The 2007–08 season was the 111th season of competitive football in Scotland.
Overview Gretna were competing in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first ever season in the top-flight, after being promoted as First Division champions the previous season. Dunfermline Athletic competed in the First Division after being relegated from the Scottish Premier League. Greenock Morton and Stirling Albion played in the First Division after being promoted as Second Division champions and First Division play-off winners, respectively. Ross County were competing in the Second Division after being relegated as the First Division's bottom team and Airdrie United were relegated through the Second Division play-offs. Berwick Rangers and Queen's Park were competing in the Second Division after being promoted from the Third Division as champions and Second Division play-offs winners, respectively. Forfar Athletic and Stranraer played Third Division football after being relegated as the Second Division's bottom team and Second Division play-off losers, respectively. East Stirlingshire had a suspended reduction to associate members hanging over them from the previous season. Finishing bottom of the Third Division would mean an automatic and instant reduction to associate members (and with it a potential expulsion from the league two years later at the end of the 2009–10 season), while finishing 9th or higher would annul any punishment.
Notable events
2007 1 June – The Scottish Football Association appoint former Rangers and Kilmarnock striker Gordon Smith as the new Chief Executive following the departure of David Taylor who was appointed General Secretary of UEFA. 20 July – Irn-Bru became the new sponsor of the Scottish Football League, signing a three-year deal. 11 October – Celtic are fined £25,000 by UEFA for "lack of organisation and improper conduct by supporters" during their UEFA Champions League match with A.C. Milan at Celtic Park. 17 November – The Scotland national team fail to qualify for Euro 2008 after a 2–1 defeat by Italy at Hampden Park eliminated them at the qualifying stage. 25 November – St Johnstone beat Dunfermline 3–2 to win the Challenge Cup for the first time. 29 December – Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell, 35, collapsed on the pitch at Fir Park during a match against Dundee United, and died later that evening.
2008 15 March – East Fife confirm their promotion to the Second Division as Third Division champions with a 3–0 victory over East Stirlingshire, becoming the first team in Britain to win a league trophy in the 2007–08 season. 16 March – Rangers win the Scottish League Cup by beating Dundee United 3–2 in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw in the final at Hampden Park. 22 March – Scotland's Under-17s qualify for the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship after finishing top of their Elite qualifying group. 29 March – Gretna are relegated from the SPL after losing 2–0 to St Mirren at Love Street. 29 March – Berwick Rangers are relegated from the Second Division after a 2–2 draw with Peterhead. 5 April – Ross County win promotion to the First Division as Second Division champions after defeating already-relegated Berwick Rangers 4–0 and second place Airdrie United losing 2–1 to Brechin City. 8 April – Stirling Albion are relegated from the First Division after a 1–0 defeat to Partick Thistle. 12 April – First Division Queen of the South beat SPL Aberdeen 4–3 at Hampden Park to qualify for their first Scottish Cup final, in the highest scoring semi-final ever. 19 April – Hamilton Academical win promotion to the Scottish Premier League as First Division champions following a 2–0 over Clyde. 10 May – Clyde retain their First Division status after defeating Airdrie United 3–0 on aggregate in the First Division play-off final. 10 May – Arbroath are promoted to the Second Division after a 2–1 aggregate win over Stranraer in the Second Division play-off final. Cowdenbeath, who were beaten by Arbroath in the semi-finals, are relegated to the Third Division. 14 May – Rangers lose 2–0 to Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup Final. 22 May – Celtic win their third successive SPL title after defeating Dundee United 1–0. 24 May – Rangers win the Scottish Cup for the 32nd time after defeating Queen of the South 3–2 in the Final. This was the Dumfries club's first ever Scottish Cup Final appearance in their history. 29 May – Gretna are demoted to the Third Division after administrator David Elliot could not guarantee the Football League that the club would fulfil its fixtures next season. Consequently, First Division play-off runners-up Airdrie United are promoted to the First Division and Second Division play-off runners-up Stranraer are promoted to the Second Division.
Transfer deals
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointmentClyde Joe Miller Mutual Consent 25 May Colin Hendry 11 June Motherwell Maurice Malpas Resigned 1 June Mark McGhee 18 June Gretna Rowan Alexander Sacked 18 July David Irons 18 July Inverness CT Charlie Christie Resigned 20 August Craig Brewster 27 August Stenhousemuir Campbell Money Resigned 29 September John Coughlin 12 October Ross County Dick Campbell Mutual consent 2 October Derek Adams 21 November Berwick Rangers John Coughlin Resigned 7 October Michael Renwick 24 October Ayr United Neil Watt Resigned 23 October Brian Reid 24 October Dumbarton Gerry McCabe Sacked 11 November Jim Chapman 31 December St Johnstone Owen Coyle Mutual consent 22 November Derek McInnes 27 November Dunfermline Athletic Stephen Kenny Sacked 4 December Jim McIntyre 3 January Hibernian John Collins Resigned 20 December Mixu Paatelainen 10 January Queen's Park Billy Stark Resigned 9 January Gardner Speirs 25 January Clyde Colin Hendry Resigned 18 January John Brown 26 January Greenock Morton Jim McInally Resigned 12 February David Irons 19 February Gretna David Irons Resigned 19 February Mick Wadsworth 19 February East Stirlingshire Gordon Wylde Resigned 28 February Jim McInally 13 March Forfar Athletic Jim Moffat Mutual consent 21 April Dick Campbell 8 May Berwick Rangers Michael Renwick Sacked 28 February Allan McGonigal 13 May Heart of Midlothian Stephen Frail Mutual Consent 27 May 2008 Csaba László 11 JulyLivingston Mark ProctorSacked3 June Roberto Landi 11 June
League competitions
Scottish Premier League
Celtic won their third consecutive title, having been off the pace for much of the season before a run of seven consecutive victories in the closing stages lifted them to the top of the table. Their title win was dedicated to the memory of assistant manager Tommy Burns, who died from cancer a week before the season ended. Rangers lost out on the title thanks to indifferent form in the final weeks of the campaign, though the fact that they came so close and recorded victories in both domestic cups nonetheless meant the season was a considerable improvement on the two previous seasons, which both ended up trophyless and without a serious challenge for the title. Motherwell finished third and took the UEFA Cup berth, as former player Mark McGhee's return as manager brought a major turnaround in form.
