Football in Scotland is a popular professional sport. Founded in 1873, Scotland has the second oldest national football association in the world. The national cup competition, the Scottish Cup, was started in the 1873–74 season. Its trophy is the oldest national sporting trophy in the world. A Scottish football league system was first instituted in 1890, with the creation of the Scottish Football League. A second national cup competition, the Scottish League Cup, was created in the 1946–47 season. This page details the team and individual records set in these competitions.
League competitions
Team records +Top ten clubs by league titles wonRankClubTier One:PremiershipTier Two:ChampionshipTier Three:League OneTier Four:League TwoTotals1Celtic56562Rangers55111583Hibernian46104Greenock Morton631105Falkirk7296Raith Rovers6397Ayr United6398Clyde5499St Johnstone8810Partick Thistle628 +Clubs winning all four divisionsRankClubTier One:PremiershipTier Two:ChampionshipTier Three:League OneTier Four:League Two1Rangers551112Dumbarton2211 +Clubs winning bottom 3 divisionsRankClubTier Two:ChampionshipTier Three:League OneTier Four:League Two1Greenock Morton6312Hamilton Academical3113Queen's Park2124=Dumbarton211Inverness Caledonian Thistle211Ross County2115Livingston1426=Albion Rovers111Gretna111Rangers111 +Top ten clubs by total number of seasons (ever) in Top Flight (as of 2025–26)RankClubNo. ofseasons1Celtic1282Rangers1243Heart of Midlothian1224Hibernian1185St Mirren1146Aberdeen1137Motherwell1098Dundee1009Kilmarnock9510Partick Thistle85 +Top ten clubs by ongoing, successive seasons in Top Flight (as of 2025–26)RankClubFirst season ofcurrent spellNo. ofseasons1Celtic1890–911282Aberdeen1905–061133Motherwell1985–86404Rangers2016–1795Hibernian2017–1886St Mirren2018–1977Heart of Midlothian2020–2147Kilmarnock2022–2349Dundee2023–24310Dundee United2024–252
+Longest uninterrupted spell in each of the bottom 3 divisions (since 1994–95 league restructure)TierClubSeasonsStart SeasonEnd SeasonTier Two:ChampionshipGreenock Morton112015–16PresentTier Three:League OneBrechin City112006–072016–17Tier Four:League TwoElgin City252000–01Present
+Clubs having been Champions of ScotlandClubFirst titleLongest time between titlesYearsCurrent time since last titleFromUntilLast title wonYearsDumbarton1890–911890–911891–9211891–92132Rangers1890–911963–641974–75112020–213Celtic1892–931953–541965–66122025–260Heart of Midlothian1894–951896–971957–58611959–6064Hibernian1902–031902–031947–48451951–5272Third Lanark1903–041903–041903–04120Motherwell1931–321931–321931–3292Aberdeen1954–551954–551979–80251984–8539Dundee1961–621961–621961–6262Kilmarnock1964–651964–651964–6559Dundee United1982–831982–831982–8341 *1890–91 title was shared between Dumbarton and Rangers Titles
Most top-flight league titles: 56,: Celtic Most consecutive league titles: 9, joint record: Celtic (1965–66 to 1973–74) Rangers (1988–89 to 1996–97) Celtic (2011–12 to 2019–20) Longest gap between title wins: 61 years, Hearts (1897 to 1958)
+Highest top flight finishes without titlesPositionClubLast seasonin positionNo. ofclubs2ndFalkirk1909–103Greenock Morton1916–17Airdrieonians (1878)1925–263rdSt Mirren1979-8010St Bernard's1893–94Raith Rovers1921–22East Fife1952–53Partick Thistle1962–63Clyde1966–67Dunfermline Athletic1968–69Livingston2001–02St Johnstone2012–13Inverness Caledonian Thistle2014–154thCambuslang1890–915Leith Athletic1891–92Ayr United1915–16Queen of the South1933–34Hamilton Academical1934–355thQueen's Park1928–294Ross County2012–13Cowdenbeath1924–25Clydebank (1914)1919–206thRenton1891–9217thAbercorn1890–9118thVale of Leven1890–9119thPort Glasgow Athletic1903–04110thClydebank (1965)1985–862Cowlairs1890–9111thAlbion Rovers1921–222Arbroath1937–3812thStirling Albion1958–592Gretna2007–0818thEast Stirlingshire1963–64119thBo'ness1927–28120thAlloa Athletic1922–231 Top-flight appearances Most appearances: 127 completed seasons, Celtic (1890–present) Largest victories Largest top flight home win: 11–0, Celtic v Dundee, 26 October 1895 Largest top flight away win: 1–11, Airdrieonians v Hibernian, 24 October 1959
