The 2011–12 Scottish Football League Third Division (also known as the 2011–12 Irn Bru Scottish Football League Third Division for sponsorship reasons) was the 18th season in the current format of 10 teams in the fourth-tier of Scottish football. The season started on 6 August 2011 and finished on 5 May 2012.BBC Sport - Football - 2011-2012 Scottish football fixtures - Scots Div 3 , news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
Alloa Athletic secured the Third Division title on 7 April 2012, ending their one-year spell in the bottom tier of the Scottish Football League. A second promotion place is available through the play-offs which will be contested by runners-up Queen's Park along with Stranraer, Elgin City, and Albion Rovers of the Second Division. There is no relegation from this division but East Stirlingshire finished bottom for the sixth time in 10 years.
Teams
A total of 10 teams competed in the league, including eight sides from the previous season and the two teams relegated from the 2010–11 Scottish Second Division.
Arbroath as champions of the 2010–11 season were directly promoted to the 2011–12 Scottish Second Division.BBC Sport - Football - Ups and downs, news.bbc.co.uk Retrieved 25 May 2011. Thus completing only a one-year stay in the bottom tier of the Scottish Football League. In the process, winning the club's first ever senior silverware since the club was founded in 1878 − 133 years ago. They were replaced by Peterhead who finished bottom of the 2010–11 Scottish Second Division, relegated for the first time since joining the Scottish Football League in 2000.
A second promotion place was available via a play-off tournament between the ninth-placed team of the 2010–11 Scottish Second Division, Alloa Athletic, and the sides ranked second, third and fourth of the 2010–11 Scottish Third Division; Albion Rovers, Queen's Park and Annan Athletic respectively. The play off was won by Albion Rovers who defeated Annan Athletic in the final. Alloa Athletic were therefore relegated.
Stadia and locations Team Location Stadium Capacity AverageThird Division soccerway.com. Retrieved 9 May 2012. Alloa Athletic Alloa Recreation Park 3,100 672 Annan Athletic Annan Galabank 2,007 473 Berwick Rangers Berwick-upon-Tweed Shielfield Park 4,065 396 Clyde Cumbernauld Broadwood 8,006 566 East Stirlingshire Stenhousemuir Ochilview Park 3,746 321 Elgin City Elgin Borough Briggs 3,927 628 Montrose Montrose Links Park 3,292 335 Peterhead Peterhead Balmoor 3,150 488 Queen's Park Glasgow Hampden Park 52,025 519 Stranraer Stranraer Stair Park 6,250 354 A.East Stirlingshire ground shared with Stenhousemuir., www.eaststirlingshirefc.com. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAlloa Athletic PendlemteAnnan Athletic StannoM&S EngineeringBerwick Rangers Zoo SportJB Site InvestigationsClyde JomaFloortelEast Stirlingshire JakoFoxlaneElgin City HummelMontrose NikeFotheringham Property DevelopmentsPeterhead UmbroBon Accord GlassQueen's Park JomaIrn-BruStranraer StannoStena Line
League table
Results Each team plays every other team four times in the season. In each half of the season, a team plays every opponent once at home and once away from home. The same set of fixtures is repeated for the second half of the season, bringing each team's tally of games to 36.
First half of season
Second half of season
Statistics
Top goalscorers
Player Club GoalsScottish Third Division Top Scorers BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 May 2012 1 Martin Boyle Montrose 22 2 Jamie Longworth Queen's Park 20 Rory McAllister Peterhead 4 Stevie May Alloa Athletic 19 5 Craig Gunn Elgin City 18 6 Craig Malcolm Stranraer 15 7 Michael Moore Stranraer 12 Stephen Stirling Stranraer 9 Ryan McCord Alloa Athletic 11 10 Michael Daly Queen's Park 10 Darren Gribben Berwick Rangers
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date 4 Elgin City Berwick Rangers 4–1 Alloa Athletic East Stirlingshire 3–1 4 Queen's Park Elgin City 6–0 Elgin City Montrose 3–2 4 Alloa Athletic Elgin City 8–1 Montrose Clyde 5–0 4 Player scored 4 goals
Awards MonthThird Division Manager of the MonthSFL Player of the MonthSFL Young player of the MonthGinger BootManagerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubAugust Harry CairneyAnnan Athletic First division player First division player Craig GunnElgin City September Paul HartleyAlloa Athletic First division player Second division player First division player October Gardner SpeirsQueen's Park First division player First division player Second division player November Ian LittleBerwick Rangers First division player Second division player Darren GribbenBerwick Rangers December Keith KnoxStranraer First division player Stephen StirlingStranraer Stephen StirlingStranraer January Paul HartleyAlloa Athletic Stevie MayAlloa Athletic Stevie MayAlloa Athletic Stevie MayAlloa Athletic February Ross JackElgin City Second division player First division player Second division player March April
References
External links Official site 2011/2012 Scottish Third Division at Soccerway