2023–24 Scottish League Two

Scottish League Two
Season2023–24
Dates5 August 2023 – 4 May 2024
ChampionsStenhousemuir
PromotedStenhousemuir, Dumbarton (via play-offs)
Matches played180
Goals scored467 (2.59 per match)
Top goalscorerBlair Henderson
18 goals
Biggest home winPeterhead 6–0 Elgin City (30 September 2023)
Biggest away winStenhousemuir 1–6 Clyde (24 February 2024)
Highest scoringDumbarton 4–4 Clyde (23 December 2023)
The Spartans 2–6 Dumbarton (16 March 2024)
Longest winning runStenhousemuir
12 games
Longest unbeaten runStenhousemuir
17 games
Longest winless runBonnyrigg Rose
Clyde
10 games
Longest losing runStranraer
5 games
Highest attendance1,512
Stenhousemuir 1–1 Bonnyrigg Rose (27 April 2024)
Lowest attendance273
Stranraer 1–2 Elgin City (16 March 2024)
Total attendance105,586
Average attendance586
All statistics correct as of 4 May 2024.

The 2023–24 Scottish League Two (known as cinch League Two for sponsorship reasons) was the eleventh season of Scottish League Two, the fourth tier of Scottish football. The season began on 5 August 2023.

Ten teams contested the league: Bonnyrigg Rose, Clyde, Dumbarton, East Fife, Elgin City, Forfar Athletic, Peterhead, Stenhousemuir, Stranraer and The Spartans.

Teams

The following teams changed division after the 2022–23 season.

Stadia and locations

Bonnyrigg Rose Clyde Dumbarton East Fife
New Dundas Park New Douglas Park Dumbarton Football Stadium Bayview Stadium
Capacity: 3,000 Capacity: 6,018 Capacity: 2,020 Capacity: 1,980
Elgin City
class=notpageimage|
Location of teams in 2023–24 Scottish League Two
 Forfar Athletic
Borough Briggs Station Park
Capacity: 4,520 Capacity: 6,777
Peterhead Stenhousemuir Stranraer The Spartans
Balmoor Ochilview Park Stair Park Ainslie Park
Capacity: 3,150 Capacity: 3,746 Capacity: 4,178 Capacity: 3,612

Personnel and kits

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Bonnyrigg Rose Calum Elliot Jonathan Stewart Puma G. Fitzsimmons and Son (Home)
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors (Away)
Clyde Ian McCall Barry Cuddihy Puma HomesBook Factoring (Home)
Whitemoss Dental (Away)
Dumbarton Stephen Farrell Mark Durnan Macron Ice & Fire Wellness
East Fife Dick Campbell Stewart Murdoch Erreà BW Technology (Home)
The Taxi Centre Fife (Away)
Elgin City Allan Hale Matthew Cooper Joma McDonald & Munro
Forfar Athletic Ray McKinnon Stuart Morrison Pendle Orchard Timber Products
Peterhead Jordon Brown
Ryan Strachan 		Jason Brown Puma The Score Group
Stenhousemuir Gary Naysmith Gregor Buchanan Uhlsport LOC Hire
Stranraer Scott Agnew Grant Gallagher Joma Stena Line
The Spartans Douglas Samuel Kevin Waugh Macron J-TEQ EMS Solutions Ltd

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Clyde Jim Duffy Appointed director of football 24 May 2023 Pre-season Brian McLean 2 June 2023
Elgin City Charlie Charlesworth, Ross Draper and Stevie Dunn End of interim spell 25 May 2023 Ross Draper 25 May 2023
Ross Draper Resigned 5 September 2023 9th Barry Smith 5 September 2023
Clyde Brian McLean Sacked 22 October 2023 Ian McCall 15 November 2023
Elgin City Barry Smith Mutual consent 13 November 2023 Allan Hale 5 December 2023
East Fife Greig McDonald Resigned 5 February 2024 6th Dick Campbell 6 February 2024
Bonnyrigg Rose Robbie Horn Sacked 24 March 2024 8th Calum Elliot 25 March 2024

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Stenhousemuir (C, P) 36 18 14 4 50 31 +19 68 Promotion to League One
2 Peterhead 36 16 12 8 58 39 +19 60 Qualification for the League One play-offs
3 The Spartans 36 15 13 8 53 43 +10 58
4 Dumbarton (O, P) 36 16 9 11 56 44 +12 57
5 East Fife 36 11 11 14 46 47 −1 44
6 Forfar Athletic 36 9 15 12 38 45 −7 42
7 Elgin City 36 10 10 16 35 59 −24 40
8 Bonnyrigg Rose 36 9 12 15 47 48 −1 39
9 Clyde 36 9 11 16 46 58 −12 38
10 Stranraer (O) 36 9 9 18 38 53 −15 36 Qualification for the League Two play-off final
Source:
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).
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

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 (Matches 1–18)

