2019–20 Scottish Championship

The 2019–20 Scottish Championship (known as Ladbrokes Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the 25th season in the current format of 10 teams in the second-tier of Scottish football. Ten teams contested the league: Alloa Athletic, Arbroath, Ayr United, Dundee, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic, Greenock Morton, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South.

Scottish Championship
Season2019–20
Dates3 August 2019 – 15 April 2020
ChampionsDundee United
PromotedDundee United
RelegatedPartick Thistle
Matches played137
Goals scored364 (2.66 per match)
Top goalscorerLawrence Shankland (24 goals)[1][2]
Biggest home winDundee United 6–0 Greenock Morton (28 September 2019)[2]
Biggest away winQueen of the South 0–4 Greenock Morton (29 February 2020)[2]
Highest scoringDundee United 6–2 Dundee (30 August 2019)[2]
Greenock Morton 4–4 Alloa Athletic (22 February 2020)[2]
Longest winning run9 matches:[2]
Dundee United
Longest unbeaten run13 matches:[2]
Dundee United
Longest winless run10 matches:[2]
Queen of the South
Longest losing run5 matches:[2]
Dunfermline Athletic
Highest attendance14,108
Dundee United 6–2 Dundee (30 August 2019)[2]
Lowest attendance661
Alloa Athletic 0–1 Arbroath (24 August 2019)[2]
Total attendance414,131[2]
Average attendance3,022[2](98)
All statistics correct as of 1 May 2020.

The season began on 3 August 2019 and was scheduled to end on 2 May 2020.[3] On 13 March 2020 all SPFL leagues were indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.[4] On 8 April 2020, the SPFL proposed to end the 2019–20 season by utilising a points per game ratio to determine the final standings.[5] The plan was approved on 15 April 2020, declaring that the season was over, as Dundee United were declared title winners with Partick Thistle relegated to League One.[6]

Teams

The following teams have changed division since the 2018–19 season:

To Championship

Arbroath secured promotion to the Championship on 13 April 2019.[7] Dundee were relegated from the Premiership on 4 May 2019.[8]

From Championship

Ross County secured promotion to the Premiership on 26 April 2019. Falkirk were relegated to League One on 3 May 2019.

Stadia and locations
Alloa Athletic Arbroath Ayr United Dundee
Recreation Park Gayfield Park Somerset Park Dens Park
Capacity: 3,100[9] Capacity: 6,600[10] Capacity: 10,185[11] Capacity: 11,506[12]
Dundee United
Location of teams in 2019–20 Scottish Championship
 Dunfermline Athletic
Tannadice Park East End Park
Capacity: 14,223[13] Capacity: 11,480[14]
Greenock Morton Inverness Caledonian Thistle Partick Thistle Queen of the South
Cappielow Caledonian Stadium Firhill Stadium Palmerston Park
Capacity: 11,589[15] Capacity: 7,750[16] Capacity: 10,102[17] Capacity: 8,690[18]

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Alloa Athletic Peter Grant Andy Graham[19] Pendle Northern Gas and Power
Arbroath Dick Campbell Mark Whatley[20] Pendle[21] Megatech[21]
Ayr United Mark Kerr Ross Docherty[22] Adidas[23] Bitcoin BCH[24]
Dundee James McPake Josh Meekings Macron[25] Switch Gas & Electric[26]
Dundee United Robbie Neilson Mark Reynolds Macron[27] Utilita[27]
Dunfermline Athletic Stevie Crawford Paul Paton[28] Joma[29] SRJ Windows[29]
Greenock Morton David Hopkin Jim McAlister[30] est 1874 Millions[31]
Inverness CT John Robertson Carl Tremarco[32] Erreà[33] McEwan Fraser Legal[33]
Partick Thistle Ian McCall Thomas O'Ware Joma[34] Just Employment Law[35]
Queen of the South Allan Johnston Stephen Dobbie[36] Macron[37] BB Body Repairers

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Alloa Athletic Jim Goodwin Signed by St Mirren 29 June 2019 Pre-season Peter Grant 10 July 2019
Partick Thistle Gary Caldwell Sacked 18 September 2019 9th Ian McCall 23 September 2019
Ayr United Ian McCall Signed by Partick Thistle 23 September 2019 2nd Sandy Stewart (interim) 23 September 2019
Ayr United Sandy Stewart End of interim 22 October 2019 2nd Mark Kerr 22 October 2019

