Scottish League Two

The Scottish League Two, known as cinch League Two for sponsorship reasons,[1] is the fourth tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland. The Scottish League Two was established in July 2013, after the Scottish Professional Football League was formed by a merger of the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League.[2]

Scottish League Two
Founded2013 (2013)
CountryScotland (10 teams)
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toScottish League One
Relegation toHighland Football League
Lowland Football League
Domestic cup(s)Scottish Cup
League cup(s)Scottish League Cup
Scottish Challenge Cup
Current championsStirling Albion (1st title)[note 1]
(2022–23)
Most championshipsPeterhead
(2 titles)[note 1]
TV partnersBBC Alba
Websitespfl.co.uk
Current: 2023–24 Scottish League Two

Since the 2014–15 season, the bottom team has entered a play-off against the winner of a play-off between the winners of the Highland and Lowland Leagues for a place in the following season's competition.[3]

Format

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned league champion. If points are equal, the goal difference determines the winner. If this still does not result in a winner, the tied teams must take part in a playoff game at a neutral venue to determine the final placings.[4]

Promotion and relegation

The champions are directly promoted to the Scottish League One, swapping places with the bottom club of League One.[4] The clubs finishing 2nd, 3rd, 4th in League Two, and the 9th placed team in League One then enter the two-legged League One play-off. The 2nd-placed League Two club plays the 3rd-placed League Two club, whilst the team who finished 4th in League Two will play the 9th-placed League One side. The winners of these ties will then play each other. If a League Two play-off winner prevails, that club is promoted, with the League One club being relegated. If the League One side is victorious, they then retain their place in League One.[4]

Since season 2014–15, the bottom team in League Two enters a two-legged play-off against the winner of the Pyramid play-off between the Highland League and Lowland League champions.[4] If the Highland or Lowland team wins the final they are promoted to League Two, and the team finishing 10th is relegated to the regional league they have chosen prior to the start of the season (previously this depended on whether they were north or south of 56.4513N latitude). If the League Two side wins the play-off, they retain their place in the following season's competition.[4]

The following League Two play-off finals have been played:

Season Winning team Aggregate score Losing team
2014–15 Montrose 3–2 Brora Rangers
2015–16 Edinburgh City 2–1 East Stirlingshire
2016–17 Cowdenbeath 1–1 (p) East Kilbride
2017–18 Cowdenbeath 3–2 Cove Rangers
2018–19 Cove Rangers 7–0 Berwick Rangers
2019–20 No playoffs were held due to the Covid-19 pandemic
2020–21 Kelty Hearts 3–1 Brechin City
2021–22 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 4–0 Cowdenbeath
2022–23 The Spartans 2–1 Albion Rovers

Teams

Listed below are all the teams competing in the 2023–24 Scottish League Two season, with details of the first season they entered the fourth tier; the first season of their current spell in the fourth tier; and the last time they won the fourth tier.

Team Position in 2021–22 First season in
fourth tier		 First season of current
spell in fourth tier		 Last title (4th tier)
Bonnyrigg Rose 8th, Scottish League Two 2022–23 2022–23 —
Clyde 9th, Scottish League One (relegated) 2010–11 2023–24 —
Dumbarton 2nd, Scottish League Two 1997–98 2022–23 2008–09
East Fife 4th, Scottish League Two 1999–00 2022–23 2015–16
Elgin City 9th, Scottish League Two 2000–01 2000–01 —
Forfar Athletic 5th, Scottish League Two 1994–95 2021–22 1994–95
Peterhead 10th, Scottish League One (relegated) 2000–01 2023–24 2013–14
Stenhousemuir 6th, Scottish League Two 1998–99 2019–20 —
Stranraer 7th, Scottish League Two 2003–04 2020–21 2003–04
The Spartans 1st, Lowland League (promoted) 2023–24 2023–24 —

Stadiums
See also: List of Scottish Professional Football League stadiums
Bonnyrigg Rose Clyde Dumbarton East Fife Elgin City
New Dundas Park New Douglas Park Dumbarton Football Stadium Bayview Stadium Borough Briggs
Capacity: 2,640 Capacity: 6,018 Capacity: 2,020[5] Capacity: 1,980[6] Capacity: 4,520[7]
Forfar Athletic Peterhead Stenhousemuir Stranraer The Spartans
Station Park Balmoor Ochilview Stair Park Ainslie Park
Capacity: 6,777[8] Capacity: 3,150 Capacity: 3,746[9] Capacity: 4,178[10] Capacity: 3,612

Statistics

Championships
Main article: List of winners of the Scottish League Two and predecessors
Season Winner Runner-up Top scorer
Player Goals
2013–14 Peterhead Annan Athletic Rory McAllister (Peterhead) 32
2014–15 Albion Rovers Queen's Park Peter Weatherson (Annan Athletic) 22
2015–16 East Fife Elgin City Nathan Austin (East Fife) 22
2016–17 Arbroath Forfar Athletic Shane Sutherland (Elgin City) 18
2017–18 Montrose Peterhead David Goodwillie (Clyde) 25
2018–19 Peterhead Clyde Blair Henderson (Edinburgh City) 30
2019–20[11] Cove Rangers Edinburgh City Mitch Megginson (Cove Rangers) 24
2020–21 Queen's Park Edinburgh City Kane Hester (Elgin City) 15
2021–22 Kelty Hearts Forfar Athletic Nathan Austin (Kelty Hearts) 17
2022–23 Stirling Albion Dumbarton Tommy Goss (Annan Athletic) 23

Top goalscorers
As of 29 September 2023[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]
Rank Player Club(s)[note 2] Goals
1Blair HendersonAnnan Athletic (2014), (2017–2018)
Berwick Rangers (2015–2016)
Stirling Albion (2016–2017)
Edinburgh City (2018–2021)
The Spartans (2023–)		87
2Shane SutherlandElgin City (2013–2015; 2016–2019)
Peterhead (2019)
Elgin City (2019–2020)		75
3Rory McAllisterPeterhead (2013–2014; 2017–2019)
Cove Rangers (2020)
Peterhead (2023–)		70
4Kane HesterArbroath (2015–2017)
Elgin City (2019–2023)		63
5Brian CameronElgin City (2013–)59

Italics denotes players still playing football,
Bold denotes players still playing in Scottish League Two.

Notes
  1. Scottish League Two has only existed since 2013. For a complete record of clubs that have won the Scottish fourth tier, see List of winners of the Scottish League Two and predecessors.
  2. Clubs only include those where players scored goals in the Scottish League Two.

References
  1. "CINCH ANNOUNCED AS SPFL TITLE SPONSOR". spfl.co.uk. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  2. "SPFL: New Scottish league brands unveiled". BBC Sport. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  3. "Scottish FA approves Lowland League for next season". BBC Sport. 11 June 2013.
  4. "The Rules and Regulations of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). Scottish Professional Football League. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  5. "Dumbarton Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  6. "East Fife Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. "Elgin City Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  8. "Forfar Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  9. "Stenhousemuir Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. "Stranraer Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  11. "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles & reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  12. "Scottish League Two 2013–14". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  13. "Scottish League Two 2014–15". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  14. "Scottish League Two 2015–16". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  15. "Scottish League Two 2016–17". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  16. "Scottish League Two 2017–18". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  17. "Scottish League Two 2018–19". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  18. "Scottish League Two 2019–20". Soccerbase. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  19. "Scottish League Two 2020–21". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  20. "Scottish League Two 2021–22". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  21. "Scottish League Two 2022–23". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  22. "Scottish League Two 2023–24". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
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