2018–19 Scottish Championship

The 2018–19 Scottish Championship (known as the Ladbrokes Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the 24th season in the current format of 10 teams in the second tier of Scottish football. The fixtures were published on 15 June 2018, with the league starting on 4 August 2018.[4]

Ladbrokes Championship
Season2018–19
Dates4 August 2018 – 4 May 2019
ChampionsRoss County
PromotedRoss County
RelegatedFalkirk
Matches played180
Goals scored439 (2.44 per match)
Top goalscorerLawrence Shankland (24 goals)[1][2]
Biggest home winQueen of the South 5–0 Ayr United[3]
(1 September 2018)
Ross County 5–0 Greenock Morton[3]
(27 October 2018)
Biggest away winDundee United 0–5 Ayr United[3]
(30 November 2018)[3]
Highest scoring9 matches:[3]
6 goals
Longest winning run6 matches:[3]
Ross County
Longest unbeaten run14 matches:[3]
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Longest winless run9 matches:[3]
Partick Thistle
Longest losing run7 matches:[3]
Partick Thistle
Queen of the South
Highest attendance6,532[3]
Dundee United 2–3 Dunfermline Athletic
(4 August 2018)
Lowest attendance592[3]
Alloa Athletic 0–1 Ross County
(1 December 2018)
Total attendance561,688[3]
Average attendance3,120[3] (239)
All statistics correct as of 4 May 2019.

Ten teams contested the league: Alloa Athletic, Ayr United, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk, Greenock Morton, Inverness CT, Partick Thistle, Queen of the South and Ross County.

Ross County won the league following a 4–0 win over Queen of the South on 26 April 2019 to return to the Premiership after only one season's absence.[5]

Teams

The following teams have changed division since the 2017–18 season:

To Championship

Ayr United secured promotion to the Championship on 28 April 2018 after a 2–0 victory over Albion Rovers.[6] Ross County were relegated to the Championship on 12 May 2018 after a 1–1 draw with St Johnstone.[7] Alloa Athletic won promotion following a 2–1 aggregate victory in the play-off final.[8] Partick Thistle were also relegated to the Championship following a 3–1 aggregate defeat to Livingston in the play-off final.[9]

From Championship

Brechin City were relegated to League One on 24 March 2018 after a 2–0 defeat to Greenock Morton.[10] St Mirren secured promotion to the Premiership on 14 April 2018 after a goalless draw with Livingston,[11] who were also promoted after winning the Premiership play-off final.[9] Dumbarton were relegated after losing the Championship play-off final.[8]

Stadia and locations
Alloa Athletic Ayr United Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic
Recreation Park Somerset Park Tannadice Park East End Park
Capacity: 3,100[12] Capacity: 10,185[13] Capacity: 14,223[14] Capacity: 11,480[15]
Falkirk
Greenock Morton
Falkirk Stadium Cappielow Park
Capacity: 7,937[16] Capacity: 11,589[17]
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Partick Thistle Queen of the South Ross County
Caledonian Stadium Firhill Stadium Palmerston Park Victoria Park
Capacity: 7,750[18] Capacity: 10,102[19] Capacity: 8,690[20] Capacity: 6,541[21]

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Alloa Athletic Jim Goodwin Andy Graham[22] Pendle The Energy Check[23]
Ayr United Ian McCall Ross Docherty[24] Adidas[25] Bitcoin BCH[26]
Dundee United Robbie Neilson Fraser Fyvie[27] Nike[28] Utilita[28]
Dunfermline Athletic Stevie Crawford Lee Ashcroft[29] Joma[30] SRJ Windows[30]
Falkirk Ray McKinnon Jordan McGhee Puma[31] Central Demolition[31]
Greenock Morton David Hopkin Jim McAlister[32] Vision Outsourcing[33] Millions[33]
Inverness CT John Robertson Carl Tremarco[34] Erreà[35] McEwan Fraser Legal[35]
Partick Thistle Gary Caldwell Stuart Bannigan Joma[36] Just Employment Law[37]
Queen of the South Allan Johnston Stephen Dobbie[38] Macron[39] Border Finance Ltd
Ross County Steven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell Marcus Fraser[40] Macron[41] McEwan Fraser Legal[41]

