List of Hamilton Academical F.C. seasons explained

This is a list of Hamilton Academical F.C. seasons in Scottish football, from their foundation in 1874 onwards. It details the club's achievements in senior league and cup competitions and the top scorers for each season. The list of top scorers also chronicles how the club's scoring records have progressed throughout the club's history.

Summary

Hamilton Academical were formed in late 1874 by the rector and pupils of Hamilton Academy. The club soon became members of the Scottish Football Association and initially began competing in the Scottish Cup and Qualifying Cup, before joining the Scottish Football League in November 1897 following the resignation of Renton.^[1]

They have twice been runners up in the Scottish Cup, in 1910–11 (losing to Celtic after a replay)^[2] and in 1934–35 (losing to Rangers). The 1920s and 30s was the most successful period in the history of the Accies, when they achieved a highest finish of 4th in the top tier of Scottish football (also in 1935) and reached the semi-final of the Scottish Cup on three further occasions in 1925, 1930 and 1932.^[3]

They maintained their place in the highest division for 33 consecutive seasons from 1906 until the interruption of World War II in 1939; in the first season after the end of conflict, 1946–47, the club was unable to field a competitive side and finished bottom of the table with only 11 points, bringing the long run to an end.^[4]

Seasons

Season	League		Scottish Cup	League Cup	Other	Top league scorer
Division	Position
1874–75^[5]	N/A	N/A	First round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1875–76	N/A	N/A	Second round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1876–77	N/A	N/A	First round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1877–78	N/A	N/A	Second round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1878–79	N/A	N/A	Second round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1879–80	N/A	N/A	Fourth round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1880–81	N/A	N/A	Second round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1881–82	N/A	N/A	Second round	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	N/A
1882–83	N/A	N/A	First round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1883–84	N/A	N/A	Third round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1884–85	N/A	N/A	Third round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1885–86	N/A	N/A	Did not enter	N/A	N/A	N/A
1886–87	N/A	N/A	Second round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1887–88	N/A	N/A	First round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1888–89	N/A	N/A	Second round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1889–90	N/A	N/A	First round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1890–91	Did not enter	N/A	First round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1891–92	Did not enter	N/A	Pre-qualification round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1892–93	Did not enter	N/A	Pre-qualification round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1893–94	Did not enter	N/A	Pre-qualification round	N/A	N/A	N/A
1894–95^[6]	Did not enter	N/A	Pre-qualification round	N/A	Scottish Alliance 5th	Unknown	Unknown
1895–96^[7]	Did not enter	N/A	Did not enter	N/A	Scottish Alliance 5th	Unknown	Unknown
1896–97^[8]	Did not enter	N/A	Did not enter	N/A	Scottish Combination 5th	Unknown	Unknown
1897–98^[9]	Division Two	9th	Did not enter	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
1898–99	Division Two	5th	Did not enter	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
1899–1900	Division Two	7th	First round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1900–01	Division Two	8th	Did not enter	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1901–02	Division Two	4th	Did not enter	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1902–03	Division Two	6th	Second round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1903–04	Division Two	1st	Did not enter	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Glasgow & West of Scotland League Winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1904–05	Division Two	3rd	Did not enter	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1905–06	Division Two	bgcolor=lightgreen	4th	Second round	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1906–07	Division One	18th	Did not enter	N/A	bgcolor=silver	Glasgow & West of Scotland Shield Runners-up	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1907–08	Division One	12th	First round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1908–09	Division One	16th	First round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1909–10	Division One	15th	First round	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners (Shared)	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1910–11	Division One	16th	bgcolor=silver	Runners-up	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1911–12	Division One	12th	First round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1912–13	Division One	10th	Second round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1913–14	Division One	18th	Second round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1914–15	Division One	8th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1915–16	Division One	7th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1916–17	Division One	9th=	bgcolor=grey	N/A	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1917–18	Division One	12th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1918–19	Division One	14th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	N/A	Victory Cup – Second round^[10]	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1919–20	Division One	21st	First round	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1920–21	Division One	14th	Third round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1921–22	Division One	18th	Quarter-final	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1922–23	Division One	18th	Third round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1923–24	Division One	12th	Third round	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1924–25	Division One	13th	Semi-final	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1925–26	Division One	12th	Second round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1926–27	Division One	15th	Third round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1927–28	Division One	18th	Second round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1928–29	Division One	12th	Second round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1929–30	Division One	13th	Semi-final	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1930–31	Division One	10th	Second round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1931–32	Division One	10th	Semi-final	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1932–33	Division One	8th	First round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1933–34	Division One	11th	Second round	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1934–35	Division One	4th	bgcolor=silver	Runners-up	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1935–36	Division One	6th	First round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1936–37	Division One	8th	Quarter-final	N/A	N/A	David Wilson	34