League summary

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts PPG Promotion, qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1 Dundee United (C) 28 18 5 5 52 22 +30 59 2.11 Promotion to the Premiership
2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 27 14 3 10 39 32 +7 45 1.67
3 Dundee 27 11 8 8 32 31 +1 41 1.52
4 Ayr United 27 12 4 11 38 35 +3 40 1.48
5 Arbroath 26 10 6 10 24 26 −2 36 1.38
6 Dunfermline Athletic 28 10 7 11 41 36 +5 37 1.32
7 Greenock Morton 28 10 6 12 45 52 −7 36 1.29
8 Alloa Athletic 28 7 10 11 33 43 −10 31 1.11
9 Queen of the South 28 7 7 14 28 40 −12 28 1.00
10 Partick Thistle (R) 27 6 8 13 32 47 −15 26 0.96 Relegation to League One
Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points per game.
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. All play-off matches were cancelled, as clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[38]

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 180 games, with each team playing 36.

First half of season (Matches 1-18)
Home \ Away ALL ARB AYR DUN DNU DNF GMO INV PAR QOS
Alloa Athletic — 0–1 1–4 0–3 1–0 2–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2
Arbroath 2–1 — 0–3 1–1 0–1 1–0 1–0 3–0 1–1 0–0
Ayr United 2–1 1–1 — 1–2 2–0 0–1 4–2 0–2 4–1 1–0
Dundee 2–1 2–0 1–0 — 0–2 4–3 2–1 0–0 1–3 1–2
Dundee United 2–1 2–1 4–0 6–2 — 2–0 6–0 4–1 1–0 3–0
Dunfermline Athletic 1–1 2–0 3–2 2–2 0–2 — 3–1 0–1 5–1 2–0
Greenock Morton 4–1 1–0 2–3 1–0 1–2 1–1 — 2–1 3–2 2–2
Inverness CT 2–2 2–1 2–0 1–0 0–3 2–0 5–0 — 1–3 2–0
Partick Thistle 1–1 1–3 2–3 0–1 1–2 0–3 2–1 3–1 — 0–1
Queen of the South 0–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 1–1 1–0 0–2 1–2 —
Source: Scottish Championship
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Second half of season (Matches 19-36)
Home \ Away ALL ARB AYR DUN DNU DNF GMO INV PAR QOS
Alloa Athletic — 2–0 0–2 N/A 0–0 N/A N/A 2–0 1–1 N/A
Arbroath N/A — N/A N/A N/A 0–0 1–2 N/A 2–1 2–0
Ayr United N/A N/A — 0–0 0–0 N/A 1–2 1–0 N/A 1–2
Dundee 0–0 N/A 2–0 — N/A N/A N/A 0–2 2–0 N/A
Dundee United N/A 0–1 N/A 1–1 — N/A 1–1 2–1 1–1 N/A
Dunfermline Athletic 1–3 N/A 0–1 2–0 2–0 — 1–2 N/A N/A 1–1
Greenock Morton 4–4 1–1 N/A 1–1 N/A 3–2 — N/A 1–2 N/A
Inverness CT 1–1 0–1 N/A N/A N/A N/A 3–2 — N/A 3–1
Partick Thistle N/A N/A 1–1 N/A 1–4 1–1 N/A N/A — 0–0
Queen of the South 2–3 N/A N/A 0–1 0–1 2–3 0–4 N/A N/A —
Source: Scottish Championship
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Lawrence Shankland Dundee United 24
2 Kevin Nisbet Dunfermline Athletic 18
3 Kevin O'Hara Alloa Athletic 10
Alan Forrest Ayr United
Kane Hemmings Dundee
6 Alan Trouten Alloa Athletic 8
Bob McHugh Greenock Morton
Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South
9 Nicky Clark Dundee United 7
Jordan White Inverness CT

Source:[39]

Hat-tricks
Main article: List of Scottish Professional Football League hat-tricks § Scottish Championship
Player For Against Score Date Ref
Lawrence Shankland4 Dundee United Inverness CT 4–1 (H) 3 August 2019 [40]
Bob McHugh Greenock Morton Alloa Athletic 4–1 (H) 10 August 2019 [41]
Lawrence Shankland Dundee United Greenock Morton 6–0 (H) 28 September 2019 [42]
Kevin Nisbet4 Dunfermline Athletic Partick Thistle 5–1 (H) 30 November 2019 [43]
Lawrence Shankland Dundee United Partick Thistle 4–1 (A) 11 January 2020 [44]

