Scottish football champions
The trophies awarded to the Scottish champions prior to 1998 (top) and subsequently
Founded
Editions completed
125
Number of teams
12
Current champions
Country
Scotland
Most titles won
Rangers
(55 times champions, including 1 shared)

The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League (SFL) from 1890 until 1998, the Scottish Premier League (SPL) from 1998 until 2013 and the Scottish Premiership thereafter.

The SFL was established in 1890, initially as an amateur league until professionalism in Scottish football was legalised in 1893.[1] At the end of the first season, Dumbarton and Rangers finished level on points at the top of the table. The rules in force at the time required that the teams contest a play-off match for the championship, which finished in a 2–2 draw, and the first ever championship was thus shared between two clubs, the only occasion on which this has happened.[2] In 1893, a lower division was formed, with the existing division renamed Division One. The higher tier continued during World War I but the league was suspended altogether during World War II.[3] Although there were several short spells when a third level was created, the two-division structure remained largely in place until 1975, when a major re-organisation of the league led to a new three-tier setup and the creation of a new Premier Division at the highest level. In 1998, the teams then in the Premier Division broke away to form the SPL, which supplanted the Premier Division as the highest level of football in Scotland.[4] The SPL and SFL merged in 2013 to form the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), which branded its top division as the Scottish Premiership.[5]

Throughout its existence the championship of Scottish football has been dominated by two Glasgow clubs, Celtic and Rangers. The two rivals, who are collectively known as the "Old Firm", have claimed the vast majority of league titles. As of 2023, Rangers have won 55 and Celtic 53, while no other club has won the title on more than four occasions. No club outside the Old Firm has won the title since the 1984–85 season, when the Aberdeen side managed by Alex Ferguson won the Premier Division.[6] The current 38-year period of dominance by the Old Firm is a record; the previous longest streak was 27 years, between 1904 and 1931. Each of the Old Firm clubs has managed a run of nine consecutive championships: Celtic from 1966 to 1974 and again from 2012 to 2020,[7] and Rangers from 1989 to 1997. Each of the two clubs has also claimed the double, by winning the league and the Scottish Cup in the same season, on many occasions.[8] As of the end of the 2022–23 season, Celtic have won 19 doubles and Rangers 18. The only other club to have won a league and Scottish Cup double is Aberdeen, in 198384.[9] Both Old Firm clubs have completed a treble (Celtic 8 times; Rangers 7) by also winning the Scottish League Cup.[9][10] In the 1966–67 season, Celtic took all three domestic trophies, and also won the European Cup to complete the only quadruple to date.[11]

Champions

Key:

Club won the Scottish Cup
Club won the Scottish League Cup
Club won both domestic cups

Scottish Football League (1890–1893)

Season Champions[12] Runners-up[12] Third place[12] Top scorer(s)[13]
Player Goals
1890–91 Dumbarton (1) and
Rangers (1)[lower-alpha 1]
Celtic Jack Bell (Dumbarton)20
1891–92 Dumbarton (2) Celtic Heart of Midlothian Jack Bell (Dumbarton)23
1892–93 Celtic (1) Rangers St Mirren Sandy McMahon (Celtic)
John Campbell (Celtic)
11

Scottish Football League Division One (1893–1946)

