The 2019–20 Scottish Championship (known as Ladbrokes Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th season in the current format of 10 teams in the second-tier of Scottish football. Ten teams contested the league: Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Ayr United, Dundee, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic, Greenock Morton, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South.
Season | 2019–20 |
---|---|
Dates | 3 August 2019 – 15 April 2020 |
Champions | Dundee United |
Promoted | Dundee United |
Relegated | Partick Thistle |
Matches played | 137 |
Goals scored | 364 (2.66 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Lawrence Shankland (24 goals)[1][2] |
Biggest home win | Dundee United 6–0 Greenock Morton (28 September 2019)[2] |
Biggest away win | Queen of the South 0–4 Greenock Morton (29 February 2020)[2] |
Highest scoring | Dundee United 6–2 Dundee (30 August 2019)[2] Greenock Morton 4–4 Alloa Athletic (22 February 2020)[2] |
Longest winning run | 9 matches:[2] Dundee United |
Longest unbeaten run | 13 matches:[2] Dundee United |
Longest winless run | 10 matches:[2] Queen of the South |
Longest losing run | 5 matches:[2] Dunfermline Athletic |
Highest attendance | 14,108 Dundee United 6–2 Dundee (30 August 2019)[2] |
Lowest attendance | 661 Alloa Athletic 0–1 Arbroath (24 August 2019)[2] |
Total attendance | 414,131[2] |
Average attendance | 3,022[2](98) |
← 2018–19 2020–21 →
All statistics correct as of 1 May 2020. |
The season began on 3 August 2019 and was scheduled to end on 2 May 2020.[3] On 13 March 2020 all SPFL leagues were indefinitely suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.[4] On 8 April 2020, the SPFL proposed to end the 2019–20 season by utilising a points per game ratio to determine the final standings.[5] The plan was approved on 15 April 2020, declaring that the season was over, as Dundee United were declared title winners with Partick Thistle relegated to League One.[6] Partick Thistle joined Heart of Midlothian F.C. (which had been relegated from the Scottish Premiership under similar circumstances) in suing the Scottish Professional Football League on the grounds that their relegation was unfair; Partick was two points behind the second-to-last-place team but had played one less game. Ultimately, the lawsuit failed and Partick and Hearts were indeed relegated.[7]
Teams
editThe following teams have changed division since the 2018–19 season:
To Championship
Arbroath secured promotion to the Championship on 13 April 2019.[8] Dundee were relegated from the Premiership on 4 May 2019.[9]
From Championship
Ross County secured promotion to the Premiership on 26 April 2019. Falkirk were relegated to League One on 3 May 2019.
Stadia and locations
editAlloa Athletic | Arbroath | Ayr United | Dundee |
---|---|---|---|
Recreation Park | Gayfield Park | Somerset Park | Dens Park |
Capacity: 3,100[10] | Capacity: 6,600[11] | Capacity: 10,185[12] | Capacity: 11,775[13] |
Dundee United | Dunfermline Athletic | ||
Tannadice Park | East End Park | ||
Capacity: 14,223[14] | Capacity: 11,480[15] | ||
Greenock Morton | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Partick Thistle | Queen of the South |
Cappielow | Caledonian Stadium | Firhill Stadium | Palmerston Park |
Capacity: 11,589[16] | Capacity: 7,750[17] | Capacity: 10,102[18] | Capacity: 8,690[19] |
Personnel and kits
editTeam | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alloa Athletic | Peter Grant | Andy Graham[20] | Pendle | Northern Gas and Power |
Arbroath | Dick Campbell | Mark Whatley[21] | Pendle[22] | Megatech[22] |
Ayr United | Mark Kerr | Ross Docherty[23] | Adidas[24] | Bitcoin BCH[25] |
Dundee | James McPake | Josh Meekings | Macron[26] | Switch Gas & Electric[27] |
Dundee United | Robbie Neilson | Mark Reynolds | Macron[28] | Utilita[28] |
Dunfermline Athletic | Stevie Crawford | Paul Paton[29] | Joma[30] | SRJ Windows[30] |
