Scottish Premier League#Records and awards

For most of its history, the Scottish Football League had a two divisional structure (Divisions One and Two) between which clubs were promoted and relegated at the end of each season. However, by the mid-1970s, this organisation was perceived to be stagnant, and it was decided to split into a three divisional structure: Premier Division (formerly Division One), First Division (formerly Division Two) and a newly added Second Division. This system came into force for the 1975–76 season. This setup continued until the 1994–95 season, when – in response to an attempt by the biggest clubs to form a breakaway 'Super League' in 1992[https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/rangers-and-hearts-owners-hibs-and-aberdeen-involved-celtic-wavering-recalling-failed-scottish-super-league-breakaway-of-1992-3207472?amp Rangers and Hearts owners, Hibs and Aberdeen involved, Celtic wavering - recalling failed Scottish Super League breakaway of 1992], Stephen Halliday, The Scotsman, 20 April 2021 – a four divisional structure was introduced. This involved the creation of a Third Division, with all four divisions consisting of ten clubs.

On 8 September 1997, the clubs in the Premier Division decided to split from the Scottish Football League and form a Scottish Premier League. This followed an earlier example in England, which came into force during the 1992–93 season. This decision was fuelled by a desire by the top clubs in Scotland to retain more of the revenue generated by the game. Originally, league sponsorship money was divided proportionally between clubs in all four divisions. After the SPL was formed, its clubs retained all of its commercial revenues except for an annual payment to the SFL and a parachute payment to recently relegated clubs.

File:Edinburgh Derby 2006.jpg played at Tynecastle in December 2006]]

Teams received three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points were awarded for a loss. Teams were ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points was crowned league champion. If points were equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner.

Originally the SPL contained 10 clubs, but it subsequently enlarged to 12 for the 2000–01 season and retained this structure until 2013. The increase from 10 clubs to 12 was part of the deal offered to obtain approval from SFL member clubs. After the expansion to 12 clubs, the SPL operated a "split" format. This was done to prevent the need for a 44-match schedule, based on playing each other four times. That format had been used in the Scottish Premier Division but was considered to be too high a number of matches in a league season.

A season, which runs from August (except in 2011–12, when that season began in July) until May, was divided into two phases. During the first phase, each club played three matches against every other team, either once at home and twice away, or vice versa. After this first phase of matches, by which time all clubs had played 33 matches, the league split into a "top six" and a "bottom six". Each club then played a further five matches against the other five teams in their own section. Points achieved during the first phase of 33 matches were carried forward to the second phase, but the teams competed only within their own sections during the second phase. After the first phase was completed, clubs could not move out of their own section in the league, even if they achieved more or fewer points than a higher or lower ranked team, respectively.

At the beginning of each season, the SPL "predicted" the likely positions of each club in order to produce a fixture schedule that ensured the best possible chance of all clubs playing each other twice at home and twice away. This was known as the league seeding and was based on clubs' performance in previous years.{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_19990808/ai_n13940102/pg_1|work=Sunday Herald|title=SPL stand by their split decision|date=8 August 1999|access-date=22 March 2008}} If a club did not finish in the half where it was predicted to finish, it faced the possibility of playing an unequal number of home and away matches. For example, one club would sometimes play another three times at home and once away.

There was criticism of the split season format. However, the SPL defended the split format, dismissing the possibility of expanding the league due to a lack of strong enough clubs within the Scottish Football League. In March 2008, Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies was the latest to call for a league revamp, claiming the potential for four matches per season against the same opponent was too many.{{cite news|url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/scottishpremier/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/03/20/SOCCER_Kilmarnock_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=scotspremiership|publisher=Sporting Life|title=Jefferies wants a new-look league|access-date=22 March 2008|archive-date=21 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121215046/http://www.sportinglife.com/football/scottishpremier/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/03/20/SOCCER_Kilmarnock_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=scotspremiership|url-status=dead}}

The bottom placed SPL club at the end of the season was relegated, and swapped places with the winner of the Scottish First Division, provided that the winner satisfied the SPL entry criteria. These promotion criteria sometimes caused controversy. In 2003, the chairmen of the member clubs voted against Falkirk's proposed ground share with Airdrie United and stopped the club from having the 10,000 capacity stadium it required, therefore saving Motherwell from relegation.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/spl/Falkirk-lose-out-as-SPL.2430042.jp|work=The Scotsman |location=UK|title=Falkirk lose out as SPL closes ranks and denies them place|author=Jonathan Coates|date=24 May 2003|access-date=26 March 2008}}

