A national second tier of Scottish league football was established in season 1893–94, as Division Two. Until the 1921–22 season, promotion was not automatic but decided by Scottish Football League clubs on a ballot basis, thus some champion teams were able to retain the title. In the 1946–47 season it became known as the B Division before being changed back to Division Two for season 1955–56.
The second tier became known as the First Division in season 1975–76, when the top division (Division One) became the Premier Division, although its status within the Scottish football league system league system changed in 1998–99 when clubs from the top tier (Premier Division) broke away to form the Scottish Premier League. The First Division was still the second tier in the Scottish league system, but was the top level of the Scottish Football League rather than the second. The Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League merged in 2013 to form the Scottish Professional Football League, with the second tier becoming known as the Scottish Championship.
Scottish Football League Division Two (1893–1946) SeasonWinnerRunner-upThird 1893–94 Hibernian Cowlairs Clyde 1894–95 Hibernian (2) Motherwell Port Glasgow Athletic and Renton 1895–96 Abercorn Leith Athletic Renton and Kilmarnock 1896–97 Partick Thistle Leith Athletic Kilmarnock and Airdrieonians 1897–98 Kilmarnock Port Glasgow Athletic Morton 1898–99 Kilmarnock (2) Leith Athletic Port Glasgow Athletic 1899–1900 Partick Thistle (2) Morton Port Glasgow Athletic 1900–01 St Bernard's Airdrieonians Abercorn 1901–02 Port Glasgow Athletic Partick Thistle Motherwell 1902–03 Airdrieonians Motherwell Ayr and Leith Athletic 1903–04 Hamilton Academical Clyde Ayr 1904–05 Clyde Falkirk Hamilton Academical 1905–06 Leith Athletic Clyde Albion Rovers 1906–07 St Bernard's (2) Vale of Leven and Arthurlie — 1907–08 Raith Rovers Dumbarton and Ayr — 1908–09 Abercorn (2) Raith Rovers and Vale of Leven — 1909–10 Leith Athletic (2) and Raith Rovers (2) — St Bernard's 1910–11 Dumbarton Ayr United Albion Rovers 1911–12 Ayr United Abercorn Dumbarton 1912–13 Ayr United (2) Dunfermline Athletic East Stirlingshire 1913–14 Cowdenbeath Albion Rovers Dundee Hibernian and Dunfermline Athletic 1914–15 Cowdenbeath (2) Leith Athletic St Bernard's 1915–1921Second tier suspended due to World War I 1921–22 Alloa Athletic Cowdenbeath Armadale 1922–23 Queen's Park Clydebank St Johnstone 1923–24 St Johnstone Cowdenbeath Bathgate 1924–25 Dundee United Clydebank Clyde 1925–26 Dunfermline Athletic Clyde Ayr United 1926–27 Bo'ness Raith Rovers Clydebank 1927–28 Ayr United (3) Third Lanark King's Park 1928–29 Dundee United (2) Morton Arbroath 1929–30 Leith Athletic (3) East Fife Albion Rovers 1930–31 Third Lanark Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic 1931–32 East Stirlingshire St Johnstone Raith Rovers 1932–33 Hibernian (3) Queen of the South Dunfermline Athletic 1933–34 Albion Rovers Dunfermline Athletic Arbroath 1934–35 Third Lanark (2) Arbroath St Bernard's 1935–36 Falkirk St Mirren Morton 1936–37 Ayr United (4) Morton St Bernard's 1937–38 Raith Rovers (3) Albion Rovers Airdrieonians 1938–39 Cowdenbeath (3) Alloa Athletic East Fife 1939–1946League suspended due to World War II
Before 1915 clubs finishing on equal points would play-off for the title. In 1909–10 Leith Athletic and Raith Rovers both finished with 33 points but decided not to play-off for the title and were therefore declared joint Champions.
