2017–18 Scottish League Two

The 2017–18 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 entered a play-off with a team nominated by the Scottish Football Association from outside the SPFL determining which team enters League Two in the 2018–19 season.[3] The fixtures were published on 23 June 2017.[4]

Scottish League Two
Season2017–18
ChampionsMontrose
PromotedMontrose
Stenhousemuir
Matches played180
Goals scored500 (2.78 per match)
Top goalscorerDavid Goodwillie
(25 goals)[1]
Biggest home winPeterhead 7–0 Elgin City[2]
(2 January 2018)
Biggest away winStirling Albion 0–5 Montrose[2]
(7 April 2018)
Highest scoringMontrose 2–6 Peterhead[2]
(30 December 2017)
Longest winning run7 matches:[2]
Peterhead
Longest unbeaten run10 matches:[2]
Montrose
Longest winless run24 matches:[2]
Cowdenbeath
Longest losing run5 matches:[2]
Cowdenbeath
Edinburgh City
Highest attendance2,380[2]
Montrose 1–1 Elgin City
(28 April 2018)
Lowest attendance216[2]
Cowdenbeath 0–2 Peterhead
(24 February 2018)
Total attendance88,681[2]
Average attendance492[2]
All statistics correct as of 12 May 2018.

Ten teams contested the league: Annan Athletic, Berwick Rangers, Clyde, Cowdenbeath, Edinburgh City, Elgin City, Montrose, Peterhead, Stenhousemuir and Stirling Albion.

Prize money

In April 2018, the SPFL confirmed the prize money to be allocated to the league members at the conclusion of the competitions. The League Two winners would receive £64,000 with a total pot of £24.5 million to be distributed across the four divisions.[5]

Teams

The following teams changed division since the 2016–17 season.

Stadia and locations
Annan Athletic Berwick Rangers Clyde Cowdenbeath
Galabank Shielfield Park Broadwood Stadium Central Park
Capacity: 2,504[6] Capacity: 4,099[7] Capacity: 8,086[8] Capacity: 4,309[9]
Edinburgh City
Elgin City
Ainslie Park[10] Borough Briggs
Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 4,520[11]
Montrose Peterhead Stenhousemuir Stirling Albion
Links Park Balmoor Ochilview Park Forthbank Stadium
Capacity: 4,936[12] Capacity: 3,150[13] Capacity: 3,746[14] Capacity: 3,808[15]

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Annan Athletic Peter Murphy Peter Watson[16] Stanno M&S Engineering Ltd[17]
Berwick Rangers Robbie Horn Steven Notman Mitre[18] JMS Harkin (H)[19]
P J Brown (A)[19]
Clyde Danny Lennon Kevin Nicoll[20] Hummel[20] Advance Construction Group (H)[21]
Rock Regen (A)[20]
Cowdenbeath Gary Bollan Scott Rumsby[22] Uhlsport[23] Subsea Pressure Controls[23]
Edinburgh City James McDonaugh Josh Walker[24] Joma[25] CMC Property[26]
Elgin City Gavin Price Jon Paul McGovern[27] EC 1893[28] McDonald & Munro[28]
Montrose Stewart Petrie Paul Watson[29] Nike[30] Carnegie Fuels Ltd[30]
Peterhead Jim McInally David McCracken[31] Adidas Independent Oilfield Services
Stenhousemuir Brown Ferguson Michael Dunlop[32] Mitre[33] Warriors in the Community
Stirling Albion Dave Mackay Willie Robertson[34] Macron Prudential

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Clyde Jon-Paul McGovern &
Peter MacDonald
(joint interim)		 End of interim 6 May 2017 Pre-season Jim Chapman 20 May 2017[35]
Annan Athletic Jim Chapman Signed by Clyde 20 May 2017[35] Peter Murphy 2 June 2017
Cowdenbeath Gary Locke Signed by Heart of Midlothian 1 July 2017[36] Billy Brown 1 July 2017[37]
Berwick Rangers John Coughlin Sacked 22 August 2017[38] 9th Robbie Horn 29 August 2017[39]
Edinburgh City Gary Jardine Resigned 30 September 2017[40] 9th James McDonaugh 10 October 2017[41]
Elgin City Jim Weir Signed by Forfar Athletic 1 October 2017[42] 6th Gavin Price 12 October 2017[43][44]
Cowdenbeath Billy Brown Resigned 31 October 2017[45] 10th Gary Bollan 14 November 2017[46]
Clyde Jim Chapman Sacked 31 October 2017[47] 8th Danny Lennon 13 November 2017[48]

League summary

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Montrose (C, P) 36 23 8 5 60 35 +25 77 Promotion to League One
2 Peterhead 36 24 4 8 79 39 +40 76 Qualification for the League One play-offs
3 Stirling Albion 36 16 7 13 61 52 +9 55
4 Stenhousemuir (O, P) 36 15 9 12 56 47 +9 54
5 Clyde 36 14 9 13 52 50 +2 51
6 Elgin City 36 14 7 15 54 61 −7 49
7 Annan Athletic 36 12 11 13 49 41 +8 47
8 Berwick Rangers 36 9 10 17 31 59 −28 37
9 Edinburgh City 36 7 9 20 37 62 −25 30
10 Cowdenbeath (O) 36 4 10 22 23 56 −33 22 Qualification for the League Two play-off final
Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (P) Promoted.

