The 2011–12 Scottish Football League First Division, also known as the 2011–12 Irn Bru Scottish Football League First Division for sponsorship reasons, is the 18th season of the Scottish First Division and the 106th season of a second-tier football league in Scotland. Dunfermline Athletic are the current champions. It began on 6 August 2011 and is scheduled to end on 5 May 2012. The league comprises the teams ranked second through eighth of the 2010–11 season, the relegated side from the 2010–11 Premier League (Hamilton Academical), the 2010–11 Second Division champions, and the winners of the 2010–11 First Division play-off (Livingston and Ayr United respectively).
Teams
Dunfermline Athletic, champions of the 2010–11 season, were promoted to the 2011–12 Premier League.BBC Sport - Football - Ups and downs, news.bbc.co.uk Retrieved 2011-05-25. The club thus completed a five-season tenure in the First Division. Dunfermline were replaced by Hamilton Academical, who were relegated from the 2010–11 Premier League after finishing at the bottom of the table; Hamilton returned to the First Division after three years.
At the bottom end of the table, last-placed Stirling Albion were directly relegated to the 2011–12 Second Division after being promoted to the second tier only one season earlier. They were replaced by the 2010–11 Second Division champions Livingston, who returned to the First Division after two consecutive promotions in two years; the club had previously been demoted for financial irregularities at the end of the 2008–09 season.Livi relegated to Division Three, 2009-08-05 news.bbc.co.uk Retrieved 2011-05-29.
An additional place in the league was available via a play-off tournament between the ninth-placed First Division team, Cowdenbeath, and the sides ranked second through to fourth in the Second Division, Ayr United, Forfar Athletic and Brechin City respectively. The tournament was won by Ayr United, who therefore were promoted back to the First Division after a one-year absence; Cowdenbeath hence were relegated, returning to the Second Division after just one season.
Stadia and locations Team Location Stadium CapacityAyr UnitedAyrSomerset Park 10,243DundeeDundeeDens Park 12,085FalkirkFalkirkFalkirk Stadium 9,120Greenock MortonGreenockCappielow 11,612Hamilton AcademicalHamiltonNew Douglas Park 6,096LivingstonLivingstonBraidwood Motor Company Stadium 10,122Partick ThistleGlasgowFirhill Stadium 13,079Queen of the SouthDumfriesPalmerston Park 6,412Raith RoversKirkcaldyStark's Park 10,104Ross CountyDingwallVictoria Park 6,310
Personnel and kits Team Manager Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAyr United Brian Reid Nike BodogDundee Barry Smith Puma Kilmac EnergyFalkirk Steven Pressley Puma Central DemolitionGreenock Morton Allan Moore Puma Ferguson's Chocolates (H), Buchanan's Toffees (A), Millions Chews (T)Hamilton Academical Billy Reid Nike M&H Logistics (H), Life Skills Centres (A, T)Livingston John Hughes Umbro FasteqPartick Thistle Jackie McNamara Puma macb (Until March) Just Employment Law (March onwards)Queen of the South Gus MacPherson Joma Border Utilities LtdRaith Rovers John McGlynn Puma Kittys & Styx (H), ACA Sports (A)Ross County Derek Adams Nike Highnet
League table
Results Teams play each other four times in this league. In the first half of the season each team plays every other team twice (home and away) and then do the same in the second half of the season, for a total of 36 games
First half of season
Second half of season
First Division play-offs Times are BST (UTC+1)
Semi-finals The fourth placed team in the Second Division (Airdrie United) will play the ninth placed team in the First Division (Ayr United) and third placed team in the Second Division (Dumbarton) will play the second placed team in the Second Division (Arbroath). The play-offs will be played over two legs, the winning team in each semi-final will advance to the final.
First legs
Second legs
Final The two semi-final winners will play each other over two legs. Originally, the winning team only was to be awarded a place in the 2012–13 First Division. Following the Rangers F.C. administration situation, both teams were awarded places.
First leg
Second leg
Statistics
Top goalscorers
RankScorerTeamGoals1 Colin McMenaminRoss County192 Farid El AlaguiFalkirk183 Kris DoolanPartick Thistle13 Michael GardyneRoss County4 Rory BouldingLivingston11 Paul CairneyPartick Thistle Ryan ConroyDundee Brian GrahamRaith Rovers Marc McNultyLivingston Steven MilneDundee
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Queen of the South Greenock Morton 4–1 Dundee Hamilton Academical 6–1 Livingston Raith Rovers 4–0 Ross County Ayr United 3–2 Livingston Raith Rovers 3–0 Raith Rovers Falkirk 3–2 Partick Thistle Dundee 3–0
Disciplinary by player
RankFirst Division - Disciplinary, Retrieved 2012-03-07.PlayerTeam Yellow Red1 Mark McLaughlinHamilton Academical52 Simon MensingHamilton Academical813 Stephen O'DonnellDundee42 Darren DodsFalkirk715 Craig ReidQueen of the South326 Stuart KettlewellRoss County51 Mark FotheringhamLivingston51 Paul WatsonLivingston519 Farid El AlaguiFalkirk80 Stephen McKennaQueen of the South80
Awards MonthFirst Division Manager of the MonthSFL Player of the MonthSFL Young player of the MonthGinger BootManagerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubAugust Allan MooreGreenock Morton Dougie ImrieHamilton Academical Craig SibbaldFalkirk Third division player September Steven PressleyFalkirk Farid El AlaguiFalkirk Second division player Peter MacDonaldGreenock Morton October Derek Adams Steven PressleyRoss CountyFalkirk Darren Dods Grant MunroFalkirkRoss County Aaron SinclairPartick Thistle Second division player November Barry SmithDundee Nicky RileyDundee Second division player Third division player December Jackie McNamaraPartick Thistle Farid El AlaguiFalkirk Third division player Third division player January Steven PressleyFalkirk Third division player Third division player Third division player February Steven PressleyFalkirk Second division player Andy RyanHamilton Second division player March April
References
External links Official site 2010–11 Scottish First Division at Soccerway