Greenock Morton | David Hopkin | Jim McAlister[31] | est 1874 | Millions[32] |
Inverness CT | John Robertson | Carl Tremarco[33] | Erreà[34] | McEwan Fraser Legal[34] |
Partick Thistle | Ian McCall | Thomas O'Ware | Joma[35] | Just Employment Law[36] |
Queen of the South | Allan Johnston | Stephen Dobbie[37] | Macron[38] | BB Body Repairers |
Managerial changes
editTeam | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alloa Athletic | Jim Goodwin | Signed by St Mirren | 29 June 2019 | Pre-season | Peter Grant | 10 July 2019 |
Partick Thistle | Gary Caldwell | Sacked | 18 September 2019 | 9th | Ian McCall | 23 September 2019 |
Ayr United | Ian McCall | Signed by Partick Thistle | 23 September 2019 | 2nd | Sandy Stewart (interim) | 23 September 2019 |
Ayr United | Sandy Stewart | End of interim | 22 October 2019 | 2nd | Mark Kerr | 22 October 2019 |
League summary
editLeague table
editPos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Promotion, qualification or relegation[a] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dundee United (C) | 28 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 52 | 22 | +30 | 59 | 2.11 | Promotion to the Premiership |
2 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 27 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 39 | 32 | +7 | 45 | 1.67 | |
3 | Dundee | 27 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 32 | 31 | +1 | 41 | 1.52 | |
4 | Ayr United | 27 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 38 | 35 | +3 | 40 | 1.48 | |
5 | Arbroath | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 26 | −2 | 36 | 1.38 | |
6 | Dunfermline Athletic | 28 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 41 | 36 | +5 | 37 | 1.32 | |
7 | Greenock Morton | 28 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 52 | −7 | 36 | 1.29 | |
8 | Alloa Athletic | 28 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 33 | 43 | −10 | 31 | 1.11 | |
9 | Queen of the South | 28 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 | 40 | −12 | 28 | 1.00 | |
10 | Partick Thistle (R) | 27 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 32 | 47 | −15 | 26 | 0.96 | Relegation to League One |
- ^ All play-off matches were cancelled, as clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.[39]
Results
editTeams 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 (Matches 1–18)
editSecond half of season (Matches 19–36)
editSeason statistics
editScoring
editTop scorers
editSource:[40]
Hat-tricks
editPlayer | For | Against | Score | Date | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lawrence Shankland4 | Dundee United | Inverness CT | 4–1 (H) | 3 August 2019 | [41] |
Bob McHugh | Greenock Morton | Alloa Athletic | 4–1 (H) | 10 August 2019 | [42] |
Lawrence Shankland | Dundee United | Greenock Morton | 6–0 (H) | 28 September 2019 | [43] |
Kevin Nisbet4 | Dunfermline Athletic | Partick Thistle | 5–1 (H) | 30 November 2019 | [44] |
Lawrence Shankland | Dundee United | Partick Thistle | 4–1 (A) | 11 January 2020 | [45] |
Note
4 Player scored four goals
Attendances
editPos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alloa Athletic | 16,216 | 1,827 | 661 | 1,158 | −1.7% |
2 | Arbroath[a] | 19,006 | 4,052 | 801 | 1,462 | +53.9% |
3 | Ayr United | 24,891 | 3,167 | 777 | 1,777 | −17.6% |
4 | Dundee[b] | 68,603 | 11,233 | 4,228 | 5,277 | −12.4% |
5 | Dundee United | 118,950 | 14,108 | 6,929 | 8,496 | +67.3% |
6 | Dunfermline Athletic | 62,275 | 6,480 | 3,397 | 4,151 | −17.1% |
7 | Greenock Morton | 22,499 | 2,742 | 1,120 | 1,607 | −17.3% |
8 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 27,518 | 2,902 | 1,760 | 2,116 | −17.0% |
9 | Partick Thistle | 35,084 | 4,101 | 1,714 | 2,698 | −11.3% |
10 | Queen of the South | 19,549 | 2,041 | 1,094 | 1,396 | −15.6% |
League total | 414,131 | 14,108 | 661 | 3,022 | −3.1% |
Source: [46]
- ^ Club was playing in League One during the previous season.