Season Champions[12] Runners-up[12] Third place[12] Top scorer(s)[13]
Player Goals
1893–94 Celtic (2) Heart of Midlothian St Bernard's Sandy McMahon (Celtic)16
1894–95 Heart of Midlothian (1) Celtic Rangers John Miller (Clyde)12
1895–96 Celtic (3) Rangers Hibernian Allan Martin (Celtic)19
1896–97 Heart of Midlothian (2) Hibernian Rangers Willie Taylor (Heart of Midlothian)12
1897–98 Celtic (4) Rangers Hibernian Robert Hamilton (Rangers)18
1898–99 Rangers (2) Heart of Midlothian Celtic Robert Hamilton (Rangers)25
1899–1900 Rangers (3) Celtic Hibernian Robert Hamilton (Rangers)
William Michael (Heart of Midlothian)
15
1900–01 Rangers (4) Celtic Hibernian Robert Hamilton (Rangers)20
1901–02 Rangers (5) Celtic Heart of Midlothian William Maxwell (Third Lanark)10
1902–03 Hibernian (1) Dundee Rangers David Reid (Hibernian)14
1903–04 Third Lanark (1) Heart of Midlothian Celtic and Rangers Robert Hamilton (Rangers)28
1904–05 Celtic (5)[lower-alpha 2] Rangers Third Lanark Robert Hamilton (Rangers)
Jimmy Quinn (Celtic)
19
1905–06 Celtic (6) Heart of Midlothian Airdrieonians Jimmy Quinn (Celtic)20
1906–07 Celtic (7) Dundee Rangers Jimmy Quinn (Celtic)29
1907–08 Celtic (8) Falkirk Rangers Jock Simpson (Falkirk)32
1908–09 Celtic (9) Dundee Clyde John Hunter (Dundee)29
1909–10 Celtic (10) Falkirk Rangers Jimmy Quinn (Celtic)
Jock Simpson (Falkirk)
24
1910–11 Rangers (6) Aberdeen Falkirk Willie Reid (Rangers)38
1911–12 Rangers (7) Celtic Clyde Willie Reid (Rangers)33
1912–13 Rangers (8) Celtic Airdrieonians and
Heart of Midlothian
James Reid (Airdrieonians)30
1913–14 Celtic (11) Rangers Heart of Midlothian and
Morton
James Reid (Airdrieonians)27
1914–15 Celtic (12) Heart of Midlothian Rangers Tom Gracie (Heart of Midlothian)
James Richardson (Ayr United)
29
1915–16 Celtic (13) Rangers Morton Jimmy McColl (Celtic)34
1916–17 Celtic (14) Morton Rangers Bert Yarnall (Airdrieonians)39
1917–18 Rangers (9) Celtic Kilmarnock and Morton Hughie Ferguson (Motherwell)35
1918–19 Celtic (15) Rangers Morton David McLean (Rangers)29
1919–20 Rangers (10) Celtic Motherwell Hughie Ferguson (Motherwell)33
1920–21 Rangers (11) Celtic Heart of Midlothian Hughie Ferguson (Motherwell)43
1921–22 Celtic (16) Rangers Raith Rovers Duncan Walker (St Mirren)45
1922–23 Rangers (12) Airdrieonians Celtic Jock White (Heart of Midlothian)30
1923–24 Rangers (13) Airdrieonians Celtic Dave Halliday (Dundee)38
1924–25 Rangers (14) Airdrieonians Hibernian William Devlin (Cowdenbeath)33
1925–26 Celtic (17) Airdrieonians Heart of Midlothian William Devlin (Cowdenbeath)40
1926–27 Rangers (15) Motherwell Celtic Jimmy McGrory (Celtic)49
1927–28 Rangers (16) Celtic Motherwell Jimmy McGrory (Celtic)47
1928–29 Rangers (17) Celtic Motherwell Evelyn Morrison (Falkirk)43
1929–30 Rangers (18) Motherwell Aberdeen Benny Yorston (Aberdeen)38
1930–31 Rangers (19) Celtic Motherwell Barney Battles, Jr. (Heart of Midlothian)44
1931–32 Motherwell (1) Rangers Celtic Willie MacFadyen (Motherwell)52
1932–33 Rangers (20) Motherwell Heart of Midlothian Willie MacFadyen (Motherwell)45
1933–34 Rangers (21) Motherwell Celtic Jimmy Smith (Rangers)41
1934–35 Rangers (22) Celtic Heart of Midlothian Jimmy Smith (Rangers)36
1935–36 Celtic (18) Rangers Aberdeen Jimmy McGrory (Celtic)50
1936–37 Rangers (23) Aberdeen Celtic David Wilson (Hamilton Academical)34
1937–38 Celtic (19) Heart of Midlothian Rangers Andy Black (Heart of Midlothian)40
1938–39 Rangers (24) Celtic Aberdeen Alex Venters (Rangers)35
1939–46 Suspended due to World War II.
Unofficial leagues (Emergency League and regional North Eastern League and Southern League) held.