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Greenock Morton Jim Duffy Mutual consent 29 April 2018[42] Pre-season Ray McKinnon 30 May 2018[43]
Falkirk Paul Hartley Mutual consent 27 August 2018[44] 10th Ray McKinnon 31 August 2018[45]
Greenock Morton Ray McKinnon Signed by Falkirk 31 August 2018[45] 2nd Jonatan Johansson 6 September 2018[46]
Dundee United Csaba László Mutual consent 30 September 2018[47] 4th Robbie Neilson 8 October 2018[48]
Partick Thistle Alan Archibald Sacked 6 October 2018[49] 8th Gary Caldwell 15 October 2018[50]
Dunfermline Athletic Allan Johnston Resigned 9 January 2019[51] 7th Stevie Crawford 10 January 2019
Greenock Morton Jonatan Johansson Resigned 4 May 2019[52] 5th David Hopkin 15 May 2019
Queen of the South Gary Naysmith Sacked 4 May 2019[53] 9th Allan Johnston 5 May 2019

League summary

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Ross County (C, P) 36 21 8 7 63 34 +29 71 Promotion to the Premiership
2 Dundee United 36 19 8 9 49 40 +9 65 Qualification for the Premiership play-off semi-final
3 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 36 14 14 8 48 40 +8 56 Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-final
4 Ayr United 36 15 9 12 50 38 +12 54
5 Greenock Morton 36 11 13 12 36 45 −9 46
6 Partick Thistle 36 12 7 17 43 52 −9 43
7 Dunfermline Athletic 36 11 8 17 33 40 −7 41
8 Alloa Athletic 36 10 9 17 39 53 −14 39
9 Queen of the South (O) 36 9 11 16 41 48 −7 38 Qualification for the Championship play-offs
10 Falkirk (R) 36 9 11 16 37 49 −12 38 Relegation to League One
Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Points in head-to-head matches; 5) Goal difference in hth matches; 6). Goals scored in hth matches; 7). Play-off (only for deciding promotion, play-off participation and relegation).[54]
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological progress, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.

Leader - Promotion to 2019–20 Scottish Premiership
Qualification for Premiership play-off semi-final
Qualification for Premiership play-off quarter-final
Qualification for Championship play-offs
Relegation to 2019-20 Scottish League One
Team \ Round 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536
Ross County414124221122222221111111111111111111
Dundee United753453444333333333333333322222222222
Inverness Caledonian Thistle345212333545444554465444445553444443
Ayr United131631112211111112222222233334333334
Greenock Morton522565676664556666546666766666667755
Partick Thistle107777678888899108899101091081010109999910676
Dunfermline Athletic268888857777777777777777554445555567
Alloa Athletic810999999999988899888889108891010101086998
Queen of the South686347565456665445654555677777778889
Falkirk991010101010101010101010109101010109910899988888109101010

Source: BBC Sport
Updated: 4 May 2019

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 AYR DUN DNF FAL GMO INV PAR QOS ROS
Alloa Athletic — 0–2 1–1 0–1 0–2 0–2 0–0 1–0 2–0 0–1
Ayr United 3–0 — 2–0 4–1 3–2 0–0 2–3 2–0 1–1 3–3
Dundee United 4–2 0–5 — 2–3 2–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–5
Dunfermline Athletic 0–0 0–0 0–2 — 0–1 3–0 0–3 1–0 0–1 1–3
Falkirk 2–2 0–1 0–2 0–2 — 0–0 0–1 1–1 0–3 1–1
Greenock Morton 0–2 1–5 1–1 1–1 1–0 — 1–2 5–1 2–2 2–1
Inverness CT 2–2 0–0 1–1 2–2 2–3 1–1 — 3–2 0–0 2–2
Partick Thistle 2–2 0–1 1–2 2–0 2–1 1–0 0–1 — 3–2 0–2
Queen of the South 3–3 5–0 1–2 0–0 2–0 1–2 3–3 1–0 — 0–0
Ross County 1–0 2–1 0–1 2–1 2–0 5–0 0–0 2–0 1–1 —
Source: Scottish Championship
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

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

Season statistics

Top scorers
As of 4 May 2019
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Lawrence Shankland Ayr United 24
2 Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South 21
3 Billy Mckay Ross County 17
4 Pavol Šafranko Dundee United 12
Zak Rudden Falkirk
6 Alan Trouten Alloa Athletic 10

