Scottish Women's Football League First Division

The Scottish Women's Football League First Division (SWFL 1) was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The second league tier from 1999 to 2015, it was later the third tier from 2016 to 2019.

Scottish Women's Football League First Division
Divisions1 (1999–2015)
2 (2016–2019)
Number of teams10–24
Level on pyramid2 (1999–2015)
3 (2016–2019)
Promotion toPremier/SWPL (1999–2015)
SWPL 2 (2016–2019)
Relegation toScottish Women's Football League Second Division
Domestic cup(s)Scottish Cup
League cup(s)Scottish First Division Cup

For most of its history, the First Division was a national league whose top teams won promotion to the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL), while the lowest were relegated to the Second Division (SWFL 2). Those divisions operated on the traditional autumn–spring football season calendar until 2009, when they switched to a March–November schedule.[1]

From 2016 to 2019, SWFL 1 was split into North and South regional divisions, with one team from each division promoted to SWPL 2. In the 2020 season, SWFL 1 was replaced as the third tier by the Scottish Women's Football Championship.[2]

History

Champions

Seasons

1999–2009

Queen of the South and Elgin City both won promotion to the Premier Division in 1999-00. Raith Rovers won the 2000–01 First Division with 44 points, four ahead of Clyde and Shettleston.[8][9] The member clubs in 2000–01 were:

Promoted in 2001–02 were F.C. Hamilton and the champions Inver-Ross L.F.C.,[3][12] who became Ross County L.F.C. in 2003.

East Kilbride won the First Division and promotion in 2002–03, and reached that season's League Cup final.[5][13][4]

Aberdeen, Forfar Farmington and Lochee United were the subsequent champions in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.

Queen's Park were the 2006–07 First Division champions and returned to the SWPL[14][15][6] (after the club's previous promotion in 2004 and relegation in 2006[16]).

In 2007–08, the promotion-winners were Dundee United S.C. and Dalkeith Ladies (Boroughmuir Thistle), coached by Pauline MacDonald.[17][18] The First Division clubs in 2007–08 were:[19]

Paisley City Ladies became Rangers W.F.C. in 2008–09, and won promotion to the SWPL that season in a ten-team division:

2009–2015

The First Division winners in the 2010 season were a team ineligible for promotion, Celtic Reserves,[20] so Hutchison Vale and Falkirk LFC were promoted from the SWFL to the SWPL (replaced by the relegated Aberdeen LFC). Hearts LFC, Buchan and Airdrie United were relegated to the SWFL Second Division and were replaced by Scottish Women's Football League Second Division East champions, Hibernian 2000, and two clubs from the Scottish Women's Football League Second Division West, Paisley Saints Ladies and Wishaw Juniors (formerly Motherwell).

Member clubs in the 2011 season:

Aberdeen were the 2011 champions and were promoted to the SWPL. Runners-up Celtic Reserves were ineligible for promotion while third placed Toryglen Ladies folded over the close season. Wishaw Juniors had also folded mid-season and withdrawn from the league. To maintain numbers, no sides were relegated from either the Premier League or the First Division in 2011.

Buchan Ladies, Kilwinning Sports Club, Airdrie United and Forfar Farmington Reserves were promoted from the regional Second Divisions in 2011.

In 2012, the champions and runners up, Hibernian Reserves and Celtic Reserves, were ineligible for promotion to the SWPL. Third-placed Buchan L.F.C. and 4th-placed Kilwinning SC were subsequently promoted, while the relegated Kilmarnock and Inverness City replaced them in SWFL 1. Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, Hearts and Murieston United were promoted from the regional Second Divisions. Hibernian Reserves withdrew to compete in a newly-formed Development League with the relegated reserve teams of Glasgow City and Forfar Farmington and the Second-Division reserve teams of Spartans and Hamilton Academical.

