# 2016–17 Scottish Championship

The 2016–17 Scottish Championship (known as the Ladbrokes Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the 23rd season in the current format of 10 teams in the second tier of Scottish football. The fixtures were published on 17 June 2016.
Hibernian won the league title and promotion after a 3–0 win against Queen of the South on 15 April 2017.

## Teams

The following teams have changed division since the 2015–16 season.

### Stadia and locations

| Ayr United | Dumbarton | Dundee United | Dunfermline Athletic |
| Somerset Park | Dumbarton Football Stadium | Tannadice Park | East End Park |
| Capacity: 10,185 | Capacity: 2,020 | Capacity: 14,223 | Capacity: 11,904 |
| Falkirk | Ayr UnitedDumbartonDundee UtdDunfermline AthleticFalkirkMortonHibernianQueen of the SouthRaith RoversSt Mirren | Ayr UnitedDumbartonDundee UtdDunfermline AthleticFalkirkMortonHibernianQueen of the SouthRaith RoversSt Mirren | Greenock Morton |
| Falkirk Stadium | Ayr UnitedDumbartonDundee UtdDunfermline AthleticFalkirkMortonHibernianQueen of the SouthRaith RoversSt Mirren | Ayr UnitedDumbartonDundee UtdDunfermline AthleticFalkirkMortonHibernianQueen of the SouthRaith RoversSt Mirren | Cappielow Park |
| Capacity: 7,937 | Ayr UnitedDumbartonDundee UtdDunfermline AthleticFalkirkMortonHibernianQueen of the SouthRaith RoversSt Mirren | Ayr UnitedDumbartonDundee UtdDunfermline AthleticFalkirkMortonHibernianQueen of the SouthRaith RoversSt Mirren | Capacity: 11,589 |
| Hibernian | Queen of the South | Raith Rovers | St. Mirren |
| Easter Road | Palmerston Park | Stark's Park | Paisley 2021 Stadium |
| Capacity: 20,421 | Capacity: 8,690 | Capacity: 9,031 | Capacity: 8,023 |

### Personnel and kits

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| Ayr United | Ian McCall | Nicky Devlin | Adidas | Bodog |
| Dumbarton | Stephen Aitken | Darren Barr | Joma | Turnberry Homes |
| Dundee United | Ray McKinnon | Seán Dillon | Nike | McEwan Fraser Legal |
| Dunfermline Athletic | Allan Johnston | Andy Geggan | Joma | SRJ Windows |
| Falkirk | Peter Houston | Mark Kerr | Puma | Central Demolition |
| Greenock Morton | Jim Duffy | Lee Kilday | Vision Outsourcing | Millions |
| Hibernian | Neil Lennon | David Gray | Nike | Marathonbet |
| Queen of the South | Gary Naysmith | John Rankin | Macron | KBT Pharmacy |
| Raith Rovers | John Hughes | Jason Thomson | Puma | valmcdermid.com (Home shirt) Myeloma UK (Away shirt) |
| St Mirren | Jack Ross | Stephen McGinn | Carbrini | JD Sports |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Dundee United | Mixu Paatelainen | Sacked | 4 May 2016 | Pre-season | Ray McKinnon | 12 May 2016 |
| Raith Rovers | Ray McKinnon | Resigned | 11 May 2016 | Pre-season | Gary Locke | 20 May 2016 |
| Hibernian | Alan Stubbs | Signed by Rotherham United | 1 June 2016 | Pre-season | Neil Lennon | 8 June 2016 |
| St Mirren | Alex Rae | Sacked | 18 September 2016 | 10th | Allan McManus (interim) | 18 September 2016 |
| St Mirren | Allan McManus (interim) | End of interim | 4 October 2016 | 10th | Jack Ross | 4 October 2016 |
| Queen of the South | Gavin Skelton | Resigned | 7 November 2016 | 6th | Jim Thomson (caretaker) | 7 November 2016 |
| Queen of the South | Jim Thomson (caretaker) | End of interim | 5 December 2016 | 6th | Gary Naysmith | 5 December 2016 |
| Raith Rovers | Gary Locke | Sacked | 7 February 2017 | 8th | John Hughes | 10 February 2017 |

## League summary
### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Hibernian (C, P) | 36 | 19 | 14 | 3 | 59 | 25 | +34 | 71 | Promotion to Premiership |
| 2 | Falkirk | 36 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 58 | 40 | +18 | 60 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off semi-finals |
| 3 | Dundee United | 36 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 50 | 42 | +8 | 57 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-finals |
| 4 | Greenock Morton | 36 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 44 | 41 | +3 | 52 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-finals |
| 5 | Dunfermline Athletic | 36 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 48 | |
| 6 | Queen of the South | 36 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 46 | 52 | −6 | 43 | |
| 7 | St Mirren | 36 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 52 | 56 | −4 | 39 | |
| 8 | Dumbarton | 36 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 46 | 56 | −10 | 39 | |
| 9 | Raith Rovers (R) | 36 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 35 | 52 | −17 | 39 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 10 | Ayr United (R) | 36 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 33 | 62 | −29 | 33 | Relegation to League One |

### Positions by round

* Leader - Promotion to 2017–18 Scottish Premiership
* Qualification to Premiership play-off semi-finals
* Qualification to Premiership play-off quarter-finals
* Qualification to Championship play-offs
* Relegation to 2017–18 Scottish League One
The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological progress, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for matchday 13, but then postponed and played between days 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for day 16.
| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| Hibernian | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Falkirk | 9 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Dundee United | 4 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Greenock Morton | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Queen of the South | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| St Mirren | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
| Dumbarton | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Raith Rovers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Ayr United | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |

## Results

Teams play each other four times, twice in the first half of the season (home and away) and twice in the second half of the season (home and away), making a total of 180 games, with each team playing 36.