Source:[1][2]

Hat-tricks
Main article: List of Scottish Professional Football League hat-tricks § Scottish Championship
Player For Against Result Date Ref
Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South Falkirk 0–3 (A) 25 August 2018 [55]
Stephen Dobbie4 Queen of the South Ayr United 5–0 (H) 1 September 2018 [56]
Billy Mckay Ross County Dundee United 1–5 (A) 29 September 2018 [57]
Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South Alloa Athletic 3–3 (H) 6 October 2018 [58]
Billy Mckay Ross County Greenock Morton 5–0 (H) 27 October 2018 [59]
Lawrence Shankland4 Ayr United Dundee United 0–5 (A) 30 November 2018 [60]
Billy Mckay Ross County Ayr United 3–2 (H) 26 February 2019 [61]
Brian Graham Ross County Ayr United 1–3 (A) 19 April 2019 [62]

Note

4 Player scored four goals; (H) = Home, (A) = Away

Attendances
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Alloa Athletic 21,215 2,116 592 1,178 +21.2%†
2 Ayr United 38,832 3,249 1,559 2,157 +35.8%†
3 Dundee United 91,415 6,532 4,201 5,078 −7.8%†
4 Dunfermline Athletic 90,153 6,349 4,347 5,008 −4.5%†
5 Falkirk 85,371 6,173 3,767 4,742 +1.4%†
6 Greenock Morton 34,969 2,757 1,315 1,942 −2.2%†
7 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 45,864 4,354 1,994 2,548 +6.4%†
8 Partick Thistle 54,771 4,438 1,990 3,042 −31.5%†
9 Queen of the South 29,799 3,916 727 1,655 +13.6%†
10 Ross County 69,299 6,402 3,065 3,849 −15.2%†
League total 561,688 6,532 592 3,120 +8.3%†

Updated to games played on 4 May 2019
Source: [3][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72]

Awards

Monthly awards
Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Ref.
Manager Club Player Club
August Ian McCall Ayr United Lawrence Shankland Ayr United [73]
September Steven Ferguson
Stuart Kettlewell		 Ross County Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South
October Steven Ferguson
Stuart Kettlewell		 Ross County Billy Mckay Ross County
November Robbie Neilson Dundee United Fraser Aird Dundee United
December Jim Goodwin Alloa Athletic Dario Zanatta Alloa Athletic
January Gary Naysmith Queen of the South Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South
February Stevie Crawford Dunfermline Athletic Billy Mckay Ross County
March John Robertson Inverness Caledonian Thistle Aaron Doran Inverness Caledonian Thistle
April Steven Ferguson
Stuart Kettlewell		 Ross County Brian Graham Ross County

Championship play-offs

The second bottom team (Queen of the South) entered into a 4-team playoff with the 2nd-4th placed teams in 2018–19 Scottish League One (Forfar Athletic, Raith Rovers and Montrose). Queen of the South secured their place in the Championship after defeating Raith 3–1 on aggregate in the final.

First leg
7 May 2019 Montrose 2–1 Queen of the South Montrose
19:45
  • Campbell  43',  69'
 Report
Stadium: Links Park
Attendance: 1,124
Referee: John McKendrick
7 May 2019 Raith Rovers 2–1 Forfar Athletic Kirkcaldy
19:45
Report
Stadium: Stark's Park
Attendance: 2,007
Referee: Colin Steven

Second leg
11 May 2019 Queen of the South 5–0
(6–2 agg.)		 Montrose Dumfries
15:00
Report Stadium: Palmerston Park
Attendance: 2,001
Referee: Greg Aitken
11 May 2019 Forfar Athletic 1–1
(2–3 agg.)		 Raith Rovers Forfar
15:00
Report
Stadium: Station Park
Attendance: 2,512
Referee: Euan Anderson

First leg
15 May 2019 Raith Rovers 1–3 Queen of the South Kirkcaldy
19:45 McKay  86' Report
Stadium: Stark's Park
Attendance: 2,471
Referee: David Munro

Second leg
18 May 2019 Queen of the South 0–0
(3–1 agg.)		 Raith Rovers Dumfries
15:00 Report Stadium: Palmerston Park
Attendance: 2,420
Referee: Nick Walsh

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