Scottish Reserve League
Competitions
Part
1 1895-1945
This
page includes the following
the Scottish Reserve League
(1895-96 version) the Scottish Reserve League
(1909-1915 version) the Scottish Reserve League
(1938-1939 version) |
the Scottish Alliance (1919-1938 version) the Scottish Alliance Shield
the Glasgow & District
Reserve League |
Page created: 7 October 2020
Updated: 31 March 2024
In December 1895 Rangers
secretary, Mr Wilton, contacted Queen's Park asking whether the club would be
agreeable to support the proposal to form a Glasgow Reserve Eleven League. Queen's were willing and resolved to attend any meeting
called for the purpose. The Scottish
Reserve League was formed 13 December 1895 and consisted of five clubs;
Queen's Park, Rangers, Celtic, Heart of Midlothian, and Leith Athletic. On the
7 July 1896 the body was re-constituted as the Scottish Combination with a mixture of reserve and first-team
sides. H Walker of Queen's Park Strollers was appointed honorary secretary.
Several 2nd XI sides of
Scottish League clubs would thereafter compete in one of the several leagues,
Combination, Union, Northern League etc, that were operating over the
forthcoming decade.
The Scottish Reserve League was re-formed on 24 January 1909 at a
meeting of representatives of Scottish League clubs in Glasgow and was sanctioned
by the Scottish FA on 11 Mar 1909. One aspect of the league was having at least
one non-reserve side in each of its seasons. It was generally regarded as a
strong league and when Dumbarton Harp left the Scottish Union for it in 1912, it was regarded as a step up for
them.
Although the Scottish Reserve League disbanded in
1915, it was virtually re-established in 1919 as the Scottish Alliance initially as a reserve league for Scottish League
clubs. However like the Scottish Reserve League before it was to include of a
number of non-League sides within its membership. Arbroath and Forfar Athletic
were the first of these in 1920-21, before their elevation to full Scottish
League status at the end of the season. The other 'first teams' during this
early time were Dundee Hibernian in 1922-23 (Celtic 'A' actually gave up their
place after the Dundee side's demotion from the Scottish League in 1923) and
Leith Athletic in 1923-24.
After the Third Division
of the Scottish League collapsed in 1926, there was a huge influx of clubs. To
cater for this, the Alliance split into Northern and Southern sections. This only
lasted for one season after which the league reverted to a single, all reserve,
division. As this left a number of clubs without a league to play in, some of
them formed a short-lived competition called the Provincial League.
During the Alliance's
last ten years, six clubs entered their full sides:
Beith |
1928-1938 |
Bo'ness |
1933-34 |
Brechin City |
1928-29 |
Galston |
1932-1938 |
Montrose |
1928-29 |
Nithsdale Wanderers |
1928-1930 |
At the Alliance's AGM 24
June 1938 a motion first proposed by JC Lyon, chairman of Hamilton Academical
on 10 May 1938 to remove the two remaining non-League sides, Beith and Galston, for financial
reasons was put forward. At the meeting the motion to dissolve the league was
defeated, but saw the intention for the withdrawal of the First Division clubs.
The formation of a new reserve league was approved by 15 votes to 5 at a
further meeting held on 4 July 1938. The Alliance was then effectively reformed
as the Scottish Reserve League and
was to be an exclusively First Division reserve body.
The following were elected
to represent the league;
President: A Cuthbertson
(Mothewell)
Vice- President: JC Lyon
(Hamilton Academical)
Management Committee: AL
Morton (Rangers), H Anderson (Hearts), R Kelly (Celtic) and JS Lock... (Partick Thistle)
The secretary was T
Galbraith.
The gate guarantee
remained at 20 GBP, with half gate if over 40 GBP. Hearts' proposal for home
clubs to keep gate not carried. The Scottish FA granted permission to operate
the new league on 10 August 1938 only three days before the start of the new
season.
This version only lasted
for one full season as the 1939-40 campaign was abandoned when war was declared
in September 1939 after only five rounds of fixtures were played.
It was thought that the Scottish Alliance may have continued in
1938-39, Galston and Beith
calling for a meeting with Girvan, Stranraer, Babcock & Wilcox, Queen's
Park Victoria XI and Bo'ness all invited. Nothing came of this, although the
Alliance did reform for 1939-40 season, but was disbanded due to the onset of
WWII.
By 1942, several clubs
had enough players to organize reserve sides. Rangers, Hibernian and Heart of
Midlothian had managed to field two teams in the Southern League and North
Eastern League, so in 1942, eight western club formed the Glasgow & District Reserve League.
The first two seasons saw the league played over two series. Kilmarnock, who had
not brrn operating since 1940, entered their first
team in the league's last season in 1944-45. Hibernian's second string also
entered this season.
