Scottish Premiership - 02. 08. 2016
The Scottish Premiership, known for sponsorship reasons as the Ladbrokes Premiership is the top division of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional football clubs in Scotland.
League was established in 2013. The predecessor of league is Scottish Premier League, which existed in 1998–2013. Teams play against each other 3 times once at home and twice away or in the opposite way. After 33 regular season games, the league splits into a 'top six' and a 'bottom six'. Each club then plays a further five matches, one against each of the other five teams in their own section. Points achieved during the first phase of 33 matches are carried forward to the second phase. The last team of Premiership at the end of the season is relegated. 11th place team faces the second team of Scottish Championship in two legs play-off.
Scotland' champions qualify for Champions League qualifying round 2. Second and third team qualify for Europa League qualifying round 2 and 1.
Scotland's top-league championship has been won 54 times by Rangers and 47 times by Celtic. Nine other clubs have won the remaining 19 championships. The last time the championship was won by a club other than Rangers or Celtic was 1984–85, by Aberdeen. Celtic won all 3 season of Scottish Premiership.
Celtic midfielder Kris Commons is top scorer of Scottish Premiership with 57 goals. Leigh Griffiths is second with 51 goals. He scored 31 goals in last season. Celtic recorded biggest win in Scottish Premiership history, beating Hamilton Academical 8:1.
Current champions, Celtic won 5 consecutive season. Rangers FC, the most successful club, had big debts in 2012. In 2012/13 season, they played in fourth division. In last season, the club has been were promoted back to Premiership.