Scottish Football League Division 'A' (1946–1955)

Season Champions[12] Runners-up[12] Third place[12] Top scorer(s)[13]
Player Goals
1946–47 Rangers (25) Hibernian Aberdeen Bobby Mitchell (Third Lanark)22
1947–48 Hibernian (2) Rangers Partick Thistle Archie Aikman (Falkirk)20
1948–49 Rangers (26) Dundee Hibernian Alex Stott (Dundee)30
1949–50 Rangers (27) Hibernian Heart of Midlothian Willie Bauld (Heart of Midlothian)30
1950–51 Hibernian (3) Rangers Dundee Lawrie Reilly (Hibernian)22
1951–52 Hibernian (4) Rangers East Fife Lawrie Reilly (Hibernian)27
1952–53 Rangers (28) Hibernian East Fife Lawrie Reilly (Hibernian)
Charlie Fleming (East Fife)
30
1953–54 Celtic (20) Heart of Midlothian Partick Thistle Jimmy Wardhaugh (Heart of Midlothian)27
1954–55 Aberdeen (1) Celtic Rangers Willie Bauld (Heart of Midlothian)21

Scottish Football League Division One (1955–1975)

Season Champions[12] Runners-up[12] Third place[12] Top scorer(s)[13]
Player Goals
1955–56 Rangers (29) Aberdeen Heart of Midlothian Jimmy Wardhaugh (Heart of Midlothian)28
1956–57 Rangers (30) Heart of Midlothian Kilmarnock Hugh Baird (Airdrieonians)33
1957–58 Heart of Midlothian (3) Rangers Celtic Jimmy Wardhaugh (Heart of Midlothian)
Jimmy Murray (Heart of Midlothian)
28
1958–59 Rangers (31) Heart of Midlothian Motherwell Joe Baker (Hibernian)25
1959–60 Heart of Midlothian (4) Kilmarnock Rangers Joe Baker (Hibernian)42
1960–61 Rangers (32) Kilmarnock Third Lanark Alex Harley (Third Lanark)42
1961–62 Dundee (1) Rangers Celtic Alan Gilzean (Dundee)24
1962–63 Rangers (33) Kilmarnock Partick Thistle Jimmy Millar (Rangers)27
1963–64 Rangers (34) Kilmarnock Celtic Alan Gilzean (Dundee)32
1964–65 Kilmarnock (1) Heart of Midlothian Dunfermline Athletic Jim Forrest (Rangers)30
1965–66 Celtic (21) Rangers Kilmarnock Joe McBride (Celtic)
Alex Ferguson (Dunfermline Athletic)
31
1966–67 Celtic (22)[lower-alpha 3] Rangers Clyde Stevie Chalmers (Celtic)21
1967–68 Celtic (23) Rangers Hibernian Bobby Lennox (Celtic)32
1968–69 Celtic (24) Rangers Dunfermline Athletic Kenny Cameron (Dundee United)26
1969–70 Celtic (25) Rangers Hibernian Colin Stein (Rangers)24
1970–71 Celtic (26) Aberdeen St Johnstone Harry Hood (Celtic)22
1971–72 Celtic (27) Aberdeen Rangers[lower-alpha 4] Joe Harper (Aberdeen)33
1972–73 Celtic (28) Rangers Hibernian Alan Gordon (Hibernian)27
1973–74 Celtic (29) Hibernian Rangers Dixie Deans (Celtic)26
1974–75 Rangers (35) Hibernian Celtic Andy Gray (Dundee United)
Willie Pettigrew (Motherwell)
20

Scottish Football League Premier Division (1975–1998)