Winners |
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Scottish Reserve League (1) 1895-96 Celtic 'A' Scottish Reserve League (2) 1909-10 Falkirk 'A' 1910-11 Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1911-12 Partick Thistle
'A' 1912-13 Motherwell 'A' 1913-14 Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1914-15 Kilmarnock 'A' Scottish Alliance Shield 1932-33 Hamilton Academical 'A' |
Scottish Alliance 1919-20 Kilmarnock 'A' 1920-21 St Mirren 'A' 1921-22 Celtic 'A' 1922-23 Airdrieonians 'A' 1923-24 Rangers 'A' 1924-25 Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1925-26 Airdrieonians 'A' 1926-27 Heart of Midlothian 'A' 1927-28 Rangers 'A' 1928-29 Rangers 'A' 1929-30 Rangers 'A' 1930-31 Rangers 'A' 1931-32 Rangers 'A' 1932-33 Aberdeen 'A' 1933-34 Celtic 'A' 1934-35 Rangers 'A' 1935-36 Aberdeen 'A' 1936-37 Celtic 'A' 1937-38 Celtic 'A' |
Scottish Reserve League (3) 1938-39 Rangers 'A' 1939-40 unfinished Glasgow & District
Reserve League 1942-43
First series Motherwell 'A' 1942-43 Second series Motherwell 'A' 1943-44
First series Motherwell 'A' 1942-43 Second series Morton 'A' 1944-45 First series Motherwell 'A' 1942-43 Second series Hibernian 'A' Glasgow & District
Reserve League Cup 1942-43 Motherwell 'A' |
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1895-96 Scottish
Reserve League
Rangers
v Leith was played at Beechwood Park, Leith
League
reconstituted as the Scottish Combination |
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1896-1909 Scottish
Reserve League No
competition |
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1909-10 Scottish
Reserve League
4
Dec Clyde v Aberdeen 1-1 was stopped but result stood 4
Dec Rangers v Dundee 2-0 was stopped |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Falkirk
'A' |
21 |
18 |
1 |
2 |
71 |
27 |
37 |
St
Mirren 'A' |
23 |
11 |
6 |
6 |
44 |
23 |
28 |
Kilmarnock
'A' |
24 |
11 |
5 |
8 |
48 |
37 |
27 |
Rangers
'A' |
20 |
10 |
4 |
6 |
30 |
22 |
24 |
Airdrieonians 'A' |
22 |
9 |
4 |
9 |
51 |
34 |
22 |
Aberdeen
'A' |
20 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
34 |
35 |
22 |
Motherwell
'A' |
20 |
8 |
5 |
7 |
33 |
31 |
21 |
Dundee
'A' |
18 |
7 |
3 |
8 |
31 |
33 |
17 |
Third
Lanark 'A' |
23 |
7 |
2 |
14 |
31 |
72 |
16 |
Heart
of Midlothian 'A' |
22 |
6 |
3 |
13 |
23 |
45 |
15 |
Clyde
'A' |
18 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
34 |
38 |
14 |
Queen's
Park Strollers |
16 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
26 |
37 |
13 |
Hamilton
Academical 'A' |
19 |
3 |
4 |
12 |
24 |
46 |
10 |
XXXXXXXXXXxxxXXXX |
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1910-11 Scottish
Reserve League
After
initially not taking part, Clyde and Falkirk decided to rejoin
the league in mid September along with Partick Thistle. Clyde withdrew in
February 1911 after they disbanded their reserve XI and their record expunged Both Rangers v Beith games were played at Beith At the League AGM in Glasgow
on 6 June 1911, Hearts, Falkirk and St Mirren all withdrew although the
latter two later changed their minds and stayed in the competition. Forfar
Athletic gained admission on 26 July and Broxburn Athletic in August. Mr
McEwan of Dundee was elected secretary and treasurer in place of Mr McCartney
of Hearts who resigned. |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Heart
of Midlothian 'A' |
17 |
12 |
3 |
2 |
39 |
15 |
27 |
Aberdeen
'A' |
18 |
9 |
5 |
4 |
30 |
15 |
23 |
Beith |
18 |
9 |
5 |
4 |
36 |
28 |
23 |
Dundee
'A' |
18 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
41 |
28 |
20 |
Rangers
'A' |
16 |
7 |
3 |
6 |
28 |
29 |
17 |
Queen's
Park Strollers |
17 |
4 |
6 |
7 |
23 |
28 |
14 |
Partick Thistle 'A' |
17 |
5 |
4 |
8 |
25 |
31 |
14 |
St
Mirren 'A' |
18 |
5 |
3 |
10 |
28 |
40 |
13 |
Wishaw
Thistle |
17 |
5 |
3 |
9 |
22 |
37 |
13 |
Falkirk
'A' |
18 |
2 |
6 |
10 |
23 |
44 |
10 |
XXXXXXXXXXxxxXXXX |
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1911-12 Scottish
Reserve League
9
Sep report that Brechin City were to be admitted to
the Reserve League, however this was refused by 28 September 21
Sep Raith Rovers applied for membership and were
admitted on 2 October By
January, several clubs had intimated that they wouldn't play at Beith and Broxburn due to poor gate returns 3
Feb Raith v Forfar was 35 mins each way 23
Mar St Mirren v Queen's Park 3-0 was reported as a Reserve League match The
remaining fixtures were unplayed 27 Apr Scottish Junior
League v Scottish Reserve League 4-2 in Glasgow Mr Ritchie Robertson
elected secretary at AGM |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Partick Thistle 'A' |
20 |
12 |
4 |
4 |
37 |
25 |
28 |
Rangers
'A' |
21 |
12 |
2 |
7 |
49 |
29 |
26 |
Queen's
Park Strollers |
21 |
9 |
5 |
7 |
37 |
32 |
23 |
Aberdeen
'A' |
19 |
9 |
4 |
6 |
23 |
17 |
22 |
St.
