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2023–24 Scottish Women's Football Championship

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Scottish Women's Football Championship
Season2023–24
ChampionsRossvale
PromotedRossvale
Ayr United

The 2023–24 Scottish Women's Football Championship was the third completed season of the SWF Championship as the third-tier division of women's football in Scotland.

The format was set to be similar to the 2022–23 season, other than the 'split' into promotion and relegation groups occurring after two round-robins rather than four the previous season, with the number of teams having increased to 10 - the split would be after 18 rounds. The situation was complicated by the mid-season withdrawal of Edinburgh City due to their parent men's club enduring financial problems;[1] their results were voided,[2] and the split took place after only 16 valid rounds, and the promotion group only comprising four clubs.

A national fourth tier, Scottish Women's Football League One, was also played under the same format with 10 teams taking part.

Overview

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Having narrowly missed out on promotion in 2022–23 with a loss to Stirling University in the play-off,[3] Rossvale won the Championship to secure automatic promotion to SWPL 2 for the 2024–25 season[4] (Stirling University were the automatically relegated team coming down to replace them). Rossvale had also won the SWF Championship and League One Cup[5] so completed a 'double'. Ayr United finished runners-up to take part in the play-off against Glasgow Women,[6] which they won 4–3 to secure promotion.[7]

Due to the complications from Edinburgh City's withdrawal and the intention to again increase the membership of the Championship for the following season, it was confirmed that no team would be relegated, with Hutchison Vale retaining their place in the division despite having lost all their matches, including nine by margins into double-figures. Three clubs – champions Stenhousemuir plus Forfar Farmington and Falkirk – were promoted from League One.[8][9]

Teams

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Championship

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Team[10] Location Home ground 2022–23 position
Ayr United Alloway Cambusdoon Sports Club 4th
Dryburgh Athletic Dundee Lochee Park 6th
East Fife Methil Bayview Stadium 8th (SWPL 2)
Edinburgh City
(withdrew)
Edinburgh Ainslie Park 1st (League One)
Hutchison Vale Edinburgh WHEC Education Centre 7th
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Inverness Millburn Academy 5th
Morton Greenock Cappielow 8th
Rossvale Glasgow Huntershill Recreation Centre 2nd
Renfrew Renfrew New Western Park 3rd
Westdyke Westhill Lawsondale Pitches 2nd (League One)

League One

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Team[11] Location Home ground
Airdrie Airdrie Excelsior Stadium
Bonnyrigg Rose Bonnyrigg New Dundas Park
BSC Glasgow
(withdrew)
Clydebank Clydebank Community Sport Hub
Dundee West Dundee Charlotte Street Pitches
Edinburgh Caledonia Edinburgh Peffermill 3G
Falkirk Falkirk Falkirk Stadium
Forfar Farmington Forfar Station Park
Giffnock Giffnock Eastwood Park
Queen of the South Dumfries Palmerston Park
St Mirren Linwood Mossedge Football Pitch
Stenhousemuir Stenhousemuir Ochilview Park

League table (Championship)

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Regular season

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Rossvale 16 15 0 1 78 15 +63 45 Qualification for the Promotion Group
2 Ayr United 16 12 1 3 56 21 +35 37
3 East Fife 16 11 0 5 59 26 +33 33
4 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 16 8 1 7 60 32 +28 25
5 Renfrew 16 7 3 6 47 29 +18 24 Qualification for the Relegation Group
6 Dryburgh Athletic 16 6 2 8 29 30 −1 20
7 Westdyke 16 6 2 8 46 53 −7 20
8 Morton 16 2 1 13 20 66 −46 7
9 Hutchison Vale 16 0 0 16 7 130 −123 0
10 Edinburgh City (withdrew) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: [12]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored

Promotion Group

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Rossvale (C, P) 19 16 1 2 86 22 +64 49 Promotion to SWPL 2
2 Ayr United (O, P) 19 15 1 3 66 25 +41 46 Qualification for the SWPL2 Play-off Final[6][7]
3 East Fife 19 12 1 6 66 33 +33 37
4 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 19 8 1 10 64 43 +21 25
Updated to match(es) played on 20 May 2024. Source: [13]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted


Relegation Group

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  • Note: It was agreed mid-season that no relegation would take place with the league due to expand to 12 teams,[14] but a mini-group of this nature was still played.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
5 Dryburgh Athletic 20 10 2 8 42 30 +12 32
6 Renfrew 19 8 3 8 59 36 +23 27
7 Westdyke 19 8 2 9 60 58 +2 26
8 Morton 19 3 1 15 24 74 −50 10
9 Hutchison Vale 19 0 0 19 8 154 −146 0
Updated to match(es) played on 20 May 2024. Source: [15]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored


References

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  1. ^ Edinburgh City confident of fulfilling season after reaching HMRC agreement, Brian McLauchlin, BBC Sport, 22 January 2024
  2. ^ SWF Statement on Edinburgh City FC, Scottish Women's Football, 20 December 2023
  3. ^ Stirling University narrowly win SWPL 2 play-off, SheKicks, 5 June 2023
  4. ^ Rossvale secure SWF Championship title and promotion to SWPL, SheKicks, 29 April 2024
  5. ^ Rossvale lift the Championship & League One Cup after extra time winner from Jane O’Toole, Scottish Women's Football, 22 April 2024
  6. ^ a b 23/24 SWPL play-off final details confirmed, Scottish Women's Premier League, 6 May 2024
  7. ^ a b Ayr United promoted to ScottishPower Women’s Premier League 2, She Kicks, 25 May 2024
  8. ^ Stenhousemuir are SWF League One Champions after 4-0 victory at Edinburgh Caledonia, Scottish Women's Football, 12 May 2024
  9. ^ Scottish Women's League One 2023/2024, Scottish Women's Football. Retrieved 20 May 2024
  10. ^ 2023-24 SWF Championship Season Preview, Scott McPike, SM Media, 18 August 2023
  11. ^ 2023-24 SWF League One Season Preview, Scott McPike, SM Media, 17 August 2023
  12. ^ "Summary – Women's Championship 2023/2024 Regular Season". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Women's Championship 2023/2024 Promotion Round". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  14. ^ Promotion and relegation update in the SWF pyramid, Scottish Women's Football, 26 March 2024
  15. ^ "Women's Championship 2023/2024 Relegation Round". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
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