The 2017–18 Scottish Championship (known as the Ladbrokes Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the 24th season in the current format of 10 teams in the second tier of Scottish football. The fixtures were published on 23 June 2017.

Ten teams contested the league: Brechin City, Dumbarton, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk, Greenock Morton, Inverness CT, Livingston, Queen of the South and St Mirren.

St Mirren won the league title, and promotion to the Premiership, after a 0–0 draw with Livingston on 14 April 2018.

Brechin City became the first team in 126 years to go through a Scottish league season without a win. Their total of 4 points was the lowest ever recorded in the Scottish second tier, the lowest in the three points for a win era and the joint-lowest in any Scottish division.

Prize money

In April 2018, the SPFL confirmed the prize money to be allocated to the league members at the conclusion of the competitions. The Championship winners would receive £533,000 with a total pot of £24.5 million to be distributed across the four divisions.

Teams

The following teams have changed division since the 2016–17 season.

To Championship Promoted from Scottish League One Brechin City Livingston Relegated from Scottish Premiership Inverness Caledonian ThistleFrom Championship Relegated to Scottish League One Ayr United Raith Rovers Promoted to Scottish Premiership Hibernian

Stadia and locations

Brechin CityDumbartonDundee UnitedDunfermline Athletic
Glebe ParkDumbarton Football StadiumTannadice ParkEast End Park
Capacity: 4,083Capacity: 2,020Capacity: 14,223Capacity: 11,480
FalkirkBrechin CityDumbartonDundee UtdDunfermline AthleticFalkirkMortonInverness Caledonian ThistleLivingstonQueen of the SouthSt MirrenGreenock Morton
Falkirk StadiumCappielow Park
Capacity: 7,937Capacity: 11,589
Inverness Caledonian ThistleLivingstonQueen of the SouthSt Mirren
Caledonian StadiumAlmondvale StadiumPalmerston ParkPaisley 2021 Stadium
Capacity: 7,750Capacity: 8,716Capacity: 8,690Capacity: 8,023

Personnel and kits

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Brechin CityScotland Darren DodsScotland Paul McLeanPendleDelson
DumbartonScotland Stephen AitkenScotland Andy DowieJomaTurnberry Homes
Dundee UnitedHungary Csaba LászlóScotland Tam ScobbieNikeMcEwan Fraser Legal
Dunfermline AthleticScotland Allan JohnstonRepublic of Ireland Callum MorrisJomaSRJ Windows
FalkirkScotland Paul HartleyScotland Aaron MuirheadPumaCentral Demolition
Greenock MortonScotland Jim DuffyScotland Thomas O'WareVision OutsourcingMillions
Inverness CTScotland John RobertsonEngland Gary WarrenErreàMcEwan Fraser Legal
LivingstonScotland David HopkinScotland Craig HalkettFBTTony Macaroni
Queen of the SouthScotland Gary NaysmithScotland John RankinMacronJ.B. Houston
St MirrenScotland Jack RossScotland Stephen McGinnJomaSkyview Capital

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment
Inverness CTRepublic of Ireland Richie ForanSacked29 May 2017Pre-seasonScotland John Robertson14 June 2017
FalkirkScotland Peter HoustonSacked24 September 20179thScotland Alex Smith (interim)24 September 2017
FalkirkScotland Alex Smith (interim)End of interim4 October 20178thScotland Paul Hartley4 October 2017
Dundee UnitedScotland Ray McKinnonSacked24 October 20174thScotland Laurie Ellis (interim)25 October 2017
Dundee UnitedScotland Laurie Ellis (interim)End of interim8 November 20172ndHungary Csaba László8 November 2017

League summary

League table

PosTeamvtePldWDLGFGAGDPtsPromotion, qualification or relegation
1St Mirren (C, P)3623586336+2774Promotion to the Premiership
2Livingston (O, P)36171185637+1962Qualification for the Premiership play-off semi-final
3Dundee United36187115242+1061Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-final
4Dunfermline Athletic36161196035+2559
5Inverness Caledonian Thistle36169115337+1657
6Queen of the South361410125953+652
7Greenock Morton361311124740+750
8Falkirk361211134549−447
9Dumbarton (R)3679202763−3630Qualification for the Championship play-offs
10Brechin City (R)3604322090−704Relegation to League One

Positions by Round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological progress, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.

