2007–08 in Scottish football

The 2007-08 season was the 111th season of competitive football in Scotland. The season commenced in August 2007.

Notable events

2007

*June 1: The Scottish Football Association appoint former Rangers and Kilmarnock striker Gordon Smith as the new Chief Executive following the departure of David Taylor who was appointed General Secretary of UEFA.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/6705941.stm|publisher=BBC Scotland website|title=Top SFA job confirmed for Smith|date=2007-06-01]

*July 20: Irn-Bru becomes the new sponsor of the Scottish Football League, signing a three year deal.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_div_1/6908169.stm|publisher=BBC Sport wesbite|title=SFL ends search for new sponsor|date=2007-07-20]

*October 11: Celtic are fined £25,000 by UEFA for "lack of organisation and improper conduct by supporters" during their UEFA Champions League match with AC Milan at Celtic Park.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7034017.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Celtic fined as Dida receives ban|date=2007-10-11] cite news|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefa/keytopics/kind=512/newsid=601616.html|publisher=UEFA.com|title=Dida banned, Celtic fined|date=2007-10-12]

*November 17: The Scotland national team fail to qualify for Euro 2008 after a 2–1 defeat by Italy at Hampden Park eliminated them at the qualifying stage.

*November 25: St. Johnstone beat Dunfermline 3–2 to win the Challenge Cup for the first time.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7110899.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Dunfermline 2-3 St. Johnstone|date=2007-11-25]

*December 29: Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell, 35, collapsed on the pitch at Fir Park during a match against Dundee United, and died later that evening. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/7164150.stm Motherwell captain O'Donnell dies] "BBC Sport". Retrieved on 29 December 2007]

2008

*March 15: East Fife confirm their promotion to the Second Division as Third Division champions with a 3–0 victory over East Stirlingshire, becoming the first team in Britain to win a league trophy in the 2007–08 season.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7296314.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title= East Stirlingshire 0-3 East Fife |date=2007-06-01]

*March 16: Rangers win the Scottish League Cup by beating Dundee United 3–2 in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw in the final at Hampden Park.

*March 22: Scotland's Under-17s qualify for the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship after finishing top of their Elite qualifying group.

*March 29: Gretna are relegated from the SPL after losing 2–0 to St. Mirren at St. Mirren Park. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7317663.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title= St Mirren 2-0 Gretna|date=2008-03-29|accessdate=2008-03-29]

*March 29: Berwick Rangers are relegated from the Second Division after a 2–2 draw with Peterhead. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7317734.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Berwick Rangers 2-2 Peterhead|date=2008-03-28]

*April 5: Ross County win promotion to the First Division as Second Division champions after defeating already-relegated Berwick Rangers 4–0 and second place Airdrie United losing 2–1 to Brechin City.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7328068.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Ross County 4-0 Berwick Rangers|date=2008-04-05|accessdate=2008-04-07]

*April 8: Stirling Albion are relegated from the First Division after a 1–0 defeat to Partick Thistle.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7334953.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Partick Thistle 1-0 Stirling Alb|date=2008-04-08|accessdate=2008-04-08]

*April 12: First Division Queen of the South beat SPL Aberdeen 4–3 at Hampden Park to qualify for their first Scottish Cup final, in the highest scoring semi-final ever.cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7341879.stm|title=Queen of the South 4-3 Aberdeen|accessdate=2008-04-15]

*April 19: Hamilton Academical win promotion to the Scottish Premier League as First Division champions following a 2–0 over Clyde.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7353608.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Hamilton Accies 2-0 Clyde|date=2008-04-19|accessdate=2008-04-19]

*May 10: Clyde retain their First Division status after defeating Airdrie United 3–0 on aggregate in the First Division play-off final.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7390679.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Clyde 2-0 Airdrie United (3-0)|date=2008-05-10|accessdate=2008-05-22]

*May 10: Arbroath are promoted to the Second Division after a 2–1 aggregate win over Stranraer in the Second Division play-off final.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7390697.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title= Stranraer 1-0 Arbroath (1-2)|date=2008-05-10|accessdate=2008-05-22] Cowdenbeath, who were beaten by Arbroath in the semi-finals, are relegated to the Third Division.