The same situation nearly materialised in 2004. After several votes and discussion, including threats of court cases from Partick Thistle, the team threatened with relegation, Inverness Caledonian Thistle were promoted on the basis that they would ground share with Aberdeen at Pittodrie.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/3828873.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Inverness win SPL vote|date=22 June 2004|access-date=26 March 2008}} In 2005, the stadium size criterion for entry to the SPL was reduced to 6,000,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/inverness_ct/4076125.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Inverness are homeward bound|date=7 June 2004|access-date=25 March 2008}} thereby allowing Inverness Caledonian Thistle to return to their home stadium during the 2005–06 season.

Image:Oldfirm.jpg match at Celtic Park]]

One of the main criticisms of the SPL was the dominance of the two Old Firm clubs, Celtic and Rangers. No team outside the Old Firm has won the Scottish league championship since 1985. Until Rangers were ejected from the SPL due to their liquidation, there was only one SPL season (2005–06) where both clubs failed to occupy first and second positions, with Hearts finishing second behind Celtic.{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/low-attendance-low-achievement-spls-dismal-legacy-failure-1618057|title=Low in attendance, low in achievement – the SPL's dismal legacy of failure|work=sport.scotsman.com|publisher=Johnston Press|first=Ewing|last=Grahame|date=13 July 2012|access-date=29 July 2012}} While other European leagues were dominated by a few clubs in the 2000s, the Old Firm dominance in Scotland dated back to the beginning of Scottish league football, with a few exceptional periods. The average home attendances of both clubs is significantly higher than the other Scottish clubs, which resulted in the Old Firm having far greater revenues and therefore more money to spend on players. Both clubs also received significant revenues from participation in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

Despite having more resources than other Scottish clubs, the Old Firm experienced difficulty in competing with big clubs from other leagues in terms of transfer fees and player wages due to the SPL's relatively low television revenue. A recurring theme during the existence of the SPL was the prospect of the two clubs leaving the Scottish football set-up to join the English football league system, an Atlantic League with clubs from countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal, or forming a new European Super League.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/1947226.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Dutch resurrect Atlantic League|date=24 April 2002|access-date=26 March 2008}} While some observers believed the departure of the Old Firm from the Scottish football setup would be detrimental to Scottish football as a whole,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/7284560.stm|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Blatter opposes Old Firm switch|date=7 March 2008|access-date=26 March 2008}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/1983550.stm|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Old Firm urged to talk|date=12 May 2002|access-date=26 March 2008}} others, such as Craig Levein, believed it would benefit Scottish football due to increased competition among the remaining clubs for the SPL title.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/1916159.stm|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Levein wants Old Firm kicked out|date=7 April 2002|access-date=26 March 2008}} World football's governing body FIFA ruled out the prospect of any Old Firm move to the English set-up.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1465004.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Fifa writes off Old Firm hopes|date=30 July 2001|access-date=26 March 2008}} The duopoly was effectively broken when Rangers entered administration in 2012 and was liquidated after it failed to reach an agreement with creditors. Rangers was relaunched by a new company and were voted into the Scottish Football League Third Division.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19904760 |title=SPL has coped with loss of Rangers, says Neil Doncaster |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=10 October 2012 |access-date=11 October 2012}}

In March 2013, Rangers chief executive Charles Green suggested that Rangers could join the Football Conference and that EU competition law banning restraints of trade could be used to overcome any legal barriers to such a plan.{{cite news |first=Neil |last=McLeman |title=Ger'd your loins! Glasgow Rangers will be playing in England within FIVE YEARS says Ibrox chief |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/exclusive-glasgow-rangers-celtic-playing-1783049 |work=Daily Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |location=London |date=24 March 2013 |access-date=21 May 2013 }} Green also suggested that Rangers and Celtic would not be playing in the Scottish league system in ten years time. Scotland manager Gordon Strachan said he believed the Old Firm clubs would join a future new 38-club two-division European Super League.{{cite news |first1=Martyn |last1=Ziegler |first2=Ronnie |last2=Esplin |title=Celtic and Rangers will join European super league, says Scotland manager Gordon Strachan |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/celtic/9985432/Celtic-and-Rangers-will-join-European-super-league-says-Scotland-manager-Gordon-Strachan.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/celtic/9985432/Celtic-and-Rangers-will-join-European-super-league-says-Scotland-manager-Gordon-Strachan.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=10 April 2013 |access-date=21 May 2013 }}{{cbignore}}

