The Scottish Professional Football League is the national men’s association football league in Scotland 🏴. The league was formed in June 2013 following a merger between the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Football League ⚽️. See below for predictions on all Scottish Football leagues.
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A Scottish football league system was first created in 1890, when the Scottish Football League (SFL) was formed. Traditionally the league had a two divisional structure and clubs were promoted and relegated at the end of each season. By the mid-1970s, this organisation was perceived to be stagnant, and it was decided to split into a three divisional structure: Premier Division (formerly Division One), First Division (formerly Division Two) and a newly added Second Division. This system came into force for the 1975–76 season. This continued until the 1994 when a four divisional structure was introduced with divisions consisting of ten clubs.
On 8 September 1997, the Premier Division clubs decided to split from the Scottish Football League and form the Scottish Premier League (SPL), following the English Premier League. This decision was fuelled by a desire by the top clubs in Scotland to control more of the revenue generated by the game and to negotiate its contracts with sponsors and broadcasters. SFL revenues had been divided proportionally between clubs in all four divisions. The SPL clubs retained all of its commercial revenues, except for an annual payment to the SFL and a parachute payment to any relegated clubs. 💸
MODERNISING
Scottish football began to think about changing its structures again in the late 2000s. Scottish teams were struggling in international competition and revenues were being greatly outgrown by the neighbouring English Premier League 🏴. However, a proposal to change did not proceed because of opposition from four SPL clubs. Only two wereneeded to block any change of that nature.
Talks continued about the proposed league merger. A proposal for a merged league body with a 12–12–18 structure was advanced in April 2013. This plan failed when two SPL clubs (Ross County and St Mirren) voted against. However, the SPL clubs unanimously agreed a revised merger plan a few weeks later. This would retain the same league structure and redistribute more revenues to second tier clubs. The SFL submitted a counter-proposal allowing for more revenues to be given to third and fourth tier clubs. However, this was rejected by the SPL, who stuck with the plan agreed by their clubs.
An indicative vote of SFL clubs in May suggested that the SPL plan would be formally rejected. Some of the First Division (second tier) clubs threatened to break away from the SFL and form an “SPL2” (SPL second division). The SPL suggested it would welcome the First Division clubs if they decided to leave the SFL. A formal vote of SFL clubs was taken on 12 June. 23 clubs voted in favour, one more than was needed for the proposal to succeed. The merger was formally agreed on 28 June and football was first played under the new structure in the 2013–14 season.
