List of Scottish football champions
Updated: 11/5/2025, 10:41:39 PM Wikipedia source
The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League (SFL) from 1890 until 1998, the Scottish Premier League (SPL) from 1998 until 2013 and the Scottish Premiership thereafter. The SFL was established in 1890, initially as an amateur league until professionalism in Scottish football was legalised in 1893. At the end of the first season, Dumbarton and Rangers finished level on points at the top of the table. The rules in force at the time required that the teams contest a play-off match for the championship, which finished in a 2–2 draw, and the first ever championship was thus shared between two clubs, the only occasion on which this has happened. In 1893, a lower division was formed, with the existing division renamed Division One. The higher tier continued during World War I but the league was suspended altogether during World War II. Although there were several short spells when a third level was created, the two-division structure remained largely in place until 1975, when a major re-organisation of the league led to a new three-tier setup and the creation of a new Premier Division at the highest level. In 1998, the teams then in the Premier Division broke away to form the SPL, which supplanted the Premier Division as the highest level of football in Scotland. The SPL and SFL merged in 2013 to form the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), which branded its top division as the Scottish Premiership. Throughout its existence the championship of Scottish football has been dominated by two Glasgow clubs, Celtic and Rangers. The two rivals, who are collectively known as the "Old Firm", have claimed the vast majority of league titles and there have only been five seasons in which neither finished in the top two, most recently in the 1964–65 season. As of 2025, both teams have won 55 titles, while no other club has won on more than four occasions. No club outside the Old Firm has won the title since the 1984–85 season, when the Aberdeen won the Premier Division under management of Alex Ferguson. The current 40-year period of dominance by the Old Firm is a record; the previous longest streak was 27 years, between 1904 and 1931. Each of the Old Firm clubs has managed a run of nine consecutive championships: Celtic from 1966 to 1974 and again from 2012 to 2020, and Rangers from 1989 to 1997. Each of the two clubs has also claimed the double, by winning the league and the Scottish Cup in the same season, on many occasions. As of the end of the 2024–25 season, Celtic have won 21 doubles and Rangers 18. The only other club to have won a league and Scottish Cup double is Aberdeen, in 1983–84. Both Old Firm clubs have completed a treble (Celtic 8 times; Rangers 7) by also winning the Scottish League Cup. In the 1966–67 season, Celtic took all three domestic trophies, and also won the European Cup to complete the only quadruple to date.
Infobox
Tables
| Club won the Scottish Cup |
| Club won the Scottish League Cup |
| Club won both domestic cups |
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Top scorer(s) | |
| Player | Goals | ||||
| 1890–91 | Dumbarton (1) andRangers (1) | Celtic | Jack Bell (Dumbarton) | 20 | |
| 1891–92 | Dumbarton (2) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | Jack Bell (Dumbarton) | 23 |
| 1892–93 | Celtic (1) | Rangers | St Mirren | Sandy McMahon (Celtic)John Campbell (Celtic) | 11 |
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Top scorer(s) | |
| Player | Goals | ||||
| 1893–94 | Celtic (2) | Heart of Midlothian | St Bernard's | Sandy McMahon (Celtic) | 16 |
| 1894–95 | Heart of Midlothian (1) | Celtic | Rangers | John Miller (Clyde) | 12 |
| 1895–96 | Celtic (3) | Rangers | Hibernian | Allan Martin (Celtic) | 19 |
