Scottish Football Combination

1896-1911

 

See also

Main index

Club directory

Scottish Combination overview

Central Combination

Eastern League

Midland League

Northern League

Scottish Reserve League

Scottish Alliance

Scottish Union

Elections

Re-elections

The first version of the Scottish Combination was formed in 1896, its founder members being East Stirlingshire, Falkirk and Stenhousemuir (all ex-Midland League), Heart of Midlothian 'A' and Rangers 'A' (both ex-Scottish Reserve League), Hamilton Academical, Royal Albert, Third Lanark ‘A’ and Wishaw Thistle (all ex-Scottish Alliance), Celtic 'A' and Queen's Park Strollers. Reserve sides won the first four championships but none after 1900 when it was clubs entering their first teams that triumphed.

The second season saw the departure of Hamilton Academical when they were elected to  replace Renton after they resigned after four games in the Scottish League. Also East Stirlingshire, Falkirk and Stenhousemuir all helped form the Central Combination. The other absentee was Celtic ‘A’. Interestingly, this was to be the only season that the Glasgow club’s reserve side would enter a non-League competition.

 

Besides Hamilton Academical, the Combination has supplied a number of clubs to the Scottish League, namely

Arthurlie                              1901

Albion Rovers                    1903

Vale of Leven                    1905

Ayr Parkhouse                  1906

Dumbarton                         1906

 

The formation of the Scottish Union in 1906 hit the Combination hard with the loss of five clubs. One of the replacements, Johnstone, tied with Galston for the title, but a play-off wasn’t arranged and so the Championship was shared. From here on the league diminished in status while its centre of gravity shifted south-west. In 1909 it appeared that the league would fold, but after some perseverance seven clubs were mustered and what was to be its last full season, Nithsdale Wanderers and Girvan shared the title. One last season was attempted  but, although some games were played, the competition wasn’t completed and the league subsequently folded.

 

 

Champions

1896-97 Heart of Midlothian 'A'

1897-98 Rangers 'A'

1898-99 Rangers 'A'

1899-00 Queen's Park Strollers

1900-01 Arthurlie

1901-02 Albion Rovers

1902-03 Albion Rovers

1903-04 Royal Albert

 

1904-05 Beith

1905-06 Dumbarton

1906-07 Galston / Johnstone

1907-08 Galston

1908-09 Galston

1909-10 Nithsdale Wanderers / Girvan

1910-11    incomplete

 

 

 

Membership

Albion Rovers

Alloa

Annbank

Arthurlie

Ayr Parkhouse

Bathgate

Beith

Broxburn Athletic

Camelon

Celtic 'A'

Cowdenbeath 'A'

Dumbarton

Dumfries

Dykehead

East Stirlingshire

5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Falkirk

Galston

Girvan

Hamilton Academical

Heart of Midlothian 'A'

Hurlford

Johnstone

Kilbarchan

Lanemark

Lanark

Maxwelltown Volunteers

Maybole

Morton 'A'

Nithsdale Wanderers

Queen's Park Strollers

Queen's Park Victoria XI

Rangers 'A'

Renton

Royal Albert

St Mirren 'A'

Stenhousemuir

 

Third Lanark ‘A’

Thornliebank

Vale of Leven

Wishaw Thistle

Wishaw United

Seasons

1897-1903

1903-1906

1909-10

1897-1901

1904-1906

1905-06

1903-1909

1906-1908

1903-1905***

1896-97

1906-07

1905-06

1906-1911

1905-1909

1896-97

1908-1910

1896-97

1904-1909

1908-1911

1896-97, 1897-98 (resigned)*

1896-97, 1898-99

1906-1911

1898-1905, 1906-1908

1899-1904

1907-1911

1902-03**

1907-08

1906-1911

1903-1905

1909-1911

1896-1902, 1903-1909

1909-1911

1896-1899

1902-1906

1896-1906

1899-1904

1896-97,

1905-06

1897-1903

1897-1901, 1902-1906^

1902-1905

1896-1900

1900-1903****

Came from

 

Central Combination

 

 

Scottish League

Eastern League

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midland League

 

Midland League

 

 

Scottish Alliance

Scottish Reserve League 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Reserve League  

 

Scottish Alliance

 

Midland League

Northern League

Scottish Alliance

 

 

Scottish Alliance

Left for

Scottish League

Scottish Union

 

Scottish League

Scottish League

Scottish Union

Scottish Union

Midland League

 

 

 

Scottish League

 

Scottish Union

Central Combination

 

Central Combination

Scottish Union

 

Scottish League

 

 

Scottish Union

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scottish Union

 

Scottish Union

Scottish Union

 

Central Combination

Scottish Union

 

 

Scottish League

 

Notes:

*Hamilton Academicals resigned during 1897-98 to take over Renton’s fixtures in the Scottish League Second Division.

