SPFL Reserve League#Reserve Cup
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football league
| logo =
| pixels =
| country = {{SCO}}
| founded = 2018
| divisions = 1
| teams = 6
| relegation =
| levels =
| domest_cup = SPFL Reserve Cup
| champions = Queen's Park Reserves
| season = 2024–25
| current =
}}
The SPFL Reserve League is the reserve team league for football in Scotland. The league began in 2018, as the SPFL Development League was replaced by a reserve team (i.e not age-restricted) format.{{cite web |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/article/spfl-reserve-league-201819/ |title=Reserve Leagues for season 2018/19 |publisher=SPFL |date=23 July 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44932616 |title=SPFL reintroduces reserve leagues after nine-year absence |publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 July 2018 |access-date=23 July 2018}}[https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11781/11447003/spfl-reintroduce-reserve-leagues-after-nearly-a-decades-absence SPFL reintroduce reserve leagues after nearly a decade's absence], Sky Sports, 24 July 2018
History
In its first season, 2018–19, the league included 27 clubs, split into two divisions. At its end, several clubs (Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibernian, Rangers and St Johnstone) intimated that they would withdraw from the Reserve League to arrange their own programme of matches.{{cite web |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/9996 |title=Reserve League Update |publisher=Hibernian FC |date=29 May 2019 |access-date=29 May 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17611585.rangers-and-celtic-set-to-quit-spfl-reserve-league-in-a-bid-to-boost-academy-teams/ |title=Rangers and Celtic set to quit SPFL Reserve League in a bid to boost Academy teams |first=Christopher |last=Jack |work=The Herald |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=29 May 2019}} The 2019–20 edition was formed with 19 clubs, with the season being curtailed early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland; the winners were decided on a 'points per game' calculation.[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hamilton-livingston-named-reserve-league-22201664.amp Hamilton and Livingston named reserve league winners as SPFL drop hint over competition's future], Daily Record, 16 June 2020[https://spfl.co.uk/news/hamilton-academical-and-livingston-named-reserve Hamilton Academical and Livingston Named Reserve League Champions], Scottish Professional Football League, 16 June 2020
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the league returned in season 2022–23 with ten clubs participating.{{Cite web |title=Press Release: Reserve League {{!}} SPFL |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/press-release-260722 |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=spfl.co.uk}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62303227 |title=SPFL Reserve League to return this season after two-year absence |website=BBC Sport |date=26 July 2022 |accessdate=26 July 2022}} Hibernian were the winners of a truncated competition, with only one round of matches (nine per team).[https://spfl.co.uk/league/rl1/archive/371 Reserve League 2022/23], SPFL
In 2023–24, Queen's Park won six of their eight Reserve League fixtures, securing the title. Their only defeat came against the previous season's champions Hibernian.{{Cite web |title=QUEEN'S PARK WIN RESERVE LEAGUE |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/queens-park-win-reserve-league |date=2 April 2024 |website=SPFL}}
In 2024-25, six clubs participated in the SPFL Reserve League, playing each other twice across the season.{{Cite web |title=SPFL RESERVE LEAGUE FIXTURES 2024/25 |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/spfl-reserve-league-fixtures-202425 |date=1 August 2024 |website=SPFL}} Queen's Park won a second successive title with a points tally of 19; just one point ahead of runners up Livingston.{{Cite web |title=QUEEN'S PARK WIN SPFL RESERVE LEAGUE |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/queens-park-win-spfl-reserve-league |date=14 April 2025 |website=SPFL}}
Participating clubs
- (for 2024–25 - Airdrieonians, Ayr United and Hibernian withdrew){{Cite web |title=SPFL RESERVE LEAGUE FIXTURES 2024/25 |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/spfl-reserve-league-fixtures-202425 |date=1 August 2024 |website=SPFL}}
- Dundee
- Dunfermline Athletic
- Kilmarnock
- Livingston
- Queen of the South
- Queen's Park
Winners
Reserve Cup
A knockout competition is organised alongside the League.
A total of 12 clubs entered the 2024/25 SPFL Reserve Cup, with the competing sides split into three groups of four on a broadly regional basis. Clubs played each other once and the winner of each group progressed to the semi finals. These were Dunfermline Athletic, Queen's Park, and Queen of the South F.C.. Kilmarnock, the best runner-up across the three groups, also qualifyed for the semi-finals.[https://spfl.co.uk/league/rcup/table SPFL Reserve Cup 2024–25], SPFL
The Final, between Kilmarnock and Dunfermline, took place on the 23rd of April 2025. Dunfermline won the match 2-1, securing their second successive reserve cup.[https://spfl.co.uk/news/dunfermline-athletic-win-reserve-cup-50564], SPFL
{{notelist}}
See also
- Scottish Premier Reserve League (a similar competition, operated by the Scottish Premier League between 1998 and 2009)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://spfl.co.uk/league/rl1/table Table and fixtures] at SPFL
{{Scottish Professional Football League}}
{{Football in Scotland}}
Category:2018 establishments in Scotland
Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2018
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