At the other end of the table, Gretna's meteoric rise up the Scottish football pyramid came to a juddering halt; they went bottom of the table following a 4-0 thrashing in their first match, and never left it. The withdrawal of millionaire owner Brooks Mileson plunged them into a financial crisis that forced the club into administration, resulting in them becoming the first top-flight club to earn a ten-point deduction for doing so. This helped cause them to set a new record for the lowest top-flight points total since the adoption of 3 points for a win, and their financial troubles would ultimately prove terminal, resulting in the club folding and being reformed as Gretna F.C. 2008 in the Lowland League for the following year.
Scottish First Division
Hamilton Academical won the title, and with it, their third promotion in seven years, bringing them back into the top-flight for the first time since 1989.
Stirling Albion finished well adrift in bottom place, and suffered automatic relegation as a result. Clyde were sent into the play-offs, and retained their place in the First Division by beating Airdrie United in the final.
Scottish Second Division
Ross County won immediate promotion back to the First Division, vindicating their shock decision to sack manager Dick Campbell early in the campaign with the club top of the table, as rookie manager Derek Adams managed to further improve the club's form, resulting in them comfortably winning the title. Airdrie United initially lost out on promotion after failing to beat Clyde in the play-offs, but Gretna's demise meant Airdrie ended up being promoted anyway.
Berwick Rangers were relegated in bottom place after a dismal campaign, and Cowdenbeath joined them after losing in the play-offs.
Scottish Third Division
East Fife won the division by a wide margin after their play-off heartbreak the previous season. Arbroath, who had likewise lost out on promotion in the previous season's play-offs, were victorious in this year's campaign. Stranraer, who lost to Arbroath in the play-off final, still ended up earning an immediate return to Division Two, thanks to Gretna's demise.
East Stirlingshire, who had been given a suspended reduction to associate members in the previous campaign (meaning they would have faced an expulsion vote had they finished bottom in both this and the next seasons), managed to avoid this fate by pulling above Forfar Athletic on the final day of the season. It was the first time since 2002 that any other team had finished bottom of the SFL pyramid.
Other honours
Main cup honours CompetitionWinnerscoreRunner-upReportScottish Cup 2007–08Rangers3–2Queen of the SouthWikipedia articleLeague Cup 2007–08Rangers2 – 2 (3 – 2 pen.)Dundee UnitedWikipedia articleChallenge Cup 2007–08St Johnstone3–2Dunfermline AthleticWikipedia articleJunior CupBathgate Thistle2–1Cumnock JuniorsThe Scotsman
Non-league honours
Senior CompetitionWinnerHighland League 2007–08Cove RangersHighland League CupInverurie Loco WorksEast of Scotland Premier DivisionWhitehill WelfareEast of Scotland First DivisionHeriot-Watt UniversityEast of Scotland King CupEast of Scotland League CupSpartansSouth of Scotland LeagueCrichtonSouth of Scotland League CupSt Cuthbert WanderersSFA North Challenge CupHuntlySFA South Challenge CupAnnan Athletic
Junior West Region
CompetitionWinnerPremier LeaguePollokDivision OneKirkintilloch Rob RoyAyrshire LeagueHurlford UnitedCentral League Division OnePort GlasgowCentral League Division TwoVale of Leven
CompetitionWinnerEvening Times CupPollokWest of Scotland CupKilbirnie LadesideCentral League CupArthurlieCentral Sectional League CupRutherglen GlencairnAyrshire League CupCumnock JuniorsAyrshire Sectional League CupAuchinleck TalbotNorth Ayrshire CupArdrossan Winton RoversSouth Ayrshire CupMaybole
East Region CompetitionWinnerSuper LeagueLochee UnitedPremier LeagueBo'ness UnitedNorth DivisionBlairgowrieCentral DivisionBallingry RoversSouth DivisionFauldhouse United
North Region CompetitionWinnerPremier LeagueBanks O'DeeDivision OneBanchory St. TernanDivision TwoLossiemouth United
Individual honours
PFA Scotland awards AwardWinnerTeamPlayers' Player of the Year Aiden McGeady CelticYoung Player of the Year Aiden McGeady CelticManager of the Year Billy Reid Hamilton Academical
SFWA awards
AwardWinnerTeam Footballer of the Year Carlos Cuéllar Rangers Young Player of the Year Steven Fletcher Hibernian Manager of the Year Walter Smith Rangers International Player of the Year James McFaddenEverton/Birmingham City
Monthly awards