The SPL instituted a "winter break" during the January of each season, beginning with the 1998–99 season. However, this practice was removed beginning in the 2000–01 season, forcing clubs to play throughout January and sometimes resulting in postponement of matches and significant damage to clubs' pitches. Managers Martin O'Neill,{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/2884453.stm|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=McLeish berates SPL|date=25 March 2003|access-date=22 March 2008}} Jim Duffy and Walter Smith were among those who called for the winter break to be reinstated.{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20050612/ai_n14665300|work=Daily Mirror |location=UK |title=Football: BRING BACK BREAK|date=12 June 2005 |access-date=22 March 2008}} Alex McLeish accused the SPL of taking Scottish football "back to the Dark Ages" after its decision to scrap the mid-season hiatus.

Image:Barcelona vs Rangers 2.jpg at the Camp Nou in the 2007–08 Champions League]]

In the seasons after the SPL's inception, Scotland's UEFA coefficient improved significantly, having been ranked 26th in 1998–99,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7259596.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=SPL praises Euro performances|date=22 March 2008|access-date=22 March 2008}} they reached a high of 10th at the end of the 2007–08 season. The SPL ranking thereafter declined, the league falling back to the 24th position at the end of 2012–13.{{cite web | title=UEFA Country Ranking 2011 | url= http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/country/index.html | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110407212016/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/country/index.html | url-status= dead | archive-date= 7 April 2011 | publisher=Bert Kassies| work=UEFA European Cup Football Results and Qualification|date= 17 May 2011 |access-date=17 May 2011}}

In 2003, Celtic became the first Scottish club since Dundee United in 1987 to reach a European final, eventually losing 3–2 to Porto after extra time in the UEFA Cup final.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3043029.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Porto end Celtic's Uefa dream|date=21 May 2003|access-date=9 May 2008}} In 2003–04, two Scottish clubs, Celtic and Rangers, qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time. In 2005–06, Rangers became the first Scottish club to reach the knockout stage of the Champions League,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4494912.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Rangers 1–1 Inter Milan|date=6 December 2005|access-date=9 May 2008}} a feat repeated by Celtic the following two seasons.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6160910.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Celtic 1–0 Man Utd|date=21 November 2006|access-date=9 May 2008}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7123562.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=AC Milan 1–0 Celtic|date=4 December 2007|access-date=9 May 2008}} In the 2007–08 season, three Scottish clubs were competing in Europe after Christmas for the first time since 1970,{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/dec/20/newsstory.aberdeen|work=The Guardian |location=UK |title=Calderwood aims to end 37 years of Scottish hurt in Europe|access-date=9 May 2008|date=20 December 2007 | first=Ewan | last=Murray}} while in the same season, Rangers reached the 2008 UEFA Cup final, but lost 2–0 to Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7393752.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Zenit St Petersburg 2–0 Rangers|date=14 May 2008|access-date=16 May 2008}} During the season, Scotland's European representatives collected the most coefficient points since the 1982–83 season.

Scottish Premier League clubs had almost complete freedom to sign whatever number and category of players they wish. There was no team or individual salary cap, no squad size limit, no age restrictions other than those applied by general employment law, no restrictions on the overall number of foreign players and few restrictions on individual foreign players. All players with EU nationality, including those able to claim an EU passport through a parent or grandparent, were eligible to play, and top players from outside the EU were able to obtain UK work permits.

The only restriction on selection was the "Under-21 rule". This rule stated that each club must include at least three players under the age of 21 in its matchday squad. Opinions on this rule were divided among SPL managers. Walter Smith, Gus MacPherson and Jim Jefferies expressed their disapproval of the policy.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/08/17/sfnsco117.xml |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |title=SPL face fresh criticism over under-21 rule|date=17 August 2007|access-date=22 March 2008 | first=Jamie | last=Murdoch }}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} John Collins approved of the ruling, claiming it is healthy for Scottish football and encouraged the development of young players.