Airdrie United Ladies played in the 2012 First Division, but were replaced by Cumbernauld Colts in 2013 when the entire Airdrie squad defected to that club.[21]

Troon Ladies merged with Glasgow Girls and assume the latter name.[22]

Member clubs in the 2013 season were:

The next champions of the First Division were Queen's Park (2013) and Falkirk Ladies (2014).[23]

At the end of 2015, its last season as a national league, the First Division had its top four clubs join SWPL 2 (but they remained level 2 league clubs). The 2015 standings were:[24]

2016
Main article: 2016 Scottish Women's Football League First Division

In the first season after league reconstruction, East Fife won the northern division by 17 points, and Motherwell were SWFL 1 South winners by five points; both were promoted to SWPL 2.

Final standings:

2017
Main article: 2017 Scottish Women's Football League First Division

Central Girls Football Academy won the North division by 9 points and Kilmarnock won the South division by 20 points. Central had a goal difference of +84 and Kilmarnock +52. Both were promoted to the SWPL 2 for the 2018 season.

Final standings:

2018

Member clubs in the 2018 season:

Final standings:

2019

Member clubs in the 2019 season:

Final standings:

See also

References
  1. "Scottish football season: Should it be moved to the summer?". BBC Sport. 2 May 2013.
  2. "New Senior Structure for 2020 and beyond". Scottish Women's Premier League. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  3. "Clubs, Scottish Women's Premier League (2002-03)". SWFA. Archived from the original on 16 May 2003.
  4. "Clubs, Scottish Women's Premier League (2003-04)". SWFA. Archived from the original on 31 Oct 2003.
  5. "Tables: Leagues: 1st Division". SWFL. Archived from the original on 14 July 2003.
  6. "Title time for Spiderwomen". Queen's Park. Archived from the original on 16 Jun 2007.
  7. "Glasgow Girls FC win SWFL-1". Glasgow Girls & Women FC. 31 Oct 2015. Archived from the original on 28 Sep 2020.
  8. "Tables: Leagues: 1st Division". SWFL. Archived from the original on 23 July 2001.
  9. "Fixtures/Results: First Division 2000-01". SWFL. Archived from the original on 21 July 2001.
  10. "Dons" (2001) were listed as Aberdeen LFC from 2002:
    "Tables: Leagues: 1st Division". SWFL. Archived from the original on 3 September 2002.
  11. "Scottish Women's Football League Division 1". SWFA. Archived from the original on 3 Jan 2004.
  12. "Tables: Leagues: 1st Division (part season 2001-02)". SWFL. Archived from the original on 10 Feb 2002.
  13. "Fixtures/Results: First Division 2002-03 (part season)". SWFL. Archived from the original on 18 April 2003.
  14. "Title there for the taking". Queen's Park. Archived from the original on 26 Apr 2007.
  15. "SWFL Division 1 - 2006-2007 (incomplete)". SWFA. Archived from the original on 3 Mar 2007.
  16. "Scotland (Women) 2005/06". RSSSF.
  17. "Scotland (Women) 2008/09". RSSSF.
  18. "Pauline proud after steering Dalkeith Ladies into top flight". Scotsman. 12 Jul 2008. Archived from the original on 23 Apr 2022.
    "Media Release: Promotion secured by newly-formed women's football club". All Media Scotland. 18 May 2008.
  19. "League Tables: Scottish Women's Football League". Football Central. Archived from the original on 11 Oct 2007.
  20. Soccerway: SWFL 2010 season
  21. Douglas Barrie (13 December 2012). "Entire Airdrie Ladies FC squad quit and defect to local rivals". STV Airdrie. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  22. "Gunners too strong for City". Scottish Women's Football. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016.
  23. Soccerway: SWFL Archive
  24. "Scottish Women's Football League Tables 2015". SFA. Archived from the original on 23 Mar 2016.
  25. Women's Championship | 2016 | North [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
  26. Women's Championship | 2016 | South [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
  27. "Championship North".
  28. Women's Championship | 2017 | North [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
  29. "Championship South".
  30. Women's Championship | 2017 | South [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
  31. "Dundee United & Rangers SWFL leaders after opening day". She Kicks. 19 February 2018. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022.
  32. Women's Championship | 2018 | North [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
  33. "Dundee United clinch SWFL Division 1 North title with Tannadice victory". Scottish Women's Football. 22 October 2018. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020.
  34. Women's Championship | 2018 | South [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
  35. Women's Championship | 2019 | North [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
  36. Women's Championship | 2019 | South [sic]. Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021
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