Scottish Third Division 2007-08
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The 2007–08 Third Division season was the thirteenth season of the Third Division in a ten team format.
The following teams competed: Albion Rovers, Arbroath, Dumbarton, East Fife, East Stirlingshire, Elgin City, Forfar Athletic, Montrose, Stenhousemuir and Stranraer.
The team which finished first were automatically promoted to the Second Division, the teams which finished second, third and fourth were entered into the second division play-offs with the team which finished second bottom of the Second Division for a place in the 2008–09 Second Division.
Contents |
[edit] Promotion and Relegation from 2006–07
[edit] Second & Third Divisions
Relegated from Second Division to Third Division
- Forfar Athletic
- Stranraer (via play-offs)
Promoted from Third Division to Second Division
- Berwick Rangers
- Queens Park (via play-offs)
[edit] Events
- March 15: East Fife confirm their promotion to the Second Division as Third Division champions with a 3–0 victory over East Stirlingshire, becoming the first team in Britain to win a league trophy in the 2007–08 season.[1]
- March 29: Berwick Rangers are relegated from the Second Division after a 2–2 draw with Peterhead.[2]
- May 10: Arbroath are promoted to the Second Division after a 2–1 aggregate win over Stranraer in the Second Division play-off final.[3] Cowdenbeath, who were beaten by Arbroath in the semi-finals, are relegated to the Third Division.
- May 29: Second Division play-off runners-up Stranraer are promoted to the Second Division following Gretna's demotion to the Third Division.[4]
[edit] Table
| P |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Fife (C) (P) | 36 | 28 | 4 | 4 | 77 | 24 | 53 | 88 | Second Division |
| 2 | Stranraer (P) | 36 | 19 | 8 | 9 | 65 | 43 | 22 | 65 | Second Division Play-offs |
| 3 | Montrose | 36 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 57 | 35 | 22 | 59 | |
| 4 | Arbroath (P) | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 54 | 47 | 7 | 52 | |
| 5 | Stenhousemuir | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 49 | 57 | -8 | 48 | |
| 6 | Elgin City | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 56 | 69 | -13 | 47 | |
| 7 | Albion Rovers | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 52 | 69 | -17 | 37 | |
| 8 | Dumbarton | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 31 | 48 | -17 | 37 | |
| 9 | East Stirlingshire | 36 | 10 | 4 | 22 | 48 | 71 | -23 | 34 | |
| 10 | Forfar Athletic | 36 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 35 | 62 | -27 | 33 |
Source: BBC Sport
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal difference; 3rd goals scored.
Second Division Play-offs:The 9th placed team were entered into a play-off with the Third Division's 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams. The winning team were awarded a place in the 2008-09 Second Division, Cowdenbeath were relegated and Arbroath were promoted. With Gretna being relegated to the Third Division, Stranraer were also promoted.
Relegation: Had East Stirlingshire finished bottom of the table for what would have been a fifth consecutive time, they would have lost their Scottish Football League status, they finished second bottom.
Stranraer: won promotion to Second Division after Gretna were relegated to the Third Division.
P = Position; Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; (C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted.
[edit] 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.
[edit] First half of season
| Home \ Away1 | ALBR | ARBO | DMBT | E.FIE | E.STR | EGNC | FORF | MONT | STHM | STNR |
| Albion Rovers | 5–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–4 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | |
| Arbroath | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–4 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| Dumbarton | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | |
| East Fife | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 7–0 | 3–1 | |
| East Stirlingshire | 4–5 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | |
| Elgin City | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–5 | |
| Forfar Athletic | 1–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Montrose | 0–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–4 | |
| Stenhousemuir | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 1–4 | |
| Stranraer | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–3 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–3 |
Source: BBC Sport
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; White = draw; Red = away team win.
