The Scottish Women's Football League First Division (SWFL 1) was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The second league tier from 1999 to 2015, it was later the third tier from

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

to 2019. For most of its history, the First Division was a national league whose top teams won promotion to the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL), while the lowest were relegated to the Second Division (SWFL 2). Those divisions operated on the traditional autumn–spring football season calendar until 2009, when they switched to a March–November schedule. From

to 2019, SWFL 1 was split into North and South regional divisions, with one team from each division promoted to SWPL 2. In the 2020 season, SWFL 1 was replaced as the third tier by the Scottish Women's Football Championship.

History

Champions

*1999-00: Queen of the South OR Elgin City (both won promotion) *2000–01: Raith Rovers *2001–02: Inver-Ross *2002–03: East Kilbride *2003-04: Aberdeen *2004-05: Forfar Farmington *2005-06: Lochee United *2006–07: Queen's Park * 2008-09: Rangers W.F.C. *2009: Celtic Reserves *2010: Celtic Reserves *2011: Aberdeen *2012: Hibernian Reserves *2013: Queen's Park *2014: Falkirk Ladies *2015: Glasgow Girls F.C. Seniors

Seasons

1999–2009

Queen of the South and Elgin City both won promotion to the Premier Division in 1999-00. Raith Rovers won the 2000–01 First Division with 44 points, four ahead of Clyde and Shettleston. The member clubs in 2000–01 were: * Aberdeen *Albion Rovers *Clyde * Dundee United *East Kilbride *

Forfar Farmington Forfar Farmington Football Club are a Scottish FA Quality Mark Community Football Club who are based at Station Park in Forfar, Angus. They were members of the top division Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) from 2005 until withdrawing from ...

* Hamilton *Raith Rovers *Shettleston *

St Johnstone St Johnstone Football Club is a professional association football club in Perth, Scotland which is a member of the Scottish Premiership for the 2022–23 season. The club's name is derived from St John's Toun ''aka'' Saint Johnstoun – an old ...

Promoted in 2001–02 were F.C. Hamilton and the champions Inver-Ross L.F.C., who became Ross County L.F.C. in 2003. East Kilbride won the First Division and promotion in 2002–03, and reached that season's League Cup final. Aberdeen, Forfar Farmington and Lochee United were the subsequent champions in 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively. Queen's Park were the 2006–07 First Division champions and returned to the SWPL (after the club's previous promotion in 2004 and relegation in 2006). In 2007–08, the promotion-winners were Dundee United S.C. and Dalkeith Ladies (Boroughmuir Thistle), coached by

Pauline MacDonald Pauline MacDonald (born 17 April 1975) is a Scottish Association football, football coach and former player who was appointed manager of the Scotland women's national under-17 football team, Scotland under-17 women's team in October 2017. As a p ...

.
The First Division clubs in 2007–08 were: *Bishopbriggs Ladies *Bo'ness United *Buchan *Cowdenbeath Women's * Dundee United * Dalkeith Ladies *Dumfries *

Falkirk Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow. Falkirk had a ...

* Hutchison Vale *Inverness Ladies *Murieston United * Paisley City Ladies Paisley City Ladies became Rangers W.F.C. in 2008–09, and won promotion to the SWPL that season in a ten-team division: *Bo'ness United *Celtic 'B' *Cowdenbeath *Dumfries *

*Glasgow Ladies A *Hutchison Vale *Inverness Ladies *Rangers *Tynecastle

2009–2015

The First Division winners in the 2010 season were a team ineligible for promotion, Celtic Reserves, so Hutchison Vale and Falkirk LFC were promoted from the SWFL to the SWPL (replaced by the relegated

Aberdeen LFC Aberdeen Football Club Women, formerly known as Aberdeen Football Club Ladies, is a Scottish women's football club affiliated with Aberdeen Football Club that competes in Scottish Women's Premier League 1, the top tier of women's football in Sco ...

). Hearts LFC, Buchan and Airdrie United were relegated to the SWFL Second Division and were replaced by

Scottish Women's Football League Second Division East The Scottish Women's Football League Second Division (SWFL 2) was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The third league tier from 1999 to 2015, it later became the fourth tier. Its top teams won promotion to t ...

champions, Hibernian 2000, and two clubs from the

Scottish Women's Football League Second Division West The Scottish Women's Football League Second Division (SWFL 2) was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The third league tier from 1999 to 2015, it later became the fourth tier. Its top teams won promotion to t ...

, Paisley Saints Ladies and Wishaw Juniors (formerly Motherwell). Member clubs in the 2011 season: * Aberdeen * Celtic Reserves * Cowdenbeath * Glasgow City Reserves * Hibernian 2000 * Paisley Saints Ladies * Queen's Park * Raith Rovers * Toryglen * Troon * Wishaw Juniors Aberdeen were the 2011 champions and were promoted to the SWPL. Runners-up Celtic Reserves were ineligible for promotion while third placed Toryglen Ladies folded over the close season. Wishaw Juniors had also folded mid-season and withdrawn from the league. To maintain numbers, no sides were relegated from either the Premier League or the First Division in 2011. Buchan Ladies, Kilwinning Sports Club, Airdrie United and

Reserves were promoted from the regional Second Divisions in 2011. In 2012, the champions and runners up, Hibernian Reserves and Celtic Reserves, were ineligible for promotion to the SWPL. Third-placed Buchan L.F.C. and 4th-placed Kilwinning SC were subsequently promoted, while the relegated