A decline in television revenue resulted in relatively little spending among SPL clubs, with major transfer spending mostly limited to the Old Firm clubs. As a result, most clubs became reliant on developing their own young players and selling them on for profit. This also resulted in a large proportion of SPL clubs' squads being made up of Scottish players (73% in the 2004–05 season).{{cite news|url=http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/SPLFAQs/0,,10002,00.html |publisher=Scottish Premier League |title=FAQs |access-date=22 March 2008 |archive-date=15 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315085433/http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/SPLFAQs/0%2C%2C10002%2C00.html |url-status=dead }}

Due to its relatively low income from television and commercial partners, Scottish clubs were highly dependent on revenues from fans attending matches. More people in Scotland per head of population watched their domestic top-level league than any other European nation.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl-revamp/2011/01/21/scottish-football-still-drawing-biggest-crowds-per-head-of-population-in-europe-says-spl-chief-86908-22865096/|title=Scottish football still drawing biggest crowds per head of population in Europe, says SPL chief|work=Daily Record|publisher=Trinity Mirror|last=Parks|first=Gordon|date=21 January 2011|access-date=6 July 2013}} All ten of the clubs that played in the 1998–99 Scottish Premier League also participated in the 2011–12 Scottish Premier League. Nine of those ten clubs recorded lower average attendance. Celtic had a 14% decline in attendance since a peak season of 2000–01, when the club won the domestic treble. Dunfermline, who were newly promoted to the SPL in 2011–12, only saw an increase of 939 in average attendance from the 2010–11 Scottish First Division season. They also attracted a bigger crowd for a Fife derby game in the First Division against Raith Rovers than any game in the SPL.

The Bank of Scotland, which had sponsored the league since March 1999 (the League was unsponsored for most of the inaugural season), did not renew its sponsorship at the end of the 2006–07 season. Talks began with Clydesdale Bank,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6040794.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Clydesdale in SPL sponsor talks|date=11 October 2006 | access-date=4 January 2010}} and a four-year contract worth £8 million came into effect from July 2007;{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6066692.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Clydesdale are new SPL sponsors|date=19 October 2006 | access-date=4 January 2010}} in 2010, the contract was extended until 2013.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8631102.stm |title=Clydesdale Bank extends sponsorship deal with SPL |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=19 April 2010}}

During the SPL era, six of its member clubs entered administration. Serious financial difficulties first arose in 2002 when broadcaster Sky Sports withdrew its interest in the League's television rights when the SPL rejected its offer of £45 million, hoping a better deal would arise from another broadcaster.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/scottish/dark-days-ahead-for-debtridden-scottish-clubs-569858.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|title=Dark days ahead for debt-ridden Scottish clubs|date=13 February 2004|access-date=25 March 2008 | location=London | first=Calum | last=Philip}} However, a superior deal failed to arise, adding to the clubs' already delicate financial position. Total debt among SPL clubs was estimated during 2001–02 to be around £132m, having been barely into double figures two years previously. Motherwell became the first SPL club to enter administration in April 2002, with debts of £11 million and a wage bill totalling 97% of the club's annual turnover. Dundee were next to follow, when in November 2003 it sacked 25 staff after debts of £20 million.

The severity of the SPL's financial problems were revealed in September 2003 when combined losses for SPL clubs during 2001–02 was estimated to have been £60 million.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3133218.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=SPL posts record losses |date=23 September 2003 |access-date=25 March 2008}} A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in 2003 described five SPL clubs – Dundee, Dunfermline Athletic, Hearts, Hibernian and Livingston – as "technically insolvent". Livingston became the third SPL club to enter administration in February 2004 with debts of £3.5 million.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/livingston/3449367.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Livi in administration |date=3 February 2004 |access-date=25 March 2008}} Dunfermline Athletic's financial position also looked bleak, with several players asked to take wage-cuts,{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/3255524.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Pars players face wage cuts |date=2 February 2003 |access-date=25 March 2008}} while Rangers chairman David Murray announced in September 2004 a plan to raise £57 million via a rights issue in an attempt to eliminate a large proportion of the club's debts.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/3617590.stm|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Rangers to raise £57m|date=1 September 2004|access-date=25 March 2008}}

