The Scottish League

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As one of the founder members of league football in Scotland, Saints have played every season of the competition since 1890, and are one of only 4 clubs remaining from the 10 founders, with Dumbarton, Hearts and Celtic the others.

The only break in the history of the competition was during WWII between 1939-45, when unofficial regional leagues were played instead. The 1939/40 season did actually start, but was abandoned in early September following the outbreak of the war after only 5 matches, and no winner declared.

Saints have never been out of the top 2 divisions, and have spent over 100 seasons in the top flight. Various records are stated below:

Scottish League Category RecordAdditional Info
Number of seasons130from 1890/91 (as of 2025/26)
Highest Position3rd1892/93 & 1979/80
Lowest Position11th in 2nd Division1973/74 (29th overall)
Average League Position 11th 
Top Tier seasons106 
2nd tier seasons24 
Relegations6 
Promotions6 
Most Played Opposition 258Celtic
Most Wins Against84Dundee
Most Losses Against183Celtic
Most Goals Scored Against331Dundee
Most Goals Conceded Against615Celtic
Longest Continuous Period (Top Tier)45 seasons1890-1935
Longest Continuous Period (2nd Tier)8 seasons1992-2000
Highest Ave Attendance (Top Tier)18,0671949/50
Lowest Ave Attendance (Top Tier)3,8692014/15
Highest Ave Attendance (2nd Tier)6,8671935/36
Lowest Ave Attendance (2nd Tier)2,2671973/74
Highest Home Attendance (Top Tier)45,00006/09/1952 v Rangers
Highest Home Attend’nce (2nd Tier)16,00023/11/1935 v Morton
Lowest Home Attendance (Top Tier)80022/02/1921 v Albion Rovers
Lowest Home Attendance (2nd Tier)96223/04/1974 v Albion Rovers
Highest Scoring Match (Top Tier)1317/02/1894 v Dundee (10-3 win)
Biggest Home Victory (Top tier)10-317/02/1894 v Dundee
Biggest Away Victory (Top Tier)7-105/11/1898 v Dundee
Biggest Home Defeat (Top Tier)0-7Stirling (1960), Celtic (1962), Rangers (1964)
Biggest Away Defeat (Top Tier)0-904/12/1897 v Rangers
Highest Scoring Match (2nd Tier)907/03/1936 v Kings Park (8-1 win)
Biggest Home Victory (2nd Tier)8-0Dumbarton (1936) & Clydebank (2000)
Biggest Away Victory (2nd Tier)6-014/08/1999 v Raith Rovers
Biggest Home Defeat (2nd Tier)0-528/09/1974 v Queen of the South
Biggest Away Defeat (2nd Tier)0-701/08/1992 v Raith Rovers
Most Appearances (Top & 2nd Tier)405Hugh Murray
Most Appearances (Top Tier)350Jamie Thomson
Most Appearances (2nd Tier)245Ricky Gillies
Most Goals (Top Tier)218Davie McCrae
Most Goals (2nd Tier)64Mark Yardley
Most goals in a match (Top Tier)6Davie McCrae v Cow’beath 12/11/1932
Most goals in a season (Top Tier)45Dunky Walker, 1921/22
Most goals in a match (2nd Tier)5Jimmy McGregor v Forfar 01/01/1936
Most goals in a season (2nd Tier)40Jimmy McGregor, 1935/36
Most team goals scored (Top Tier)781926/27, 1928/29, 1959/60
Most team goals lost (Top Tier)921920/21
Most team goals scored (2nd Tier)1141935/36
Most team goals lost (2nd Tier)712002/03
Fewest goals scored (Top Tier)251966/67
Fewest goals scored (2nd Tier)341994/95
Fewest goals conceded (Top Tier)281901/02
Fewest goals conceded (2nd Tier)231967/68 & 2004/05
Total No of Shut Outs (Top Tier)704
Total No of Shut Outs (2nd Tier)263
Most Team Shut Outs (Top Tier)151989/90 from 36 matches
Most Team Shut Outs (2nd Tier)202004/05 from 36 matches
Most Individual Shut Outs (Top Tier)14Billy Thomson 1981/82
Most Individual Shut Outs (2nd Tier)19Jim Thorburn 1966/67
Highest number of points (Top Tier)671925/26 (converted to 3 points for a win)
Highest number of points (2nd Tier)891967/68 (converted to 3 points for a win)
SEASONLEAGUETIERPOSHIERARCHY
1890-91DIVISION 1Top Tier8th8
1891-92DIVISION 1Top Tier10th10
1892-93DIVISION 1Top Tier3rd3
1893-94DIVISION 1Top Tier6th6
1894-95DIVISION 1Top Tier5th5
1895-96DIVISION 1Top Tier8th8
1896-97DIVISION 1Top Tier6th6
1897-98DIVISION 1Top Tier5th5
1898-99DIVISION 1Top Tier5th5
1899-00DIVISION 1Top Tier8th8
1900-01DIVISION 1Top Tier9th9
1901-02DIVISION 1Top Tier5th5
1902-03DIVISION 1Top Tier6th6
1903-04DIVISION 1Top Tier6th6
