The 2016–17 Scottish League Two (known as Ladbrokes League Two for sponsorship reasons) was the 23rd season in the current format of 10 teams in the fourth-tier of Scottish football. The last placed team (Cowdenbeath) entered a play-off with a team nominated by the Scottish Football Association from outside the SPFL (East Kilbride), to determine which team entered League Two in the 2017–18 season. The fixtures were published on 17 June 2016.
Ten teams contested the league: Annan Athletic, Arbroath, Berwick Rangers, Clyde, Cowdenbeath, Edinburgh City, Elgin City, Forfar Athletic, Montrose and Stirling Albion. Arbroath won the league and were promoted, while Forfar were also promoted via the League One play-offs.
Teams The following teams changed division since the 2015–16 season.
To League Two
Promoted from Lowland Football League Edinburgh City
Relegated from Scottish League One Forfar Athletic Cowdenbeath
From League Two
Relegated to Lowland Football League East Stirlingshire
Promoted to Scottish League One East Fife Queen's Park
Stadia and locations Annan Athletic Arbroath Berwick Rangers Clyde Galabank Gayfield Park Shielfield Park Broadwood Stadium Capacity: 2,504 Capacity: 6,600 Capacity: 4,099 Capacity: 8,086 Cowdenbeath Edinburgh City Central Park Meadowbank Stadium Capacity: 4,309 Capacity: 5,000 Elgin City Forfar Athletic Montrose Stirling Albion Borough Briggs Station Park Links Park Forthbank Stadium Capacity: 4,520 Capacity: 6,777 Capacity: 4,936 Capacity: 3,808
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorAnnan Athletic Jim Chapman Steven BlackStannoM&S Engineering LtdArbroath Dick Campbell Mark WhatleyPendleMegatechBerwick Rangers John Coughlin Jordyn SheerinZoo SportSimple Energy Scotland LtdClyde Jon-Paul McGovern & Peter MacDonald (joint interim) Scott FergusonHummelAdvance Construction Group (H), Heartfelt Limited (A)Cowdenbeath Gary Locke David McGurnUhlsportSubsea Pressure ControlsEdinburgh City Gary Jardine Dougie GairJomaHutchinson NetworksElgin City Jim Weir Archie MacPheeEC 1893McDonald & MunroForfar Athletic Gary Bollan David CoxPendleOrchard Timber ProductsMontrose Stewart Petrie Paul WatsonNikeIntervention RentalsStirling Albion Dave Mackay Ross McMillanMacronPrudential
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment Cowdenbeath Sacked 12 May 2016 Pre-season 23 May 2016 Stirling Albion Sacked 24 September 2016 9th (caretaker) 24 September 2016 Stirling Albion (caretaker) Stepped down 5 November 2016 7th 9 November 2016 Montrose Sacked 16 November 2016 9th (caretaker) 16 November 2016 Montrose (caretaker) Interim ended 4 December 2016 10th 4 December 2016 Clyde Resigned 26 February 2017 8th (interim) 26 February 2017 Clyde Bob Malcolm (interim) Interim ended 2 March 2017 9th & (joint interim) 2 March 2017 Cowdenbeath Resigned 6 March 2017 10th 10 March 2017
League summary League table
Positions by round
Results Teams 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 36 games.
First half of season
Second half of season
Season statistics
Scoring
Top scorers
RankPlayerClubGoals1 Shane SutherlandElgin City182 Peter MacDonaldClyde173 Ryan McCordArbroath13 Steven ThomsonBerwick Rangers Brian CameronElgin City6 Steven DorisArbroath12 Danny DenholmForfar Athletic8 David McKennaAnnan Athletic11 Gary FraserMontrose David CoxForfar Athletic Josh PetersForfar Athletic Darren SmithStirling Albion
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Ref Bobby Linn Arbroath Stirling Albion 5–3 Shane Sutherland Elgin City Berwick Rangers 6–0 Shane Sutherland Elgin City Edinburgh City 3–1 Steven Thomson Berwick Rangers Annan Athletic 4–1 David Goodwillie Clyde Elgin City 3–2 Ryan McCord Arbroath Elgin City 3–2
Discipline
Player
Yellow cards
RankPlayerClubCards1 Michael BolochoweckyjMontrose122 Mark NicolsonElgin City10 Terry MassonMontrose4 Kyle MillerCowdenbeath9 David GormleyClyde6 Darren LaveryBerwick Rangers8 Sean HigginsClyde Aaron DunsmoreEdinburgh City Ryan PorteousEdinburgh City Martyn FotheringhamForfar Athletic Gavin SwankieForfar Athletic
Red cards
RankPlayerClubCards1 Michael McKennaBerwick Rangers32 Darren RamsayAnnan Athletic2 Ricky LittleArbroath Jassem SukarArbroath Gary FraserMontrose Terry MassonMontrose
Club
Yellow cards
RankClubCards1Forfar Athletic722Berwick Rangers68Clyde
Red cards
RankClubCards1Berwick Rangers92Montrose83Forfar Athletic6
Attendances
Awards
Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.ManagerClubPlayerClubAugust Gary BollanForfar Athletic Josh PetersForfar Athletic September Gary BollanForfar Athletic Thomas O'BrienForfar AthleticOctober Jim WeirElgin City Shane SutherlandElgin CityNovember Gary JardineEdinburgh City Marc LairdEdinburgh CityDecember Gary JardineEdinburgh City Andrew StobieEdinburgh CityJanuary Gary BollanForfar Athletic Shane SutherlandElgin CityFebruary Jim ChapmanAnnan Athletic Gavin SkeltonAnnan AthleticMarch Dave MackayStirling Albion Greg RutherfordBerwick RangersApril Dick CampbellArbroath Ryan McCordArbroath
PFA Scotland Team of the Year
Annual awards League Two Manager of the Season The League Two Manager of the Season was awarded to Dick Campbell.
League Two Player of the Season The League Two Player of the Season was awarded to Shane Sutherland.
PFA Scotland Scottish League Two Team of the Year The PFA Scotland Scottish Championship Team of the Year was: Goalkeeper: Chris Smith (Stirling Albion) Defence: Ricky Little (Arbroath), Thomas O'Brien (Forfar Athletic), Colin Hamilton (Arbroath), Archie MacPhee (Elgin City) Midfield: Brian Cameron (Elgin City), Thomas Reilly (Elgin City), Bobby Linn (Arbroath) Attack: Steven Doris (Arbroath), Shane Sutherland (Elgin City), Peter MacDonald (footballer) (Clyde)
League Two play-offs The semi-final was contested between the winners of the 2016–17 Highland Football League (Buckie Thistle) and the 2016–17 Lowland Football League (East Kilbride). The winners then played off against the bottom club in League Two (Cowdenbeath).
Semi-finals First leg
Second leg
Final First leg
Second leg
References