2020–21 Scottish League One
# 2020–21 Scottish League One

The 2020–21 Scottish League One was the eighth season of Scottish League One, the third tier of Scottish football. The season commenced later than usual, on the October 17th, being played over a shortened 22 game period due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Ten teams contested the league: Airdrieonians, Clyde, Cove Rangers, Dumbarton, East Fife, Falkirk, Forfar Athletic, Montrose, Partick Thistle and Peterhead.

On 11 January 2021, the league was suspended for three weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 29 January 2021, the suspension was extended until at least 14 February. In March 2021, the Scottish Government gave permission for the league to resume. On 4 March, League One and Two clubs proposed shortening the season to 22 matches, with each team playing all other teams twice, followed by a split in the table to determine the final four matches. The clubs suggested a restart date of 20 March, which was approved by the SPFL.

## Teams

The following teams changed division after the 2019–20 season.

### To League One

Promoted from League Two

* Cove Rangers

Relegated from the Championship

* Partick Thistle

### From League One

Relegated to League Two

* Stranraer

Promoted to the Championship

* Raith Rovers

### Stadia and locations

| Airdrieonians | Clyde | Cove Rangers | Dumbarton |
| - | - | - | - |
| Excelsior Stadium | Broadwood Stadium | Balmoral Stadium | Dumbarton Football Stadium |
| Capacity: 10,101 | Capacity: 8,086 | Capacity: 2,602 | Capacity: 2,020 |
| East Fife | AirdrieClydeCove RangersDumbartonEast FifeFalkirkForfar AthleticMontrosePartick ThistlePeterheadclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2020–21 Scottish League One | AirdrieClydeCove RangersDumbartonEast FifeFalkirkForfar AthleticMontrosePartick ThistlePeterheadclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2020–21 Scottish League One | Falkirk |
| Bayview Stadium | AirdrieClydeCove RangersDumbartonEast FifeFalkirkForfar AthleticMontrosePartick ThistlePeterheadclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2020–21 Scottish League One | AirdrieClydeCove RangersDumbartonEast FifeFalkirkForfar AthleticMontrosePartick ThistlePeterheadclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2020–21 Scottish League One | Falkirk Stadium |
| Capacity: 1,980 | AirdrieClydeCove RangersDumbartonEast FifeFalkirkForfar AthleticMontrosePartick ThistlePeterheadclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2020–21 Scottish League One | AirdrieClydeCove RangersDumbartonEast FifeFalkirkForfar AthleticMontrosePartick ThistlePeterheadclass=notpageimage| Location of teams in 2020–21 Scottish League One | Capacity: 7,937 |
| Forfar Athletic | Montrose | Partick Thistle | Peterhead |
| Station Park | Links Park | Firhill Stadium | Balmoor |
| Capacity: 6,777 | Capacity: 4,936 | Capacity: 10,102 | Capacity: 3,150 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Airdrieonians | Ian Murray | Sean Crighton | Umbro | Holemasters |
| Clyde | Danny Lennon | David Goodwillie | Uhlsport | North Lanarkshire Leisure (Home) HomesBook Factoring (Away) |
| Cove Rangers | Paul Hartley | Mitch Megginson | Adidas | ACE Group |
| Dumbarton | Jim Duffy | Stuart Carswell | Joma | C&G Systems |
| East Fife | Darren Young | Kevin Smith | Joma | BW Technology |
| Falkirk | Gary Holt (Interim) | Gary Miller | Puma | Central Demolition |
| Forfar Athletic | Gary Irvine | Gary Irvine | Pendle | Orchard Timber Products |
| Montrose | Stewart Petrie | Paul Watson | Hummel | Carnegie Fuels Ltd |
| Partick Thistle | Ian McCall | Thomas O'Ware | O'Neills | Just Employment Law |
| Peterhead | Jim McInally | Scott Brown | Adidas | The Score Group |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Forfar Athletic | Stuart Malcolm | Resigned | 9 April 2021 | 10th | Gary Irvine | 9 April 2021 |
| Falkirk | David McCracken Lee Miller | Sacked | 21 April 2021 | 3rd | Gary Holt (interim) | 21 April 2021 |

## League summary

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Partick Thistle (C, P) | 22 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 40 | 18 | +22 | 40 | Promotion to the Championship |
| 2 | Airdrieonians | 22 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 35 | 24 | +11 | 38 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 3 | Cove Rangers | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 18 | +10 | 36 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 4 | Montrose | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 33 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Falkirk | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 29 | 26 | +3 | 32 | |
| 6 | East Fife | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 30 | 33 | −3 | 33 | |
| 7 | Peterhead | 22 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 24 | 27 | −3 | 29 | |
| 8 | Clyde | 22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 27 | 38 | −11 | 26 | |
| 9 | Dumbarton (O) | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 24 | −10 | 25 | Qualification for the League One play-offs |
| 10 | Forfar Athletic (R) | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 37 | −19 | 17 | Relegation to League Two |

## Results

Teams play each other two times, making a total of 90 games, with each team playing 18, the league then splits in half for a further 4 matches. This was reduced from the normal 36 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

### Matches 1–18

| Home \ Away | AIR | CLY | COV | DUM | EFI | FAL | FOR | MON | PAR | PET |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Airdrieonians | — | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 |
| Clyde | 2–4 | — | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 |
| Cove Rangers | 2–0 | 2–3 | — | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Dumbarton | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | — | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 |
| East Fife | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 |
| Falkirk | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Forfar Athletic | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| Montrose | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | — | 0–1 | 3–2 |
| Partick Thistle | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–0 | — | 0–1 |
| Peterhead | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | — |

## Season statistics

### Scoring

**Top scorers**


    As of 6 May 2021

| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Mitch Megginson | Cove Rangers | 14 |
| 2 | David Goodwillie | Clyde | 11 |
| 2 | Brian Graham | Partick Thistle | 11 |
| 4 | Dale Carrick | Airdrieonians | 9 |
| 5 | Graham Webster | Montrose | 8 |
| 6 | Jack Hamilton | East Fife | 7 |
| 6 | Russell McLean | Montrose | 7 |
| 6 | Scott Tiffoney | Partick Thistle | 7 |

Source:

**Hat-tricks**

| Player | For | Against | Score | Date |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| David Goodwillie | Clyde | Montrose | 3–2 (H) | 21 November 2020 |

**Most assists**


    As of 6 May 2021

| Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Ross Forbes | Dumbarton | 6 |
| 1 | Joe Cardle | Partick Thistle | 6 |
| 3 | Ryan Wallace | East Fife | 4 |
| 3 | Cammy Ballantyne | Montrose | 4 |
| 3 | Hamish Ritchie | Peterhead | 4 |

Source:

### Attendances

Games were mostly played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited attendance was allowed at some grounds with strict conditions under the Scottish Government Tier system, dependent on the club's geographical location.

## Awards

| Month | Manager of the Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Player of the Month |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Month | Manager | Club | Player | Club |
| October | Paul Hartley | Cove Rangers | Stuart McKenzie | Cove Rangers |
| November | David McCracken Lee Miller | Falkirk | Thomas Robert | Airdrieonians |
| December | Stewart Petrie | Montrose | Jack Hamilton | East Fife |
| January | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| February | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| March | David McCracken Lee Miller | Falkirk | Graham Webster | Montrose |
| April | Ian McCall | Partick Thistle | Scott Tiffoney | Partick Thistle |

## League One play-offs

The second bottom team, Dumbarton, entered into a 4-team playoff with the 2nd-4th placed teams in 2020–21 Scottish League Two. Edinburgh City along with Elgin City and Stranraer secured playoff spots.

