Wikipedia

2021–22 Scottish League Two

The 2021–22 Scottish League Two (known as cinch League Two for sponsorship reasons) was the ninth season of Scottish League Two, the fourth tier of Scottish football. The season began on 31 July.

Scottish League Two
Season2021–22
Dates31 July 2021 – 30 April 2022
ChampionsKelty Hearts
PromotedKelty Hearts (as champions)
Edinburgh City (via play-offs)
RelegatedCowdenbeath
Matches played180
Goals scored468 (2.6 per match)
Top goalscorerNathan Austin
17 goals
Biggest home winKelty Hearts 6–1 Albion Rovers
(11 December 2021)
Stirling Albion 5–0 Edinburgh City
(30 April 2022)
Biggest away winAlbion Rovers 0–5 Stranraer
(9 April 2022)
Highest scoringKelty Hearts 6–1 Albion Rovers
(11 December 2021)
Forfar Athletic 3–4 Stenhousemuir
(26 December 2021)
Longest winning runKelty Hearts
5 games
Longest unbeaten runKelty Hearts
16 games
Longest winless runCowdenbeath
12 games
Longest losing runStirling Albion
7 games
Highest attendance1,202
Kelty Hearts 2–0 Cowdenbeath (31 July 2021)
Lowest attendance151
Albion Rovers 1–4 Annan Athletic (2 March 2022)
All statistics correct as of 30 April 2022.

Ten teams contested the league: Albion Rovers, Annan Athletic, Cowdenbeath, Edinburgh City, Elgin City, Forfar Athletic, Kelty Hearts, Stenhousemuir, Stirling Albion and Stranraer.

Teams

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The following teams changed division after the 2020–21 season.

Stadia and locations

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Albion Rovers Annan Athletic Cowdenbeath Edinburgh City
Cliftonhill Galabank Central Park Ainslie Park[1][2]
Capacity: 1,238[3] Capacity: 2,504[4] Capacity: 4,309[5] Capacity: 3,534
       
Elgin City
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Location of teams in 2021–22 Scottish League Two
 Forfar Athletic
Borough Briggs Station Park
Capacity: 4,520[6] Capacity: 6,777[7]
 
 
Kelty Hearts Stenhousemuir Stirling Albion Stranraer
New Central Park Ochilview Park Forthbank Stadium Stair Park
Capacity: 2,181 Capacity: 3,746[8] Capacity: 3,808[9] Capacity: 4,178[10]
       

Personnel and kits

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Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Albion Rovers   Brian Reid   Aron Lynas Joma CompliancePath
Annan Athletic   Peter Murphy   Steven Swinglehurst EV2 Sportswear M & S Engineering
Cowdenbeath   Maurice Ross   Craig Barr Erreà Collier Haulage, Quarrying and Recycling
Edinburgh City   Alan Maybury (interim)   Robbie McIntyre Macron Forth Capital
Elgin City   Gavin Price   Euan Spark Joma McDonald & Munro
Forfar Athletic   Gary Irvine   Ross Meechan Pendle Orchard Timber Products
Kelty Hearts   Kevin Thomson   Michael Tidser Joma The Conservatory Converters
Stenhousemuir   Stephen Swift   Sean Crighton Puma LOC Hire
Stirling Albion   Darren Young   Ross McGeachie Macron Prudential
Stranraer   Jamie Hamill   Grant Gallagher Joma[11] Stena Line[12]

Managerial changes

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Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Kelty Hearts   Barry Ferguson Resigned 24 May 2021 Pre-season   Kevin Thomson 28 May 2021
Stranraer   Stephen Farrell Signed by Dumbarton 29 May 2021   Jamie Hamill 4 June 2021
Cowdenbeath   Gary Bollan Mutual consent 23 October 2021 10th   Maurice Ross 2 November 2021
Stirling Albion   Kevin Rutkiewicz Resigned 9 December 2021 4th   Darren Young 20 December 2021
Edinburgh City   Gary Naysmith Sacked 17 March 2022 4th   Alan Maybury (interim) 24 March 2022