After widespread cost-cutting measures, the finances of SPL clubs began to show signs of improvement. Both Motherwell and Dundee came out of administration in April{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/3601421.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title='Well end administration |date=20 April 2004 |access-date=25 March 2008}} and August 2004{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee/3540060.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Dundee to enter new era|date=5 August 2004|access-date=25 March 2008}} respectively, while Livingston ended its 15-month spell in administration in May 2005.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/livingston/4413753.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Livingston out of administration|date=13 May 2005|access-date=25 March 2008}} The 2006 report on SPL finances by PWC revealed operating profits of £2.8 million among SPL clubs, the first collective operating profit made by Scotland's top-flight clubs in over a decade.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/5400428.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=SPL continues economic recovery|date=3 October 2006|access-date=25 March 2008}} Seven of the SPL's 12 clubs had a wage turnover ratio of less than 60%.

The 2007 report by PWC revealed a collective loss of £9 million for 2005–06, although six clubs – Falkirk, Hibernian, Inverness CT, Kilmarnock, Motherwell and Rangers – made a profit.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6947466.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Hearts buck debt reduction trend |date=15 August 2007 |access-date=25 March 2008}} The report highlighted the increasingly precarious financial position of Hearts, describing its current finances as "unsustainable" with debt rising by £7 million to £28 million and a wage bill which represents 97% of its turnover. The figures for 2006–07 showed a collective profit of £3 million, with eight clubs making a profit.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7584257.stm|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title= Profits on the up for SPL clubs |date=27 August 2008 |access-date=27 August 2008}}

In March 2008, Gretna became the fourth SPL club to enter administration. The club's main benefactor, Brooks Mileson, was forced to withdraw his financial support due to failing health.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gretna/7291519.stm |publisher=BBC |work= BBC Sport |title=Gretna edging closer to closure |date=13 March 2008 |access-date=25 March 2008}} The club was liquidated after it had been relegated to the Scottish Football League at the end of the 2007–08 Scottish Premier League. Gretna fans formed a new club, Gretna 2008, which entered the East of Scotland Football League.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/top-football-stories/gretna-are-on-the-long-road-back-1-1088436|title=Gretna are on the long road back |work=The Scotsman |publisher=Johnston Press |date=29 August 2008|access-date=16 June 2012}}

SPL clubs were badly affected by the Great Recession in Europe.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7947870.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC News |title=Clubs expect more financial woes|date=17 March 2009|access-date=17 March 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/7929976.stm |title=Rangers offer redundancy packages |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=7 March 2009}} The 21st PWC annual review found that SPL clubs made a collective loss of £22 million during the 2008–09 season, although this loss was almost entirely due to problems at two clubs.{{cite news |url=http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Credit-crunch-takes-its-toll.6482938.jp |title=Credit crunch takes its toll on SPL as £23m profit becomes £22m loss |work=The Scotsman |location=UK |last=Smith |first=Andrew |date=19 August 2010 |access-date=19 August 2010}} Rangers incurred a £14 million loss after losing most of their European revenues due to an early defeat by FBK Kaunas, while Hearts lost £8 million. In 2010, Hearts was described by The Scotsman as the only true financial "basket case" in the SPL, with the club having a wages-to-turnover ratio of 126% and debt of over three times turnover. Rangers stabilised financially in the next two seasons, thanks to income generated from Champions League participation. Rangers entered administration on 14 February 2012,{{cite web |last=Clark|first=John|title=Notice of administrator's appointment|url=http://www.rangers.co.uk/staticFiles/9c/9e/0,,5~171676,00.pdf|publisher=Registrar of Companies |access-date=12 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417091951/http://www.rangers.co.uk/staticFiles/9c/9e/0,,5~171676,00.pdf|archive-date=17 April 2012|url-status=dead}} owing an approximate £9 million in unpaid taxes and with an ongoing tribunal with HMRC.{{cite web|last=Whitehouse|first=David|title=Joint Administrators' Report and Statement of Proposals|url=http://www.rangers.co.uk/staticFiles/fe/a8/0,,5~174334,00.pdf|publisher=Duff & Phelps|access-date=12 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416230702/http://www.rangers.co.uk/staticFiles/fe/a8/0,,5~174334,00.pdf|archive-date=16 April 2012}} HMRC blocked a proposed Company Voluntary Arrangement in June 2012, forcing preferred bidder Charles Green to use a new company to buy out the business and assets of Rangers.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18444319|title=Sky sets the limit|work=BBC News |publisher=BBC|first=Douglas|last=Fraser|date=14 June 2012 |access-date=16 June 2012}} Weeks before the SPL merged into the Scottish Professional Football League, Hearts became the sixth SPL club to enter administration.

