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Scottish Women's Football League Second Division
The Scottish Women's Football League Second Division (SWFL 2) was a division in the Scottish women's football pyramid between 1999 and 2019. The third league tier from 1999 to 2015, it later became the fourth tier. Its top teams won promotion to the SWFL First Division. The Second Division began as a single national division,[1][2] but became three regional divisions in 2008–09, the North, East and West. It was further enlarged in 2012 to four divisions. From 2016 to 2019, SWFL 2 had forty clubs in four regional divisions. The champions of each division were eligible to enter play-offs for promotion to the First Division.[3] In 2020, Scottish Women's Football replaced the First Division with the SWF Championship, and the Second Division took the existing name of the Scottish Women's Football League. The SWFL is now a standalone 'Recreational' league with multiple regional divisions, resembling the former Second Division, but now with no regular promotion or relegation.[4] HistoryThe Second Division was initially a single national competition,[5] played as a double round-robin. ChampionsNational division champions – league level 3:
Regional division champions – league level 3:
Regional division champions – league level 4:
Seasons1999–2008In the season 2000–01, Hamilton Athletic finished top of the 10-team national Second Division.[1]
Falkirk Ladies had won promotion from the SWFL Third Division in 1999–2000,[34] and they became the Second Division champions in 2002–03, ahead of Dundee City and Civil Service Strollers.[35][36] Falkirk sealed the title with late-season wins over St. Johnstone away and Dundee City at Brockville.[7][8] In 2005–06, the top teams in the division were champions Buchan Girls, Crichton, Cowdenbeath, Arsenal North 2nd LFC and Thistle LFC.[37] Cowdenbeath won the 2006–07 championship.[9][10] 2007–08 was the last season of the national SWFL Second Division. The member clubs were:[2]
2008–2012After the switch to the three regional divisions (North, East and West) in 2008–09, the Second Division's member clubs were:
The Scottish women's football divisions used the autumn–spring season calendar until 2008–09. From the season 2009, they switched to a summer schedule (March–November).[39] The three-division system continued with the new schedule, in the 2010 and 2011 seasons.[40][41] Owing to an influx of new clubs, for the 2012 season the Second Division East was split into two separate East and South-East divisions. The East division was now based around Fife and Tayside while the South-East division was centred on Edinburgh and the Lothians. Hearts, Hibernian 1875, Falkirk FC and a Spartans Reserve team moved from the East division to the South East in 2012. Boroughmuir Thistle, Football Club of Edinburgh, Leith Athletic, Musselburgh Windsor and Seton Ladies were new clubs.[42] 2011 North champions Buchan Ladies were promoted to the First Division while Dundee City and Forfar Farmington Blues transferred to the East. New clubs were a Buchan Ladies Youth side, Turriff United and Dee Ladies, part of the Dee Boys Club set-up.[43] 2013Member clubs in the 2013 season:
2017The following teams played in the SWFL Second Division during the 2017 season.[45] As well as first teams, the SWFL structures also incorporated a number of development or youth teams of other SWPL and SWFL clubs.
2019Member clubs in the 2019 season:
See alsoReferences
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