| 1896–97 | Heart of Midlothian (2) | Hibernian | Rangers | Willie Taylor (Heart of Midlothian) | 12 |
| 1897–98 | Celtic (4) | Rangers | Hibernian | Robert Hamilton (Rangers) | 18 |
| 1898–99 | Rangers (2) | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic | Robert Hamilton (Rangers) | 25 |
| 1899–1900 | Rangers (3) | Celtic | Hibernian | Robert Hamilton (Rangers)William Michael (Heart of Midlothian) | 15 |
| 1900–01 | Rangers (4) | Celtic | Hibernian | Robert Hamilton (Rangers) | 20 |
| 1901–02 | Rangers (5) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | William Maxwell (Third Lanark) | 10 |
| 1902–03 | Hibernian (1) | Dundee | Rangers | David Reid (Hibernian) | 14 |
| 1903–04 | Third Lanark (1) | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic and Rangers | Robert Hamilton (Rangers) | 28 |
| 1904–05 | Celtic (5) | Rangers | Third Lanark | Robert Hamilton (Rangers)Jimmy Quinn (Celtic) | 19 |
| 1905–06 | Celtic (6) | Heart of Midlothian | Airdrieonians | Jimmy Quinn (Celtic) | 20 |
| 1906–07 | Celtic (7) | Dundee | Rangers | Jimmy Quinn (Celtic) | 29 |
| 1907–08 | Celtic (8) | Falkirk | Rangers | Jock Simpson (Falkirk) | 32 |
| 1908–09 | Celtic (9) | Dundee | Clyde | John Hunter (Dundee) | 29 |
| 1909–10 | Celtic (10) | Falkirk | Rangers | Jimmy Quinn (Celtic)Jock Simpson (Falkirk) | 24 |
| 1910–11 | Rangers (6) | Aberdeen | Falkirk | Willie Reid (Rangers) | 38 |
| 1911–12 | Rangers (7) | Celtic | Clyde | Willie Reid (Rangers) | 33 |
| 1912–13 | Rangers (8) | Celtic | Airdrieonians andHeart of Midlothian | James Reid (Airdrieonians) | 30 |
| 1913–14 | Celtic (11) | Rangers | Heart of Midlothian andMorton | James Reid (Airdrieonians) | 27 |
| 1914–15 | Celtic (12) | Heart of Midlothian | Rangers | Tom Gracie (Heart of Midlothian)James Richardson (Ayr United) | 29 |
| 1915–16 | Celtic (13) | Rangers | Morton | Jimmy McColl (Celtic) | 34 |
| 1916–17 | Celtic (14) | Morton | Rangers | Bert Yarnall (Airdrieonians) | 39 |
| 1917–18 | Rangers (9) | Celtic | Kilmarnock and Morton | Hughie Ferguson (Motherwell) | 35 |
| 1918–19 | Celtic (15) | Rangers | Morton | David McLean (Rangers) | 29 |
| 1919–20 | Rangers (10) | Celtic | Motherwell | Hughie Ferguson (Motherwell) | 33 |
| 1920–21 | Rangers (11) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | Hughie Ferguson (Motherwell) | 43 |
| 1921–22 | Celtic (16) | Rangers | Raith Rovers | Duncan Walker (St Mirren) | 45 |
| 1922–23 | Rangers (12) | Airdrieonians | Celtic | Jock White (Heart of Midlothian) | 30 |
| 1923–24 | Rangers (13) | Airdrieonians | Celtic | Dave Halliday (Dundee) | 38 |
| 1924–25 | Rangers (14) | Airdrieonians | Hibernian | William Devlin (Cowdenbeath) | 33 |
| 1925–26 | Celtic (17) | Airdrieonians | Heart of Midlothian | William Devlin (Cowdenbeath) | 40 |
| 1926–27 | Rangers (15) | Motherwell | Celtic | Jimmy McGrory (Celtic) | 49 |
| 1927–28 | Rangers (16) | Celtic | Motherwell | Jimmy McGrory (Celtic) | 47 |
| 1928–29 | Rangers (17) | Celtic | Motherwell | Evelyn Morrison (Falkirk) | 43 |
| 1929–30 | Rangers (18) | Motherwell | Aberdeen | Benny Yorston (Aberdeen) | 38 |
| 1930–31 | Rangers (19) | Celtic | Motherwell | Barney Battles, Jr. (Heart of Midlothian) | 44 |
| 1931–32 | Motherwell (1) | Rangers | Celtic | Willie MacFadyen (Motherwell) | 52 |
| 1932–33 | Rangers (20) | Motherwell | Heart of Midlothian | Willie MacFadyen (Motherwell) | 45 |
| 1933–34 | Rangers (21) | Motherwell | Celtic | Jimmy Smith (Rangers) | 41 |
| 1934–35 | Rangers (22) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | Jimmy Smith (Rangers) | 36 |
| 1935–36 | Celtic (18) | Rangers | Aberdeen | Jimmy McGrory (Celtic) | 50 |
| 1936–37 | Rangers (23) | Aberdeen | Celtic | David Wilson (Hamilton Academical) | 34 |
| 1937–38 | Celtic (19) | Heart of Midlothian | Rangers | Andy Black (Heart of Midlothian) | 40 |
