The 2021–22 Scottish League Two (known as cinch League Two for sponsorship reasons) was the ninth season of Scottish League Two, the fourth tier of Scottish football. The season began on 31 July.
| Season | 2021–22 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 31 July 2021 – 30 April 2022 |
| Champions | Kelty Hearts |
| Promoted | Kelty Hearts (as champions) Edinburgh City (via play-offs) |
| Relegated | Cowdenbeath |
| Matches played | 180 |
| Goals scored | 468 (2.6 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Nathan Austin 17 goals |
| Biggest home win | Kelty Hearts 6–1 Albion Rovers (11 December 2021) Stirling Albion 5–0 Edinburgh City (30 April 2022) |
| Biggest away win | Albion Rovers 0–5 Stranraer (9 April 2022) |
| Highest scoring | Kelty Hearts 6–1 Albion Rovers (11 December 2021) Forfar Athletic 3–4 Stenhousemuir (26 December 2021) |
| Longest winning run | Kelty Hearts 5 games |
| Longest unbeaten run | Kelty Hearts 16 games |
| Longest winless run | Cowdenbeath 12 games |
| Longest losing run | Stirling Albion 7 games |
| Highest attendance | 1,202 Kelty Hearts 2–0 Cowdenbeath (31 July 2021) |
| Lowest attendance | 151 Albion Rovers 1–4 Annan Athletic (2 March 2022) |
← 2020–21 2022–23 →
All statistics correct as of 30 April 2022. | |
Ten teams contested the league: Albion Rovers, Annan Athletic, Cowdenbeath, Edinburgh City, Elgin City, Forfar Athletic, Kelty Hearts, Stenhousemuir, Stirling Albion and Stranraer.
Teams edit
The following teams changed division after the 2020–21 season.
To League Two editPromoted from Lowland Football League Relegated from League One
|
From League Two editRelegated to Highland Football League Promoted to League One
|
Stadia and locations edit
| Albion Rovers | Annan Athletic | Cowdenbeath | Edinburgh City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cliftonhill | Galabank | Central Park | Ainslie Park[1][2] |
| Capacity: 1,238[3] | Capacity: 2,504[4] | Capacity: 4,309[5] | Capacity: 3,534 |
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| Elgin City |
 Location of teams in 2021–22 Scottish League Two |
Forfar Athletic | |
| Borough Briggs | Station Park | ||
| Capacity: 4,520[6] | Capacity: 6,777[7] | ||
|
 | ||
| Kelty Hearts | Stenhousemuir | Stirling Albion | Stranraer |
| New Central Park | Ochilview Park | Forthbank Stadium | Stair Park |
| Capacity: 2,181 | Capacity: 3,746[8] | Capacity: 3,808[9] | Capacity: 4,178[10] |
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Personnel and kits edit
| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albion Rovers |  Brian Reid
|
Aron Lynas
|
Joma | CompliancePath |
| Annan Athletic |  Peter Murphy
|
 Steven Swinglehurst
|
EV2 Sportswear | M & S Engineering |
| Cowdenbeath | Maurice Ross
|
Craig Barr
|
Erreà | Collier Haulage, Quarrying and Recycling |
| Edinburgh City | Alan Maybury (interim)
|
Robbie McIntyre
|
Macron | Forth Capital |
| Elgin City | Gavin Price
|
Euan Spark
|
Joma | McDonald & Munro |
| Forfar Athletic | Gary Irvine
|
Ross Meechan
|
Pendle | Orchard Timber Products |
| Kelty Hearts | Kevin Thomson
|
Michael Tidser
|
Joma | The Conservatory Converters |
| Stenhousemuir | Stephen Swift
|
Sean Crighton
|
Puma | LOC Hire |
| Stirling Albion | Darren Young
|
Ross McGeachie
|
Macron | Prudential |
| Stranraer | Jamie Hamill
|
Grant Gallagher
|
Joma[11] | Stena Line[12] |
Managerial changes edit
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kelty Hearts | Barry Ferguson
|
Resigned | 24 May 2021 | Pre-season | Kevin Thomson
|
28 May 2021 |
| Stranraer | Stephen Farrell
|
Signed by Dumbarton | 29 May 2021 | Jamie Hamill
|
4 June 2021 | |
| Cowdenbeath | Gary Bollan
|
Mutual consent | 23 October 2021 | 10th | Maurice Ross
|
2 November 2021 |
| Stirling Albion | Kevin Rutkiewicz
|
Resigned | 9 December 2021 | 4th | Darren Young
|
20 December 2021 |
| Edinburgh City | Gary Naysmith
|
Sacked | 17 March 2022 | 4th | Alan Maybury (interim)
|
24 March 2022 |
League summary edit
League table edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kelty Hearts (C, P) | 36 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 68 | 28 | +40 | 81 | Promotion to League One |
| 2 | Forfar Athletic | 36 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 57 | 36 | +21 | 60 | Qualification for the League One play-offs |
| 3 | Annan Athletic | 36 | 18 | 5 | 13 | 64 | 51 | +13 | 59 | |
| 4 | Edinburgh City (O, P) | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 52 | |
| 5 | Stenhousemuir | 36 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 47 | 46 | +1 | 49 | |
| 6 | Stranraer | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 50 | 54 | −4 | 47 | |
| 7 | Stirling Albion | 36 | 11 | 9 | 16 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 42 | |
| 8 | Albion Rovers | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 37 | 58 | −21 | 39 | |
| 9 | Elgin City | 36 | 9 | 10 | 17 | 33 | 51 | −18 | 37 | |