[edit] Second half of season
| Home \ Away1 | ALBR | ARBO | DMBT | E.FIE | E.STR | EGNC | FORF | MONT | STHM | STNR |
| Albion Rovers | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | |
| Arbroath | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | |
| Dumbarton | 2–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | |
| East Fife | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | |
| East Stirlingshire | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 3–4 | 1–3 | |
| Elgin City | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–5 | 2–3 | |
| Forfar Athletic | 1–4 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | |
| Montrose | 2–1 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | |
| Stenhousemuir | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | |
| Stranraer | 3–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
Last updated: 27 April
Source: BBC Sport
1The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; White = draw; Red = away team win.
[edit] Attendances
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | Highest | Lowest | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Fife | Bayview Stadium | 2,000 | 1,300 | 540 | 769 |
| Arbroath | Gayfield Park | 6,488 | 959 | 421 | 611 |
| Montrose | Links Park | 3,292 | 1,470 | 321 | 597 |
| Dumbarton | Strathclyde Homes Stadium | 2,025 | 907 | 258 | 559 |
| Elgin City | Borough Briggs | 3,927 | 624 | 301 | 471 |
| Stenhousemuir | Ochilview Park | 3,776 | 755 | 212 | 414 |
| Forfar Athletic | Station Park | 5,177 | 615 | 270 | 410 |
| East Stirlingshire | Firs Park | 1,800 | 791 | 235 | 377 |
| Albion Rovers | Cliftonhill | 1,249 | 512 | 186 | 307 |
| Stranraer | Stair Park | 5,600 | 487 | 117 | 255 |
Source: The League Insider
[edit] Managerial changes
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stenhousemuir |  Campbell Money |
Resigned | 29 September 2007 | John Coughlin |
12 October 2007 |
| Ayr United | Neil Watt |
Resigned | 23 October 2007 | Brian Reid |
24 October 2007 |
| Dumbarton | Gerry McCabe |
Sacked | 11 November 2007 | Jim Chapman |
31 December 2007 |
| East Stirlingshire | Gordon Wylde |
Resigned | 28 February 2008 | Jim McInally |
13 March 2008 |
| Forfar Athletic | Jim Moffat |
Mutual consent | 21 April[5] | Dick Campbell |
21 April[6] |
| Berwick Rangers | Michael Renwick |
Sacked | 28 February[7] | Allan McGonigal |
13 May[8] |
[edit] Monthly awards
| Month | Second Division manager | SFA Player | SFA Young player |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | Gordon Wylde (East Stirlingshire) |
First Division player | First Division player |
| September | John McGlashan (Arbroath) |
Second Division player | First Division player |
| October |  David Baikie (East Fife) |
First Division player | First Division player |
| November | David Baikie (East Fife) |
First Division player | Scott Fox (East Fife) |
| December | Gerry Britton (Stranraer) |
Second Division player | First Division player |
| January | David Baikie (East Fife) |
Second Division player | First Division player |
| February | Derek Ferguson (Stranraer) |
First Division player | First Division player |
| March | Robbie Williamson (Elgin City) |
First Division player | First Division player |
| April | Derek Ferguson (Stranraer) |
First Division player | First Division player |
[edit] Second Division play-offs
[edit] References
- ^ "East Stirlingshire 0-3 East Fife", BBC Sport, 1 June 2007.
- ^ "Berwick Rangers 2-2 Peterhead", BBC Sport, 2008-03-28.
- ^ "Stranraer 1-0 Arbroath (1-2)", BBC Sport, 2008-05-10. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
- ^ "Gretna demoted to Division Three", BBC Sport, 2008-05-29. Retrieved on 2008-05-29.
- ^ "Forfar exit for manager Moffat", BBC Sport website, 21 April 2008.
- ^ Campbell takes the helm at Forfar. BBC Sport (8 May 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
- ^ "Berwick part company with Renwick", BBC Sport website, 21 April 2008.
- ^ McGonigal takes over at Berwick. BBC Sport (8 May 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-13.