Leader - Promotion to 2018–19 Scottish Premiership
Qualification to Premiership play-off semi-finals
Qualification to Premiership play-off quarter-finals
Qualification to Championship play-offs
Relegation to 2018–19 Scottish League One
Team \ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536
St Mirren254312211111212211111111111111111111
Livingston567666442323333443334432222222222222
Dundee United311444324442121122222223344334544333
Dunfermline Athletic422121133234444554443344556555433444
Inverness Caledonian Thistle81010778899877878877777677778888876555
Queen of the South143235656555556336666556665666667776
Greenock Morton735553565666665665555765433443355667
Falkirk989999988999999999999988887777788888
Dumbarton676887777788787788888899999999999999
Brechin City1098101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010

Source:[citation needed] Updated: 28 April 2018

Results

Teams play each other four times, twice in the first half of the season (home and away) and twice in the second half of the season (home and away), making a total of 180 games, with each team playing 36.

First half of season

Home \ AwayBREDUMDUNDNFFALGMOINVLIVQOSSTM
Brechin City—0–11–10–31–10–10–42–20–11–2
Dumbarton2–1—0–20–40–00–02–11–42–20–2
Dundee United1–01–1—2–13–02–10–23–02–12–1
Dunfermline Athletic2–12–21–3—3–11–15–13–12–53–0
Falkirk3–11–10–01–1—0–30–00–21–40–0
Greenock Morton4–11–10–23–20–1—1–00–11–24–1
Inverness CT4–01–00–11–04–11–1—1–30–00–2
Livingston3–22–12–01–10–01–10–0—2–21–3
Queen of the South4–11–01–30–04–21–20–00–3—2–3
St Mirren2–10–13–01–03–12–24–23–13–1—

Second half of season

Home \ AwayBREDUMDUNDNFFALGMOINVLIVQOSSTM
Brechin City—1–30–50–30–11–12–30–21–50–1
Dumbarton1–0—3–20–12–50–10–10–30–10–2
Dundee United4–12–0—1–11–00–31–12–02–31–0
Dunfermline Athletic4–04–00–0—2–00–01–01–03–11–2
Falkirk3–00–06–11–2—3–13–11–33–21–0
Greenock Morton2–03–21–12–10–1—0–30–10–11–1
Inverness CT4–05–11–02–21–00–2—1–13–12–2
Livingston3–02–02–10–00–03–20–1—0–14–1
Queen of the South3–10–03–00–02–21–10–23–3—1–3
St Mirren1–05–02–02–01–22–11–00–02–0—

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

As of matches played on 28 April 2018

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Scotland Stephen DobbieQueen of the South18
2Australia Scott McDonaldDundee United15
3Scotland Nicky ClarkDunfermline Athletic14
Scotland Lewis MorganSt Mirren
5Scotland Gavin ReillySt Mirren11
6England Kallum HigginbothamDunfermline Athletic10
Scotland Cammy SmithSt Mirren

Source:

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef
Scotland Stephen DobbieQueen of the SouthFalkirk4–126 August 2017
Dunfermline Athletic5–210 December 2017
Brechin City3–127 January 2018
Brechin City5–128 April 2018
Scotland Nicky ClarkDunfermline AthleticBrechin City3–020 March 2018
Queen of the South3–131 March 2018
Scotland Nathan AustinInverness Caledonian ThistleDumbarton5–114 April 2018

Discipline

Player

RankPlayerClubCards
Yellow cards As of matches played on 28 April 2018 Rank Player Club Cards 1 Scotland Iain Vigurs Inverness Caledonian Thistle 14 2 Scotland Brad McKay Inverness Caledonian Thistle 13 3 England James Dale Brechin City 10 Scotland Gary Harkins Greenock Morton Source:Red cards As of matches played on 28 April 2018 Rank Player Club Cards 1 Scotland Aron Lynas Brechin City 2 Scotland Craig Barr Dumbarton Scotland Paul McMullan Dundee United Scotland Iain Vigurs Inverness Caledonian Thistle 5 28 players 1 Source:
1Scotland Iain VigursInverness Caledonian Thistle14
2Scotland Brad McKayInverness Caledonian Thistle13
3England James DaleBrechin City10
Scotland Gary HarkinsGreenock Morton
RankPlayerClubCards
1Scotland Aron LynasBrechin City2
Scotland Craig BarrDumbarton
Scotland Paul McMullanDundee United
Scotland Iain VigursInverness Caledonian Thistle
528 players1