| 10 | Cowdenbeath (R) | 36 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 28 | 49 | −21 | 29 | Qualification for the League Two play-off final |
Source: [13]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-to head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only for deciding promotion, play-off participation and relegation).[14]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-to head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only for deciding promotion, play-off participation and relegation).[14]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Results edit
Season statistics edit
Scoring edit
Top scorers edit
- As of 30 April 2022
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nathan Austin
|
Kelty Hearts | 17 |
| 2 | Tony Wallace
|
Annan Athletic | 13 |
| Kane Hester
|
Elgin City | ||
| Thomas Orr
|
Stenhousemuir | ||
| 5 | Tommy Goss
|
Annan Athletic | 12 |
| Joe Cardle
|
Kelty Hearts |
Awards edit
| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Club | Player | Club | |
| August | Kevin Thomson
|
Kelty Hearts | Joe Cardle
|
Kelty Hearts |
| September | Kevin Rutkiewicz
|
Stirling Albion | Nathan Austin
|
Kelty Hearts |
| October | Gary Irvine
|
Forfar Athletic | Craig Thomson
|
Forfar Athletic |
| November | Kevin Thomson
|
Kelty Hearts | John Robertson
|
Edinburgh City |
| December | Peter Murphy
|
Annan Athletic | Dominic Docherty
|
Annan Athletic |
| January | Gavin Price
|
Elgin City | Tam Orr
|
Stenhousemuir |
| February | Stephen Swift
|
Stenhousemuir | Nicky Jamieson
|
Stenhousemuir |
| March | Kevin Thomson
|
Kelty Hearts | Tommy Goss
|
Annan Athletic |
| April | Gary Irvine
|
Forfar Athletic | Kallum Higginbotham
|
Kelty Hearts |
League Two play-offs edit
The Pyramid play-off was contested between the champions of the 2021–22 Highland Football League (Fraserburgh) and the 2021–22 Lowland Football League (Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic). The winners (Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic) then faced the bottom club in League Two (Cowdenbeath) in the play-off final. As Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic won the final, they were promoted to League Two for the 2022–23 season and Cowdenbeath were relegated to the Lowland League.
Pyramid play-off edit
First leg edit
| 23 April 2022 | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | 3–1 | Fraserburgh | Bonnyrigg |
| 15:00 |
|
[16] | Young  70' |
Stadium: New Dundas Park Attendance: 1,571 Referee: Alan Newlands |
Second leg edit
| 30 April 2022 | Fraserburgh | 1–0 (2–3 agg.) | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | Fraserburgh |
| 15:00 | Simpson 65' |
[17] | Stadium: Bellslea Park Referee: Mike Roncone |
Final edit
First leg edit
| 7 May 2022 | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | 3–0 | Cowdenbeath | Bonnyrigg |
| 15:00 | [18] | Stadium: New Dundas Park Attendance: 2,202 Referee: Grant Irvine |
Second leg edit
| 14 May 2022 | Cowdenbeath | 0–1 (0–4 agg.) | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | Cowdenbeath |
| 15:00 | [19] | Martyniuk 62' (pen.) |
Stadium: Central Park Attendance: 2,117 Referee: David Munro |
References edit
- ^ "Stadium Announcement". Edinburgh City FC. 31 March 2021. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ Delaney, James (3 May 2022). "Meadowbank Stadium 'finishing line in sight' as delayed arena to open". STV News. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
- ^ "Albion Rovers Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Annan Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Cowdenbeath Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Elgin City Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Forfar Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Stenhousemuir Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Stirling Albion Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "Stranraer Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ "New kit deal". Stranraer FC. 15 May 2018. Archived from the original on 21 May 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- ^ "30 years of Stena". Stranraer FC. 29 June 2017. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ "cinch League Two Table". Scottish Prefessional Football League. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ a b "cinch League Two Results". SPFL. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ Law, Callum (23 April 2022). "Fraserburgh defeated 3-1 by Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic in play-off semi-final first leg". The Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
- ^ Law, Callum (30 April 2022). "Fraserburgh defeat Bonnyrigg 1-0 but it's not enough to reach play-off final". The Press and Journal. Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ "Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 3–0 Cowdenbeath". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ "Cowdenbeath 0–1 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.