1904-05DIVISION 1Top Tier10th10
1905-06DIVISION 1Top Tier8th8
1906-07DIVISION 1Top Tier7th7
1907-08DIVISION 1Top Tier7th7
1908-09DIVISION 1Top Tier7th7
1909-10DIVISION 1Top Tier13th13
1910-11DIVISION 1Top Tier12th12
1911-12DIVISION 1Top Tier18th18
1912-13DIVISION 1Top Tier12th12
1913-14DIVISION 1Top Tier20th20
1914-15DIVISION 1Top Tier9th9
1915-16DIVISION 1Top Tier13th13
1916-17DIVISION 1Top Tier7th7
1917-18DIVISION 1Top Tier11th11
1918-19DIVISION 1Top Tier10th10
1919-20DIVISION 1Top Tier12th12
1920-21DIVISION 1Top Tier22nd22
1921-22DIVISION 1Top Tier8th8
1922-23DIVISION 1Top Tier6th6
1923-24DIVISION 1Top Tier6th6
1924-25DIVISION 1Top Tier6th6
1925-26DIVISION 1Top Tier4th4
1926-27DIVISION 1Top Tier10th10
1927-28DIVISION 1Top Tier5th5
1928-29DIVISION 1Top Tier8th8
1929-30DIVISION 1Top Tier5th5
1930-31DIVISION 1Top Tier15th15
1931-32DIVISION 1Top Tier5th5
1932-33DIVISION 1Top Tier7th7
1933-34DIVISION 1Top Tier17th17
1934-35DIVISION 1Top Tier19th19
1935-36DIVISION 2Tier 22nd22
1936-37DIVISION 1Top Tier16th16
1937-38DIVISION 1Top Tier14th14
1938-39DIVISION 1Top Tier18th18
1946-47DIVISION ATop Tier14th14
1947-48DIVISION ATop Tier5th5
1948-49DIVISION ATop Tier9th9
1949-50DIVISION ATop Tier11th11
1950-51DIVISION ATop Tier11th11
1951-52DIVISION ATop Tier14th14
1952-53DIVISION ATop Tier6th6
1953-54DIVISION ATop Tier11th11
1954-55DIVISION ATop Tier6th6
1955-56DIVISION ATop Tier15th15
1956-57DIVISION ATop Tier12th12
1957-58DIVISION ATop Tier13th13
1958-59DIVISION 1Top Tier7th7
1959-60DIVISION 1Top Tier14th14
1960-61DIVISION 1Top Tier14th14
1961-62DIVISION 1Top Tier16th16
1962-63DIVISION 1Top Tier12th12
1963-64DIVISION 1Top Tier12th12
1964-65DIVISION 1Top Tier15th15
1965-66DIVISION 1Top Tier16th16
1966-67DIVISION 1Top Tier17th17
1967-68DIVISION 2Tier 21st19
1968-69DIVISION 1Top Tier11th11
1969-70DIVISION 1Top Tier15th15
1970-71DIVISION 1Top Tier17th17
1971-72DIVISION 2Tier 24th22
1972-73DIVISION 2Tier 25th23
1973-74DIVISION 2Tier 211th29
1974-75DIVISION 2Tier 26th24
1975-76FIRST DIVISIONTier 26th24
1976-77FIRST DIVISIONTier 21st11
1977-78PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier8th8
1978-79PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier6th6
1979-80PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier3rd3
1980-81PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier4th4
1981-82PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier5th5
1982-83PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier5th5
1983-84PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier6th6
1984-85PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier5th5
1985-86PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier7th7
1986-87PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier7th7
1987-88PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier9th9
1988-89PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier7th7
1989-90PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier9th9
1990-91PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier10th10
1991-92PREMIER DIVISIONTop Tier12th12
1992-93FIRST DIVISIONTier 24th16
1993-94FIRST DIVISIONTier 26th18
1994-95FIRST DIVISIONTier 27th17
1995-96FIRST DIVISIONTier 26th16
1996-97FIRST DIVISIONTier 24th14
1997-98FIRST DIVISIONTier 26th16
1998-99FIRST DIVISIONTier 25th15
1999-00FIRST DIVISIONTier 21st11
2000-01SPLTop Tier12th12
2001-02FIRST DIVISIONTier 28th20
2002-03FIRST DIVISIONTier 27th19
2003-04FIRST DIVISIONTier 27th19
2004-05FIRST DIVISIONTier 22nd14
2005-06FIRST DIVISIONTier 21st13
2006-07SPLTop Tier11th11
2007-08SPLTop Tier10th10
2008-09SPLTop Tier11th11
2009-10SPLTop Tier10th10
2010-11SPLTop Tier11th11
2011-12SPLTop Tier8th8
2012-13SPLTop Tier11th11
2013-14PREMIERSHIPTop Tier8th8
2014-15PREMIERSHIPTop Tier12th12
2015-16CHAMPIONSHIPTier 26th18
2016-17CHAMPIONSHIPTier 27th19
2017-18CHAMPIONSHIPTier 21st13
2018-19PREMIERSHIPTop Tier11th11
2019-20PREMIERSHIPTop Tier9th9
2020-21PREMIERSHIPTop Tier7th7
2021-22PREMIERSHIPTop Tier9th9
2022-23PREMIERSHIPTop Tier6th6
2023-24PREMIERSHIPTop Tier5th5
2024-25PREMIERSHIPTop Tier6th6

