SPFL Reserve League

Football league

SPFL Reserve LeagueFounded| 2018

|

Country|  Scotland
Divisions| 1
Number of teams| 9
Current champions| Hibernian Reserves
(2022–23)

The SPFL Reserve League is the reserve team league for football in Scotland. The league began in 2018, as the SPFL Development League was replaced by a reserve team (i.e not age-restricted) format.[1][2][3]

## History

[edit]

In its first season, 2018–19, the league included 27 clubs, split into two divisions. At its end, several clubs (Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibernian, Rangers and St Johnstone) intimated that they would withdraw from the Reserve League to arrange their own programme of matches.[4][5] The 2019–20 edition was formed with 19 clubs, with the season being curtailed early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland; the winners were decided on a 'points per game' calculation.[6][7]

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the league returned in season 2022–23 with ten clubs participating.[8][9] Hibernian were the winners of a truncated competition, with only one round of matches (nine per team).[10]

In 2023–24, there will be nine clubs participating.[11]

## Participating clubs

[edit]

* (for 2023–24 - Hamilton Academical and Motherwell withdrew, Airdrieonians joined)
* Airdrieonians
* Ayr United
* Dundee
* Dunfermline Athletic
* Hibernian
* Kilmarnock
* Livingston
* Queen of the South
* Queen's Park

## Winners

[edit]

Season  | Winner  | Runner-up  | League 2 Winner

|
|
|

2018–19
[12][13][14][15] | Rangers Reserves | Celtic Reserves | Livingston Reserves[16]
2019–20
[6][7][17] | Hamilton Academical Reserves | Heart of Midlothian Reserves | Livingston Reserves[18][19]
2022–23
[11][20] | Hibernian Reserves | Motherwell Reserves |

## Reserve Cup

[edit]

A knockout competition is organised alongside the League.[9]

Season  | Winner  | Runner-up

|
|

2018–19[21] | Heart of Midlothian Reserves | Motherwell Reserves
2019–20[22] | not completed[a]
2022–23[23] | Kilmarnock Reserves | Dunfermline Athletic Reserves

1. ^ Finalists were Aberdeen Reserves and Celtic Reserves.

## See also

[edit]

* Scottish Premier Reserve League (a similar competition, operated by the Scottish Premier League between 1998 and 2009)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Reserve Leagues for season 2018/19". SPFL. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
2. ^ "SPFL reintroduces reserve leagues after nine-year absence". BBC Sport. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
3. ^ SPFL reintroduce reserve leagues after nearly a decade's absence, Sky Sports, 24 July 2018
4. ^ "Reserve League Update". Hibernian FC. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
5. ^ Jack, Christopher (1 May 2019). "Rangers and Celtic set to quit SPFL Reserve League in a bid to boost Academy teams". The Herald. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
6. ^ a b Hamilton and Livingston named reserve league winners as SPFL drop hint over competition's future, Daily Record, 16 June 2020
7. ^ a b Hamilton Academical and Livingston Named Reserve League Champions, Scottish Professional Football League, 16 June 2020
8. ^ "Press Release: Reserve League | SPFL". spfl.co.uk. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
9. ^ a b "SPFL Reserve League to return this season after two-year absence". BBC Sport. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
10. ^ Reserve League 2022/23, SPFL
11. ^ a b "SPFL Reserve football for 2023/24". SPFL. 1 August 2023.
12. ^ Falkirk 1-3 Rangers Reserves, Rangers FC
13. ^ SPFL Reserve League 1 Table, Celtic FC
14. ^ SPFL Reserve League 2018–19, Soccerway
15. ^ Rangers win reserve league title on goal difference, BBC Sport, 6 May 2019
16. ^ SPFL Reserve League 2 2018–19, Soccerway
17. ^ SPFL Reserve League 2019–20, Soccerway
18. ^ SPFL Reserve League 2 2019–20, Soccerway
19. ^ 2019/20 SPFL Reserve League 2 Champions, Livingston FC, 16 June 2020
20. ^ SPFL Reserve League 2022–23, Soccerway
21. ^ SPFL Reserve Cup 2018–19, Soccerway
22. ^ SPFL Reserve Cup 2019–20, Soccerway
23. ^ SPFL Reserve Cup 2022–23, Soccerway

## External links

[edit]

* Table and fixtures at SPFL

* v
* t
* e

Scottish Professional Football League

« Scottish Premier League (1998-2013)
« Scottish Football League (1890-2013)

Divisions|

* Premiership
* Championship
* League One
* League Two

Cup competitions|

* League Cup
* Challenge Cup

2024–25 Premiership teams|

* Aberdeen
* Celtic
* Dundee
* Dundee United
* Heart of Midlothian
* Hibernian
* Kilmarnock
* Motherwell
* Rangers
* Ross County
* St Johnstone
* St Mirren

2024–25 Championship teams|

* Airdrieonians
* Ayr United
* Dunfermline Athletic
* Falkirk
* Greenock Morton
* Hamilton Academical
* Livingston
* Partick Thistle
* Queen's Park
* Raith Rovers

2024–25 League One teams|

* Alloa Athletic
* Arbroath
* Annan Athletic
* Cove Rangers
* Dumbarton
* Inverness Caledonian Thistle
* Kelty Hearts
* Montrose
* Queen of the South
* Stenhousemuir

2024–25 League Two teams|

* Bonnyrigg Rose
* Clyde
* East Fife
* Edinburgh City
* Elgin City
* Forfar Athletic
* Peterhead
* Stirling Albion
* Stranraer
* The Spartans

Former teams|

* Albion Rovers
* Berwick Rangers
* Brechin City
* Cowdenbeath
* East Stirlingshire

Seasons|

* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

* Clubs
* Foreign players
* Hat-tricks
* Managers
* Monthly awards
* Stadia
* Yearly awards
* Reserve League
* Development League

* v
* t
* e

Men's football in Scotland

* SFA
* PFA Scotland

Overview|

* League system
* Clubs
* Venues
* Relocations
* Champions
* Second-tier winners
* Third-tier winners
* Fourth-tier winners
* Honours won
* Managers

National teams|

* Scotland
* B
* U-21
* U-20
* U-19
* U-18
* U-17
* U-16
* Scottish League
* Semi-Pro

League system|

* SPFL
* Premiership
* Championship
* League One
* League Two
* Reserve
* Highland
* Lowland
* East of Scotland
* Midlands
* North Caledonian
* North Region
* South of Scotland
* West of Scotland

Cup competitions|

* Scottish Cup (finals)
* League Cup (finals)
* Challenge Cup
* Highland League Cup
* South Region Challenge Cup
* Youth Cup

Junior football|

* SJFA
* Junior Cup
* East Region
* North Region
* National select team

Amateur football|

* SAFA
* Amateur Cup
* Highland Amateur Cup
* Aberdeenshire
* Ayrshire
* Border
* Caithness
* Caledonian
* Central
* Fife
* Inverness & District
* Lewis & Harris
* Lothian & Edinburgh
* Midlands
* Orkney
* Perthshire
* Scottish
* Shetland
* Stirling & District
* Strathclyde
* Uist & Barra
* West Highland
* Representative teams:
* Orkney
* Shetland
* Western Isles

Welfare football|

* SWFA
* Forth & Endrick
* Moray
* North East
* Ross-shire
* Strathspey & Badenoch

* History
* Records
* appearances
* attendances
* clubs in Europe
* goals
* Timeline
* Hall of Fame
* Referees
* Media
* Seasons

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