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THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION was formed in London in 1863. One of its early tasks was to lay down the rules of the game. At the time, there was no obligation on non-member clubs to follow these rules; they differed from those used by the Sheffield clubs for instance. The game in Scotland still allowed handling of the ball. Queen's Park were formed in Glasgow in 1867, and named after the Queen's Park Recreation Ground on which they played. Queen's Park joined the F.A. in 1870 and thus agreed to follow the F.A.'s playing rules. It also allowed them to arrange fixtures with some of the leading English clubs. They were one of the entries for the first F.A. Challenge Cup played in 1871 / 72, subscribing a guinea towards the cost of the trophy.

THE SCOTTISH F.A. was formed in 1873, with Queen's Park taking an active interest to ensure that a uniform set of rules existed. The fixture lists of the early Scottish clubs consisted of friendly matches, including some with English clubs. Other Scottish clubs that played in the English Cup were Third Lanark, Cowlairs, Glasgow Rangers, Renton and Partick Thistle. However, in 1887, the Scottish F.A. declared that their clubs must withdraw from the English F.A. and thus cease their participation in the English Cup. A factor in this decision was the continuing argument on professional players; the English had made payments legal in 1885 but the Scots remained strictly amateur until 1893. Scots players were among the first professional players in the English game, lured south by attractive offers of work.It was an exiled Scot, William McGregor, who floated the idea of a "league" where English clubs would play each other on a formalised home and away basis. Discussions took place in 1888, leading to twelve clubs from the North of England and the Midlands contesting the first season in 1888 / 89.

THE SCOTTISH FIRST DIVISION was established in 1890. The Scottish F.A. remained adamant that soccer was a game for amateurs, though it had become common for clubs to pay some of their players "under the counter". St. Bernards were suspended by the Scottish F.A. for paying one of their players. The club reformed under another name, and Renton played the new club in a friendly game. This led to Renton's expulsion from the League in its opening season; their playing record was expunged. Queen's Park declined to join the League, letting it be known that they did not wish to be associated with an organisation tainted with illegal professionalism.The first season finished with two clubs level on points. Goal average or goal difference had not been considered to separate the teams, so a play off was arranged. The game between Rangers and Dumbarton finished 2-2 and the trophy was shared.

THE SECOND DIVISION was formed in 1893. Automatic promotion and relegation was not used; the bottom three clubs of Division One and the top three clubs of Division Two were subject to a ballot of the First Division clubs. This may seem unfair, but it has to be remembered that there was a wide gulf between the crowd potential of Scottish clubs, and the First Division clubs were bound to consider gate receipts and travel costs in making their decision. Later, the bottom two clubs of the First Division were included in the ballot. If clubs were level on points, test matches were used to decide who was included in the ballot.

QUEENS PARK finally joined the League in 1900 / 01.Their strictly amateur status meant a steady drift oftheir better players to other clubs but they maintained first division status for most of the seasons prior to World War Two.

THE FIRST WORLD WAR caused many disruptions to sport in the United Kingdom. Footballers were encouraged to enlist in the armed forces; the Hearts' team did to a man. The First Division continued throughout the war but the Second Division folded after season 1914 / 15. Many clubs were forced to field untried players. Aberdeen and Falkirk dropped out in 1917 in view of the travel difficulties of the lowland clubs, and Dundee and Raith Rovers also dropped out.

AFTER THE WAR ENDED, non League clubs in east and central Scotland formed the Central League. As this was outside the jurisdiction of the English, Scottish and Irish Leagues, the clubs could sign players without needing to pay a transfer fee. Dunfermline Athletic were said to pay just three of their players more than some First Division clubs paid the whole of their team! As First Division clubs found some of their players being lured away to the Central League something had to be done.
The solution was to make the Central clubs into a new Second Division for season 1921 / 22, with automatic promotion and relegation with the First. Goal average was used to divide clubs level on points. The poached players returned to their previous clubs. Clubs in the Western League were also added to the League in 1923 / 24, as a Third Division. This was only to last for three seasons.

THE SECOND WORLD WAR was declared on September 3rd 1939 and the "official" season north and south of the border came to an immediate halt. Regional leagues were formed. Peace came in 1945, but too late to see an official resumption of the League for 1945 / 46. As it happens, the clubs who played in the two divisions of season 1945 / 46 also made up the two divisions of 1946/47. Some clubs proposed a 16 club super league, but Clyde led the opposition to this idea, with the support of Celtic and Rangers. Divisions 1 and 2 were relabelled "A" and "B" in 1946 / 47. The League also added a division "C" in 1946 / 47, and later (1949 / 50) split this into two; "C North and East" and "C South and West". Most of the teams taking part in Division C were the reserve teams of A and B division clubs. Of course, only "first teams" could be promoted from Division C, by finishing as champions. The bottom club of Division B was relegated when this occurred. The C Division ended after season 1954 / 55.

GOAL DIFFERENCE was introduced in season 1971 / 72 to replace goal average as the method of separating clubs level on points.The re-organisation of 1975 / 76 returned to a triple league system. The Premier Division was formed with ten clubs who met each other four times, twice at home and twice away. The new Divisions 1 and 2 were played conventionally for 1975 / 76, but then moved to a method whereby some clubs met on three occasions. This was determined by a ballot.

THE PREMIER DIVISION was increased to twelve clubs for seasons 1986 / 87, 1987 / 88, and 1991 / 92 to1993 / 94 onwards. 1994 / 95 saw a new organisation of four divisions of ten clubs, each meeting four times per season. This made room for two new clubs to join the new third division. Three points were awarded for a win from 1994 / 95 onwards.
Meadowbank Thistle became Livingston in 1995 / 96.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County were admitted to the Scottish League in 1994 / 95
Peterhead and Elgin were admitted to the Scottish League in 2000 / 01

Scottish Premier League 2000 / 2001
New set -up-explained

: The Scottish Premier League will consist of 12 clubs,
with a split after 33 games.

: During the first phase of the season,
each team will play every other club {3} times either once at home and twice away or twice at home and once away.

: After that first phase,
each club will have played either 16 home games and 17 away games or vice versa.

: The league will then split into two sections.

: The top six clubs {6}
will play each other once more,
a total of five {5} games, to compete for the championship and Uefa qualification.

: The bottom six clubs {6}
will also play each other once more,
a total of {5} games, to retain Premier status for season 2001 / 2002 and each season thereafter.

: Points achieved during the first phase will be carried forward to the second phase but the teams will compete only within their sections during the second phase.

: The teams in the bottom section can finish no higher than seventh {7th} in the league.

: On completion of the second phase, clubs will have played 38 games.

We at The Road To Hampden hope that you have enjoyed this brief but informative insight into our Nations Football League History.

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