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Scottish Premier League

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Scottish Premier League
Countries Scotland
Founded 1998–99
Number of teams 12
Relegation to Scottish First Division
Domestic cup(s) Scottish Cup
Current champions Celtic F.C. (2007–08)
Most successful club Celtic F.C.
TV partners Setanta Sports
Website Official Website
Season 2008–09

The Scottish Premier League (currently known as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League or SPL) is a professional competition for football clubs. It is the top level of the Scottish football league system, above the Scottish Football League.

A larger percentage of Scotland's population watch their top league than any other country in Europe.[1] The Scottish Premier League is currently tenth in the UEFA rankings of European leagues, which are based on the performances of clubs in European competitions.[2] Seventeen clubs have competed in the SPL since it began in 1998–99, but only two have won the title: the Old Firm of Celtic (six) and Rangers (four).

Contents

[change] History

Henrik Larsson scored the most goals in the first SPL season.

The SPL began in 1998, when a group of teams decided to split from the Scottish Football League and create their own league.[3] This was inspired by a similar event in 1992 with the creation of the English Premiership.

The SPL had 10 clubs playing until the 2000–01 season when the league was expanded to 12 places. Since the 2001–02 season, the table splits in half near the end of the season, with the teams playing the other clubs from their half of the table one more time. This does sometimes result in the seventh placed team having more points than the sixth placed team, but they do not move up to the top half. In the 2005–06 season, the seventh placed team (Inverness) had more points than the fourth placed team (Hibernian) but still did not move up to fourth place due to the split.[4]

The winner of the first SPL season was Rangers, with Celtic second. Rangers won the title after winning in the crucial game against Celtic, 3–0 at Celtic Park.[5] Three players were sent off and the referee was hit by a coin.[5] Henrik Larsson was the top scorer (29 goals for Celtic) and was winner of the Player of the Year and Writers Player of the Year awards. The winner of the 2007–08 season was Celtic, and Rangers second. Scott McDonald was top scorer (25 goals for Celtic).

The SPL has been home to many notable events. For example, when Heart's goalkeeper, Craig Gordon moved to Sunderland F.C. for a fee of £9 million, a record fee for a British goalkeeper.[6] It is also the most amount of money paid for a Scottish player, but Alan Hutton shared this record when he moved from Rangers to Tottenham Hotspur F.C. for £9 million.[7] Tore Andre Flo's move from Chelsea F.C. to Rangers was also a record for the most amount paid for a player by a Scottish club, when he moved for £12 million.[8] The most amount of money paid by a Scottish club to another Scottish club is £4.5 million for Scott Brown when he moved from Hibernian to Celtic.[9]

[change] Competition format

[change] League

The SPL is in a league format – a team gains points by playing another team in the league. Three points are awarded for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Once all the games have been played the team at the top of the league wins the SPL trophy. If two or more teams are equal on points, then the difference between of goals scored and goals conceded is considered. The season runs from August until May each year. Each club will play each other at least three times before the table splits in half for the last part of the competition. Each club will then play five more games against clubs in their half of the table. Each team plays a total of 38 games.

[change] Winter break

In the 2000–01 season, the SPL decided to stop the "winter break", forcing teams to play through January. This has resulted in the cancellation of many matches because of the damage to the football clubs pitch and very bad weather. Former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill,[10] former Dundee manager Jim Duffy,[10] and current Rangers manager Walter Smith are among those who have asked to start the winter break again.[11] Former Rangers manager Alex McLeish accused the SPL of taking Scottish football "back to the dark ages" after its decision to stop the winter break.[10]

[change] European qualification

A total of four clubs can qualify for European competitions. The teams who finish first and second in the SPL qualify for the UEFA Champions League. The third placed team, and the winner of the Scottish Cup, qualify for the UEFA Cup.

Rangers and Celtic have recently played in the final of the UEFA Cup, with neither club winning in the final match. In 2003 Celtic played FC Porto in Lisbon, Portugal but Porto won 3-2.[12] More recently, in 2007 Rangers played FC Zenit St. Petersburg in Manchester, England, but lost 2-0.[13] More than 200,000 Rangers fans went to Manchester to watch the game on several large televisions.[14]

[change] Promotion and relegation

The Caledonian Stadium, Inverness' stadium. This stadium did not meet minimum standards. It stopped Inverness gaining promotion to the SPL.

