The 2020–21 Scottish League One was the eighth season of Scottish League One, the third tier of Scottish football. The season commenced later than usual, on the October 17th, being played over a shortened 22 game period due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.[2]
Season | 2020–21 |
---|---|
Dates | 17 October 2020 – 6 May 2021 |
Champions | Partick Thistle |
Promoted | Partick Thistle |
Relegated | Forfar Athletic |
Matches played | 110 |
Goals scored | 278 (2.53 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Mitch Megginson (14 goals)[1] |
← 2019–20 2021–22 → |
Ten teams contested the league: Airdrieonians, Clyde, Cove Rangers, Dumbarton, East Fife, Falkirk, Forfar Athletic, Montrose, Partick Thistle and Peterhead.
On 11 January 2021, the league was suspended for three weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] On 29 January 2021, the suspension was extended until at least 14 February.[4] In March 2021, the Scottish Government gave permission for the league to resume. On 4 March, League One and Two clubs proposed shortening the season to 22 matches, with each team playing all other teams twice, followed by a split in the table to determine the final four matches. The clubs suggested a restart date of 20 March, which was approved by the SPFL.[5]
Teams
editThe following teams changed division after the 2019–20 season.[6]
To League One
editPromoted from League Two
Relegated from the Championship
From League One
editRelegated to League Two
Promoted to the Championship
Stadia and locations
editAirdrieonians | Clyde | Cove Rangers | Dumbarton |
---|---|---|---|
Excelsior Stadium | Broadwood Stadium | Balmoral Stadium | Dumbarton Football Stadium |
Capacity: 10,101[7] | Capacity: 8,086[8] | Capacity: 2,602[9] | Capacity: 2,020[10] |
East Fife | Falkirk | ||
Bayview Stadium | Falkirk Stadium | ||
Capacity: 1,980[11] | Capacity: 7,937[12] | ||
Forfar Athletic | Montrose | Partick Thistle | Peterhead |
Station Park | Links Park | Firhill Stadium | Balmoor |
Capacity: 6,777[13] | Capacity: 4,936[14] | Capacity: 10,102[15] | Capacity: 3,150[16] |
Personnel and kits
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2020) |
Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airdrieonians | Ian Murray | Sean Crighton | Umbro | Holemasters[17] |
Clyde | Danny Lennon | David Goodwillie | Uhlsport | North Lanarkshire Leisure (Home) HomesBook Factoring (Away) |
Cove Rangers | Paul Hartley | Mitch Megginson | Adidas | ACE Group |
Dumbarton | Jim Duffy | Stuart Carswell | Joma[18] | C&G Systems[19] |
East Fife | Darren Young | Kevin Smith | Joma | BW Technology |
Falkirk | Gary Holt (Interim) | Gary Miller | Puma[20] | Central Demolition[20] |
Forfar Athletic | Gary Irvine | Gary Irvine | Pendle | Orchard Timber Products |
Montrose | Stewart Petrie | Paul Watson | Hummel | Carnegie Fuels Ltd |
Partick Thistle | Ian McCall | Thomas O'Ware | O'Neills | Just Employment Law[21] |
Peterhead | Jim McInally | Scott Brown | Adidas | The Score Group |
Managerial changes
editTeam | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forfar Athletic | Stuart Malcolm | Resigned | 9 April 2021[22] | 10th | Gary Irvine | 9 April 2021[23] |
Falkirk | David McCracken Lee Miller |
Sacked | 21 April 2021 | 3rd | Gary Holt (interim) | 21 April 2021 |
League summary
editLeague table
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Partick Thistle (C, P) | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 40 | 18 | +22 | 40 | Promotion to the Championship |
2 | Airdrieonians | 22 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 35 | 24 | +11 | 38 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
3 | Cove Rangers | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 18 | +10 | 36 | |
4 | Montrose | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 33 | |
5 | Falkirk | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 26 | +3 | 32 | |
6 | East Fife | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 30 | 33 | −3 | 33 | |
7 | Peterhead | 22 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 24 | 27 | −3 | 29 | |
8 | Clyde | 22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 27 | 38 | −11 | 26 | |
9 | Dumbarton (O) | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 24 | −10 | 25 | Qualification for the League One play-offs |
10 | Forfar Athletic (R) | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 37 | −19 | 17 | Relegation to League Two |
Results
editTeams play each other two times, making a total of 90 games, with each team playing 18, the league then splits in half for a further 4 matches.[25] This was reduced from the normal 36 due to the coronavirus pandemic.[25]
Matches 1–18
editPost-Split Fixtures (Matches 19–22)
editSeason statistics
editScoring
editTop scorers
edit- As of 6 May 2021
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Mitch Megginson | Cove Rangers | 14 |
2 | David Goodwillie | Clyde | 11 |
Brian Graham | Partick Thistle | ||
4 | Dale Carrick | Airdrieonians | 9 |
5 | Graham Webster | Montrose | 8 |
6 | Jack Hamilton | East Fife | 7 |
Russell McLean | Montrose | ||
Scott Tiffoney | Partick Thistle |
Source:[1]
Hat-tricks
editPlayer | For | Against | Score | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
David Goodwillie | Clyde | Montrose | 3–2 (H) | 21 November 2020 |
Attendances
editGames were mostly played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited attendance was allowed at some grounds with strict conditions under the Scottish Government Tier system, dependent on the club's geographical location.