POSOVERALL LEAGUE APPEARANCESTOTAL
1MURRAY, Hugh405
2MILLER, John359
3FITZPATRICK, Tony351
4THOMSON, Jamie350
5MONEY, Campbell336
6MURRAY, Cammy326
7TELFER, Willie321
8McCRAE, Davie315
9LAPSLEY, David302
10GEBBIE, Alan294
11ABERCROMBY, Billy288
12GILLIES, Ricky281
13VAN ZANTEN, David279
14McWHIRTER, Norrie275
15McAVOY, Mick269
16McGARVEY, Frank266
17McLAUGHLIN, Barry266
18GEMMELL, Tommy262
19STARK, Billy255
20ROBERTSON, Robert254
21RANKIN, Robert253
22KNOX, Jimmy246
23REID, Andy243
24NEILSON, Jackie240
25HAY, Walter235
26WILSON, John231
27YARDLEY, Mark227
28LAMBERT, Paul226
29FINDLAY, Andrew220
30RICHARDSON, Lex219
31BRADFORD, Jock215
32YOUNG, John214
33McDONALD, William211
34WALKER, George211
35THOMSON, Billy206
36JACKSON, Tom204
37COPLAND, Jackie203
38WILSON, Tommy200
39POTTER, John196
40BECKETT, Alex195
41MUNRO, Iain193
42LAVETY, Barry192
43GREENLEES, Donald186
44O’HAGAN, Willie186
45SUMMERS, Willie185
46ANCELL, Bobby184
47PRINGLE, Charlie181
48FRASER, Marcus181
49CLUNIE, Jim179
50McDOWALL, Kenny177

Left to right: Hugh Murray (405 league appearances), Jamie Thomson (350 top tier apps) and Ricky Gillies (245 second tier apps)

POSTOP TIER APPEARANCESTOTAL
1THOMSON, Jamie350
2MILLER, John324
3TELFER, Willie321
4McCRAE, Davie315
5LAPSLEY, David302
6ABERCROMBY, Billy285
7GEBBIE, Alan278
8McAVOY, Mick269
9MURRAY, Cammy264
10GEMMELL, Tommy262
11FITZPATRICK, Tony261
12MONEY, Campbell256
13ROBERTSON, Robert254
14RANKIN, Robert253
15REID, Andy243
16NEILSON, Jackie240
17HAY, Walter235
18WILSON, John231
19FINDLAY, Andrew220
20BRADFORD, Jock215
21KNOX, Jimmy213
22McDONALD, William211
23WALKER, George211
24THOMSON, Billy206
25JACKSON, Tom204
26McGARVEY, Frank202
27WILSON, Tommy200
28STARK, Billy199
29COPLAND, Jackie189
30GREENLEES, Donald186
31O’HAGAN, Willie186
32SUMMERS, Willie185
33LAMBERT, Paul184
34RICHARDSON, Lex181
35PRINGLE, Charlie181
36FRASER, Marcus181
37MURRAY, Hugh180
38CLUNIE, Jim179
39VAN ZANTEN, David179
40GODFREY, Peter174
41McDOWALL, Kenny164
42FOTHERINGHAM, Willie163
43POTTER, John161
44FULTON, Mark160
45COOPER, Neil160
46WYLIE, Sandy159
47CUNNINGHAM, James159
48McAUSLAND, Marc159
49GILLIES, Archie156
50CALLAGHAN, Bernard156