Normally, the team who finishes last in the SPL is relegated to the Scottish First Division and the team who finishes first in the First Division is promoted to the SPL. However, there are some criteria that the team must meet in order to be promoted. In 2003, Falkirk F.C. finished first in the Scottish First Division but their stadium did not meet the agreed criteria. Instead, they asked if they could share a stadium with Airdrie United F.C. while their own stadium was expanded. This caused controversy as the chairmen of the SPL clubs voted against this idea. Because Falkirk's stadium was too small, they were not promoted into the SPL, and the team who finished last in the SPL (Motherwell F.C.) was not relegated.[15]

This situation almost happened again in 2004. There were many votes and threats of legal action from Partick Thistle F.C., the team who finished last in the SPL. The situation was solved and Inverness Caledonian Thistle were allowed promotion, as long as they shared a stadium with their rivals Aberdeen at Pittodrie,[16] a stadium over 100 miles (160 km) away.

In 2005, the stadium size criteria was reduced. A team playing in the SPL must now have at least 6,000 seats (down from 10,000). Standing room is not allowed in SPL grounds for safety reasons.[17] This then allowed Inverness Caledonian Thistle to return to their home stadium during the 2005–06 season.[17]

[change] Players

In the SPL, there are no restrictions on clubs signing players. The only regulations on signing players is with general Scottish employment law. There are no salary caps or age restrictions. There are no restrictions on the size of the playing squad or restrictions on the number of players from other countries.

The only rule is the "Under-21" rule. This means that every club must name at least three players under the age of 21 in their match day squad. They do not need to play.[18] There has been some criticism over this rule. Walter Smith, Gus MacPherson and Jim Jeffries all showed their disapproval.[18]

[change] Sponsorship

As with many sport competitions, the name of the SPL has been sold to a sponsor, currently the Clydesdale Bank, a Scottish Bank. The Clydesdale Bank bought the name in the 2007–08 season for £8 million, taking over from another Scottish bank, the Bank Of Scotland. The SPL is now known as the "Clydesdale Bank Premier League".[19]

[change] Media

[change] Television coverage

Between the 1998–99 season and the 2001–02 season, the right to show SPL matches on television was held by Sky Sports, with highlights being shown by STV's Scotsport. Sky Sports withdrew from the SPL when their offer for £45 million, to continue showing live games on TV, was declined by the SPL. The SPL asked for more money. Discussions began in 2002 for a new pay-per-view satellite television channel, called "SPL TV".[20] However Rangers and Celtic did not like the idea, and rejected it. [21] Because of this, the remaining 10 SPL clubs announced their intention to resign from the league.[22]

Even though a two-year television deal had been agreed with BBC Scotland in July 2002 (for less than the money previously offered by Sky Sports),[23] the 10 non-Old Firm clubs confirmed their resignation from the SPL in August 2002, because they were unhappy with the league's voting procedure which allowed the Old Firm clubs to stop any attempts to change SPL rules.[24] The ten clubs withdrew their resignations in January 2003 after an agreement was reached to change the voting procedures and to change the way the money from TV was given out to the SPL teams.[25]

With BBC Scotland's television contract due to expire after the 2003–04 season, the SPL agreed a new television deal with Irish broadcaster Setanta Sports in February 2004 in a four-year deal worth £54 million.[26] In June 2008, it was announced that a further four-year deal would start for the 2010–11 season, with the deal worth £125 million.[27]

[change] Radio

The right to broadcast SPL games on radio is currently held by BBC Radio Scotland, who have held the rights since the SPL started in the 1998–99 season.[28] BBC Radio Scotland also provide internet webcasts to all Scottish Premier League matches, having became the first broadcaster to introduce such a service in June 2000.[29]

[change] Teams

[change] Old Firm

Martin O'Neill, former manager of Celtic
Main article: Old Firm

The two Glasgow football clubs known as the Old Firm play in the SPL, Rangers F.C. and Celtic F.C.. The Old Firm has been criticised by some, due to the fact that they hold such a strong position in Scottish football. The amount of money they make is very large compared to the other teams in Scotland. In 2001 their income was £90 million, almost double the income of the other ten teams, whose income was £48 million combined.[30] Every year since the SPL started one of the Old Firm has won the league. Only once, in the 2005–06 season, did the Old Firm clubs not come first and second in the SPL.