**Lanark resigned during 1902-03.

***Camelon resigned during 1904-05

****Wishaw United resigned during 1902-03

^ Thornliebank expelled during 1905-06

Maxwelltown Volunteers were replaced by 5th King’s Own Scottish Borderers in 1908 when the Volunteer regiments were disbanded.

 

 

 

1896-97

Celtic

East Stirlingshire

Falkirk

Hamilton A.

Hearts

Queen's Park

Rangers

Royal  Albert

Sten

Wishaw Thistle

Celtic ‘A’

 

 

Mar-20

 

Jan-09

 

13 May 

 

 Nov-21

Aug-29

 

 

1-3

 

0-3

 

 2-3

 

 8-0

7-0

East Sirlingshire

Feb-20

 

Apr-17

Jan-30

 10 May

Sep-19

Sep-12

Nov-28

Aug-15

Nov-14

3-1

 

2-2

2-4

 0-8

3-1

5-2

2-3

1-3

2-1

Falkirk

Aug-22

Apr-17

 

 10 Apr

May-08

 May-1

 Apr-24

Jan-16

Apr-03

Feb-13

0-5

2-2

 

 4-2

0-3

 2-1

 2-1

6-3

4-3

4-1

Hamilton Academical

Sep-05

Dec-12

Apr-10

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aug-15

0-1

3-1

2-4

 

 

 

 

 

 

5-3

Heartof Midlothian ‘A’

Nov-14

 

Dec-26

Dec-05

 

Sep-12

Jan-16

Aug-15

Jan-02

Feb-06

4-3

 

6-2

4-3

 

5-2

1-0

2-0

4-1

6-2

Queen's Park

Strollers

Apr-27

Jan-09

 Feb-20

 

Mar-13

 

 

Dec-26 

 Mar-28

Dec-12

2-0

3-1

 2-2

 

2-5

 

 

 4-3

 7-2

3-1

Rangers ‘A’

 

 

May-03

 

Sep-26

 

 

 

Jan-09

Mar-13

 

 

5-0

 

3-4

 

 

 

3-3

8-2

Royal Albert

Nov-07

Aug-22

Mar-27

Oct-31

Apr-10

Oct-10

Sep-19

 

Apr-17

Oct-03

1-1

3-0

6-1

2-0

1-6

4-0

4-3

 

2-1

2-3

Stenhousemuir

Oct-17

 Sep-5

May-15

 8 May

Oct-03

 

 

Oct-24

 

Sep-19

0-2

 1-2

1-1

 2-0

0-4*

 

 

4-2

 

4-2

Wishaw Thistle

Oct-10

Oct-24

Mar-06

Jan-16

Nov-07

Sep-05

Feb-20

Apr-24

Aug-22

 

4-5

6-2

4-1

1-4

1-3

1-3

3-0

3-2

2-4

 

 

Stenhousemuir v Heart of Midlothian ‘A’ on Oct 3 was played at Tynecastle

East Stirlingshire v Heart of Midlothian ‘A’ on 8 May possibly at Tynecastle

 

14 Nov  Stenhousemuir 2-1 Rangers Abnd

5 Dec     Falkirk 0-1 East Stirlingshire Abnd

12 Dec   Stenhousemuir 4-3 Falkirk Abnd

4 May    East Stirlingshire v Heart of Midlothian ‘A’ Abnd

 

1896-97

Heart of Midlothian ‘A’

Celtic ‘A’

East Stirlingshire

Falkirk

Hamilton Academical

Queen’s Park Strollers

Rangers ‘A’

Royal Albert

Stenhousemuir

Wishaw Thistle

 

1897-98

AR

Arth

QP

RA

Rgrs

ThL

Thor

Wish

Albion Rovers

X

16 Apr

4-1

6 Nov

1-4

20 Nov

1-4

 

 

22 Jan

3-3

Arthurlie

12 Mar

6-0

X

20 Nov

1-1

15 Jan

1-1

 

4 Sep

3-3

4 Dec

1-1

6 Nov

1-2

Queen’s Park Strollers

 

 

