Scottish League Two

Last updated

Scottish League Two
Scottish League 2.svg
Founded2013;11 years ago (2013)
CountryScotland (10 teams)
Confederation UEFA
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid 4
Promotion to Scottish League One
Relegation to Highland Football League
Lowland Football League
Domestic cup(s) Scottish Cup
League cup(s) Scottish League Cup
Scottish Challenge Cup
Current champions Stenhousemuir (1st title) [note 1]
(2023–24)
Most championships Peterhead
(2 titles) [note 1]
TV partners BBC Alba
Website spfl.co.uk
Current: 2024–25 Scottish League Two

The Scottish League Two, known as William Hill League Two for sponsorship reasons, [1] is the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottish League Two was established in July 2013, after the Scottish Professional Football League was formed by a merger of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League. [2]

Contents

Since the 2014–15 season, the bottom team has entered a play-off against the winner of a play-off between the winners of the Highland and Lowland Leagues for a place in the following season's competition. [3]

Format

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned league champion. If points are equal, the goal difference determines the winner. If this still does not result in a winner, the tied teams must take part in a playoff game at a neutral venue to determine the final placings. [4]

Promotion and relegation

The champions are directly promoted to the Scottish League One, swapping places with the bottom club of League One. [4] The clubs finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th in League Two, and the 9th placed team in League One then enter the two-legged League One play-off. The 2nd-placed League Two club plays the 3rd-placed League Two club, whilst the team who finished 4th in League Two will play the 9th-placed League One side. The winners of these ties will then play each other. If a League Two play-off winner prevails, that club is promoted, with the League One club being relegated. If the League One side is victorious, they then retain their place in League One. [4]

Since season 2014–15, the bottom team in League Two enters a two-legged play-off against the winner of the Pyramid play-off between the Highland League and Lowland League champions. [4] If the Highland or Lowland team wins the final they are promoted to League Two, and the team finishing 10th is relegated to the regional league they have chosen prior to the start of the season (previously this depended on whether they were north or south of 56.4513N latitude). If the League Two side wins the play-off, they retain their place in the following season's competition. [4]

The following League Two play-off finals have been played:

SeasonWinning teamAggregate scoreLosing team
201415 Montrose 32 Brora Rangers
201516 Edinburgh City (P)21 East Stirlingshire (R)
201617 Cowdenbeath 11 (p) East Kilbride
201718 Cowdenbeath 32 Cove Rangers
201819 Cove Rangers (P)70 Berwick Rangers (R)
201920 No playoffs were held due to the Covid-19 pandemic
202021 Kelty Hearts (P)31 Brechin City (R)
202122 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (P)40 Cowdenbeath (R)
202223 The Spartans (P)21 Albion Rovers (R)
202324 Stranraer 53 (aet) East Kilbride

(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Teams

Listed below are all the teams competing in the 2023–24 Scottish League Two season, with details of the first season they entered the fourth tier; the first season of their current spell in the fourth tier; and the last time they won the fourth tier.

TeamPosition in 2022–23 First season in
fourth tier
First season of current
spell in fourth tier
Last title (4th tier)
Bonnyrigg Rose 2022–23 2022–23
Clyde 2010–11 2023–24
Dumbarton 1997–98 2022–23 2008–09
East Fife 1999–00 2022–23 2015–16
Elgin City 2000–01 2000–01
Forfar Athletic 1994–95 2021–22 1994–95
Peterhead 2000–01 2023–24 2013–14
Stenhousemuir 1998–99 2019–20
Stranraer 2003–04 2020–21 2003–04
The Spartans 2023–24 2023–24

Stadiums

Bonnyrigg Rose Clyde Dumbarton East Fife Elgin City
New Dundas Park New Douglas Park Dumbarton Football Stadium Bayview Stadium Borough Briggs
Capacity: 2,640Capacity: 6,018Capacity: 2,020 [5] Capacity: 1,980 [6] Capacity: 4,520 [7]
Bonnyrigg Red Rose 0 Brechin City 6.jpg New Douglas Park - 1.jpg Strathclyde Homes Stadium - Home Of Dumbarton FC - geograph.org.uk - 2586794.jpg
Methil power station.jpg
Borough briggs 3.jpg
Forfar Athletic Peterhead Stenhousemuir Stranraer The Spartans
Station Park Balmoor Ochilview Stair Park Ainslie Park
Capacity: 6,777 [8] Capacity: 3,150Capacity: 3,746 [9] Capacity: 4,178 [10] Capacity: 3,612
Station Park - geograph-1745780.jpg Peterhead, Balmoor Stadium.jpg Ochilview Park - Geograph-2010936-by-kim-traynor.jpg SFC - geograph.org.uk - 2580704.jpg Ainslie Park, Edinburgh (geograph 5087309).jpg

Statistics

Championships

SeasonWinnerRunner-upTop scorer
PlayerGoals
2013–14 Peterhead Annan Athletic Rory McAllister (Peterhead)32
2014–15 Albion Rovers Queen's Park Peter Weatherson (Annan Athletic)22
2015–16 East Fife Elgin City Nathan Austin (East Fife)22
2016–17 Arbroath Forfar Athletic Shane Sutherland (Elgin City)18
2017–18 Montrose Peterhead David Goodwillie (Clyde)25
2018–19 Peterhead Clyde Blair Henderson (Edinburgh City)30
2019–20 [11] Cove Rangers Edinburgh City Mitch Megginson (Cove Rangers)24
2020–21 Queen's Park Edinburgh City Kane Hester (Elgin City)15
2021–22 Kelty Hearts Forfar Athletic Nathan Austin (Kelty Hearts)17
2022–23 Stirling Albion Dumbarton Tommy Goss (Annan Athletic)23
2023–24 Stenhousemuir Peterhead Blair Henderson (The Spartans)18

Top goalscorers

As of 29 September 2023 [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]
RankPlayerClub(s) [note 2] Goals
1Blair Henderson Annan Athletic (2014), (2017–2018)
Berwick Rangers (2015–2016)
Stirling Albion (2016–2017)
Edinburgh City (2018–2021)
The Spartans (2023–)
87
2 Shane Sutherland Elgin City (2013–2015; 2016–2019)
Peterhead (2019)
Elgin City (2019–2020)
75
3 Rory McAllister Peterhead (2013–2014; 2017–2019)
Cove Rangers (2020)
Peterhead (2023–)
70
4Kane Hester Arbroath (2015–2017)
Elgin City (2019–2023)
63
5Brian CameronElgin City (2013–)59

Italics denotes players still playing football,
Bold denotes players still playing in Scottish League Two.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Scottish League Two has only existed since 2013. For a complete record of clubs that have won the Scottish fourth tier, see List of winners of the Scottish League Two and predecessors.
  2. Clubs only include those where players scored goals in the Scottish League Two.

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