Club

RankClubCards
Yellow cards As of matches played on 28 April 2018 Rank Club Cards 1 Inverness CT 76 2 Dunfermline Athletic 72 3 Brechin City 69 Source:Red cards As of matches played on 28 April 2018 Rank Club Cards 1 Inverness CT 7 2 Brechin City 5 Dumbarton Livingston Source:
1Inverness CT76
2Dunfermline Athletic72
3Brechin City69
RankClubCards
1Inverness CT7
2Brechin City5
Dumbarton
Livingston

Attendances

PosTeamTotalHighLowAverageChange
1Dundee United99,0976,9363,6205,505−16.4%†
2Dunfermline Athletic94,3827,5852,2495,243+18.1%†
3Falkirk84,1756,0943,8644,676−7.1%†
4St Mirren80,0616,4223,0234,447+23.6%†
5Inverness Caledonian Thistle41,2963,4151,8012,294−41.9%†
6Greenock Morton35,7394,6611,1341,985−15.9%†
7Queen of the South26,2322,0191,0621,457−21.5%†
8Livingston24,2682,7087321,348+69.3%†
9Brechin City16,6192,627445923+115.7%†
10Dumbarton15,0851,652392838−25.8%†
League total518,6547,5853922,881−35.8%†

Updated to games played on 28 April 2018 Source:

Awards

Monthly awards

MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthRef.
ManagerClubPlayerClub
AugustScotland Allan JohnstonDunfermline AthleticEngland Joe CardleDunfermline Athletic
SeptemberScotland David HopkinLivingstonScotland Lewis MorganSt Mirren
OctoberScotland John RobertsonInverness CTEngland Carl TremarcoInverness CT
NovemberScotland Stephen AitkenDumbartonScotland Scott FraserDundee United
DecemberScotland Jack RossSt MirrenScotland Stephen DobbieQueen of the South
JanuaryScotland Jack RossSt MirrenScotland Stephen McGinnSt Mirren
FebruaryScotland David HopkinLivingstonScotland Ryan HardieLivingston
MarchScotland Jack RossSt MirrenScotland Nicky ClarkDunfermline Athletic

Championship play-offs

The second bottom team will enter into a 4-team playoff with the 2nd-4th placed teams in League One.

Semi-finals

First leg

2 May 2018Arbroath1–2DumbartonArbroath
19:45Linn 64'Gallagher 55' Barr 90'Stadium: Gayfield Park Attendance: 892 Referee: Nick Walsh
2 May 2018Alloa Athletic2–0Raith RoversAlloa
19:45Stewart 22' Flannigan 58'Stadium: Recreation Park Attendance: 1123 Referee: Don Robertson

Second leg

5 May 2018Dumbarton1–1 (3–2 agg.)ArbroathDumbarton
15:00Hill 9'Swankie 27'Stadium: Dumbarton Football Stadium Attendance: 872 Referee: Craig Charleston
5 May 2018Raith Rovers1–2 (1–4 agg.)Alloa AthleticKirkcaldy
15:00Murray 53'Kirkpatrick 40' Stewart 81'Stadium: Stark's Park Attendance: 1,831 Referee: Stephen Finnie

Final

First leg

9 May 2018Alloa Athletic0–1DumbartonAlloa
19:45Carswell 6'Stadium: Recreation Park Attendance: 811 Referee: John McKendrick

Second leg

13 May 2018Dumbarton0–2(a.e.t.) (1–2 agg.)Alloa AthleticDumbarton
16:10Stewart 90+3' Kirkpatrick 95'Stadium: Dumbarton Football Stadium Attendance: 1,115 Referee: John Beaton