Soccer Betting - Scottish Premier League
History - Facts - Winners - Clubs
The Scottish Premier League is the top division within the current structure of Scottish football.
Previously it had a two divisional structure (Divisions One and Two) and the football clubs were promoted and relegated at the end of each season. However, by the mid 1970s this organization was perceived to be sluggish, and it was decided to split into a three divisional structure (Premier Division, First Division and Second Division).
This set up continued until the middle 1990s when it was decided to split into a four divisional structure with the addition of a Third Division.
Then in 1998 the football clubs belonging to the Premier Division decided to come apart from the Scottish Football League and these formed the Scottish Premier League. This decision was supported by a desire of the top clubs in Scotland to retain more of the profits generated by the game.
Firstly, the SPL was formed by 10 clubs, but it subsequently enlarged to 12. In 2003, the league's promotion criteria caused controversy and it stopped the club from having the 10,000 fan stadium capacity it required, therefore, saving Motherwell from relegation. And finally, in 2005 the stadium size condition for entry to the SPL was reduced to 6,000 allowing Inverness Caledonian Thistle to return to their home stadium during the season.
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