League summary

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Kelty Hearts (C, P) 36 24 9 3 68 28 +40 81 Promotion to League One
2 Forfar Athletic 36 16 12 8 57 36 +21 60 Qualification for the League One play-offs
3 Annan Athletic 36 18 5 13 64 51 +13 59
4 Edinburgh City (O, P) 36 14 10 12 43 49 −6 52
5 Stenhousemuir 36 13 10 13 47 46 +1 49
6 Stranraer 36 13 8 15 50 54 −4 47
7 Stirling Albion 36 11 9 16 41 46 −5 42
8 Albion Rovers 36 10 9 17 37 58 −21 39
9 Elgin City 36 9 10 17 33 51 −18 37
10 Cowdenbeath (R) 36 7 8 21 28 49 −21 29 Qualification for the League Two play-off final
Source: [13]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-to head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only for deciding promotion, play-off participation and relegation).[14]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated


Results

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Season statistics

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Scoring

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Top scorers

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As of 30 April 2022
Rank Player Club Goals
1   Nathan Austin Kelty Hearts 17
2   Tony Wallace Annan Athletic 13
  Kane Hester Elgin City
  Thomas Orr Stenhousemuir
5   Tommy Goss Annan Athletic 12
  Joe Cardle Kelty Hearts

Awards

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Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
August   Kevin Thomson Kelty Hearts   Joe Cardle Kelty Hearts
September   Kevin Rutkiewicz Stirling Albion   Nathan Austin Kelty Hearts
October   Gary Irvine Forfar Athletic   Craig Thomson Forfar Athletic
November   Kevin Thomson Kelty Hearts   John Robertson Edinburgh City
December   Peter Murphy Annan Athletic   Dominic Docherty Annan Athletic
January   Gavin Price Elgin City   Tam Orr Stenhousemuir
February   Stephen Swift Stenhousemuir   Nicky Jamieson Stenhousemuir
March   Kevin Thomson Kelty Hearts   Tommy Goss Annan Athletic
April   Gary Irvine Forfar Athletic   Kallum Higginbotham Kelty Hearts

League Two play-offs

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The Pyramid play-off was contested between the champions of the 2021–22 Highland Football League (Fraserburgh) and the 2021–22 Lowland Football League (Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic). The winners (Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic) then faced the bottom club in League Two (Cowdenbeath) in the play-off final. As Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic won the final, they were promoted to League Two for the 2022–23 season and Cowdenbeath were relegated to the Lowland League.

Pyramid play-off

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First leg

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23 April 2022 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 3–1 Fraserburgh Bonnyrigg
15:00
  • McGachie   38'
  • Connolly   54'
  • Currie   82'
 [16] Young   70' Stadium: New Dundas Park
Attendance: 1,571
Referee: Alan Newlands

Second leg

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30 April 2022 Fraserburgh 1–0
(2–3 agg.)		 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Fraserburgh
15:00 Simpson   65' [17] Stadium: Bellslea Park
Referee: Mike Roncone

Final

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First leg

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7 May 2022 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 3–0 Cowdenbeath Bonnyrigg
15:00
  • S. Brown   40'
  • Martyniuk   44' (pen.)
  • Brett   74'
 [18] Stadium: New Dundas Park
Attendance: 2,202
Referee: Grant Irvine

Second leg

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14 May 2022 Cowdenbeath 0–1
(0–4 agg.)		 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Cowdenbeath
15:00 [19] Martyniuk   62' (pen.) Stadium: Central Park
Attendance: 2,117
Referee: David Munro

References

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  1. ^ "Stadium Announcement". Edinburgh City FC. 31 March 2021. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  2. ^ Delaney, James (3 May 2022). "Meadowbank Stadium 'finishing line in sight' as delayed arena to open". STV News. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Albion Rovers Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Annan Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Cowdenbeath Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Elgin City Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. ^ "Forfar Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Stenhousemuir Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Stirling Albion Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Stranraer Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  11. ^ "New kit deal". Stranraer FC. 15 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 May 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  12. ^ "30 years of Stena". Stranraer FC. 29 June 2017. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  13. ^ "cinch League Two Table". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  14. ^ "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  15. ^ a b "cinch League Two Results". SPFL. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  16. ^ Law, Callum (23 April 2022). "Fraserburgh defeated 3-1 by Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic in play-off semi-final first leg". The Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  17. ^ Law, Callum (30 April 2022). "Fraserburgh defeat Bonnyrigg 1-0 but it's not enough to reach play-off final". The Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  18. ^ "Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 3–0 Cowdenbeath". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Cowdenbeath 0–1 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
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