Kilmarnock Kilmarnock (, sco, Kilmaurnock; gd, Cill Mheàrnaig (IPA: ʰʲɪʎˈveaːɾnəkʲ, "Marnock's church") is a large town and former burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland and is the administrative centre of East Ayrshire, East Ayrshire Council. ...

and Inverness City replaced them in SWFL 1. Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife, Hearts and Murieston United were promoted from the regional Second Divisions. Hibernian Reserves withdrew to compete in a newly-formed Development League with the relegated reserve teams of Glasgow City and

and the Second-Division reserve teams of Spartans and Hamilton Academical. Airdrie United Ladies played in the 2012 First Division, but were replaced by Cumbernauld Colts in 2013 when the entire Airdrie squad defected to that club. Troon Ladies merged with Glasgow Girls and assume the latter name. Member clubs in the 2013 season were: *Celtic Reserves *Cowdenbeath *Cumbernauld Colts *Dunfermline Athletic *East Fife *FC Kilmarnock *Glasgow Girls *Hearts *Inverness City *Murieston United *Paisley Saints Ladies * Queen's Park The next champions of the First Division were Queen's Park (2013) and Falkirk Ladies (2014). At the end of 2015, its last season as a national league, the First Division had its top four clubs join SWPL 2 (but they remained level 2 league clubs). The 2015 standings were: *1st: Glasgow Girls F.C. Seniors *2nd: Buchan Ladies *3rd: Jeanfield Swifts *4th: Queen's Park *5th: Cumbernauld Colts *6th: Hibernian Development *7th: Celtic Academy *8th: Mill United *9th: East Fife *10th: Dunfermline Athletic *11th: Boroughmuir Thistle *12th: Murieston United

2016

In the first season after league reconstruction, East Fife won the northern division by 17 points, and Motherwell were SWFL 1 South winners by five points; both were promoted to SWPL 2. Final standings: North group: *1st: East Fife *2nd: Dunfermline Athletic *3rd: Central Girls *4th: Aberdeen B *5th: Forfar Farmington B South group: *1st:

Motherwell Motherwell ( sco, Mitherwall, gd, Tobar na Màthar) is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Historically in the parish of Dalziel and part of Lanarks ...

*2nd: Hibernian B *3rd: Celtic B *4th: Rangers B *5th:

2017

Central Girls Football Academy won the North division by 9 points and

won the South division by 20 points. Central had a goal difference of +84 and Kilmarnock +52. Both were promoted to the SWPL 2 for the 2018 season. Final standings: North group: *1st: Central Girls *2nd: Dundee United *3rd: Dunfermline Athletic *4th: Granite City *5th: Inverness Caledonian Thistle South group: *1st:

*2nd: Celtic B *3rd:

Partick Thistle Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football, football club from Glasgow, Scotland. Despite their name, the club are based at Firhill Stadium in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908. ...

*4th:

Renfrew Renfrew (; sco, Renfrew; gd, Rinn Friù) is a town west of Glasgow in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is the historic county town of Renfrewshire. Called the "Cradle of the Royal Stewarts" for its early link with Scotland's former ...

*5th: Cumbernauld Colts

2018

Member clubs in the 2018 season: North: * Aberdeen 23s *Buchan *Cove Rangers *Dee Ladies *Deveronvale * Dundee United *Dunfermline Athletic * East Fife *Raith Rovers Ladies *Inverness City Ladies * Stirling University Development *Westdyke Ladies South: *Blackburn United *

Boroughmuir Thistle F.C. Boroughmuir Thistle Football Club is a Scottish women's association football club founded in 2007. It is the largest girls and women's football club in Scotland and a club at the heart of community in the South East of Edinburgh. The club has a ...

* Celtic Academy *Cumbernauld Colts *

* Hibernian Development *Morton * Queen's Park * Rangers Development *Renfrew *Thistle Weir *Westerlands Final standings: North group: *1st: Dundee United *2nd: East Fife *3rd: Inverness Caledonian Thistle *4th: Dunfermline Athletic *5th:

Cove Rangers Cove Rangers Football Club is a senior Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Championship. They are based in the Cove Bay area of Aberdeen and play their football at Balmoral Stadium, having left their former home at Allan ...

South group: *1st: Hibernian B *2nd: Celtic B *3rd:

*4th: Queen's Park *5th: Westerlands

2019

Member clubs in the 2019 season: North: *Aberdeen FC Women *Buchan L.F.C. *Cove Rangers *Deveronvale Ladies *Dunfermline Athletic *East Fife *Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC *Kelty Hearts * Montrose *Raith Rovers Women *Stonehaven Ladies F.C. *Westdyke Ladies ''Details:'

South: *Ayr United *Blackburn United *Boroughmuir Thistle FC *Celtic Academy *FC Kilmarnock 23s * Glasgow City F.C., Glasgow City Development *Hamilton Academical 23s *Hibernian 23s *Queens Park L.F.C. *Rangers Development *Renfrew Ladies FC * Spartans Development ''Details:'

Final standings: North group: *1st: Aberdeen *2nd: Inverness Caledonian Thistle *3rd:

*4th: Buchan W.F.C., Buchan *5th: Dunfermline Athletic South group:Women's Championship 2019 South
ic Soccerway. Retrieved 5 November 2021 *1st: Glasgow City F.C., Glasgow City Development *2nd: Celtic Academy *3rd: Hibernian 23s *4th: Queen's Park *5th: Boroughmuir Thistle

References

External links

League at Scottish Womens FootballLeague at women.soccerway.com
{{Women's Football in Scotland 2 1999 establishments in Scotland 2019 disestablishments in Scotland Sports leagues established in 1999 Sports leagues disestablished in 2019 Defunct football leagues in Scotland