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Football league From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Scottish Women's Football League First Division (SWFL 1) was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The second league tier from 1999 to 2015, it was later the third tier from 2016 to 2019.
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| Divisions | 1 (1999–2015) 2 (2016–2019) |
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| Number of teams | 10–24 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 (1999–2015) 3 (2016–2019) |
| Promotion to | Premier/SWPL (1999–2015) SWPL 2 (2016–2019) |
| Relegation to | Scottish Women's Football League Second Division |
| Domestic cup(s) | Scottish Cup |
| League cup(s) | Scottish First Division Cup |
For most of its history, the First Division was a national league whose top teams won promotion to the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL), while the lowest were relegated to the Second Division (SWFL 2). Those divisions operated on the traditional autumn–spring football season calendar until 2009, when they switched to a March–November schedule.[1]
From 2016 to 2019, SWFL 1 was split into North and South regional divisions, with one team from each division promoted to SWPL 2. In the 2020 season, SWFL 1 was replaced as the third tier by the Scottish Women's Football Championship.[2]
Queen of the South and Elgin City both won promotion to the Premier Division in 1999-00. Raith Rovers won the 2000–01 First Division with 44 points, four ahead of Clyde and Shettleston.[8][9] The member clubs in 2000–01 were:
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Promoted in 2001–02 were F.C. Hamilton and the champions Inver-Ross L.F.C.,[3][12] who became Ross County L.F.C. in 2003.
East Kilbride won the First Division and promotion in 2002–03, and reached that season's League Cup final.[5][13][4]
Aberdeen, Forfar Farmington and Lochee United were the subsequent champions in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively.
Queen's Park were the 2006–07 First Division champions and returned to the SWPL[14][15][6] (after the club's previous promotion in 2004 and relegation in 2006[16]).
In 2007–08, the promotion-winners were Dundee United S.C. and Dalkeith Ladies (Boroughmuir Thistle), coached by Pauline MacDonald.[17][18] The First Division clubs in 2007–08 were:[19]
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Paisley City Ladies became Rangers W.F.C. in 2008–09, and won promotion to the SWPL that season in a ten-team division:
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The First Division winners in the 2010 season were a team ineligible for promotion, Celtic Reserves,[20] so Hutchison Vale and Falkirk LFC were promoted from the SWFL to the SWPL (replaced by the relegated Aberdeen LFC). Hearts LFC, Buchan and Airdrie United were relegated to the SWFL Second Division and were replaced by Scottish Women's Football League Second Division East champions, Hibernian 2000, and two clubs from the Scottish Women's Football League Second Division West, Paisley Saints Ladies and Wishaw Juniors (formerly Motherwell).
Member clubs in the 2011 season:
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Aberdeen were the 2011 champions and were promoted to the SWPL. Runners-up Celtic Reserves were ineligible for promotion while third placed Toryglen Ladies folded over the close season. Wishaw Juniors had also folded mid-season and withdrawn from the league. To maintain numbers, no sides were relegated from either the Premier League or the First Division in 2011.
Buchan Ladies, Kilwinning Sports Club, Airdrie United and Forfar Farmington Reserves were promoted from the regional Second Divisions in 2011.
In 2012, the champions and runners up, Hibernian Reserves and Celtic Reserves, were ineligible for promotion to the SWPL. Third-placed Buchan L.F.C. and 4th-placed Kilwinning SC were subsequently promoted, while the relegated Kilmarnock and Inverness City replaced them in SWFL 1. Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, Hearts and Murieston United were promoted from the regional Second Divisions. Hibernian Reserves withdrew to compete in a newly-formed Development League with the relegated reserve teams of Glasgow City and Forfar Farmington and the Second-Division reserve teams of Spartans and Hamilton Academical.
Airdrie United Ladies played in the 2012 First Division, but were replaced by Cumbernauld Colts in 2013 when the entire Airdrie squad defected to that club.[21]
Troon Ladies merged with Glasgow Girls and assume the latter name.[22]
Member clubs in the 2013 season were:
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The next champions of the First Division were Queen's Park (2013) and Falkirk Ladies (2014).[23]
At the end of 2015, its last season as a national league, the First Division had its top four clubs join SWPL 2 (but they remained level 2 league clubs). The 2015 standings were:[24]
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In the first season after league reconstruction, East Fife won the northern division by 17 points, and Motherwell were SWFL 1 South winners by five points; both were promoted to SWPL 2.
Final standings:
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North group:[25]
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South group:[26]
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Central Girls Football Academy won the North division by 9 points and Kilmarnock won the South division by 20 points. Central had a goal difference of +84 and Kilmarnock +52. Both were promoted to the SWPL 2 for the 2018 season.
Final standings:
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Member clubs in the 2018 season:
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North:
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South:[31]
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Final standings:
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North group:[32]
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South group:[34]
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Member clubs in the 2019 season:
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North:
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South:
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Final standings:
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North group:[35]
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South group:[36]
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