POS2ND TIER APPEARANCESTOTAL
1GILLIES, Ricky245
2McLAUGHLIN, Barry237
3MURRAY, Hugh225
4YARDLEY, Mark194
5LAVETY, Barry187
6McWHIRTER, Norrie185
7BAKER, Martin160
8JOHNSTON, Billy145
9MENDES, Junior137
10LAPPIN, Simon128
11McGARRY, Steven127
12COMBE, Alan124
13BROADFOOT, Kirk116
14DICK, Jim115
15McGINTY, Brian115
16REID, Bobby112
17WATSON, Steve112
18DAWSON, Robert109
19McINTYRE, Paul107
20ELLIOT, David105
21McKEAN, Bobby102
22YOUNG, John102
23FULLARTON, Jamie101
24VAN ZANTEN, David100
25TURNER, Tommy97
26ROY, Ludovic94
27McGOWNE, Kevin92
28FITZPATRICK, Tony90
29BAIRD, Jack87
30NICOLSON, Iain87
31MORGAN, Lewis85
32MILLEN, Andy83
33SUTTON, John82
34FENWICK, Paul81
35MONEY, Campbell80
36McDOWELL, Donnie79
37TAYLOR, Stuart79
38BROWN, Tom77
39BECKETT, Alex76
40ROSS, Ian76
41HEWITT, John74
42MILLAR, David74
43BONE, Alex72
44McLEOD, Ally70
45BLAIR, Jim68
46KERR, Chris68
47MALLAN, Stevie68
48MUNRO, Iain68
49WALKER, Scott68
50RUDDEN, Paul66

POSOVERALL LEAGUE GOALSTOTAL
1McCRAE, Davie218
2KNOX, Jimmy143
3RANKIN, Robert92
4THOMSON, Jamie80
5McGARVEY, Frank72
6GEMMELL, Tommy71
7YARDLEY, Mark68
8McGREGOR, Jimmy68
9WALKER, Dunky65
10LAVETY, Barry64
11BLAIR, Jim64
12WYLIE, Sandy62
13STARK, Billy60
14McLEOD, Ally53
15CUNNINGHAM, James51
16BRYCELAND, Tommy50
17GILLIES, Ricky49
18McAVENNIE, Frank49
19GEBBIE, Alan46
20LAPSLEY, David45
21SOMNER, Dougie45
22THOMPSON, Steven44
23McDOUGALL, Frank44
24LINDSAY, David42
25BAKER, Gerry42
26MULLEN, Johnny40
27ADAMSON, Bobby39
28McKEAN, Bobby38
29McDOWELL, Donnie38
30STEWART, George37
31KANE, Peter36
32SUTTON, John33
33KERRIGAN, Don33
34MacKENZIE, John31
35MILNE, Tom30
36WYLIE, David30
37CLARK, John30
38MARSHALL, Jock29
39TELFER, Willie28
40ANDERSON, Andrew28
41SCANLON, Ian28
42MAGNER, Ted28
43MENDES, Junior27
44BONE, Jimmy27
45McGILL, Dunky27
46BECK, Thorolf27
47McLEAN, Jimmy27
48BURRELL, Gerry26
49PAGE, Tom26
50ORR, Ronald26

Left to right: Davie McCrae (218 top tier goals) and Mark Yardley (64 second tier goals)

POSTOP FLIGHT GOALSTOTAL
1McCRAE, Davie218
2KNOX, Jimmy112
3RANKIN, Robert92
4THOMSON, Jamie80
5GEMMELL, Tommy71
6WALKER, Dunky65
7WYLIE, Sandy62
8CUNNINGHAM, James51
9McGARVEY, Frank50
10McAVENNIE, Frank49
11BRYCELAND, Tommy48
12LAPSLEY, David45
13GEBBIE, Alan45
14SOMNER, Dougie45
15McDOUGALL, Frank44
16STARK, Billy43
17THOMPSON, Steven43
18LINDSAY, David42
19BAKER, Gerry42
20MULLEN, Johnny40

POS2ND TIER GOALSTOTAL
1YARDLEY, Mark64
2LAVETY, Barry62
3McLEOD, Ally50
4BLAIR, Jim41
5McGREGOR, Jimmy40
6GILLIES, Ricky39
7McDOWELL, Donnie38
8McKEAN, Bobby36
9KNOX, Jimmy31
10MENDES, Junior27
11McLEOD, Gus23
12DICKSON, John22
13KANE, Peter22
14McGARVEY, Frank22
15SUTTON, John22
16McGARRY, Steven21
17MORGAN, Lewis21
18MALLAN, Stevie19
19THIRD, Brian18
20GALLAGHER, Eddie17
=HYSLOP, Derek17
=KEAN, Stewart17
=REID, Bobby17
=STARK, Billy17

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