| 1938–39 | Rangers (24) | Celtic | Aberdeen | Alex Venters (Rangers) | 35 |
| 1939–46 | Suspended due to World War II. Unofficial leagues (Emergency League and regional North Eastern League and Southern League) held. | ||||
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Top scorer(s) | |
| Player | Goals | ||||
| 1946–47 | Rangers (25) | Hibernian | Aberdeen | Bobby Mitchell (Third Lanark) | 22 |
| 1947–48 | Hibernian (2) | Rangers | Partick Thistle | Archie Aikman (Falkirk) | 20 |
| 1948–49 | Rangers (26) | Dundee | Hibernian | Alex Stott (Dundee) | 30 |
| 1949–50 | Rangers (27) | Hibernian | Heart of Midlothian | Willie Bauld (Heart of Midlothian) | 30 |
| 1950–51 | Hibernian (3) | Rangers | Dundee | Lawrie Reilly (Hibernian) | 22 |
| 1951–52 | Hibernian (4) | Rangers | East Fife | Lawrie Reilly (Hibernian) | 27 |
| 1952–53 | Rangers (28) | Hibernian | East Fife | Lawrie Reilly (Hibernian)Charlie Fleming (East Fife) | 30 |
| 1953–54 | Celtic (20) | Heart of Midlothian | Partick Thistle | Jimmy Wardhaugh (Heart of Midlothian) | 27 |
| 1954–55 | Aberdeen (1) | Celtic | Rangers | Willie Bauld (Heart of Midlothian) | 21 |
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Top scorer(s) | |
| Player | Goals | ||||
| 1955–56 | Rangers (29) | Aberdeen | Heart of Midlothian | Jimmy Wardhaugh (Heart of Midlothian) | 28 |
| 1956–57 | Rangers (30) | Heart of Midlothian | Kilmarnock | Hugh Baird (Airdrieonians) | 33 |
| 1957–58 | Heart of Midlothian (3) | Rangers | Celtic | Jimmy Wardhaugh (Heart of Midlothian)Jimmy Murray (Heart of Midlothian) | 28 |
| 1958–59 | Rangers (31) | Heart of Midlothian | Motherwell | Joe Baker (Hibernian) | 25 |
| 1959–60 | Heart of Midlothian (4) | Kilmarnock | Rangers | Joe Baker (Hibernian) | 42 |
| 1960–61 | Rangers (32) | Kilmarnock | Third Lanark | Alex Harley (Third Lanark) | 42 |
| 1961–62 | Dundee (1) | Rangers | Celtic | Alan Gilzean (Dundee) | 24 |
| 1962–63 | Rangers (33) | Kilmarnock | Partick Thistle | Jimmy Millar (Rangers) | 27 |
| 1963–64 | Rangers (34) | Kilmarnock | Celtic | Alan Gilzean (Dundee) | 32 |
| 1964–65 | Kilmarnock (1) | Heart of Midlothian | Dunfermline Athletic | Jim Forrest (Rangers) | 30 |
| 1965–66 | Celtic (21) | Rangers | Kilmarnock | Joe McBride (Celtic)Alex Ferguson (Dunfermline Athletic) | 31 |
| 1966–67 | Celtic (22) | Rangers | Clyde | Stevie Chalmers (Celtic) | 21 |
| 1967–68 | Celtic (23) | Rangers | Hibernian | Bobby Lennox (Celtic) | 32 |
| 1968–69 | Celtic (24) | Rangers | Dunfermline Athletic | Kenny Cameron (Dundee United) | 26 |
| 1969–70 | Celtic (25) | Rangers | Hibernian | Colin Stein (Rangers) | 24 |
| 1970–71 | Celtic (26) | Aberdeen | St Johnstone | Harry Hood (Celtic) | 22 |
| 1971–72 | Celtic (27) | Aberdeen | Rangers | Joe Harper (Aberdeen) | 33 |
| 1972–73 | Celtic (28) | Rangers | Hibernian | Alan Gordon (Hibernian) | 27 |
| 1973–74 | Celtic (29) | Hibernian | Rangers | Dixie Deans (Celtic) | 26 |
| 1974–75 | Rangers (35) | Hibernian | Celtic | Andy Gray (Dundee United)Willie Pettigrew (Motherwell) | 20 |
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Top scorer(s) | |
| Player | Goals | ||||
| 1975–76 | Rangers (36) | Celtic | Hibernian | Kenny Dalglish (Celtic) | 24 |
| 1976–77 | Celtic (30) | Rangers | Aberdeen | Willie Pettigrew (Motherwell) | 21 |
| 1977–78 | Rangers (37) | Aberdeen | Dundee United | Derek Johnstone (Rangers) | 25 |
| 1978–79 | Celtic (31) | Rangers | Dundee United | Andy Ritchie (Morton) | 22 |
| 1979–80 | Aberdeen (2) | Celtic | St Mirren | Doug Somner (St Mirren) | 25 |
| 1980–81 | Celtic (32) | Aberdeen | Rangers | Frank McGarvey (Celtic) | 23 |
| 1981–82 | Celtic (33) | Aberdeen | Rangers | George McCluskey (Celtic) | 21 |
| 1982–83 | Dundee United (1) | Celtic | Aberdeen | Charlie Nicholas (Celtic) | 29 |
| 1983–84 | Aberdeen (3) | Celtic | Dundee United | Brian McClair (Celtic) | 23 |
