1895–96 in Scottish football

The 1895–96 season of Scottish football was the 23rd season of competitive football in Scotland and the sixth season of the Scottish Football League. This season also saw the introduction of the Scottish Qualifying Cup.

Football in Scotland

Season	1895–96
← 1894–95 1896–97 →

1895–96 in Scottish football
Division One champions
Celtic
Division Two champions
Abercorn
Scottish Cup winners
Heart of Midlothian
Junior Cup winners
Cambuslang Hibs
Scotland national team
1896 BHC

League competitions

Scottish Division One

Main article: 1895–96 Scottish Division One

Celtic topped the Scottish Division One.

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Celtic (C)	18	15	0	3	64	25	+39	30	Champions
2	Rangers	18	11	4	3	57	39	+18	26
3	Hibernian	18	11	2	5	58	39	+19	24
4	Heart of Midlothian	18	11	0	7	68	36	+32	22
5	Dundee	18	7	2	9	33	42	−9	16
6	St Bernard's	18	7	1	10	36	53	−17	15
6	Third Lanark	18	7	1	10	47	51	−4	15
8	St Mirren	18	5	3	10	31	51	−20	13
9	Clyde	18	4	3	11	39	59	−20	11
10	Dumbarton (R)	18	4	0	14	36	74	−38	8	Relegated to the 1896–97 Scottish Division Two

Source: "1895-1896 Division 1 - SPFL Archive". SPFL. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
Rules for classification: Teams finish equal if level on points. Points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Scottish Division Two

Main article: 1895–96 Scottish Division Two

Abercorn came first in the Scottish Division Two. Leith Athletic and Renton finished second and third

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Abercorn (C, P)	18	12	3	3	55	31	+24	27	Promoted to the 1896–97 Scottish First Division
2	Leith Athletic	18	11	1	6	55	37	+18	23
3	Kilmarnock	18	10	1	7	51	46	+5	21
3	Renton	18	9	3	6	40	28	+12	21
5	Airdrieonians	18	7	4	7	48	44	+4	18
5	Partick Thistle	18	8	2	8	46	54	−8	18
7	Port Glasgow Athletic	18	6	4	8	40	41	−1	16
8	Motherwell	18	5	3	10	31	52	−21	13
9	Morton	18	4	4	10	32	42	−10	12
10	Linthouse	18	5	1	12	26	49	−23	11

Source: statto.com
Rules for classification: Teams finish equal if level on points. Points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Other honours

Cup honours

National

Competition	Winner	Score	Runner-up
Scottish Cup	Heart of Midlothian	3 – 1	Hibernian
Scottish Qualifying Cup	Annbank	3 – 0	East Stirlingshire
Scottish Junior Cup	Cambuslang Hibs	3 – 1	Parkhead

County

Competition	Winner	Score	Runner-up
Aberdeenshire Cup	Victoria United	6 – 2	Aberdeen
Ayrshire Cup	Kilmarnock	7 – 2	Galston
Border Cup	Selkirk	6 – 2	Newcastleton
Dumbartonshire Cup	Renton	3 – 0	Dumbarton
East of Scotland Shield	Mossend Swifts	4 – 1	Polton Vale
Fife Cup	Clackmannan	w.o.[a]	Alloa Athletic
Forfarshire Cup	Arbroath	2 – 0	Dundee
Glasgow Cup	Celtic	6 – 3	Queen's Park
Lanarkshire Cup	Royal Albert	6 – 1	Motherwell
Linlithgowshire Cup	Bo'ness	3 – 0	Armadale
North of Scotland Cup	Clachnacuddin	4 – 1	Elgin City
Perthshire Cup	St Johnstone	5 – 3[b]	Dunblane
Renfrewshire Cup	Port Glasgow Athletic	3 – 0	St Mirren
Southern Counties Cup	St Cuthbert Wanderers	4 – 1[b]	Douglas Wanderers
Stirlingshire Cup	Falkirk	6 – 1	Kilsyth Wanderers

Non-league honours

Highland League

Top Three

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Inverness Caledonian[c]	10	7	1	2	29	16	+13	15
2	Inverness Thistle	10	7	1	2	26	11	+15	15
3	Clachnacuddin	10	5	2	3	32	19	+13	12

Source: RSSSF

Other Senior Leagues

Division	Winner
Ayrshire Combination	Ayr	[1]
Midland League	Stenhousemuir	[2]
Northern League	Forfar Athletic	[3]
Scottish Alliance	Wishaw Thistle	[4]

Scotland national team

Main articles: 1895–96 British Home Championship and Scotland national football team 1872–1914 results

Date	Venue	Opponents	Score[d]	Competition	Scotland scorer(s)
21 March 1896	Carolina Port, Dundee (H)	Wales	4–0	BHC	Robert Neil (2), Alex Keillor, Daniel Paton
28 March 1896	Solitude, Belfast (A)	Ireland	3–3	BHC	Robert McColl (2), James Blessington
4 April 1896	Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)	England	2–1	BHC	William Lambie, John Bell

Scotland were winners of the 1896 British Home Championship.

Key:

• (H) = Home match
• (A) = Away match
• BHC = British Home Championship

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Scotland (C)	3	2	1	0	9	4	+5	5
England	3	2	0	1	12	3	+9	4
Wales	3	1	0	2	7	14	−7	2
Ireland	3	0	1	2	4	11	−7	1

Source: ^[5][6]
Rules for classification: 1) points. The points system worked as follows: 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw.
(C) Champions

Other national teams

Scottish League XI

Date	Venue	Opponents[7][8]	Score[e]	Scotland scorer(s)
15 February	Celtic Park, Glasgow (H)	Irish League XI	3–2	Allan Martin (3)
11 April	Goodison Park, Liverpool (A)	Football League XI	1–5	James Oswald

See also

• 1895–96 Rangers F.C. season

Notes

1. Match awarded as Walkover.
2. Replay needed.
3. Finished first after a play-off.
4. Scotland's score is shown first.
5. Scottish League XI's score is shown first.