scope=“row”	1937–38	Division One	13th	Third round	N/A	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1938–39	Division One	7th	Second round	N/A	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1939–40^[11]	Emergency League West	3rd	bgcolor=grey	N/A	N/A	Emergency Cup – Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1940–41	Southern League	11th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	Southern League Cup – Group stage	Summer Cup – Quarter-final^[12]	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1941–42	Southern League	16th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	Southern League Cup – Group stage	Summer Cup – First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1942–43	Southern League	6th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	Southern League Cup – Semi-final	Summer Cup – First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1943–44	Southern League	9th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	Southern League Cup – Group stage	Summer Cup – First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1944–45	Southern League	9th	bgcolor=grey	N/A	Southern League Cup – Group stage	Summer Cup – First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1945–46	Southern League	16th^[13]	bgcolor=grey	N/A	Southern League Cup – Group stage	Victory Cup – First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1946–47^[14]	Division A	bgcolor=pink	16th	First round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1947–48	Division B	3rd	First round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1948–49	Division B	10th	First round	Semi-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1949–50	Division B	6th	First round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1950–51	Division B	7th	Second round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1951–52	Division B	9th	Second round	Group stage	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1952–53	Division B	bgcolor=lightgreen	2nd	Third round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1953–54	Division A	bgcolor=pink	16th	Quarter-final	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1954–55	Division B	3rd	Quarter-final	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1955–56	Division Two	11th	Fifth round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1956–57	Division Two	11th	Sixth round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1957–58	Division Two	10th	First round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1958–59	Division Two	7th	Third round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1959–60	Division Two	4th	First round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1960–61	Division Two	6th	Third round	Semi-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1961–62	Division Two	13th	Second round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1962–63	Division Two	4th	Third round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1963–64	Division Two	13th	Second round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1964–65	Division Two	bgcolor=lightgreen	2nd	First round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1965–66	Division One	bgcolor=pink	18th	First round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1966–67	Division Two	4th	Quarter-final	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1967–68	Division Two	11th	First round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1968–69	Division Two	15th	Preliminary round 2	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1969–70	Division Two	19th	First round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1970–71	Division Two	18th	Second round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1971–72	Division Two	19th	Third round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1972–73	Division Two	8th	Fourth round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1973–74	Division Two	3rd	First round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1974–75	Division Two	4th	Fourth round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1975–76	First Division	9th	Third round	Group stage	Spring Cup Quarter-final	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1976–77	First Division	10th	Third round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1977–78	First Division	7th	Third round	Third round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1978–79	First Division	5th	Third round	Third round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1979–80	First Division	7th	Third round	Semi-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1980–81	First Division	7th	Third round	Third round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1981–82	First Division	7th	Third round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1982–83	First Division	11th	Third round	Group stage	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1983–84	First Division	9th	Fourth round	Second round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1984–85	First Division	4th	Third round	Second round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1985–86	First Division	bgcolor=lightgreen	1st	Fourth round	Quarter-final	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1986–87	Premier Division	bgcolor=pink	12th	Fourth round	Third round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1987–88	First Division	bgcolor=lightgreen	1st	Fourth round	Second round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1988–89	Premier Division	bgcolor=pink	10th	Third round	Third round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1989–90	First Division	6th	Third round	Quarter-final	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1990–91	First Division	6th	Fourth round	Third round	Challenge Cup Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1991–92	First Division	3rd	Third round	Third round	bgcolor=gold	Challenge Cup Winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1992–93	First Division	5th	Third round	Second round	bgcolor=gold	Challenge Cup Winners	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1993–94	First Division	4th	Third round	Second round	Challenge Cup Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1994–95^[15]	First Division	6th	Third round	Third round	Challenge Cup Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1995–96	First Division	bgcolor=pink	9th	Third round	Second round	Challenge Cup Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1996–97	Second Division	bgcolor=lightgreen	2nd	Fourth round	Second round	Challenge Cup Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1997–98	First Division	8th	Third round	Second round		Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1998–99	First Division	bgcolor=pink	9th	Fourth round	Second round	N/A	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	1999–2000	Second Division	bgcolor=pink	9th	Third round	Second round	Challenge Cup Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2000–01	Third Division	bgcolor=lightgreen	1st	Second round	First round		Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2001–02^[16]	Second Division	5th	Fourth round	Second round	Challenge Cup First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2002–03	Second Division	8th	Fourth round	Second round	Challenge Cup First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2003–04	Second Division	bgcolor=lightgreen	2nd	Fourth round	Second round	Challenge Cup First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2004–05	First Division	7th	Third round	Second round	Challenge Cup First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2005–06	First Division	3rd	Quarter-final	Second round		Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2006–07	First Division	4th	Third round	First round	Challenge Cup Second round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2007–08	First Division	bgcolor=lightgreen	1st	Fourth round	Quarter-final	Challenge Cup First round	Unknown	Unknown
scope=“row”	2008–09	SPL	9th	Quarter-final	Quarter-final	bgcolor=gold	Lanarkshire Cup winners	James McCarthy, Simon Mensing, Richard Offiong,^[17]	6
scope=“row”	2009–10	SPL	7th	Fourth round	Second round	N/A	Simon Mensing	8
scope=“row”	2010–11	SPL	bgcolor=pink	12th	Fifth round	Second round	N/A	Mickaël Antoine-Curier	4
scope=“row”	2011–12	First Division	4th	Fourth round	Second round		Jon McShane	9
scope=“row”	2012–13	First Division	5th	Quarter-final	Third round	Challenge Cup First round	Stevie May	25
scope=“row”	2013–14	Championship	bgcolor=lightgreen	2nd	Third round	Third round	Challenge Cup First round	Tony Andreu, James Keatings	13
scope=“row”	2014–15	Premiership	7th	Fourth round	Quarter-final	N/A	Tony Andreu	12
scope=“row”	2015–16	Premiership	10th	Fourth round	Second round	N/A	Carlton Morris	8
scope=“row”	2016–17	Premiership	11th	Quarter-final	Second round	N/A	Ali Crawford	8
scope=“row”	2017–18	Premiership	10th	Fourth round	Second round	N/A	Dougie Imrie, David Templeton	8
scope=“row”	2018–19	Premiership	10th	Fourth round	Group Stage	N/A	Mickel Miller	5
scope=“row”	2019–20	Premiership	11th	Fifth round	Second round	N/A	Marios Ogkmpoe	6
scope=“row”	2020–21	Premiership	bgcolor=pink	12th	Third round	Group Stage	N/A	Ross Callachan	8
scope=“row”	2021–22	Championship	6th	Third round	Group Stage	Challenge Cup Quarter-final	Andy Ryan	9
scope=“row”	2022–23	Championship	bgcolor=pink	9th	Fifth round	Group Stage	bgcolor=gold	Challenge Cup Winners	Connor Smith, Daniel O'Reilly	5
scope=“row”	2023–24	League One	tbd	tbd	tbd