Mirren 'A' |
20 |
9 |
4 |
7 |
40 |
36 |
22 |
Dundee
'A' |
18 |
10 |
1 |
7 |
36 |
27 |
21 |
Raith Rovers 'A' |
17 |
8 |
3 |
6 |
33 |
23 |
19 |
Falkirk
'A' |
21 |
6 |
5 |
10 |
32 |
44 |
17 |
Motherwell
'A' |
16 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
23 |
29 |
12 |
Beith |
14 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
19 |
36 |
10 |
Forfar
Athletic |
15 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
14 |
29 |
7 |
Broxburn
Athletic |
8 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
6 |
22 |
3 |
XXXXXXxxxXXXXXXXX |
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1912-13 Scottish
Reserve League
Third Lanark 'A'
withdrew after one match 9 Jun 1913 Scottish
Reserve League AGM in Glasgow, proposal to confine the membership to within
50 miles of Glasgow was won by 6 votes to 2 Falkirk resigned while
Clyde were admitted |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Motherwell
'A' |
17 |
10 |
5 |
2 |
41 |
16 |
25 |
Rangers
'A' |
15 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
29 |
22 |
19 |
St
Mirren 'A' |
17 |
7 |
5 |
5 |
26 |
20 |
19 |
Kilmarnock
'A' |
16 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
27 |
21 |
16 |
Dumbarton
Harp |
16 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
31 |
37 |
14 |
Falkirk
'A' |
13 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
23 |
30 |
14 |
Partick Thistle 'A' |
16 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
18 |
25 |
14 |
Queen's
Park Strollers |
16 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
22 |
28 |
13 |
Aberdeen
'A' |
9 |
5 |
0 |
4 |
19 |
19 |
10 |
Renton |
17 |
2 |
4 |
11 |
22 |
40 |
8 |
XXXXXXXXXXXxxxXXX |
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1913-14 Scottish
Reserve League
On 13 December 1913 a
newspaper report that Partick had lost 0-1 at home
to Morton may have been erroneous. This score has been reversed in order to
make the final table balance. 7 Mar Central League v
Scottish Reserve League 1-2 at Brockville Park, Falkirk 25 Apr Scottish Junior
League v Scottish Reserve League 0-2 at Beresford Park, Ayr 19 June Scottish
Reserve League AGM in Glasgow |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Heart
of Midlothian 'A' |
26 |
15 |
4 |
7 |
48 |
28 |
34 |
Clyde
'A' |
26 |
13 |
8 |
5 |
32 |
22 |
34 |
Stevenston United |
26 |
12 |
9 |
5 |
30 |
16 |
33 |
Motherwell
'A' |
26 |
13 |
5 |
8 |
54 |
38 |
31 |
Rangers
'A' |
26 |
12 |
7 |
7 |
51 |
29 |
31 |
Kilmarnock
'A' |
26 |
13 |
4 |
9 |
41 |
38 |
30 |
Partick Thistle 'A' |
26 |
9 |
8 |
9 |
34 |
30 |
26 |
Ayr
United 'A' |
26 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
26 |
29 |
25 |
Dumbarton
Harp |
26 |
8 |
8 |
10 |
42 |
49 |
24 |
St
Mirren 'A' |
26 |
10 |
4 |
12 |
31 |
40 |
24 |
Galston |
25 |
10 |
4 |
11 |
42 |
47 |
24 |
Queen's
Park Strollers |
26 |
7 |
6 |
13 |
35 |
51 |
20 |
Morton
'A' |
26 |
7 |
4 |
15 |
34 |
51 |
18 |
Renton |
25 |
2 |
4 |
19 |
27 |
59 |
8 |
XXXXXXXxxxXXXXXXX |
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Decider
22
Aug 1914 Heart of Midlothian 'A' v Clyde 'A' 1-0
1914-15 Scottish
Reserve League
|