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 2018–19 Scottish League One
Qualification to League One play-offs
Qualification to League Two play-offs
Team \ Round 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536
Montrose232222432222121111111111112221221111
Peterhead423443243333412222222222221112112222
Stirling Albion311111111111233344545544333333333333
Stenhousemuir774634324444556433333333444444554444
Clyde958868788888888888899888777776466555
Elgin City686357565555344666666655555555645666
Annan Athletic897976876777665555454466666667777777
Berwick Rangers169585657666777777777777888999999988
Edinburgh City10101010109999999999999988999999888888899
Cowdenbeath5457910101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010

Source:
Updated: 28 April 2018

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.

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers
As of matches played on 28 April 2018
Rank Player Club Goals
1 David Goodwillie Clyde 25
2 Darren L. Smith Stirling Albion 22
3 Rory McAllister Peterhead 20
Mark McGuigan Stenhousemuir
5 Blair Henderson Annan Athletic 16
6 Russell McLean Peterhead 15
7 Aidan Smith Annan Athletic 12
8 Lewis Milne Montrose 11
Chris Templeman Montrose
10 Brian Cameron Elgin City 10

Source:[1][49]

Hat-tricks
PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef
Blair HendersonAnnan AthleticStenhousemuir3–19 December 2017[50]
Russell McLeanPeterheadAnnan Athletic3–320 February 2018[51]
Lewis MilneMontroseStirling Albion5–07 April 2018[52]
Blair HendersonAnnan AthleticStirling Albion3–121 April 2018[53]

Discipline

Player

Club

Attendances
Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Montrose 13,023 2,380 353 723 +19.5%†
2 Stirling Albion 11,839 1,012 395 657 +2.8%†
3 Peterhead 11,013 1,049 394 611 +21.2%†
4 Elgin City 10,933 883 393 607 −11.6%†
5 Clyde 8,865 804 402 492 −6.5%†
6 Berwick Rangers 7,807 596 295 433 +1.6%†
7 Stenhousemuir 6,598 976 220 420 −1.9%†
8 Annan Athletic 6,236 507 248 346 −10.4%†
9 Edinburgh City 5,794 464 223 321 −19.7%†
10 Cowdenbeath 5,751 406 216 319 −7.5%†
League total 88,681 2,380 216 492 −8.4%†

Updated to games played on 28 April 2018
Source: [2][56]

Awards

Monthly awards
Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Ref.
Manager Club Player Club
August Dave Mackay Stirling Albion Darren L. Smith Stirling Albion [57]
September Brown Ferguson Stenhousemuir Mark McGuigan Stenhousemuir
October Gavin Price Elgin City Craig Johnston Montrose
November Stewart Petrie Montrose Cammy Ballantyne Montrose
December Jim McInally Peterhead Rory McAllister Peterhead
January Jim McInally Peterhead Darren L. Smith Stirling Albion
February Dave Mackay Stirling Albion Peter MacDonald Stirling Albion
March Danny Lennon Clyde Chris McStay Clyde

League Two play-offs

The first round was contested between the winners of the 2017–18 Highland Football League (Cove Rangers) and the 2017–18 Lowland Football League (Spartans). The winners then played against the bottom club in League Two, and would have been promoted to League Two for the 2018–19 season if they had won.

Due to fixture congestion in the Highland League preventing a champion being crowned in time, the dates for the first round were pushed back a week.[58]

First round

First leg
28 April 2018 Cove Rangers4–0SpartansInverurie
15:00 Megginson  42'
McManus  49' (pen.), 67'
Watson  52'		 The Scotsman Stadium: Harlaw Park
Referee: David Munro

Second leg
1 May 2018 Spartans2–1
(2–5 agg.)		Cove RangersEdinburgh
19:45 Dishington 78'
Atkinson  87'		 Edinburgh Evening News McManus  67' Stadium: Ainslie Park
Attendance: 655
Referee: Steven Reid

Second round

First leg
5 May 2018 Cove Rangers0–0CowdenbeathInverurie
15:00 Report Stadium: Harlaw Park
Attendance: 650
Referee: John McKendrick

Second leg
12 May 2018 Cowdenbeath3–2
(3–2 agg.)		Cove RangersCowdenbeath
14:00 Swann  7' (pen.), 50'
Smith  70'		 Report Megginson  9, 22' Stadium: Central Park
Attendance: 1762
Referee: Steven Kirkland
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References
  1. "Scottish League Two Top Scorers". ESPN. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  2. "2017–18 Scottish League Two Statistics". ESPN. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  3. "The Rules of the SPFL" (PDF). Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  4. "2017/18 fixture release day confirmed". Scottish Professional Football League. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  5. "SPFL: Announcement on last round of fixtures delayed until after weekend". BBC Sport. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  6. "Annan Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
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  8. "Clyde Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  9. "Cowdenbeath Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. Pilcher, Ross (29 March 2017). "Edinburgh City and Spartans confirm three-season groundshare". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  11. "Elgin City Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  12. "Montrose Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  13. "Peterhead Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  14. "Stenhousemuir Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  15. "Stirling Albion Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
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  22. "Rumsby re-signs". Cowdenbeath FC. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
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