League performance summary

The Scottish Football League was founded in 1890 and, other than during seven years of hiatus during World War II, the national top division has been played every season since. The following is a summary of Hamilton's divisional status:

• 123 total eligible seasons (including 2019–20)
• 47 seasons in top level
• 63 seasons in second level
• 5 seasons in third level
• 1 seasons in fourth level
• 7 seasons not involved – before club was league member

Sources

• Soccerbase
• FitbaStats

External links

• Video clip of the 1935 Scottish Cup final by Pathé News
• Hamilton Academical at Football Club History Database
• Club History at Hamilton Academical Memory Bank

Notes and References

1. Web site: Accies News . Hamilton Academical F.C. . 26 February 2012 . 27 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140407084939/http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1779%3Aaccies-news&catid=44%3Anews&Itemid=140 . 7 April 2014 . dead .
2. Web site: Scottish Cup – Replayed Final. Glasgow Herald. 17 April 1911. The Celtic Wiki (scan). 11 August 2018.
3. Web site: Accies in the Quarter Final. Hamilton Academical F.C.. 3 March 2017. 11 August 2018.
4. Web site: Former Hamilton Accies secretary Scott Struthers makes[sic] a nostalgic look back on club's glory days in 1930s]. Daily Record. Andy McGilvray. 12 January 2018. 11 August 2018.
5. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/1874-1897 1874-1897: Pre-Scottish League entry
6. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/1874-1897/1894-95 1894/95
7. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/1874-1897/1895-96 1895/96
8. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/1874-1897/1896-97 1896/97
9. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/1897-1939 1897/98 – 1938/39: Scottish League history pre-war
10. Web site: Victory Cup. Scottish Football Historical Archive. 11 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180811095303/http://www.scottish-football-historical-archive.co.nf/victory-cup.htm. 11 August 2018. dead.
11. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/1939-46 1939/40 – 1945/46: Wartime games
12. Web site: Summer Cup. Scottish Football Historical Archive. 11 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180811101210/http://www.scottish-football-historical-archive.co.nf/summer-cup.htm. 11 August 2018. dead.
13. Web site: Southern Football League . Scottish Football History . 11 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20091021104311/http://geocities.com/br1anmccoll/southernleague . 21 October 2009 . dead . dmy .
14. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/1946-94 1946/47 – 1993/94: Post-war Douglas Park era
15. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/199495--200001-groundless-seasons 1994/95 – 2000/01: Groundless seasons
16. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltonacademicalmemorybank/seasons/200102---present-new-douglas-park-era 2001-02 to 2010-11: New Douglas Park era
17. Web site: Squad. 27 July 2018. Soccerway.