Scottish Football League Division B (1946–1955) SeasonWinnerRunner-upThirdTop scorerPlayer Goals 1946–47 Dundee Airdrieonians East FifeBobby Flavell (Airdrieonians) 38 1947–48 East Fife Albion Rovers Hamilton AcademicalHenry Morris (East Fife) 39 1948–49 Raith Rovers (4) Stirling Albion AirdrieoniansWillie Penman (Raith Rovers) 35 1949–50 Morton Airdrieonians Dunfermline AthleticNeil Mochan (Morton) 24 1950–51 Queen of the South Stirling Albion Ayr UnitedPeter McKay (Dundee United) 31 1951–52 Clyde (2) Falkirk Ayr UnitedBilly McPhail (Clyde) 36 1952–53 Stirling Albion Hamilton Academical Queen's ParkJames Cunningham (Alloa Athletic) 26 1953–54 Motherwell Kilmarnock Third LanarkJimmy Inglis (Cowdenbeath) Ian Roger (St Johnstone) 29 1954–55 Airdrieonians (2) Dunfermline Athletic Hamilton AcademicalHugh Baird (Airdrieonians) 34
Scottish Football League Division Two (1955–1975) SeasonWinnerRunner-upThirdTop scorerPlayer Goals 1955–56 Queen's Park (2) Ayr United St JohnstonePeter Price (Ayr United) 41 1956–57 Clyde (3) Third Lanark CowdenbeathBasil Keogh (Clyde) 36 1957–58 Stirling Albion (2) Dunfermline Athletic ArbroathPeter Price (Ayr United) 45 1958–59 Ayr United (5) Arbroath StenhousemuirDavid Easson (Arbroath) 45 1959–60 St Johnstone (2) Dundee United Queen of the SouthJohn Liddell (St Johnstone) 26 1960–61 Stirling Albion (3) Falkirk StenhousemuirDavid Campbell (Stenhousemuir) 30 1961–62 Clyde (4) Queen of the South MortonPeter Smith (Alloa Athletic) 30 1962–63 St Johnstone (3) East Stirlingshire MortonAllan McGraw (Morton) 29 1963–64 Morton (2) Clyde ArbroathAllan McGraw (Morton) 51 1964–65 Stirling Albion (4) Hamilton Academical Queen of the SouthWilliam Forsyth (Hamilton Academical) 33 1965–66 Ayr United (6) Airdrieonians Queen of the SouthTommy Murray (Airdrieonians) 33 1966–67 Morton (3) Raith Rovers ArbroathJoe Mason (Morton) 34 1967–68 St Mirren Arbroath East FifeDennis Bruce (Arbroath) 32 1968–69 Motherwell (2) Ayr United East FifeJohn Deans (Motherwell) 30 1969–70 Falkirk (2) Cowdenbeath Queen of the SouthJohn Dickson (Cowdenbeath) 31 1970–71 Partick Thistle (3) East Fife ArbroathJimmy Jack (Arbroath) Kenny Wilson (Dumbarton) 28 1971–72 Dumbarton (2) Arbroath Stirling AlbionKenny Wilson (Dumbarton) 38 1972–73 Clyde (5) Dunfermline Athletic Stirling AlbionBrian Third (Montrose) 28 1973–74 Airdrieonians (3) Kilmarnock Hamilton AcademicalIan Fleming (Kilmarnock) 32 1974–75 Falkirk (3) Queen of the South MontroseIan Reid (Queen of the South) 27
Scottish Football League First Division (1975–2013) SeasonWinnerRunner-upThirdTop scorerPlayer Goals 1975–76 Partick Thistle (4) Kilmarnock MontroseJohn Bourke (Dumbarton) John Whiteford (Falkirk) 17 1976–77 St Mirren (2) Clydebank DundeeBilly Pirie (Dundee) 36 1977–78 Morton (4) Heart of Midlothian DundeeBilly Pirie (Dundee) 35 1978–79 Dundee (2) Kilmarnock ClydebankBlair Millar (Clydebank) 28 1979–80 Heart of Midlothian Airdrieonians Ayr UnitedJohn Brogan (St Johnstone) Sandy Clark (Airdrieonians) 22 1980–81 Hibernian (4) Dundee St JohnstoneAlly McCoist (St Johnstone) 22 1981–82 Motherwell (3) Kilmarnock Heart of MidlothianBlair Millar (Clydebank) 20 1982–83 St Johnstone (4) Heart of Midlothian ClydebankBobby Williamson (Clydebank) 23 1983–84 Morton (5) Dumbarton Partick ThistleDerek Frye (Clyde) John McNeil (Morton) 17 1984–85 Motherwell (4) Clydebank FalkirkGerry McCoy (Falkirk) 22 1985–86 Hamilton Academical (2) Falkirk KilmarnockKen Eadie (Brechin City) 22 1986–87 Morton (6) Dunfermline Athletic DumbartonRowan Alexander (Morton) 23 1987–88 Hamilton Academical (3) Meadowbank Thistle ClydebankGordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 25 1988–89 Dunfermline Athletic (2) Falkirk ClydebankKenny MacDonald (Airdrieonians) 22 1989–90 St Johnstone (5) Airdrieonians ClydebankKen Eadie (Clydebank) 21 1990–91 Falkirk (4) Airdrieonians DundeeGordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 25 1991–92 Dundee (3) Partick Thistle Hamilton AcademicalGordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 26 1992–93 Raith Rovers (5) Kilmarnock Dunfermline AthleticGordon Dalziel (Raith Rovers) 33 1993–94 