Note

4 Player scored four goals

Attendances
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Alloa Athletic 16,216 1,827 661 1,158 −1.7%†
2 Arbroath[lower-alpha 1] 19,006 4,052 801 1,462 +53.9%†
3 Ayr United 24,891 3,167 777 1,777 −17.6%†
4 Dundee[lower-alpha 2] 68,603 11,233 4,228 5,277 −12.4%†
5 Dundee United 118,950 14,108 6,929 8,496 +67.3%†
6 Dunfermline Athletic 62,275 6,480 3,397 4,151 −17.1%†
7 Greenock Morton 22,499 2,742 1,120 1,607 −17.3%†
8 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 27,518 2,902 1,760 2,116 −17.0%†
9 Partick Thistle 35,084 4,101 1,714 2,698 −11.3%†
10 Queen of the South 19,549 2,041 1,094 1,396 −15.6%†
League total 414,131 14,108 661 3,022 −3.1%†

Source: [45]

  1. Club was playing in League One during the previous season.
  2. Club was playing in Premiership during the previous season.

Awards

Monthly awards
Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Ref.
Manager Club Player Club
August Robbie Neilson Dundee United Lawrence Shankland Dundee United
September Ian McCall Ayr United
Partick Thistle		 Alan Forrest Ayr United
October James McPake Dundee Declan McDaid Dundee
November Robbie Neilson Dundee United Kevin Nisbet Dunfermline Athletic
December Robbie Neilson Dundee United Calum Butcher Dundee United
January Peter Grant Alloa Athletic Kevin O'Hara Alloa Athletic
February David Hopkin Greenock Morton Nicky Cadden Greenock Morton

References
  1. "Top Scorers - Scottish Championship". BBC. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  2. "Scottish Championship Performance Stats 2019–20". ESPN. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  3. "Key dates for 2019/20". SPFL. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  4. "Coronavirus joint response group update". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  5. "SPFL: Clubs to vote on lower leagues; Premiership decision on hold". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  6. "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles & reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  7. "Arbroath seal League One title with draw at Brechin City". BBC. 13 April 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  8. Watt, Martin (4 May 2019). "Dundee 0–1 Hamilton: Tony Andreu penalty sends Dundee down". BBC. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  9. "Alloa Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. "Arbroath Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  11. "Ayr United Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  12. "Dundee Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  13. "Dundee United Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  14. "Dunfermline Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  15. "Greenock Morton Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  16. "Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  17. "Partick Thistle Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  18. "Queen of the South Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  19. Hall, Jamie (27 June 2017). "Goodwin's delight in landing midfielder Thomas Grant". Alloa Advertiser. Newsquest. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  20. Johnstone, Darren (30 January 2016). "Arbroath captain Mark Whatley insists play-offs firmly in Red Litchties' sights". Deadline News. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  21. "New strips – sneak peak!". Arbroath FC. 24 June 2017. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  22. "Doc signs as new club captain". Ayr United FC. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  23. "New Ayr United "Strip" 2017-18 by Adidas". Football Kit News. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  24. "New sponsor announced". Ayr United F.C. 10 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  25. "Dee sign with Macron". dundeefc.co.uk. 14 January 2019.
  26. "Switch sign up as main shirt sponsor". dundeefc.co.uk. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  27. Rooney, Richard (17 May 2018). "'We look like United again' — With a tangerine top and black shorts Dundee United's new strip is refreshingly like their older ones". DC Thomson Ltd. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  28. "Club captain appointed". Dunfermline Athletic FC. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  29. "Away kit launched". Dunfermline Athletic F.C. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  30. Mitchell, Jonathan (16 July 2018). "Jim McAlister appointed club captain". Greenock Morton F.C. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  31. Mitchell, Jonathan (7 April 2017). "Order the new tartan away kit today". Greenock Morton F.C. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  32. Law, Danny (5 July 2018). "Carl Tremarco named new Caley Thistle captain". Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  33. "A new kit - a new season". Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  34. "2018/19 kits launched". Partick Thistle F.C. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  35. "Just Employment Law backs the Jags for another season". Partick Thistle F.C. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  36. "Report - Stranrer 14.7.18". Queen of the South F.C. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  37. "Introducing ... 2017/18 kit". Queen of the South F.C. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  38. "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  39. "Scottish Championship Top Scorers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  40. Lewis, Jane (3 August 2019). "Dundee United 4–1 Inverness Caledonian Thistle". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  41. "Greenock Morton 4-1 Alloa Athletic". BBC Sport. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  42. "Dundee United 6–0 Greenock Morton". bbc.co.uk. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  43. "Dunfermline Athletic 5-1 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 30 November 2019.
  44. "Partick Thistle 1–4 Dundee United". bbc.co.uk. 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  45. ">Ladbrokes Championship Results". SPFL. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
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