Image:A cameraman pitchside at Tynecastle Stadium.jpg]]

Between 1998–99 and 2001–02, exclusive television rights for live Scottish Premier League matches were held by Sky Sports. In January 2002, the SPL rejected a £45 million offer from Sky Sports and began considering setting up its own pay-per-view channel, dubbed "SPL TV".{{cite news|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-81816116|publisher=Daily Record|title=FANS GET A TELLYFUL; SPL set to launch its own TV station as Sky switch off|date=16 January 2002|access-date=23 March 2008}} However, these plans broke down in April 2002 when the Old Firm clubs – Rangers and Celtic – utilised the 11–1 voting system to veto the proposals.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/1916133.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Old Firm scupper SPL TV|date=8 April 2002 |access-date=23 March 2008}} This caused discontent among the remaining ten SPL clubs, which subsequently announced their intention to resign from the league.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/1931985.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Scottish league faces collapse|date=16 April 2002|access-date=23 March 2008}}

Despite a two-year television deal being agreed with BBC Scotland in July 2002 for a significant amount less than previously offered by Sky Sports,{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/2159152.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=SPL signs BBC deal |date=31 July 2002 |access-date=27 March 2008}} the ten non-Old Firm clubs confirmed their resignation from the SPL in August 2002, citing discontent with the voting system.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/2166576.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Scottish clubs quit SPL |date=1 August 2002 |access-date=23 March 2008}} The ten clubs withdrew their resignations in January 2003 after an agreement was reached to change some of the voting procedures and to change the distribution of TV revenue.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/2683577.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=SPL ends internal strife|date=22 January 2003|access-date=23 March 2008}}

The SPL agreed a television rights deal with Irish broadcaster Setanta Sports in February 2004 in a four-year deal worth £35 million.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/3489216.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=Setanta wins SPL TV deal|date=26 February 2004|access-date=23 March 2008}} This deal was revised in 2006, with a two-year extension to the original deal agreed, the new four-year deal now being worth £54.5 million and running to 2010. In June 2008, it was announced that a further four-year deal would commence for the 2010–11 season, worth £125 million.{{cite web |url=http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s2&newsid=6274&back=home |title=Record-breaking TV deal for SPL |date=30 June 2008 |publisher=Scottish Premier League |work=www.scotprem.com |access-date=30 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703042033/http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s2&newsid=6274&back=home |archive-date=3 July 2008}} Setanta lost the rights to show live SPL matches in the United Kingdom as it was unable to pay the £3 million it owed to the SPL.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8152874.stm |title=SPL agrees TV deal with Sky/ESPN |date=16 July 2009 |access-date=6 August 2010 |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport}} The SPL then agreed a deal with ESPN and Sky Sports worth £13 million per season to the clubs. This was comparable to the deal which was in place with Setanta, but it was around half the amount Setanta was due to pay from 2010. The Old Firm criticised the decision of nine of the other SPL clubs to accept that offer from Setanta, instead of taking an alternative package from Sky that would have been worth significantly more than the deal signed after Setanta went into administration.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/8154830.stm |title=Old Firm blast SPL over TV deal |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=16 July 2009 |access-date=6 August 2010}}

In 2009, Sky and ESPN agreed a five-year deal with the SPL where they would pay a total of £65 million for the rights to show 30 matches each per season. In November 2011, it was announced that a five-year extension to the contract would commence from the 2012–13 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/15824173 |title=SPL secures new five-year TV deal with Sky and ESPN |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=21 November 2011 |access-date=10 May 2012}} This deal was amended after Rangers entered insolvency and was not allowed to transfer its SPL membership to a new company.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19070877|title=Sky reveals new SPL TV deal for five years |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=31 July 2012 |access-date=31 July 2012}} The rights held by ESPN were acquired by BT Sport in February 2013.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21577341 |title=BT buys ESPN's Scottish Premier League TV rights|date=25 February 2013 |access-date=25 February 2013 |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport}}

BBC Scotland's Sportscene held the rights to broadcast highlights of each match first on terrestrial TV. The BBC also held the rights to show online Internet highlights to UK users for one week after each match. BBC Alba, launched in September 2008, showed one full SPL match per week in delayed coverage. BBC Alba also showed some live matches in the 2012–13 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-20362974 |title=New TV deal on Scottish football |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=16 November 2012 |access-date=16 November 2012}} The SPL was broadcast in Australia by Setanta Sports Australia, in Canada by Sportsnet World and in the United States by Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus.

