2007–08 in Scottish football

Overview

• Gretna were competing in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first ever season in the top-flight, after being promoted as First Division champions the previous season.
• Dunfermline Athletic competed in the First Division after being relegated from the Scottish Premier League.
• Greenock Morton and Stirling Albion played in the First Division after being promoted as Second Division champions and First Division play-off winners, respectively.
• Ross County were competing in the Second Division after being relegated as the First Division's bottom team and Airdrie United were relegated through the Second Division play-offs.
• Berwick Rangers and Queen's Park were competing in the Second Division after being promoted from the Third Division as champions and Second Division play-offs winners, respectively.
• Forfar Athletic and Stranraer played Third Division football after being relegated as the Second Division's bottom team and Second Division play-off losers, respectively.
• East Stirlingshire had a suspended reduction to associate members hanging over them from the previous season. Finishing bottom of the Third Division would mean an automatic and instant reduction to associate members, while finishing 9th or higher would annul any punishment.

  Notable events

2007

• 1 June – The Scottish Football Association appoint former Rangers and Kilmarnock striker Gordon Smith as the new Chief Executive following the departure of David Taylor who was appointed General Secretary of UEFA.
• 20 July – Irn-Bru became the new sponsor of the Scottish Football League, signing a three-year deal.
• 11 October – Celtic are fined £25,000 by UEFA for "lack of organisation and improper conduct by supporters" during their UEFA Champions League match with A.C. Milan at Celtic Park.
• 17 November – The Scotland national team fail to qualify for Euro 2008 after a 2–1 defeat by Italy at Hampden Park eliminated them at the qualifying stage.
• 25 November – St Johnstone beat Dunfermline 3–2 to win the Challenge Cup for the first time.
• 29 December – Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell, 35, collapsed on the pitch at Fir Park during a match against Dundee United, and died later that evening.

  2008

• 15 March – East Fife confirm their promotion to the Second Division as Third Division champions with a 3–0 victory over East Stirlingshire, becoming the first team in Britain to win a league trophy in the 2007–08 season.
• 16 March – Rangers win the Scottish League Cup by beating Dundee United 3–2 in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw in the final at Hampden Park.
• 22 March – Scotland's Under-17s qualify for the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship after finishing top of their Elite qualifying group.
• 29 March – Gretna are relegated from the SPL after losing 2–0 to St Mirren at Love Street.
• 29 March – Berwick Rangers are relegated from the Second Division after a 2–2 draw with Peterhead.
• 5 April – Ross County win promotion to the First Division as Second Division champions after defeating already-relegated Berwick Rangers 4–0 and second place Airdrie United losing 2–1 to Brechin City.
• 8 April – Stirling Albion are relegated from the First Division after a 1–0 defeat to Partick Thistle.
• 12 April – First Division Queen of the South beat SPL Aberdeen 4–3 at Hampden Park to qualify for their first Scottish Cup final, in the highest scoring semi-final ever.
• 19 April – Hamilton Academical win promotion to the Scottish Premier League as First Division champions following a 2–0 over Clyde.
• 10 May – Clyde retain their First Division status after defeating Airdrie United 3–0 on aggregate in the First Division play-off final.
• 10 May – Arbroath are promoted to the Second Division after a 2–1 aggregate win over Stranraer in the Second Division play-off final. Cowdenbeath, who were beaten by Arbroath in the semi-finals, are relegated to the Third Division.
• 14 May – Rangers lose 2–0 to Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup Final.
• 22 May – Celtic win their third successive SPL title after defeating Dundee United 1–0.
• 24 May – Rangers win the Scottish Cup for the 32nd time after defeating Queen of the South 3–2 in the Final. This was the Dumfries club's first ever Scottish Cup Final appearance in their history.
• 29 May – Gretna are demoted to the Third Division after administrator David Elliot could not guarantee the Football League that the club would fulfil its fixtures next season. Consequently, First Division play-off runners-up Airdrie United are promoted to the First Division and Second Division play-off runners-up Stranraer are promoted to the Second Division.

  Transfer deals

Managerial changes

League competitions

Scottish Premier League

Scottish First Division

Scottish Second Division

Scottish Third Division

Other honours

Main cup honours

Non-league honours

Senior

Junior

Individual honours

PFA Scotland awards

SFWA awards

Monthly awards

Scottish clubs in Europe

Summary

Celtic

Rangers

Aberdeen

Dunfermline Athletic

National teams

Summary

Results

Youth and Reserve football

Deaths

• 12 July: Forbes Johnston, 35, Falkirk and Airdrie midfielder.
• 31 August: Willie Cunningham, 77, St Mirren and Dunfermline defender; Dunfermline, Falkirk and St Mirren manager.
• 11 September: Ian Porterfield, 61, Aberdeen manager.
• 30 November: Ian Crawford, 73, Hamilton and Hearts winger.
• 29 December: Phil O'Donnell, 35, Motherwell, Celtic and Scotland midfielder.
• 14 January: Johnny Steele, 91, East Fife and Ayr United inside forward.
• 20 April: Derek McKay, 59, Dundee and Aberdeen winger.
• 15 May: Tommy Burns, 51, Celtic, Kilmarnock and Scotland midfielder; Kilmarnock and Celtic manager.
• 7 June: Jimmy Bonthrone, 78, East Fife, Dundee and Stirling Albion inside forward; East Fife and Aberdeen manager.