30 Apr

3-3

X

25 Dec

5-2

22 Jan

6-1

12 Mar

2-2

23 Apr

1-4

8 Jan

2-1

Royal Albert

27 Nov

3-3

5 Mar

2-2

X

4 Sep

0-3

12 Feb

2-0

16 Apr

2-0

4 Dec

5-0

Rangers ‘A’

12 Feb

5-1

20 Apr

1-1

X

25 Sep

5-0

26 Mar

1-4

 

Third Lanark ‘A’

 

23 Apr

11 Sep

2-4

20 Apr

5-0

15 Jan

1-8

X

9 Apr

1-1

Thornliebank

2 Apr

4-1

19 Mar

2-7

18 Sep

2-4

X

9 Oct

5-2

Wishaw Thistle

2 Oct

1-2

5 Feb

2-2

12 Feb

3-4

23 Apr

4-1

23 Oct

0-1

16 Apr

0-1

20 Nov

5-5

X

 

26 Mar Rangers v Thornliebank at Thornliebank

 

 

1897-98

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Rangers ‘A’

Queen’s Park Strollers

Third Lanark ‘A’

Albion Rovers

Arthurlie

Royal Albert

Thornliebank

Wishaw Thistle

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

11

7

4

5

2

4

4

2

1

5

6

3

8

4

4

3

2

2

4

6

4

6

6

9

57

44

27

26

35

23

28

22

20

28

30

43

34

29

39

43

23

19

14

13

12

12

12

7

 

Hamilton Academical resigned after being elected to the Scottish League mid-season

 

 

1898-99

AR

Arth

Jne

Hea

QP

RA

Rgrs

ThL

Thor

Wish

Albion Rovers

 

3 Sep

7-1

 

4 Mar

1-1

27 Aug

 

 

Arthurlie

27 Apr

4-2

 

4 Mar

2-0

11 Mar

2-2

24 Dec

2-2

15 Oct

2-0

 

3 Sep

 

25 Feb

9-1

13 May

10-0

Johnstone

24 Dec

7-1

27 Aug

1-3

 

26 Nov

1-6

10 Dec

2-1

31 Jan

6-1

3 Dec

2-3

25 Feb

1-1

17 Sep

5-1

29 Oct

5-2

Heart of Midlothian ‘A’

3 Dec

7-0

6 May

0-0

15 Apr

2-1

 

17 Dec

2-1

7 Jan

6-0

10 Dec

1-5

21 Jan

6-3

 

Queen’s Park Strollers

 

 

26 Nov

4-3

 

27 Apr

2-2

 

12 Apr

2-5

20 Apr

4-0

 

Royal Albert

8 May

5-2

17 Sep

4-3

1 Apr

3-0

24 Dec

4-1

15 Apr

7-0

 

12 Nov

3-2

11 Feb

2-3

27 Aug

3-0

1 Oct

5-3

Rangers ‘A’

 

15 Apr

2-1

3 Sep

 

27 Aug

4-0

8 Oct

26 Apr

4-1

 

9 May

3-0

11 May

1-1

 

Third Lanark ‘A’

 

9 May

0-2

 

1 Apr

2-2

 

 

 

 

 

Thornliebank

29 Oct

1-1

14 Jan

0-3

29 Apr

1-1

22 Apr

6-3

24 Dec

0-5

26 Nov

0-1

 

7 Jan

1-1

Wishaw Thistle

17 Sep

3-0

31 Jan

6-4

20 Aug

7-3

3 Sep

1-3

18 Feb

7-2

22 Oct

3-2

17 Dec

2-4

 

 

21 Jan Wishaw v Albion Rovers 3-2

1 May Thirds v Arthurlie 1-1 stopped due to bad light

 

 

1898-99

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Rangers ‘A’

Arthurlie

Heart of Midlothian ‘A’

Queen’s Park Strollers

Third Lanark ‘A’

Royal Albert

Wishaw Thistle

Johnstone

Thornliebank

Albion Rovers

18

18

18

18

18

18

18

18

18

18

13

10

8

8

6

9

7

6

4

4

2

3

5

5

6

0

2

1

5

2

3

5

5

5

6

9

9

11

9

12

58

56

51

34

37

48

47

37

31

32

20

30

43

35

39

54

60

46

53

41

28

23

21

21

18

18

16

13

13

10

 

 

1899-00

AR

Arth

Jne

Kilb

QP

RA

StM

ThL

Thor

Wish

Albion Rovers

 

10 Mar

3-1