Scottish Football League Third Division


The Scottish Football League Third Division was the fourth tier of the Scottish football league system between 1994 and 2013.

History

The Scottish football league system had operated with three divisions in the Scottish Football League from 1975. In 1994, as part of reconstruction to allow the admission of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County to the league, the SFL was recalibrated to give four divisions of 10 teams. The fourth tier was named the Third Division.
In 1998, the Premier Division clubs broke away to form the Scottish Premier League. The Third Division continued as the fourth tier of the league system, but was now the third tier of the SFL. In 2013, the SFL and SPL merged to form the Scottish Professional Football League. The SPFL named its fourth tier as Scottish League Two, which effectively replaced the Third Division.

Competition

The Third Division consisted of ten teams throughout its existence. From 1994 until 2005, each season the top two teams were promoted to the Second Division. From 2005 until 2013, only the champion was automatically promoted to the Second Division at the end of each season. The clubs that finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th entered a play-off with the 9th placed team of the Second Division.
There was no relegation from the Third Division.
The teams played each other four times with three points for a victory, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss.

Winners of the Third Division

SeasonWinnerRunner-up
1994–95Forfar AthleticMontrose
1995–96LivingstonBrechin City
1996–97Inverness Caledonian ThistleForfar Athletic
1997–98Alloa AthleticArbroath
1998–99Ross CountyStenhousemuir
1999–2000Queen's ParkBerwick Rangers
2000–01Hamilton AcademicalCowdenbeath
2001–02Brechin CityDumbarton
2002–03Greenock MortonEast Fife
2003–04StranraerStirling Albion
2004–05GretnaPeterhead
2005–06CowdenbeathBerwick Rangers
2006–07Berwick RangersArbroath
2007–08East FifeStranraer
2008–09DumbartonCowdenbeath
2009–10Livingston Forfar Athletic
2010–11ArbroathAlbion Rovers
2011–12Alloa Athletic Queen's Park
2012–13RangersPeterhead

b.Team failed to gain promotion via play-offs