Home \ Away BON CLY DUM EFI ELG FOR PET STE STR SPA
Bonnyrigg Rose — 3–2 1–1 4–2 5–1 0–2 1–1 0–1 1–1 2–2
Clyde 0–2 — 0–4 0–3 2–1 0–0 1–2 1–2 2–2 1–2
Dumbarton 4–0 4–4 — 1–0 1–0 3–1 0–1 0–1 3–1 1–1
East Fife 0–3 2–0 0–1 — 4–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 4–0 0–3
Elgin City 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 — 1–0 2–1 1–1 0–1 0–4
Forfar Athletic 1–2 1–1 2–4 0–0 0–0 — 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2
Peterhead 2–1 2–1 3–1 2–0 6–0 1–2 — 0–0 3–2 0–1
Stenhousemuir 1–0 2–2 2–4 2–1 2–0 0–0 2–0 — 5–0 3–2
Stranraer 3–1 1–0 5–0 1–1 3–1 0–2 2–1 0–3 — 3–4
The Spartans 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–1 1–0 1–2 0–1 3–0 —
Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Second half of season (Matches 19–36)

Home \ Away BON CLY DUM EFI ELG FOR PET STE STR SPA
Bonnyrigg Rose — 1–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 0–1 0–0 0–1
Clyde 3–2 — 2–0 1–0 2–1 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–0 0–0
Dumbarton 2–0 1–0 — 1–2 2–2 2–2 1–0 0–0 2–1 0–0
East Fife 1–4 1–1 3–2 — 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 2–1 1–2
Elgin City 1–0 0–3 0–1 1–0 — 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–1 2–2
Forfar Athletic 0–0 2–1 0–2 2–1 2–1 — 3–3 1–1 2–0 1–0
Peterhead 0–0 4–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 2–1 — 2–1 2–0 0–1
Stenhousemuir 1–1 1–6 1–0 0–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 — 1–0 0–0
Stranraer 1–1 2–0 0–0 0–1 1–2 0–0 2–0 2–0 — 1–2
The Spartans 2–1 1–1 2–6 1–3 1–2 1–0 2–2 0–2 0–0 —
Source:
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Season statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Blair Henderson The Spartans 18
2 Matthew Aitken Stenhousemuir 14
3 Neil Martyniuk Bonnyrigg Rose 13
Nathan Austin East Fife
5 Martin Rennie Clyde 12

Awards

Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month
Manager Club Player Club
August Douglas Samuel The Spartans Jamie Dishington The Spartans
September Gary Naysmith Stenhousemuir Gregor Buchanan Stenhousemuir
October Douglas Samuel The Spartans Bradley Whyte The Spartans
November Gary Naysmith Stenhousemuir Matthew Aitken Stenhousemuir
December
January Blair Henderson The Spartans
February Ray McKinnon Forfar Athletic Martin Rennie Clyde
March Dick Campbell East Fife Alan Trouten East Fife
April Stephen Farrell Dumbarton Bradley Barrett Bonnyrigg Rose

League Two play-offs

The Pyramid play-off was due to be contested between the champions of the 2023–24 Highland Football League and the 2023–24 Lowland Football League. East Kilbride secured their place in the play-offs as the Lowland Football League representative on 12 April 2024. Buckie Thistle won the Highland League on 20 April 2024. However, on 25 April 2024 the SFA confirmed that Buckie Thistle had not received the necessary Bronze licence to be able to compete in the SPFL, therefore the Pyramid play-off was cancelled and East Kilbride were automatically advanced to the League Two play-off final against Stranraer. Stranraer's victory in the final meant that they remained in League Two for the 2024–25 season.

Pyramid play-off

First leg

27 April 2024 East Kilbride Walkover Buckie Thistle East Kilbride
15:00 Stadium: K-Park Training Academy

Second leg

4 May 2024 Buckie ThistleWalkover East Kilbride Buckie
15:00 Stadium: Victoria Park

Final

First leg

11 May 2024 East Kilbride 2–2 Stranraer East Kilbride
15:00
  • McIntosh 45+2'
  • Ross 60'
 Stadium: K-Park Training Academy
Attendance: 652
Referee: Dan McFarlane

Second leg

18 May 2024 Stranraer 3–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–3 agg.)		East KilbrideStranraer
15:00
  • Gallagher 44'
  • Ross 117'
  • Gilmartin 120+1'
 Samson 76' Stadium: Stair Park
Attendance: 1,871
Referee: Craig Napier

References

  1. ^ "Key dates for Season 2023/24". SPFL. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ^ Lindsay, Clive (22 April 2023). "Scottish League 2: Stirling Albion aim to avoid Yo-Yo return after title win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Club Statement". Clyde FC. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Bonnyrigg Rose Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Clyde Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Dumbarton Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. ^ "East Fife Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Elgin City Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Forfar Athletic Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Peterhead Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  11. ^ "Stenhousemuir Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  12. ^ "Stranraer Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  13. ^ "The Spartans Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  14. ^ "cinch League Two Table". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  15. ^ "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  16. ^ a b "cinch League Two Results". SPFL. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Scottish FA Statement: Pyramid Play-Off Tie". SFA. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  18. ^ McGilvray, Andy (11 May 2024). "East Kilbride 2, Stranraer 2: Robbo magic levels the tie for Kilby". Daily Record. Reach plc. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  19. ^ McGilvray, Andy (18 May 2024). "Stranraer 3, East Kilbride 1 (agg 5-3): Blues break Kilby hearts". Daily Record. Reach plc. Retrieved 18 May 2024.