Scottish Football League Third Division

Scottish Football League Third Division
Scottish Third Division 2007-08
Founded
1923
Nation
Scotland
Promotion to
S.F.L. Second Division
Number of teams
10
Domestic Cups
Scottish Cup Scottish League Cup Scottish League Challenge Cup
Champions (2006-07)
Berwick Rangers

The Scottish Football League Third Division is the third highest division of the Scottish Football League and the fourth highest overall in the Scottish football league system. The teams play each other four times, with three points for a victory and one point each for a drawn game.

Contents 1 History 2 Introduction of Play-Offs and Relegation 3 Sponsorship 4 Teams for 2007-08 season 5 Winners of the Third Division 6 Notes 7 External links

History

An original Third Division had been attempted in 1923 as an actual third division, but the new league lasted only three years before collapsing. A second attempt, named Division C, was put in place from 1946 to 1955 (divided into Southwest and Northeast since 1949), but it consisted mainly of reserve teams with the highest placed authentic football clubs being promoted without regard for overall league positioning. From 1994 to 1998 the new Third Division was in fact the fourth level in the SFL but became the third when the member teams of the Scottish Premier Division broke off to form the SPL.

Introduction of Play-Offs and Relegation

The division contains ten teams and, until recently, each season the top two teams were promoted to the Second Division. As of the 2005/06 season the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams go into a play off with the 9th place team from the league above. There is no direct relegation from the Scottish Third Division but since the 2005/06 season if a club finishes bottom for three successive seasons then they will be dismissed from the league.

Sponsorship

On July 20, 2007, it was announced that Scottish Football League would be sponsored by Scottish soft drink company Irn-Bru for the next three seasons^[1].

Teams for 2007-08 season

• Albion Rovers
• Arbroath
• Dumbarton
• East Fife
• East Stirling
• Elgin City
• Forfar Athletic
• Montrose
• Stenhousemuir
• Stranraer

Winners of the Third Division

Season	Winner	Runner Up
1994-95	Forfar Athletic	Montrose
1995-96	Livingston	Brechin City
1996-97	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	Forfar Athletic
1997-98	Alloa Athletic	Arbroath
1998-99	Ross County	Stenhousemuir
1999-00	Queen's Park	Berwick Rangers
2000-01	Hamilton Academical	Cowdenbeath
2001-02	Brechin City	Dumbarton
2002-03	Greenock Morton	East Fife
2003-04	Stranraer	Stirling Albion
2004-05	Gretna	Peterhead
2005-06	Cowdenbeath	Berwick Rangers
2006-07	Berwick Rangers	Arbroath

Notes

External links

• Official Site
• Scottish Football League Third Division clubs' locations

Scottish Third Division 2007-08 This box:  •  • edit
Albion Rovers | Arbroath | Dumbarton | East Fife | East Stirlingshire | Elgin City | Forfar Athletic | Montrose | Stenhousemuir | Stranraer
Third Division seasons
2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09
Football in Scotland           This box:  •  • edit
National association National team Women's team Tartan Army B team Under-19 team Under-21 team Amateur football League system Seasons Champions Venues
League competitions in Scottish football
Premier League First Division Second Division Third Division Highland League East League South League Junior Leagues
Cup Competitions in Scottish Football
Scottish Cup League Cup Challenge Cup Youth Cup