Season Champions[12] Runners-up[12] Third place[12] Top scorer(s)[13]
Player Goals
1975–76 Rangers (36) Celtic Hibernian Kenny Dalglish (Celtic)24
1976–77 Celtic (30) Rangers Aberdeen Willie Pettigrew (Motherwell)21
1977–78 Rangers (37) Aberdeen Dundee United Derek Johnstone (Rangers)25
1978–79 Celtic (31) Rangers Dundee United Andy Ritchie (Morton)22
1979–80 Aberdeen (2) Celtic St Mirren Doug Somner (St Mirren)25
1980–81 Celtic (32) Aberdeen Rangers Frank McGarvey (Celtic)23
1981–82 Celtic (33) Aberdeen Rangers George McCluskey (Celtic)21
1982–83 Dundee United (1) Celtic Aberdeen[lower-alpha 5] Charlie Nicholas (Celtic)29
1983–84 Aberdeen (3)[lower-alpha 6] Celtic Dundee United Brian McClair (Celtic)23
1984–85 Aberdeen (4) Celtic Dundee United Frank McDougall (Aberdeen)22
1985–86 Celtic (34) Heart of Midlothian Dundee United Ally McCoist (Rangers)24
1986–87 Rangers (38) Celtic Dundee United Brian McClair (Celtic)35
1987–88 Celtic (35) Heart of Midlothian Rangers Tommy Coyne (Dundee)33
1988–89 Rangers (39) Aberdeen Celtic Mark McGhee (Celtic)
Charlie Nicholas (Aberdeen)
16
1989–90 Rangers (40) Aberdeen Heart of Midlothian John Robertson (Heart of Midlothian)17
1990–91 Rangers (41) Aberdeen Celtic Tommy Coyne (Celtic)18
1991–92 Rangers (42) Heart of Midlothian Celtic Ally McCoist (Rangers)34
1992–93 Rangers (43) Aberdeen Celtic Ally McCoist (Rangers)34
1993–94 Rangers (44) Aberdeen Motherwell Mark Hateley (Rangers)22
1994–95 Rangers (45) Motherwell Hibernian Tommy Coyne (Motherwell)16
1995–96 Rangers (46) Celtic Aberdeen Pierre van Hooijdonk (Celtic)26
1996–97 Rangers (47) Celtic Dundee United Jorge Cadete (Celtic)25
1997–98 Celtic (36) Rangers Heart of Midlothian Marco Negri (Rangers)32

Scottish Premier League (1998–2013)

Season Champions[12] Runners-up[12] Third place[12] Top scorer(s)[13]
Player Goals
1998–99 Rangers (48) Celtic St Johnstone Henrik Larsson (Celtic)29
1999–2000 Rangers (49) Celtic Heart of Midlothian Mark Viduka (Celtic)25
2000–01 Celtic (37) Rangers Hibernian Henrik Larsson (Celtic)35
2001–02 Celtic (38) Rangers Livingston Henrik Larsson (Celtic)29
2002–03 Rangers (50) Celtic Heart of Midlothian Henrik Larsson (Celtic)28
2003–04 Celtic (39) Rangers Heart of Midlothian Henrik Larsson (Celtic)30
2004–05 Rangers (51) Celtic Hibernian John Hartson (Celtic)25
2005–06 Celtic (40) Heart of Midlothian Rangers Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock, Rangers)32
2006–07 Celtic (41) Rangers Aberdeen Kris Boyd (Rangers)20
2007–08 Celtic (42) Rangers Motherwell Scott McDonald (Celtic)25
2008–09 Rangers (52) Celtic Heart of Midlothian Kris Boyd (Rangers)27
2009–10 Rangers (53) Celtic Dundee United Kris Boyd (Rangers)23
2010–11 Rangers (54) Celtic Heart of Midlothian Kenny Miller (Rangers)21
2011–12 Celtic (43) Rangers Motherwell Gary Hooper (Celtic)24
2012–13 Celtic (44) Motherwell St Johnstone Michael Higdon (Motherwell)26

Scottish Premiership (2013–present)

Season Champions[12] Runners-up[12] Third place[12] Top scorer(s)[13]
Player Goals
2013–14 Celtic (45) Motherwell Aberdeen Kris Commons (Celtic) 27
2014–15 Celtic (46) Aberdeen Inverness Caledonian Thistle Adam Rooney (Aberdeen) 18
2015–16 Celtic (47) Aberdeen Heart of Midlothian Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) 31
2016–17 Celtic (48) Aberdeen Rangers Liam Boyce (Ross County) 23
2017–18 Celtic (49) Aberdeen Rangers Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock) 18
2018–19 Celtic (50) Rangers Kilmarnock Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) 18
2019–20[lower-alpha 7] Celtic (51) Rangers Motherwell Odsonne Édouard (Celtic) 22
2020–21 Rangers (55) Celtic Hibernian Odsonne Édouard (Celtic) 18
2021–22 Celtic (52) Rangers Heart of Midlothian Regan Charles-Cook (Ross County)
Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic)
13
2022–23 Celtic (53) Rangers Aberdeen Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) 27

Total titles won

Titles won by club (%)

