The 2016–17 Scottish Championship (known as the Ladbrokes Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the 23rd season in the current format of 10 teams in the second tier of Scottish football. The fixtures were published on 17 June 2016.
Hibernian won the league title and promotion after a 3–0 win against Queen of the South on 15 April 2017.
Teams The following teams have changed division since the 2015–16 season.
To Championship
Promoted from Scottish League One Dunfermline Athletic Ayr United
Relegated from Scottish Premiership Dundee United
From Championship
Relegated to Scottish League One Alloa Athletic Livingston
Promoted to Scottish Premiership Rangers
Stadia and locations Ayr United Dumbarton Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic Somerset Park Dumbarton Football Stadium Tannadice Park East End Park Capacity: 10,185 Capacity: 2,020 Capacity: 14,223 Capacity: 11,904 Falkirk Greenock Morton Falkirk Stadium Cappielow Park Capacity: 7,937 Capacity: 11,589 Hibernian Queen of the South Raith Rovers St. Mirren Easter Road Palmerston Park Stark's Park Paisley 2021 Stadium Capacity: 20,421 Capacity: 8,690 Capacity: 9,031 Capacity: 8,023
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAyr United Ian McCall Nicky DevlinAdidasBodogDumbarton Stephen Aitken Darren BarrJomaTurnberry HomesDundee United Ray McKinnon Seán DillonNikeMcEwan Fraser LegalDunfermline Athletic Allan Johnston Andy GegganJomaSRJ WindowsFalkirk Peter Houston Mark KerrPumaCentral DemolitionGreenock Morton Jim Duffy Lee KildayVision OutsourcingMillionsHibernian Neil Lennon David GrayNikeMarathonbetQueen of the South Gary Naysmith John RankinMacronKBT PharmacyRaith Rovers John Hughes Jason ThomsonPumavalmcdermid.com (Home shirt)Myeloma UK (Away shirt)St Mirren Jack Ross Stephen McGinnCarbriniJD Sports
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Dundee United Sacked 4 May 2016 Pre-season 12 May 2016 Raith Rovers Resigned 11 May 2016 20 May 2016 Hibernian Signed by Rotherham United 1 June 2016 8 June 2016 St Mirren Sacked 18 September 2016 10th (interim) 18 September 2016 St Mirren (interim) End of interim 4 October 2016 10th 4 October 2016 Queen of the South Resigned 7 November 2016 6th (caretaker) 7 November 2016 Queen of the South (caretaker) End of interim 5 December 2016 6th 5 December 2016 Raith Rovers Sacked 7 February 2017 8th John Hughes 10 February 2017
League summary
League table
Positions by round
Results Teams play each other four times, twice in the first half of the season (home and away) and twice in the second half of the season (home and away), making a total of 180 games, with each team playing 36.
First half of season
Second half of season
Season statistics Scoring Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Jason CummingsHibernian19 Stephen DobbieQueen of the South3 Nicky ClarkDunfermline Athletic154 Tony AndreuDundee United135 Robert ThomsonDumbarton116 Simon MurrayDundee United10 Craig SibbaldFalkirk Derek LyleQueen of the South9 Lee MillerFalkirk9 Ross ForbesGreenock Morton Ryan HardieRaith Rovers
3 league goals scored whilst on loan with St Mirren
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ref Joe Cardle Dunfermline Athletic Dumbarton 4–3 Alan Forrest Ayr United Dumbarton 3–0 Nicky Clark4 Dunfermline Athletic Dumbarton 5–1 Stevie Mallan St Mirren Raith Rovers 5–0 Notes 4 Player scored 4 goals
Discipline
Player
Yellow cards
RankPlayerClubCards1 William EdjenguéléDundee United11 Iain DavidsonRaith Rovers Declan McManusRaith Rovers4 Kallum HigginbothamDunfermline Athletic10 Jamie McDonaghGreenock Morton6 Gregor BuchananDumbarton9 Aaron MuirheadFalkirk Andy DowieQueen of the South Kevin McHattieRaith Rovers
Red cards
RankPlayerClubCards1 Lewis ToshneyDundee United2 Lewis MartinDunfermline Athletic Marvin BartleyHibernian422 players1
Club
Yellow cards
RankClubCards1Raith Rovers882Dundee United723Queen of the South64
Red cards
RankClubCards1Dunfermline Athletic62Hibernian53Dundee United4
Attendances
Awards
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.ManagerClubPlayerClubAugust Neil LennonHibernian Jason CummingsHibernian September Peter HoustonFalkirk Cammy BellDundee UnitedOctober Jim DuffyGreenock Morton Thomas O'WareGreenock MortonNovember Ray McKinnonDundee United John McGinnHibernianDecember Stephen AitkenDumbarton Mark DochertyDumbartonJanuary Neil LennonHibernian Ross ForbesGreenock MortonFebruary Peter HoustonFalkirk Jason CummingsHibernianMarch Jack RossSt Mirren Efe AmbroseHibernianApril Jack RossSt Mirren Stevie MallanSt Mirren
PFA Scotland Team of the Year
Annual awards Championship Manager of the Season The Championship Manager of the Season was awarded to Jim Duffy.
Championship Player of the Season The Championship Player of the Season was awarded to John McGinn.
PFA Scotland Scottish Championship Team of the Year The PFA Scotland Scottish Championship Team of the Year was: Goalkeeper: Cammy Bell (Dundee United) Defence: Nicky Devlin (Ayr United), Darren McGregor (Hibernian), Thomas O'Ware (Greenock Morton), Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian) Midfield: Stevie Mallan (St Mirren), John McGinn (Hibernian), Ross Forbes (Greenock Morton) Attack: Tony Andreu (Dundee United), Stephen Dobbie (Queen of the South), Jason Cummings (Hibernian)
Championship play-offs Raith Rovers the second bottom team, entered into a 4-team playoff with the 2nd-4th placed teams in 2016–17 Scottish League One; Alloa Athletic, Airdrieonians and Brechin City.
Semi-finals
First leg
Second leg
Final The winners of the semi-finals will compete against one another over two legs, with the winner competing in the 2017–18 Scottish Championship.
First leg
Second leg
References