*May 14: Rangers lose 2–0 to Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup Final.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7393752.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Uefa Cup final - Zenit 2-0 Rangers|date=2008-05-14|accessdate=2008-05-15]

*May 22: Celtic win their third successive SPL title after defeating Dundee United 1–0. cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/7412454.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Dundee United 0-1 Celtic|date=2008-05-22|accessdate=2008-05-22]

*May 24: Rangers win the Scottish Cup for the 32nd time after defeating Queen of the South 3–2 in the Final.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7416622.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Scottish Cup final - Queen of the South 2-3 Rangers|date=2008-05-24|accessdate=2008-05-24]

*May 29: Gretna are demoted to the Third Division after administrator David Elliot could not guareentee the Football League that the club would fulfil its fixtures next season. Consequently, First Division play-off runners-up Airdrie United are promoted to the First Division and Second Division play-off runners-up Stranraer are promoted to the Second Division.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gretna/7426281.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title= Gretna demoted to Division Three|date=2008-05-29|accessdate=2008-05-29]

Transfer deals

Managerial changes

Junior

West Region

North Region

Monthly awards

Rangers

National teams

cotland national team

Overview

Scotland failed in their attempt to qualify for the Euro 2008, finishing third in Group B behind 2006 world cup finalists France and Italy despite beating France twice. Scotland needed a win in their final group game against Italy to qualify, although a draw would have been enough if Ukraine beat France in the last group fixture. Scotland lost 2–1 as a result of a heavily criticised decision [cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPoeQi6_eXOnUP3RmRX_thoWFDfQ |accessdate=2007-11-18 |title=Scots robbed of place in Euro 2008 by ref's howler says manager McLeish | publisher=AFP Sport] by Spanish referee Manuel Mejuto González to award Italy a free kick in stoppage time (resulting in a goal) when it was clear it should have been a free kick to Scotland.

Manager Alex McLeish resigned on 27 November 2007 following the loss against Italy and became manager of Birmingham City, [cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7114028.stm |title=McLeish leaves Scotland for Blues |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2007-11-27 |accessdate=2008-04-19] his assistants Roy Aitken and Andy Watson joined him at Birmingham. He was eventually replaced on 24 January 2008 by Southampton manager George Burley, [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7203463.stm |publisher =BBC Sport |title=Burley appointed Scotland manager |date=2008-01-24 |accessdate=2008-04-19] he appointed Steven Pressley and former England captain Terry Butcher as his assistants. [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7226604.stm |publisher =BBC Sport |title=Butcher and Pressley join Scots |date=2008-02-04 |accessdate=2008-04-19] In first match in charge a 1–1 draw was achieved against Croatia despite the withdrawal of 7 players.

Results

;Key:
* (H) = Home match
* (A) = Away match
* (N) = Neutral venue
* F = Friendly
* ECQ(11) = European Championship qualifying round (Group 11)

cotland Under-17 team

;Key:
* (H) = Home match
* (A) = Away match
* (N) = Neutral venue
* F = Friendly
* ECQ(3) = European Championship qualifying round (Group 3)
* ECQE(5) = European Championship qualifying elite round (Group 5)
* EC(A) = European Championship (Group A)

Deaths

*Tommy Burns, 51, Celtic first team coach who also played for and managed the club. He also played for and managed Kilmarnock and won six caps for Scotland.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/7402185.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title= Celtic's Burns loses cancer fight|date=2008-05-15|accessdate=2008-05-15]

*Ian Crawford, 73, former player and manager best remembered for scoring 2 goals in the 1955–56 Scottish Cup Final for Hearts. He also played for West Ham, Scunthorpe and Peterborough.

*Phil O'Donnell, 35, footballer who played for Motherwell, Celtic and Sheffield Wednesday during a 17-year career. In that time, he played once for Scotland. He died on 29 December 2007 whilst playing for Motherwell, in their 5-3 win over Dundee United. cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/motherwell/7164150.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Motherwell captain O'Donnell dies|date=2007-12-29]

*Ian Porterfield, 61, former player and manager best remembered for scoring in the winning goal in the 1973 FA Cup Final for Sunderland. He also succeeded Alex Ferguson as manager of Aberdeen.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6984906.stm|publisher=BBC Sport website|title=Cup hero Porterfield dies at 61|date=2007-09-11]

References

External links

* [http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Home/0,,10002,00.html Scottish Premier League official website]
* [http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/ Scottish Football League official website]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/default.stm BBC Scottish Premier League portal]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/default.stm BBC Scottish Football League portal]