| 1984–85 | Aberdeen (4) | Celtic | Dundee United | Frank McDougall (Aberdeen) | 22 |
| 1985–86 | Celtic (34) | Heart of Midlothian | Dundee United | Ally McCoist (Rangers) | 24 |
| 1986–87 | Rangers (38) | Celtic | Dundee United | Brian McClair (Celtic) | 35 |
| 1987–88 | Celtic (35) | Heart of Midlothian | Rangers | Tommy Coyne (Dundee) | 33 |
| 1988–89 | Rangers (39) | Aberdeen | Celtic | Mark McGhee (Celtic)Charlie Nicholas (Aberdeen) | 16 |
| 1989–90 | Rangers (40) | Aberdeen | Heart of Midlothian | John Robertson (Heart of Midlothian) | 17 |
| 1990–91 | Rangers (41) | Aberdeen | Celtic | Tommy Coyne (Celtic) | 18 |
| 1991–92 | Rangers (42) | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic | Ally McCoist (Rangers) | 34 |
| 1992–93 | Rangers (43) | Aberdeen | Celtic | Ally McCoist (Rangers) | 34 |
| 1993–94 | Rangers (44) | Aberdeen | Motherwell | Mark Hateley (Rangers) | 22 |
| 1994–95 | Rangers (45) | Motherwell | Hibernian | Tommy Coyne (Motherwell) | 16 |
| 1995–96 | Rangers (46) | Celtic | Aberdeen | Pierre van Hooijdonk (Celtic) | 26 |
| 1996–97 | Rangers (47) | Celtic | Dundee United | Jorge Cadete (Celtic) | 25 |
| 1997–98 | Celtic (36) | Rangers | Heart of Midlothian | Marco Negri (Rangers) | 32 |
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Top scorer(s) | |
| Player | Goals | ||||
| 1998–99 | Rangers (48) | Celtic | St Johnstone | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | 29 |
| 1999–2000 | Rangers (49) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | Mark Viduka (Celtic) | 25 |
| 2000–01 | Celtic (37) | Rangers | Hibernian | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | 35 |
| 2001–02 | Celtic (38) | Rangers | Livingston | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | 29 |
| 2002–03 | Rangers (50) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | 28 |
| 2003–04 | Celtic (39) | Rangers | Heart of Midlothian | Henrik Larsson (Celtic) | 30 |
| 2004–05 | Rangers (51) | Celtic | Hibernian | John Hartson (Celtic) | 25 |
| 2005–06 | Celtic (40) | Heart of Midlothian | Rangers | Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock, Rangers) | 32 |
| 2006–07 | Celtic (41) | Rangers | Aberdeen | Kris Boyd (Rangers) | 20 |
| 2007–08 | Celtic (42) | Rangers | Motherwell | Scott McDonald (Celtic) | 25 |
| 2008–09 | Rangers (52) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | Kris Boyd (Rangers) | 27 |
| 2009–10 | Rangers (53) | Celtic | Dundee United | Kris Boyd (Rangers) | 23 |
| 2010–11 | Rangers (54) | Celtic | Heart of Midlothian | Kenny Miller (Rangers) | 21 |
| 2011–12 | Celtic (43) | Rangers | Motherwell | Gary Hooper (Celtic) | 24 |
| 2012–13 | Celtic (44) | Motherwell | St Johnstone | Michael Higdon (Motherwell) | 26 |
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Top scorer(s) | |
| Player | Goals | ||||
| 2013–14 | Celtic (45) | Motherwell | Aberdeen | Kris Commons (Celtic) | 27 |
| 2014–15 | Celtic (46) | Aberdeen | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Adam Rooney (Aberdeen) | 18 |
| 2015–16 | Celtic (47) | Aberdeen | Heart of Midlothian | Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) | 31 |
| 2016–17 | Celtic (48) | Aberdeen | Rangers | Liam Boyce (Ross County) | 23 |
| 2017–18 | Celtic (49) | Aberdeen | Rangers | Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock) | 18 |
| 2018–19 | Celtic (50) | Rangers | Kilmarnock | Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) | 18 |
| 2019–20 | Celtic (51) | Rangers | Motherwell | Odsonne Édouard (Celtic) | 22 |
| 2020–21 | Rangers (55) | Celtic | Hibernian | Odsonne Édouard (Celtic) | 18 |
| 2021–22 | Celtic (52) | Rangers | Heart of Midlothian | Regan Charles-Cook (Ross County)Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic) | 13 |
| 2022–23 | Celtic (53) | Rangers | Aberdeen | Kyōgo Furuhashi (Celtic) | 27 |
