1890–91 Scottish Football League

Scottish Football League
Season 1890–91
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)
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 by Dumbarton
Longest unbeaten run 14 games by Dumbarton
Longest winless run 8 games by St Mirren
Longest losing run 7 games by Abercorn

The 1890–91 Scottish Football League was the first season of the Scottish Football League. It began on 16 August 1890 and concluded on 12 May 1891. The league was won by Dumbarton and Rangers who ended the season with an equal number of points.

Season overview

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]

Clubs

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.

Glasgow
Cambuslang
Glasgow teams

3rd LRV
Celtic
Cowlairs
Rangers

Locations of teams in the 1890–91 Scottish Football League
Team Home town/city Home ground
3rd LRV Glasgow Cathkin Park
Abercorn Paisley Underwood Park
Cambuslang Cambuslang Whitefield Park
Celtic Glasgow Celtic Park
Cowlairs Glasgow Springvale Park
Dumbarton Dumbarton Boghead Park
Heart of Midlothian Edinburgh Tynecastle
Rangers Glasgow Ibrox Park
Renton Renton Tontine Park
St Mirren Paisley Westmarch
Vale of Leven Alexandria Millburn Park

Table

Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Dumbarton (C) 18 13 3 2 61 21+40 29 Joint champions †
1 Rangers (C) 18 13 3 2 58 25+33 29
3 Celtic 18 11 3 4 48 21+27 021*
4 Cambuslang 18 8 4 6 47 42+5 20
5 3rd LRV 18 8 3 7 38 391 015*
6 Heart of Midlothian 18 6 2 10 31 376 14
7 Abercorn 18 5 2 11 36 4711 12
8 St Mirren 18 5 1 12 39 6223 11 Re-elected
8 Vale of Leven 18 5 1 12 27 6538 11
10 Cowlairs 18 3 4 11 24 5026 06*Not re-elected ‡

Source: statto.com, SFHA
Rules for classification: Teams finish equal if level on points. Points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss.
Dumbarton and Rangers finished equal on points, and a play-off to determine the winner ended in a 2−2 draw so both teams were declared champions.
* Celtic, 3rd LRV and Cowlairs were deducted four points each for fielding ineligible players.
Cowlairs failed re-election to compete in the league for the next season. Leith Athletic elected in their place.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.

Results

Home ╲ Away 3RD ABC CAMCELCOWDUMHOMRANSTMVOL
3rd LRV 21 12 21 30 13 40 04 53 41
Abercorn 24 25 15 10 12 10 11 51 60
Cambuslang 22 45 31 40 22 20 26 32 82
Celtic 11 20 52 20 10 10 22 32 91
Cowlairs 22 75 11 05 16 12 02 42 32
Dumbarton 51 51 50 22 11 31 51 51 40
Heart of Midlothian 41 11 22 05 40 04 01 10 81
Rangers 41 20 21 12 11 42 52 82 40
St Mirren 32 42 23 10 52 24 32 37 11
Vale of Leven 12 21 21 31 21 13 24 13 52

Source: statto.com
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

See also

References

  1. Scottish Football League & Scottish Premier League - Play-offs and Test Matches 1891-date, scottish-football-historical-archive.com. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  2. Scottish Football League Expulsions 1890-1953, scottish-football-historical-archive.com. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  3. Scottish Football League & Scottish Premier League - League point deductions and awards 1890-date, scottish-football-historical-archive.com. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  4. Scottish Football League - Re-elections 1891-1951, scottish-football-historical-archive.com. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
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