- ^ Club was playing in Premiership during the previous season.
Awards
editMonthly awards
editMonth | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manager | Club | Player | Club | ||
August | Robbie Neilson | Dundee United | Lawrence Shankland | Dundee United | |
September | Ian McCall | Ayr United Partick Thistle |
Alan Forrest | Ayr United | |
October | James McPake | Dundee | Declan McDaid | Dundee | |
November | Robbie Neilson | Dundee United | Kevin Nisbet | Dunfermline Athletic | |
December | Robbie Neilson | Dundee United | Calum Butcher | Dundee United | |
January | Peter Grant | Alloa Athletic | Kevin O'Hara | Alloa Athletic | |
February | David Hopkin | Greenock Morton | Nicky Cadden | Greenock Morton |
References
edit- ^ "Top Scorers - Scottish Championship". BBC. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Scottish Championship Performance Stats 2019–20". ESPN. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ "Key dates for 2019/20". SPFL. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ "Coronavirus joint response group update". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- ^ "SPFL: Clubs to vote on lower leagues; Premiership decision on hold". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- ^ "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles & reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "Hearts & Thistle relegations confirmed". BBC Sport. 2020-07-27. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
- ^ "Arbroath seal League One title with draw at Brechin City". BBC. 13 April 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ Watt, Martin (4 May 2019). "Dundee 0–1 Hamilton: Tony Andreu penalty sends Dundee down". BBC. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ "Alloa Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Arbroath Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Ayr United Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Dundee Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Dundee United Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Dunfermline Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Greenock Morton Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Partick Thistle Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Queen of the South Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ Hall, Jamie (27 June 2017). "Goodwin's delight in landing midfielder Thomas Grant". Alloa Advertiser. Newsquest. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
- ^ Johnstone, Darren (30 January 2016). "Arbroath captain Mark Whatley insists play-offs firmly in Red Litchties' sights". Deadline News. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
- ^ a b "New strips – sneak peak![sic]". Arbroath FC. 24 June 2017. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ "Doc signs as new club captain". Ayr United FC. 25 May 2017. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
- ^ "New Ayr United "Strip" 2017-18 by Adidas". Football Kit News. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ "New sponsor announced". Ayr United F.C. 10 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- ^ "Dee sign with Macron". dundeefc.co.uk. 14 January 2019.
- ^ "Switch sign up as main shirt sponsor". dundeefc.co.uk. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ a b Rooney, Richard (17 May 2018). "'We look like United again' — With a tangerine top and black shorts Dundee United's new strip is refreshingly like their older ones". DC Thomson Ltd. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ^ "Club captain appointed". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Away kit launched". Dunfermline Athletic F.C. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
- ^ Mitchell, Jonathan (16 July 2018). "Jim McAlister appointed club captain". Greenock Morton F.C. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Mitchell, Jonathan (7 April 2017). "Order the new tartan away kit today". Greenock Morton F.C. Archived from the original on April 22, 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ Law, Danny (5 July 2018). "Carl Tremarco named new Caley Thistle captain". Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
- ^ a b "A new kit - a new season". Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. 9 May 2017. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ "2018/19 kits launched". Partick Thistle F.C. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Just Employment Law backs the Jags for another season". Partick Thistle F.C. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Report - Stranrer 14.7.18". Queen of the South F.C. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ "Introducing ... 2017/18 kit". Queen of the South F.C. 27 April 2017. Archived from the original on 15 April 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ "Scottish Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ Lewis, Jane (3 August 2019). "Dundee United 4–1 Inverness Caledonian Thistle". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ "Greenock Morton 4-1 Alloa Athletic". BBC Sport. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ "Dundee United 6–0 Greenock Morton". bbc.co.uk. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "Dunfermline Athletic 5-1 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 30 November 2019.
- ^ "Partick Thistle 1–4 Dundee United". bbc.co.uk. 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- ^ ">Ladbrokes Championship Results". SPFL. Retrieved 10 August 2019.