Although the two teams have a strong position over other Scottish teams, they still cannot compete with other leagues for players because other leagues, particularly the English Premiership, have a lot more money to spend. There has been rumours about the Old Firm splitting from the SPL,[31] and joining the English Premiership, but this was stopped by FIFA.[32]

[change] Current teams

These teams play in the SPL, as of the 2008–09 season:

- - Name Nickname Stadium Location Manager
Aberdeen F.C. The Dons Pittodrie Stadium Aberdeen Jimmy Calderwood
Celtic F.C. The Hoops Celtic Park Glasgow Gordon Strachan
Dundee United F.C. The Arabs Tannadice Dundee Craig Levein
Falkirk F.C. The Bairns Falkirk Stadium Falkirk John Hughes
Hamilton Academical F.C. The Accies New Douglas Park Hamilton Billy Reid
Heart of Midlothian F.C. The Jambos Tynecastle Edinburgh Csaba Laszlo
Hibernian F.C. The Hibees Easter Road Edinburgh Mixu Paatelinen
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. Caley Jags Caledonian Stadium Inverness Craig Brewster
Kilmarnock F.C. Killie Rugby Park Kilmarnock Jim Jeffries
Motherwell F.C. The Steelmen Fir Park Motherwell Mark McGhee
Rangers F.C. The Gers Ibrox Glasgow Walter Smith
St Mirren F.C. The Buddies Love Street Paisley Gus MacPherson

[change] Past teams

[change] Records

Data accurate as at 8 December 2007

  • Most goals in a season: Celtic, 105 goals, 2003–04[33]
  • Most points in one season: Celtic, 103 points, 2001–02[33]
  • Fewest points in a season: Gretna, 13 points, 2007–08[33]
  • Fewest goals conceded in one season: Celtic, 28 goals, 2001–02[33]
  • Most goals conceded in a season: Aberdeen, 83 goals, 1999–2000[33]
  • Biggest goal difference in a season: Celtic, 70, 2003–04[33]
  • Biggest home win: Celtic 7–0 Aberdeen (1999–2000 and 2002–03); Hibernian 7–0 Livingston (2005–06)[33]
  • Biggest away win: St. Johnstone 0–7 Rangers (1998–99); Dunfermline Athletic 1–8 Celtic (2005–06)[33]
  • Highest scoring match: Motherwell 5–6 Aberdeen (1999–2000)[33]
  • Most away wins in a season: Celtic, 13, 2000–2001[33]
  • Fewest away wins in a season: Dunfermline, 0, 1998–99[33]
  • Most away defeats in a season: Livingston, 16, 2005–06[33]
  • Fewest home defeats in a season: Celtic, 0, 2001–02[33]
  • Top goalscorer in any one season: Henrik Larsson, 51 goals, 2000–01 Celtic[33]
  • Player with most hat-tricks: Henrik Larsson, 12, 1998–2004[33]
  • Oldest player: Andy Millen, for St. Mirren vs Hearts, 42 years 279 days, 15 March 2008[33]
  • Youngest player: Scott Robinson, for Hearts vs Inverness CT, 16 years 1 months and 14 days, 26 April 2008[34]
  • Youngest goalscorer: David Goodwillie, for Dundee United vs Hibernian, 16 years 11 months and 4 days, 4 March 2006[33]
  • Most SPL appearances: Steven Pressley, 285 (correct to the end of the 2006–07 season)[33]
  • Highest average attendance: 59,369, Celtic, 2000–01[35]
  • Lowest average attendance: 2,283, Gretna, 2007–08[35]

