2011–12 Scottish First Division


The 2011–12 Scottish Football League First Division, also known as the 2011–12 Irn Bru Scottish Football League First Division for sponsorship reasons, is the 17th season of the Scottish First Division and the 106th season of a second-tier football league in Scotland. Dunfermline Athletic are the current champions. It began on 6 August 2011 and is scheduled to end on 5 May 2012.
The league comprises the teams ranked second through eighth of the 2010–11 season, the relegated side from the 2010–11 Premier League, the 2010–11 Second Division champions, and the winners of the 2010–11 First Division play-off.

Teams

, champions of the 2010–11 season, were promoted to the 2011–12 Premier League. The club thus completed a five-season tenure in the First Division. Dunfermline were replaced by Hamilton Academical, who were relegated from the 2010–11 Premier League after finishing at the bottom of the table; Hamilton returned to the First Division after three years.
At the bottom end of the table, last-placed Stirling Albion were directly relegated to the 2011–12 Second Division after being promoted to the second tier only one season earlier. They were replaced by the 2010–11 Second Division champions Livingston, who returned to the First Division after two consecutive promotions in two years; the club had previously been demoted for financial irregularities at the end of the 2008–09 season.
An additional place in the league was available via a play-off tournament between the ninth-placed First Division team, Cowdenbeath, and the sides ranked second through to fourth in the Second Division, Ayr United, Forfar Athletic and Brechin City respectively. The tournament was won by Ayr United, who therefore were promoted back to the First Division after a one-year absence; Cowdenbeath hence were relegated, returning to the Second Division after just one season.

Stadia and locations

Personnel and kits

League table

Results

Teams play each other four times in this league. In the first half of the season each team plays every other team twice and then do the same in the second half of the season, for a total of 36 games

First half of season

Second half of season

First Division Play-offs

Times are BST

Semi-Finals

The fourth placed team in the Second Division will play the ninth placed team in the First Division and third placed team in the Second Division will play the second placed team in the Second Division. The play-offs will be played over two legs, the winning team in each semi-final will advance to the final.

Final

The two semi-final winners will play each other over two legs. Originally, the winning team only was to be awarded a place in the 2012–13 First Division. Following the Rangers F.C. administration situation, both teams were awarded places.
First leg
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Second leg
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Statistics

Top goalscorers

RankScorerTeamGoals
1 Colin McMenaminRoss County19
2 Farid El AlaguiFalkirk18
3 Kris DoolanPartick Thistle13
3 Michael GardyneRoss County13
4 Rory BouldingLivingston11
4 Paul CairneyPartick Thistle11
4 Ryan ConroyDundee11
4 Brian GrahamRaith Rovers11
4 Marc McNultyLivingston11
4 Steven MilneDundee11

Hat-tricks

Disciplinary by player

Awards