## Season statistics
### Scoring
#### Top scorers

    As of matches played on 6 May 2017
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Jason Cummings | Hibernian | 19 |
| 1 | Stephen Dobbie | Queen of the South | 19 |
| 3 | Nicky Clark | Dunfermline Athletic | 15 |
| 4 | Tony Andreu | Dundee United | 13 |
| 5 | Robert Thomson | Dumbarton | 11 |
| 6 | Simon Murray | Dundee United | 10 |
| 6 | Craig Sibbald | Falkirk | 10 |
| 6 | Derek Lyle | Queen of the South | 10 |
| 9 | Lee Miller | Falkirk | 9 |
| 9 | Ross Forbes | Greenock Morton | 9 |
| 9 | Ryan Hardie | Raith Rovers | 9 |
Source:
    $^{note1}$ 3 league goals scored whilst on loan with St Mirren

#### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Joe Cardle | Dunfermline Athletic | Dumbarton | 4–3 | 6 August 2016 |
| Alan Forrest | Ayr United | Dumbarton | 3–0 | 15 October 2016 |
| Nicky Clark$^4$ | Dunfermline Athletic | Dumbarton | 5–1 | 4 March 2017 |
| Stevie Mallan | St Mirren | Raith Rovers | 5–0 | 29 April 2017 |

##### Notes

* $^4$ Player scored 4 goals

### Attendances

| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
| 1 | Ayr United | 33,592 | 3,100 | 1,103 | 1,866 | −41.9%$^†$ |
| 2 | Dumbarton | 20,345 | 1,660 | 600 | 1,130 | +8.5%$^†$ |
| 3 | Dundee United | 118,516 | 10,925 | 4,661 | 6,584 | −17.4%$^†$ |
| 4 | Dunfermline Athletic | 79,885 | 7,622 | 2,653 | 4,438 | +26.9%$^†$ |
| 5 | Falkirk | 90,580 | 6,747 | 4,160 | 5,032 | +7.8%$^†$ |
| 6 | Greenock Morton | 42,513 | 4,609 | 1,451 | 2,361 | −13.5%$^†$ |
| 7 | Hibernian | 277,096 | 19,764 | 13,604 | 15,394 | +64.8%$^†$ |
| 8 | Queen of the South | 33,418 | 3,703 | 1,147 | 1,856 | −12.2%$^†$ |
| 9 | Raith Rovers | 47,365 | 5,899 | 1,161 | 2,631 | +13.6%$^†$ |
| 10 | St Mirren | 64,775 | 4,997 | 2,126 | 3,598 | +1.4%$^†$ |
| | League total | 808,085 | 19,764 | 600 | 4,489 | −39.3%$^†$ |
Updated to games played on 6 May 2017 Source:

## Awards
### Monthly awards

| Month | Manager of the Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | Player of the Month | Ref. |
| Month | Manager | Club | Player | Club | Ref. |
| August | Neil Lennon | Hibernian | Jason Cummings | Hibernian | |
| September | Peter Houston | Falkirk | Cammy Bell | Dundee United | |
| October | Jim Duffy | Greenock Morton | Thomas O'Ware | Greenock Morton | |
| November | Ray McKinnon | Dundee United | John McGinn | Hibernian | |
| December | Stephen Aitken | Dumbarton | Mark Docherty | Dumbarton | |
| January | Neil Lennon | Hibernian | Ross Forbes | Greenock Morton | |
| February | Peter Houston | Falkirk | Jason Cummings | Hibernian | |
| March | Jack Ross | St Mirren | Efe Ambrose | Hibernian | |
| April | Jack Ross | St Mirren | Stevie Mallan | St Mirren | |

### Annual awards
#### Championship Manager of the Season

* The Championship Manager of the Season was awarded to Jim Duffy.

#### Championship Player of the Season

* The Championship Player of the Season was awarded to John McGinn.

#### PFA Scotland Scottish Championship Team of the Year

The PFA Scotland Scottish Championship Team of the Year was:
* Goalkeeper: Cammy Bell (Dundee United)
* Defence: Nicky Devlin (Ayr United), Darren McGregor (Hibernian), Thomas O'Ware (Greenock Morton), Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian)
* Midfield: Stevie Mallan (St Mirren), John McGinn (Hibernian), Ross Forbes (Greenock Morton)
* Attack: Tony Andreu (Dundee United), Stephen Dobbie (Queen of the South), Jason Cummings (Hibernian)

## Championship play-offs

Raith Rovers the second bottom team, entered into a 4-team playoff with the 2nd-4th placed teams in 2016–17 Scottish League One; Alloa Athletic, Airdrieonians and Brechin City.

### Final

The winners of the semi-finals will compete against one another over two legs, with the winner competing in the 2017–18 Scottish Championship.