Radio broadcasting rights were held by BBC Radio Scotland.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/3490936.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=BBC welcomes radio deal |date=26 February 2004|access-date=23 March 2008}} BBC Radio Scotland also provided internet webcasts to all Scottish Premier League matches, having become the first broadcaster to introduce such a service in June 2000.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/scottish_premier/790777.stm |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |title=BBC scores Scottish winner|date=14 June 2000|access-date=23 March 2008}} Old Firm matches were also broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live and 102.5 Clyde 1.

{{main|List of Scottish Premier League clubs}}

The clubs listed below competed in the Scottish Premier League. Teams in italics were founder members, who played in the 1998–99 competition.

{{main|List of Scottish Premier League stadiums}}

The following stadia were used by clubs in the Scottish Premier League.

Image:Celtic Park, 2007.jpg, the biggest stadium by capacity used in the SPL.]]

{{main|List of Scottish football champions}}

This table is a cumulative record of all SPL matches played. The table is accurate from the 1998–99 season to the end of the 2012–13 season, inclusive.{{cite web|url=http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s47 |title=Records |publisher=Scotprem.com |access-date=3 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524074137/http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s47 |archive-date=24 May 2013 }}

P = Position; Ssn = Number of seasons; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; Ppg = Points per game

Kilmarnock and Rangers player Kris Boyd scored the most goals in the SPL, with 167 goals.{{cite web |url=http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Records/0,,10002,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051102083842/http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Records/0,,10002,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 November 2005 |title=Scottish Premier League | Scottish Football Results & News |publisher=Scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk |date=30 December 2009 |access-date=3 January 2010 }} He broke the previous record of 158, set by Henrik Larsson, by scoring five goals for Rangers in a 7–1 win against Dundee United on 30 December 2009. Boyd and Larsson were the only players who scored more than 100 goals in the SPL era. There are players who scored far more goals in the predecessor Scottish Football League competition, with Jimmy McGrory holding the overall record with 408 goals in the top flight of Scottish football.[https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scottops-allt.html Scotland – All-Time Topscorers], RSSSF.

File:Kris Boyd.jpg, the SPL's all-time top goalscorer]]

; Biggest home win: Celtic 9–0 Aberdeen (2010–11)

; Biggest away win: Dunfermline Athletic 1–8 Celtic (2005–06)

; Most goals in a game: Motherwell 6–6 Hibernian (2009–10)

; Most consecutive wins: Celtic, 25, 2003–04

; Most consecutive games unbeaten: Celtic, 32, 2003–04

; Most consecutive defeats: Partick Thistle, 10, 2003–04

; Most consecutive games without a win: Hamilton Academical, 22, 2010–11

; Most consecutive games without scoring a goal: Dunfermline Athletic, 9, 2006–07

; Most points in a season: Celtic, 103 points, 2001–02

; Fewest points in a season: Gretna, 13 points, 2007–08Gretna's points total would have been 23 points without a 10-point administration penalty they received. The lowest points total without such a penalty is 18 points, which was recorded by Livingston in 2005–06.

