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The reaction of the Scottish League was to form a new Second Division for season 1921/22 from the Central League clubs. Automatic promotion and relegation came in for the first time and goal average was introduced as a far more desirable way to separate tied teams. The players poached by Dunfermline soon returned to their previous clubs. In 1923/24 a new Third Division was added, comprising chiefly of clubs from the Western League. However, that initial attempt at establishing a Third Division only lasted for three seasons.
All official football was ended, both in Scotland and England, in September 1939, at the outset of the Second World War. Regional leagues were formed throughout the war years and it was not until 1946/47 season that the Scottish Football League resumed.
In 1975/76 the reorganisation of the game once again led to a triple league system. A Premier League was formed, comprising of ten clubs who would play each other four times per season, twice at home and twice away. In 1986/87 the number of clubs in the Premier League was increased from 10 to 12, meaning that during a full league each club would play an incredible 44 games, more than any other top league in Europe.
In 1996/97 the Premier League underwent a dramatic reorganisation making it into a separate body from the Scottish Football League. Once again promotion between the First Division does not happen automatically. The First Division champions need to be voted into the Premier League by the top division clubs. The main criteria for election to the top division is not at all connected to the footballing ability of the club, but whether or not their stadium facilities are good enough. This continues to be a source of huge controversy and debate amongst Scottish football fans.