Awards
editMonth | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Manager | Club | Player | Club | |
October | Paul Hartley | Cove Rangers | Stuart McKenzie | Cove Rangers |
November | David McCracken Lee Miller |
Falkirk | Thomas Robert | Airdrieonians |
December | Stewart Petrie | Montrose | Jack Hamilton | East Fife |
January | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
February | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
March | David McCracken Lee Miller |
Falkirk | Graham Webster | Montrose |
April | Ian McCall | Partick Thistle | Scott Tiffoney | Partick Thistle |
League One play-offs
editThe second bottom team, Dumbarton, entered into a 4-team playoff with the 2nd-4th placed teams in 2020–21 Scottish League Two. Edinburgh City along with Elgin City and Stranraer secured playoff spots.
Semi-final
editFirst leg
edit8 May 2021 | Stranraer | 0–0 | Dumbarton | Stranraer |
15:00 | Report | Stadium: Stair Park Referee: Chris Graham |
8 May 2021 | Elgin City | 0–1 | Edinburgh City | Elgin |
15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Borough Briggs Referee: Alan Newlands |
Second leg
edit11 May 2021 | Dumbarton | 1–0 (1–0 agg.) | Stranraer | Dumbarton |
19:45 | Wilson 36' | Report | Stadium: Dumbarton Football Stadium Referee: Gavin Duncan |
11 May 2021 | Edinburgh City | 2–2 (3–2 agg.) | Elgin City | Edinburgh |
19:45 | Report | McHardy 22', 42' | Stadium: Ainslie Park Referee: Craig Napier |
Final
editFirst leg
edit17 May 2021 | Edinburgh City | 1–3 | Dumbarton | Edinburgh |
19:35 | McIntyre 44' | Report | Stadium: Ainslie Park Referee: Colin Steven |
Second leg
edit20 May 2021 | Dumbarton | 0–1 (3–2 agg.) | Edinburgh City | Dumbarton |
19:35 | Report | See 52' | Stadium: Dumbarton Football Stadium Referee: Alan Newlands |
References
edit- ^ a b "Scottish League One Top Scorers". BBC. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Scottish League One to play 27-game 2020/21 season".
- ^ "Scottish lower leagues & Scottish Cup suspended for three weeks". BBC Sport. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Scottish Cup, lower leagues and women's football remain suspended". BBC Sport. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Scottish League 1 & 2 clubs united on 22-game season starting on 20 March". BBC Sport. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
- ^ "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "Airdrieonians Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Clyde Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Cove Rangers Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Dumbarton Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "East Fife Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Falkirk Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Forfar Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Montrose Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Partick Thistle Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Peterhead Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Holemasters announced as new club sponsor". Airdrieonians FC. 11 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- ^ Findlay, Alan (28 June 2017). "The 'Big Reveal' - New home kit 2017/2018". Dumbarton FC. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ "C&G Systems are Dumbarton's new shirt sponsors". 2 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ a b "New strips on sale now!". Falkirk F.C. 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ "Just Employment Law backs the Jags for another season". Partick Thistle F.C. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Forfar Athletic management team resigns with club 'disappointed by the timing'". BBC. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- ^ "Club update". forfarathletic.co.uk. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Scottish League 1 & 2 clubs vote for 22-game season with split after 18 matches". BBC Sport. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.