; Most goals scored in a season: Celtic, 105 goals, 2003–04

; Fewest goals scored in a season: St Johnstone, 23 goals, 2010–11

; Most goals conceded in a season: Aberdeen, 83 goals, 1999–00
Gretna, 83 goals, 2007–08

; Fewest goals conceded in a season: Celtic, 18 goals, 2001–02

; Most wins in a season: Celtic, 33, 2001–02

; Fewest wins in a season: Dunfermline Athletic, 4, 1998–99
Livingston, 4, 2005–06: Hearts, 4, 2019–20

; Fewest defeats in a season: Celtic, 1, 2001–02

; Most defeats in a season: Livingston, 28, 2005–06

; Most draws in a season: Dunfermline Athletic, 16, 1998–99
St Mirren, 16, 2011–12

; Fewest home defeats in a season: Celtic, 0, 2001–02 and 2002–03
Rangers, 0, 2009–10

; Fewest away defeats in a season: Celtic, 0, 2003–04

; Fewest home wins in a season: Hamilton Academical, 1, 2010–11
Dunfermline Athletic, 1, 2011–12

; Fewest away wins in a season: Dunfermline Athletic, 0, 1998–99

; Youngest player: Scott Robinson, for Hearts vs Inverness CT, {{age in years and days|1992|3|12|2008|4|26}}{{cite web|url=http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s72 |title=Individual records |publisher=Scottish Premier League |access-date=23 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902090111/http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s72 |archive-date=2 September 2010 }}

; Youngest goalscorer: Fraser Fyvie, for Aberdeen vs Heart of Midlothian, {{age in years and days|1993|3|27|2010|1|27}}

; Oldest player: Andy Millen, for St Mirren vs Hearts, 42 years 279 days, 15 March 2008

; Most goals in a season: Henrik Larsson (Celtic), 35 goals, 2000–01

; Fastest goal: Kris Commons, 12.2 seconds, Celtic 4 - 3 Aberdeen, 16 March 2013{{cite web |url=http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s2&newsid=12183 |title=Commons sets SPL record for fastest goal |work=www.scotprem.com |publisher=Scottish Premier League |access-date=18 March 2013}}

; All-time top scorer: Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock and Rangers), 164 goals

; Most hat-tricks: Henrik Larsson (Celtic), 12

; Hat-tricks in consecutive games: Henrik Larsson (Celtic), 2000–01
Anthony Stokes (Falkirk), 2006–07

; Most goals in a game: Kenny Miller, 5, Rangers v St Mirren, 4 November 2000
Kris Boyd, 5, Kilmarnock v Dundee United, 25 September 2004
Kris Boyd, 5, Rangers v Dundee United, 30 December 2009
Gary Hooper, 5, Celtic v Heart of Midlothian, 13 May 2012

; Most consecutive clean sheets: Robert Douglas, Celtic, 7 games, 2000–01

; Most clean sheets in a season: Fraser Forster and Łukasz Załuska, Celtic, 25 games, 2011–12{{cite web|url=http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=home_Statistics |title=Statistics |work=www.scotprem.com |publisher=Scottish Premier League |access-date=18 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612200756/http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=home_Statistics |archive-date=12 June 2011 }}

; Most SPL appearances: James Fowler, 401 (correct to the end of the 2012–13 season)

; Highest attendance: 60,440, Celtic v St Mirren, 7 April 2001{{cite news|url=http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Top12s/0,,10002,00.html|publisher=ScotPrem.co.uk|title=SPL statistics|access-date=7 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411054145/http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Top12s/0,,10002,00.html|archive-date=11 April 2008|url-status=dead}}

; Lowest attendance: 431, Gretna v Inverness CT, 5 April 2008

; Highest average attendance: 59,369, Celtic, 2000–01

; Lowest average attendance: 2,283, Gretna, 2007–08

; Highest transfer fee paid: Tore André Flo, from Chelsea to Rangers, £12 million, 23 November 2000{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1033258.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Flo goes to Rangers|date=23 November 2000|access-date=22 March 2008}}

; Highest transfer fee received: Aiden McGeady, from Celtic to Spartak Moscow, £9.5 million, 13 August 2010{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/8896037.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Aiden McGeady completes record move to Spartak Moscow |date=13 August 2010|access-date=13 August 2010}}

; Highest transfer fee between two SPL clubs: Scott Brown, from Hibernian to Celtic, £4.4 million, 1 June 2007{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6653201.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |title=Celtic win race for Hibs' Brown|date=15 May 2007|access-date=22 March 2008}}

• List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues
• Scottish Premier League monthly awards

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Scottish Premier League}}

{{Defunct football competitions in Scotland}}

{{UEFA leagues}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Defunct top-level football leagues in Europe

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Category:1998 establishments in Scotland

Category:2013 disestablishments in Scotland

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Category:Sports leagues established in 1998

Category:Sports leagues disestablished in 2013