1890–91_Scottish_Football_League
1890–91 Scottish Football League
Football league season
The 1890–91 Scottish Football League was the first season of the Scottish Football League. It began on 16 August 1890 and concluded on 21 May 1891. The league was won jointly by Dumbarton and Rangers who ended the season with an equal number of points.
| Season | 1890–91 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 16 August 1890 – 21 May 1891 |
| Champions | Dumbarton and Rangers (both 1st title) |
| Relegated | Cowlairs (not re-elected) |
| Matches played | 90 |
| Goals scored | 409 (4.54 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Jack Bell (20 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Celtic 9–1 Vale of Leven (5 May 1891) |
| Biggest away win | Heart of Midlothian 0–5 Celtic (23 August 1890) Cowlairs 1–6 Dumbarton (25 October 1890) Cowlairs 0–5 Celtic (29 April 1891) |
| Highest scoring | Cowlairs 7–5 Abercorn (28 February 1891) |
| Longest winning run | 8 games: Dumbarton |
| Longest unbeaten run | 14 games: Dumbarton |
| Longest winless run | 8 games: St Mirren |
| Longest losing run | 7 games: Abercorn |
1891–92 → | |
Dumbarton and Rangers ended the league season with an equal number of points so a play-off match was organised at Cathkin Park in Glasgow on 21 May 1891 to determine the winner.[1] The game ended in a 2–2 draw so both clubs were declared champions.
On 30 September 1890 after playing four games in the league, Renton was suspended by the Scottish Football Association for professionalism, and the club was subsequently expelled from the league with their record expunged.[2] Celtic, 3rd LRV and Cowlairs were docked four points each for fielding ineligible players.[3] At the end of the season, the bottom three teams had to submit applications to rejoin the league for the next season along with other non-league clubs. St Mirren, Vale of Leven and Cowlairs submitted applications along with non-league club Leith Athletic. In the election, Cowlairs lost their league position to Leith Athletic, with St Mirren and Vale of Leven being re-elected.[4]
The inaugural season of the Scottish Football League was contested by 11 clubs. This was reduced to 10 clubs after four games when Renton was expelled from the league for professionalism.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dumbarton[lower-alpha 1] (C) | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 61 | 21 | +40 | 29 | Joint Champions |
| 1 | Rangers[lower-alpha 1] (C) | 18 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 58 | 25 | +33 | 29 | |
| 3 | Celtic | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 48 | 21 | +27 | 21[lower-alpha 2] | |
| 4 | Cambuslang | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 47 | 42 | +5 | 20 | |
| 5 | 3rd LRV | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 15[lower-alpha 2] | |
| 6 | Heart of Midlothian | 18 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 31 | 37 | −6 | 14 | |
| 7 | Abercorn | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 36 | 47 | −11 | 12 | |
| 8 | St Mirren | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 39 | 62 | −23 | 11 | Re-elected |
| 8 | Vale of Leven | 18 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 27 | 65 | −38 | 11 | |
| 10 | Cowlairs[lower-alpha 3] (R) | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 24 | 50 | −26 | 6[lower-alpha 2] | Not re-elected |
| 11 | Renton[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Expelled, record expunged |
- Cowlairs failed re-election to compete in the league for the next season.
| Home \ Away | ABC | CAM | CEL | COW | DUM | HOM | RAN | STM | VOL | 3RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abercorn | 2–5 | 1–5 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–4 | |
| Cambuslang | 4–5 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–6 | 3–2 | 8–2 | 2–2 | |
| Celtic | 2–0 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 9–1 | 1–1 | |
| Cowlairs | 7–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–6 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | |
| Dumbarton | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | |
| Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 8–1 | 4–1 | |
| Rangers | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–2 | 8–2 | 4–0 | 4–1 | |
| St Mirren | 4–2 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 5–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–7 | 1–1 | 3–2 | |
| Vale of Leven | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 1–2 | |
| 3rd Lanark RV | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 5–3 | 4–1 |
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Rangers defeated 3rd Lanark RV 4–1 in their final league match on 9 May 1891[7] to move level with Dumbarton on 29 points, and a play-off was organised to determine which team would be crowned champions. However, the match finished as a draw and, with no more dates available for a further replay before the end of the season, it was decided that Dumbarton and Rangers would be declared joint champions.[8][9][10]
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- Some sources credit an appearance to Hugh McCreadie rather than John Allan, but contemporary reports contradict this; consequently the goal by 'McCreadie' must have been scored by Andrew.
- "Scottish Football League & Scottish Premier League - Play-offs and Test Matches 1891-date". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- "Scottish Football League Expulsions 1890-1953". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- "Scottish Football League & Scottish Premier League - League point deductions and awards 1890-date". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- "Scottish Football League - Re-elections 1891-1951". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- "1890-1891 SFL". SPFL. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- Graham, Alexander (2005). Football in Scotland: A Statistical Record 1873–2005. Cleethorpes: Soccer Books. p. 9. ISBN 1-86223-123-0.
- "Rangers 4 - 1 Third Lanark, Scottish League (09/05/1891)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- On This Day In Football History: 21 May 1891, Russell MdFadyen, The North Section, 21 May 2019
- Thursday, 21 May 1891, Scottish League History
- Football. | League Championship–Rangers v. Dumbarton. The Glasgow Herald, 22 May 1891
- "Rangers 2 - 2 Dumbarton, Division One (old) Play-offs (21/05/1891)". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- "Dumbarton 2-2 Rangers, Thursday, May 21st, 1891". The Sons Archive. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