  Rangers – 55[lower-alpha 8] (43.6%)
  Celtic – 53 (42.4%)
  Aberdeen – 4 (3.2%)
  Hearts – 4 (3.2%)
  Hibernian – 4 (3.2%)
  Other clubs – 7[lower-alpha 8] (5.2%)
As of 29 September 2023
Club Champions Runners-up Third place Last Championship
Rangers[lower-alpha 8] 55 34 20 2020–21
Celtic 53 32 17 2022–23
Aberdeen 4 17 10 1984–85
Heart of Midlothian 4 14 19 1959–60
Hibernian 4 6 14 1951–52
Dumbarton[lower-alpha 8] 2 0 0 1891–92
Motherwell 1 7 9 1931–32
Kilmarnock 1 4 4 1964–65
Dundee 1 4 1 1961–62
Dundee United 1 0 8 1982–83
Third Lanark 1 0 2 1903–04
Airdrieonians (1878) 0 4 2
Falkirk 0 2 1
Morton[lower-alpha 9] 0 1 4
Clyde 0 0 3
Partick Thistle 0 0 3
St Johnstone 0 0 3
Dunfermline Athletic 0 0 2
East Fife 0 0 2
St Mirren 0 0 2
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0 0 1
Livingston 0 0 1
Raith Rovers 0 0 1
St Bernard's 0 0 1

By city/town

City / town Championships Clubs Last championship
Glasgow[lower-alpha 8] 109 Rangers (55), Celtic (53), Third Lanark (1) 202223 (Celtic)
Edinburgh 8 Heart of Midlothian (4), Hibernian (4) 195960 (Heart of Midlothian)
Aberdeen 4 Aberdeen (4) 198485 (Aberdeen)
Dumbarton[lower-alpha 8] 2 Dumbarton (2) 189192 (Dumbarton)
Dundee 2 Dundee (1), Dundee United (1) 198283 (Dundee United)
Kilmarnock 1 Kilmarnock (1) 196465 (Kilmarnock)
Motherwell 1 Motherwell (1) 193132 (Motherwell)
  • Teams in Italics are defunct, and cannot win any more championships
  • Teams in Bold currently participate in the Scottish Premiership

See also

Notes

  1. Rangers and Dumbarton were declared joint champions after the teams finished level on points and a play-off for the title finished in a 2–2 draw.
  2. Celtic defeated Rangers 2–1 in a play-off for the title after the teams finished level on points.
  3. Celtic also won the European Cup
  4. Rangers won the European Cup Winners' Cup
  5. Aberdeen also won the European Cup Winners' Cup
  6. Aberdeen also won the European Super Cup
  7. The 2019–20 Scottish Premiership was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. The season was subsequently curtailed on 18 May 2020 and a points per game average was used to calculate a final table.[7]
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The total includes one championship shared by Rangers (Glasgow) and Dumbarton, in 1890–91.
  9. Morton are now known as Greenock Morton.

References

  1. Davies, Hunter (2003). Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now. Cassell Illustrated. p. 39. ISBN 1-84403-261-2.
  2. "Scotland – List of Champions". RSSSF. 22 August 2007. Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  3. "Scotland – List of Divisional Movements". RSSSF. 3 January 2007. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  4. "History". www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk. Scottish Premier League. Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  5. "SPFL: New Scottish league brands unveiled". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 July 2013. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  6. Duncan, Colin (25 April 2013). "Aberdeen stars Dougie Bell & Neil Simpson: We wouldn't have believed our SPL victory would be last for non-Old Firm team". Daily Record. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Celtic champions & Hearts relegated after SPFL ends season". BBC Sport. 18 May 2020. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  8. "Brief history". www.celticfc.net. Celtic FC. Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2013. 1988: Celtic celebrate the centenary season (1987/88) by winning the first "double" in 11 years. The accomplishment marks the 35th league title, and the 28th Scottish Cup.
  9. 1 2 "Doing the Double!". RSSSF. 18 April 2013. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  10. "1946–1970 An Historic Treble". www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk. Rangers FC. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2013. In 1948–49, Rangers became the first team to win the League, the Scottish Cup, and the League Cup in one season. It was the first glorious treble in Scottish football.
  11. James Dart, Paolo Bandini and Sean Armstrong (28 February 2007). "The sulkiest football walk-offs ever". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Barnes, Stuart. News of the World Football Annual 2007/2008 (season 2007). Invincible Press. pp. 159–161. ISBN 0-00-725555-1.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Brown, Alan; Preston, Simon; Di Maggio, Roberto (9 June 2016). "Scotland – List of Topscorers". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2016.

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