Streaks Longest top flight unbeaten run: 62 games, Celtic (20 November 1915 – 21 April 1917) Longest top flight unbeaten run (games in all national competitions): 69 games (56 in the league), Celtic (15 May 2016 – 13 December 2017)
Most consecutive top flight wins: 25, Celtic (2003–04)
Unbeaten league season: Celtic P18 W15 D3 L0, 1897–98 Rangers P18 W18 D0 L0, 1898–99 Kilmarnock P18 W14 D4 L0, 1898–99 (second tier) Rangers P36 W33 D3 L0, 2013–14(third tier) Celtic P38 W34 D4 L0, 2016–17 Rangers P38 W32 D6 L0, 2020–21 Falkirk P36 W27 D9 L0, 2023–24 (third tier)
Attendances Highest attendance: 118,567 - Rangers v Celtic at Ibrox Park, 2 January 1939
Individual
Goals Most top flight goals in a career: 410, Jimmy McGrory (Celtic 397, Clydebank 13) Most top flight goals in a season: 52, Willie MacFadyen (Motherwell, 1931–32) Most top flight goals in a game: 8, Jimmy McGrory (Celtic 9 Dunfermline Athletic 0, 14 January 1928) Most top flight hat-tricks: 48, Jimmy McGrory
Appearances Most top flight appearances: 626, Bob Ferrier (Motherwell) Most consecutive appearances with a goal scored: 14, Evelyn Morrison (Falkirk, 1928–29)
Goalkeepers Longest consecutive period of time without conceding a goal: 1,256 minutes, Fraser Forster (Celtic, 2013–14)
Titles Most league title wins by a manager 18, Bill Struth (Rangers) Most league title wins by a player 14, James Forrest (Celtic)
Scottish Cup
Team records
Most final wins: 43, Celtic Most consecutive final wins: 4, Celtic (2016–17 to 2019–20) Most final appearances: 63, Celtic (includes cancelled 1909 fixture) Most consecutive final defeats: 3, Vale of Leven (1882–83 to 1884–85) Most consecutive final appearances: 8, Rangers (1975–76 to 1982–83) Longest gap between final wins: 114 years, Hibernian (1901–02 to 2015–16) Most final appearances without winning: 2, Hamilton Academical (1910–11, 1934–35) Most final appearances without defeat: 2, St Johnstone (2013–14, 2020–21) Longest winning streak in finals: 14, Rangers (1929–30, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66) Longest losing streak in finals: 10, Hibernian (1913–14, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1946–47, 1957–58, 1971–72, 1978–79, 2000–01, 2011–12, 2012–13) Biggest final wins: 5 goals, joint record: Renton 6–1 Cambuslang, (1887–88) Rangers 5–0 St Mirren, (1933–34) Celtic 6–1 Hibernian, (1971–72) Most goals in a final: 7: Renton 6–1 Cambuslang, (1887–88) Celtic 4–3 Queen's Park, (1899–1900) Hearts 4–3 Celtic, (1900–01) Celtic 6–1 Hibernian (1971–72) Motherwell 4–3 Dundee United (1990–91) Most goals by a runner-up: 3: Queen's Park: Lost 3–4 against Celtic (1899–1900) Celtic: Lost 3–4 against Hearts (1900–01) Dundee United: Lost 3–4 against Motherwell (1990–91) Hearts: Lost on penalties against Celtic after the game finished 3–3 (aet) (2019–20) Most final losses: 19, Rangers (excludes cancelled 1909 fixture) Most common pairing in the final: 16, Celtic v Rangers (8 Celtic wins, 7 Rangers wins)1908–09 was withheld) Most wins while playing at tier 2 or below: 1, joint record: East Fife, Scottish Division Two (1937–38) Hibernian, Scottish Championship (2015–16) Most goals in a game: 36: Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord (1885–86) Largest goalscoring margin: Home: Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord (1885–86) Away: Redding Athletic 0–17 Camelon (1887–88)
Attendances Highest attendance: 146,433, Celtic v Aberdeen at Hampden Park, 24 April 1937 (1936–37)
Individual
Most cup final wins by manager: 14, Willie Maley (Celtic) Most cup final wins by player 8, Bobby Lennox (Celtic) and James Forrest (Celtic) Most overall goals: Jimmy McGrory 77 goals (Celtic 74, Clydebank 3) Most Scottish Cup goals in a match: John Petrie 13 (Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord, 12 September 1885) (via) British Newspaper ArchiveA day when Scottish football scorched the record books The Scotsman, retrieved 14 July 2007. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008.
