 Star Stadiums in Scotland (the other being Hampden Park). |
| 3 | Pittodrie Stadium | 22,199 | Aberdeen F.C. | |
| 4 | Rugby Park | 18,128 | Kilmarnock F.C. | |
| 5 | Easter Road | 17,500 | Hibernian F.C. | |
| 6 | Tynecastle Stadium | 17,420 | Heart of Midlothian F.C. | Hearts often play European and big games at Murrayfield Stadium. |
| 7 | Tannadice Park | 14,209 | Dundee United F.C. | |
| 8 | Fir Park | 13,742 | Motherwell F.C. & Gretna F.C. |
Gretna will groundshare with Motherwell while they redevelop their Raydale Park into an SPL-compliant venue. |
| 9 | Love Street | 10,800 | St. Mirren F.C. | St Mirren will move to a new 8,000 seater stadium for 2008/2009 season |
| 10 | Caledonian Stadium | 7,500 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. | |
| 11 | Falkirk Stadium | 6,935 | Falkirk F.C. | Falkirk are currently in building work to expand their newly built stadium. |
| 12 | Raydale Park | 0 | Gretna F.C. | Currently being rebuilt. |
All-Time SPL Table
The All-Time SPL Table is a cumulative record of all SPL matches played since the inception of the SPL, in 1998. The table is accurate from the 1998/1999 season through the 2006/2007 season, inclusive.[1]
| Pos. | Club | Seasons | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals for |
Goals against |
Goal +/- |
Points total |
Points average |
1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic | 9 | 338 | 252 | 46 | 40 | 804 | 277 | 527 | 802 | 2.37 | 5 | 4 | |
| 2 | Rangers | 9 | 338 | 229 | 63 | 46 | 715 | 272 | 443 | 750 | 2.22 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | Hearts | 9 | 338 | 143 | 83 | 112 | 473 | 395 | 78 | 512 | 1.51 | 1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Kilmarnock | 9 | 338 | 124 | 82 | 132 | 430 | 491 | -61 | 453 | 1.34 | |||
| 5 | Aberdeen | 9 | 338 | 118 | 79 | 141 | 408 | 489 | -81 | 433 | 1.28 | 1 | ||
| 6 | Hibernian | 8 | 302 | 112 | 73 | 117 | 435 | 435 | 0 | 409 | 1.36 | 2 | ||
| 7 | Motherwell | 9 | 338 | 102 | 79 | 157 | 404 | 533 | -129 | 385 | 1.14 | |||
| 8 | Dundee United | 9 | 338 | 85 | 91 | 162 | 351 | 539 | -188 | 346 | 1.02 | |||
| 9 | Dunfermline | 8 | 302 | 78 | 79 | 145 | 295 | 483 | -188 | 313 | 1.04 | |||
| 10 | Dundee | 7 | 262 | 80 | 61 | 121 | 308 | 412 | -104 | 301 | 1.14 | |||
| 11 | Livingston | 5 | 190 | 48 | 46 | 97 | 205 | 306 | -101 | 189 | 0.94 | 1 | ||
| 12 | St. Johnstone | 4 | 148 | 39 | 43 | 66 | 139 | 200 | -61 | 160 | 1.08 | 1 | ||
| 13 | Inverness CT | 3 | 114 | 37 | 37 | 40 | 134 | 133 | 1 | 148 | 1.30 | |||
| 14 | Falkirk | 2 | 76 | 23 | 14 | 39 | 84 | 111 | -27 | 83 | 1.09 | |||
| 15 | St. Mirren | 2 | 76 | 16 | 18 | 42 | 63 | 123 | -60 | 66 | 0.87 | |||
| 16 | Partick Thistle | 2 | 76 | 14 | 19 | 43 | 76 | 125 | -49 | 61 | 0.80 | |||
| 17 | Gretna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Top scorers
Former Celtic player Henrik Larsson has scored the most goals in the SPL since its inauguration in season 1998-99, with 173 goals. Rangers striker Kris Boyd has the most goals of any currently active Premier League player.
Up to date as of 13 August 2007 (match(es) inclusive)
- Players emboldened are currently active in Premier League team's squad
SPL managers
The following is a list of the current managers in the SPL. The list is arranged chronologically by appointment.
SPL season summary
SPL records
Data accurate as at 21 May 2007
- Most goals in a season: Celtic, 105 goals, 2003/04
- Fewest goals in a season: St Johnstone, 24 goals, 2001/02
- Most points in one season: Celtic, 103 points, 2001/02
- Fewest points in a season: Livingston, 18 points, 2005/06
- Fewest goals conceded in one season: Celtic, 28 goals, 2001/02
- Most goals conceded in a season: Aberdeen, 83 goals, 1999/00
- Biggest goal difference in a season: Celtic, 70, 2003/04
- Biggest home win: Celtic 7-0 Aberdeen (1999/00 and 2002/03); Hibernian 7-0 Livingston (2005/06)
- Biggest away win: St. Johnstone 0-7 Rangers (1998/99); Dunfermline Athletic 1-8 Celtic (2005/06)
- Most away wins in a season: Celtic, 13, 2000/2001
- Fewest away wins in a season: Dunfermline, 0, 1998/1999
- Most away defeats in a season: Livingston, 16, 2005/2006
- Fewest home defeats in a season: Celtic, 0, 2001/2002
- Top goalscorer in any one season: Henrik Larsson, 35 goals, 2000/01 Celtic
- Player with most hat-tricks: Henrik Larsson, 12, 1998-2004
- Top goalscorer in any one game: Kenny Miller, 5, 4/11/2000, Rangers v St Mirren; Kris Boyd, 5, 25/9/2004, Kilmarnock v Dundee Utd
- Oldest player: Andy Millen, for St. Mirren vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle, 41 years 343 days, 19 May 2007
- Youngest player: Jamie McCluskey, for Hibernian vs Kilmarnock, 16 years 2 months and 18 days, 24 January 2004
- Youngest goalscorer: David Goodwillie, for Dundee United vs Hibernian, 16 years 11 months and 4 days, 4 March 2006
- Most consecutive clean-sheets: Robert Douglas, Celtic, 7 games, 16 December 2000 - 21 February 2001
- Most SPL appearances: Steven Pressley, 285 (correct to the end of the 2006-07 season)
References
- ^ Clydesdale is SPL's new sponsor. BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2007-06-01.
- ^ UEFA Country Ranking 2008. UEFA. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
- ^ "SPL to create a second division", BBC News, 2006-08-17. Retrieved on 2006-08-19.
- ^ "Clydesdale in SPL sponsor talks", BBC Sport website, October 11, 2006.
- ^ "Clydesdale are new SPL sponsors", BBC Sport website, October 19, 2006.
- ^ "Setanta wins SPL TV deal", BBC Sport website, 2004-02-26.
- ^ "BBC welcomes radio deal", BBC Sport website, 2004-02-26.
- ^ Clubs only include those where players scored goals
- ^ Some sources incorrectly state 101 goals
- ^ a b Manager was appointed when club was playing in the Scottish Football League
See also
- Scottish Football League Premier Division
- List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues
- Scottish Premier League monthly awards
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