Falkirk (5) Dunfermline Athletic AirdrieoniansPeter Duffield (Hamilton Academical) 19 1994–95 Raith Rovers (6) Dunfermline Athletic DundeePeter Duffield (Hamilton Academical) 20 1995–96 Dunfermline Athletic (3) Dundee United Greenock MortonGeorge O'Boyle (St Johnstone) 21 1996–97 St Johnstone (6) Airdrieonians DundeeRoddy Grant (St Johnstone) 19 1997–98 Dundee (4) Falkirk Raith RoversJames Grady (Dundee) 15 1998–99 Hibernian (5) Falkirk Ayr UnitedGlynn Hurst (Ayr United) 18 1999–2000 St Mirren (3) Dunfermline Athletic FalkirkMark Yardley (St Mirren) 19 2000–01 Livingston Ayr United FalkirkDennis Wyness (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) 24 2001–02 Partick Thistle (5) Airdrieonians Ayr UnitedOwen Coyle (Airdrieonians) 23 2002–03 Falkirk (6) Clyde St JohnstoneOwen Coyle (Falkirk) 20 2003–04 Inverness Caledonian Thistle Clyde St JohnstoneIan Harty (Clyde) 15 2004–05 Falkirk (7) St Mirren ClydeDarryl Duffy (Falkirk) 17 2005–06 St Mirren (4) St Johnstone Hamilton AcademicalBryan Prunty (Airdrie United) Jason Scotland (St Johnstone) 15 2006–07 Gretna St Johnstone DundeeColin McMenamin (Gretna) 20 2007–08 Hamilton Academical (4) Dundee St JohnstoneRichard Offiong (Hamilton Academical) 19 2008–09 St Johnstone (7) Partick Thistle Dunfermline AthleticStephen Dobbie (Queen of the South) 24 2009–10 Inverness Caledonian Thistle (2) Dundee Dunfermline AthleticAdam Rooney (Inverness Caledonian Thistle) 24 2010–11 Dunfermline Athletic (4) Raith Rovers FalkirkMark Stewart (Falkirk)Kris Doolan (Partick Thistle) 15 2011–12 Ross County Dundee FalkirkColin McMenamin (Ross County) 19 2012–13 Partick Thistle (6) Greenock Morton FalkirkStevie May (Hamilton Academical) 25
Scottish Championship (2013–) SeasonWinnerRunner-upThirdTop scorerPlayer Goals 2013–14 Dundee (5) Hamilton Academical FalkirkRory Loy (Falkirk) 20 2014–15 Heart of Midlothian (2) Hibernian RangersJason Cummings (Hibernian) 18 2015–16 Rangers Falkirk HibernianMartyn Waghorn (Rangers) 20 2016–17 Hibernian (6) Falkirk Dundee UnitedJason Cummings (Hibernian)Stephen Dobbie (Queen of the South) 19 2017–18 St Mirren (5) Livingston Dundee UnitedStephen Dobbie (Queen of the South) 18 2018–19 Ross County (2) Dundee United Inverness Caledonian ThistleLawrence Shankland (Ayr United) 24 2019–20 Dundee United (3) Inverness Caledonian Thistle DundeeLawrence Shankland (Dundee United) 24 2020–21 Heart of Midlothian (3) Dundee Raith RoversLiam Boyce (Heart of Midlothian) 14 2021–22 Kilmarnock (3) Arbroath Inverness Caledonian ThistleMichael McKenna (Arbroath) 15 2022–23 Dundee (6) Ayr United Queen's ParkDipo Akinyemi (Ayr United) 20 2023–24 Dundee United (4) Raith Rovers Partick ThistleBrian Graham (Partick Thistle) 20 2024–25 Falkirk (8) Livingston Ayr UnitedBrian Graham (Partick Thistle) 152025–26St Johnstone (8)Partick ThistleArbroathJosh McPake (St Johnstone)16
Total titles won
Clubs participating in the 2026–27 Scottish Championship are denoted in bold type. Clubs no longer active are denoted in italics.
ClubWinnersRunners-upThirdFalkirk 8 9 7St Johnstone 8 3 6Ayr United 6 5 7Dundee 6 5 7Raith Rovers 6 5 3Greenock Morton 6 4 5Partick Thistle 6 4 2Hibernian 6 1 1Clyde 5 6 3St Mirren 5 2 —Dunfermline Athletic 4 9 7Dundee United 4 4 3Hamilton Academical 4 3 6Stirling Albion 4 2 2Motherwell 4 2 1Airdrieonians (1878) 3 9 4 Kilmarnock 3 6 3Leith Athletic 3 4 1Cowdenbeath 3 3 1Heart of Midlothian 3 2 1Dumbarton 2 2 2Third Lanark 2 2 1Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2 1 2Abercorn 2 1 1Queen's Park 2 1 1St Bernard's 2 — 4Ross County 2 — —Queen of the South 1 3 4Albion Rovers 1 3 3East Fife 1 2 4Livingston 1 2 —Port Glasgow Athletic 1 1 3East Stirlingshire 1 1 1Alloa Athletic 1 1 —Rangers 1 — 1Bo'ness 1 — —Gretna 1 — —Arbroath — 5 7Clydebank (1965) — 2 5Clydebank (1914) — 2 1Vale of Leven — 2 —Ayr — 1 2Arthurlie — 1 —Cowlairs — 1 —Meadowbank Thistle — 1 —Montrose — — 2Renton — — 2Stenhousemuir — — 2Armadale — — 1Bathgate — — 1King's Park — — 1
References Specific
General RSSSF – Final Tables Second Level 1894–2005 RSSSF – Scotland 2005–06 RSSSF – Scotland 2006–07 RSSSF – Scotland 2007–08 RSSSF – Scotland 2007–08