Scottish League Cup
Team records
Most final wins: 28, Rangers Most consecutive final wins: 5, Celtic (1965–66 – 1969–70) Most final appearances: 38, Rangers Most consecutive final defeats: 4, Celtic (1970–71 – 1973–74) Most consecutive final appearances: 14, Celtic (1964–65 – 1977–78) Most final appearances without winning: 3, Dunfermline Athletic (1949–50, 1991–92, 2005–06) Most final appearances without losing: 3, East Fife (1947–48, 1949–50, 1953–54) Longest gap between final wins: 21 years, Aberdeen (1955–56 – 1976–77) Longest winning streak in finals: 9, Rangers (1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2007–08) Longest losing streak in finals: 5, joint record: Kilmarnock (1952–53, 1960–61, 1962–63, 2000–01, 2006–07), Dundee United (1981–82, 1984–85, 1997–98, 2007–08, 2014–15) Biggest final win: 6 goals: Celtic 7–1 Rangers, (1957–58) Most goals in a final: 9: Celtic 6–3 Hibernian, (1974–75) Most goals by a runner-up: 3: Dundee: Lost 3–5 against Celtic (1967–68) Hibernian: Lost 3–6 against Celtic (1974–75) Aberdeen: Drew 3–3 against Rangers but lost on penalties (1987–88) Hearts: Lost 3–4 against Rangers (1996–97) Rangers: Drew 3–3 against Celtic but lost on penalties (2024–25)
Most final losses: 15, Celtic Most common pairing in the final: 17, Celtic v Rangers (9 Rangers wins, 8 Celtic wins) Most wins while playing at tier 2 or below: 1, joint record: East Fife, Scottish Division B (1947–48) Raith Rovers, Scottish Division One (1994–95) Most goals in a game: 13, joint record: Dumbarton 10–3 Stranraer (1957–58) Hibernian 11–2 Alloa Athletic (1965–66) Largest goalscoring margin: Home: Hibernian 9–0 Montrose (2003–04) Away: Albion Rovers 1–11 Partick Thistle (1993–94) Attendances Highest attendance: 107,609, Celtic v Rangers at Hampden Park, 25 October 1965 (1965–66)
Individual Most cup final wins by manager: 6, Scot Symon (East Fife and Rangers), Jock Stein (Celtic) and Walter Smith (Rangers) Most overall goals: Joe Harper 74 goals (Aberdeen 51, Hibernian 16, Morton 7)
Scottish Challenge Cup
Team records Most final wins: 4, Falkirk, and Raith Rovers. Most consecutive final wins: 2, Hamilton Academical (1991–92 – 1992–93), and Airdrieonians (2000–01 – 2001–02) Most final appearances: 6, Inverness Caledonian Thistle (1999–2000, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2025–26) Most consecutive final defeats: 2, Ayr United (1990–91 – 1991–92) Most consecutive final appearances: 3, Raith Rovers (2019–20 – 2022–23) (includes cancelled 2019–20 final) Most final appearances without winning: 2, Ayr United (1990–91, 1991–92) Most final appearances without losing: 4, Falkirk (1993–94, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2011–12) Longest gap between final wins: 30 years, Hamilton Academical (1992–93 – 2022–23) Longest winning streak in finals: 4, Falkirk (1993–94, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2011–12) Longest losing streak in finals: 2, Ayr United (1990–91 – 1991–92) Biggest final win: 5 goals: Livingston 5–0 Queen's Park, (2024–25) Most goals in a final: 8: Alloa Athletic 4–4 Inverness Caledonian Thistle, (1999–2000) Most goals by a runner-up: Inverness Caledonian Thistle: Drew 4–4 against Alloa Athletic; lost on penalties (1999–2000)
Most final losses: 3, Queen of the South, and Inverness Caledonian Thistle Most common pairing in the final: 2, Inverness Caledonian Thistle vs. Raith Rovers (1 shared, 1 Raith win) Most wins while playing at tier 3 or below: 1, joint record: Stenhousemuir, Scottish Second Division (1995–96) Stranraer, Scottish Second Division (1996–97) Queen of the South, Scottish Second Division (2012–13) Most goals in a game: 14: Ross County 14–0 Heart of Midlothian B (2026–27) Largest goalscoring margin: Home: Ross County 14–0 Heart of Midlothian B (2026–27) Away: Dumbarton 0–9 Inverness Caledonian Thistle (2025–26) Attendances Highest attendance: 48,133, Rangers v Peterhead at Hampden Park, 10 April 2016 (1965–66)
Individual