| 2023–24 | Celtic (54) | Rangers | Heart of Midlothian | Lawrence Shankland (Heart of Midlothian) | 24 |
| 2024–25 | Celtic (55) | Rangers | Hibernian | Cyriel Dessers (Rangers) | 18 |
| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Last Championship |
| Celtic | 55 | 32 | 17 | 2024–25 |
| Rangers | 55 | 36 | 20 | 2020–21 |
| Aberdeen | 4 | 17 | 10 | 1984–85 |
| Heart of Midlothian | 4 | 14 | 20 | 1959–60 |
| Hibernian | 4 | 6 | 15 | 1951–52 |
| Dumbarton | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1891–92 |
| Motherwell | 1 | 7 | 9 | 1931–32 |
| Kilmarnock | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1964–65 |
| Dundee | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1961–62 |
| Dundee United | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1982–83 |
| Third Lanark | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1903–04 |
| Airdrieonians (1878) | 0 | 4 | 2 | — |
| Falkirk | 0 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Morton | 0 | 1 | 4 | — |
| Clyde | 0 | 0 | 3 | — |
| Partick Thistle | 0 | 0 | 3 | — |
| St Johnstone | 0 | 0 | 3 | — |
| Dunfermline Athletic | 0 | 0 | 2 | — |
| East Fife | 0 | 0 | 2 | — |
| St Mirren | 0 | 0 | 2 | — |
| Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Livingston | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| Raith Rovers | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| St Bernard's | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| City / town | Championships | Clubs | Last championship |
| Glasgow | 111 | Celtic (55), Rangers (55), Third Lanark (1) | 2024–25 (Celtic) |
| Edinburgh | 8 | Heart of Midlothian (4), Hibernian (4) | 1959–60 (Heart of Midlothian) |
| Aberdeen | 4 | Aberdeen (4) | 1984–85 (Aberdeen) |
| Dumbarton | 2 | Dumbarton (2) | 1891–92 (Dumbarton) |
| Dundee | 2 | Dundee (1), Dundee United (1) | 1982–83 (Dundee United) |
| Kilmarnock | 1 | Kilmarnock (1) | 1964–65 (Kilmarnock) |
| Motherwell | 1 | Motherwell (1) | 1931–32 (Motherwell) |
References
- Rangers and Dumbarton were declared joint champions after the teams finished level on points and a play-off for the titl
- Celtic defeated Rangers 2–1 in a play-off for the title after the teams finished level on points.
- Celtic also won the European Cup
- Rangers won the European Cup Winners' Cup
- Aberdeen also won the European Cup Winners' Cup
- Aberdeen also won the European Super Cup
- The 2019–20 Scottish Premiership was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. The season was su
- Rangers and Dumbarton figures include one title shared in 1890–91.
- Morton are now known as Greenock Morton.
- The total includes one championship shared by Rangers (Glasgow) and Dumbarton, in 1890–91.
- Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now
- RSSSFhttps://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scotchamp.html
- RSSSFhttps://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scotall.html
- www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.ukhttps://web.archive.org/web/20070202041829/http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0%2C%2C10002%2C00.html
- BBC Sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23435136
- Daily Recordhttp://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aberdeen-stars-dougie-bell--1852483
- BBC Sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52646282
- www.celticfc.nethttp://www.celticfc.net/pages/history
- RSSSFhttps://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/doublerec.html
- www.rangers.premiumtv.co.ukhttps://web.archive.org/web/20070701165826/http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HistoryDetail/0%2C%2C5~456%2C00.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/feb/28/theknowledge.sport
- News of the World Football Annual 2007/2008 (season 2007)
- RSSSFhttps://www.rsssf.org/tabless/scottops.html