[change] See also

[change] References

  1. ↑ Clydesdale is SPL's new sponsor. BBC Sport. Retrieved on 28 July 2008.
  2. ↑ UEFA Country Ranking 2008. UEFA. Retrieved on 28 July 2008.
  3. ↑ "About the Scottish Premier League", SPL. Retrieved on 15 September 2008.
  4. ↑ "Up Yar Kilt", Up Yar Kilt.com. Retrieved on 15 September 2008.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Rangers make history out of chaos", BBC News, 3 May 1999. Retrieved on 28 July 2008.
  6. ↑ "Gordon completes Sunderland move", BBC Sport, 8 August 2007. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.
  7. ↑ "Spurs complete signing of Hutton", BBC Sport, 30 January 2007. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.
  8. ↑ "Flo goes to Rangers", BBC Sport, 23 November 2000. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.
  9. ↑ "Celtic win race for Hibs' Brown", BBC Sport, 15 May 2007. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "McLeish berates SPL", BBC Sport, 25 March 2003. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.
  11. ↑ "Football: Bring Back Break", Daily Mirror, 12 June 2005. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.
  12. ↑ "Porto end Celtic's Uefa dream", BBC Sport, 21 May 2003. Retrieved on 23 October 2008.
  13. ↑ "Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Rangers", BBC Sport, 14 May 2008. Retrieved on 23 October 2008.
  14. ↑ "Rangers chief 'deplores' violence", BBC Sport, 16 May 2008. Retrieved on 4 November 2008.
  15. ↑ Jonathan Coates. "Falkirk lose out as SPL closes ranks and denies them place", The Scotsman, 24 May 2003. Retrieved on 26 March 2008.
  16. ↑ Inverness win SPL vote. BBC Sport (22 June 2004). Retrieved on 28 July 2008.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Inverness are homeward bound. BBC Sport (7 December 2004). Retrieved on 28 July 2008.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "SPL face fresh criticism over under-21 rule", Telegraph, 17 August 2007. Retrieved on 22 March 2008.
  19. ↑ "Clydesdale are new SPL sponsors", BBC Sport, October 19, 2006. Retrieved on September 18 2008.
  20. ↑ "Fans get a tellyful; SPL set to launch its own TV station as Sky switch off", Daily Record, 16 January 2002. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  21. ↑ "Old Firm scupper SPL TV", BBC Sport, 8 April 2002. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  22. ↑ "Scottish league faces collapse", BBC Sport, 16 April 2002. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  23. ↑ "SPL signs BBC deal", BBC Sport, 31 July 2002. Retrieved on 27 March 2008.
  24. ↑ "Scottish clubs quit SPL", BBC Sport, 1 August 2002. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  25. ↑ "SPL ends internal strife", BBC Sport, 22 January 2003. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  26. ↑ "Setanta wins SPL TV deal", BBC Sport, 26 February 2004. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  27. ↑ Record-breaking TV deal for SPL. Scottish Premier League (30 June 2008). Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  28. ↑ "BBC welcomes radio deal", BBC Sport, 26 February 2004. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  29. ↑ "BBC scores Scottish winner", BBC Sport, 14 June 2000. Retrieved on 23 March 2008.
  30. ↑ New threat from the Old Firm. The Economist. Retrieved on 28 July 2008.
  31. ↑ "Levein wants Old Firm kicked out", BBC Sport, 7 April 2002. Retrieved on 26 March 2008.
  32. ↑ "Fifa writes off Old Firm hopes", BBC Sport, 30 July 2001. Retrieved on 26 March 2008.
  33. ↑ 33.00 33.01 33.02 33.03 33.04 33.05 33.06 33.07 33.08 33.09 33.10 33.11 33.12 33.13 33.14 33.15 33.16 33.17 33.18 33.19 33.20 "SPL - All Time Records", ScotPrem.co.uk. Retrieved on 7 April 2008.
  34. ↑ Will you see history be made today?. Heart of Midlothian F.C. (26 April 2004). Retrieved on 28 July 2008.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 "SPL statistics", ScotPrem.co.uk. Retrieved on 7 April 2008.

[change] Other websites

v • d • e
Scottish Premier League
Teams Aberdeen F.C. · Celtic F.C. · Dundee United F.C. · Falkirk F.C. · Hamilton Academical F.C. · Heart of Midlothian F.C. · Hibernian F.C. · Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. · Kilmarnock F.C. · Motherwell F.C. · Rangers F.C. · St Mirren F.C.
Stadiums Pittodrie Stadium · Celtic Park · Tannadice · Falkirk Stadium · New Douglas Park · Tynecastle · Easter Road · Caledonian Stadium · Rugby Park · Fir Park · Ibrox · Love Street
Managers Jimmy Calderwood · Gordon Strachan · Craig Levein · John Hughes · Billy Reid · Csaba Laszlo · Mixu Paatelinen · Craig Brewster · Jim Jeffries · Mark McGhee · Walter Smith · Gus MacPherson
Retrieved from "http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Premier_League"