2021–22 Scottish Championship

Scottish Championship
Season2021–22
Dates31 July 2021 – 29 April 2022
ChampionsKilmarnock
PromotedKilmarnock
RelegatedDunfermline Athletic
Queen of the South
Matches180
Goals432 (2.4 per match)
Top goalscorerMichael McKenna
(15 goals)
Biggest home winGreenock Morton 5–0 Dunfermline Athletic
(8 January 2022)
Biggest away winHamilton Academical 1–6 Partick Thistle
(15 October 2021)
Greenock Morton 1–6 Inverness CT
(11 December 2021)
Highest scoringRaith Rovers 4–4 Hamilton Academical
(31 July 2021)
Longest winning runInverness CT
5 games
Longest unbeaten runRaith Rovers
13 games
Longest winless runDunfermline Athletic
13 games
Longest losing runQueen of the South
6 games
Highest attendance11,500
Kilmarnock 2–1 Arbroath (22 April 2022)
Lowest attendance197
Queen of the South 0–3 Hamilton Academical (2 January 2022)

The 2021–22 Scottish Championship (known as the cinch Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the ninth season of the Scottish Championship and the 114th of second tier football in Scotland. The league was contested by 10 teams – Arbroath, Ayr United, Dunfermline Athletic, Greenock Morton, Hamilton Academical, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Kilmarnock, Partick Thistle, Queen of the South and Raith Rovers – and began with the first matches on 31 July 2021. The season concluded with the second leg of the play-off final on 15 May 2022.

Kilmarnock, competing in the Championship for the first time and the second tier for the first time since 1992–93, earned promotion back to the Scottish Premiership at the first time of asking after claiming the league title following a 2–1 comeback win against nearest challengers Arbroath in their penultimate match. It was their first second-tier title since 1898–99. Inverness Caledonian Thistle defeated Partick Thistle and Arbroath in the Premiership play-offs but lost 6–2 on aggregate to St Johnstone in the play-off final.

Queen of the South were relegated to Scottish League One following a 1–1 draw against Ayr United in their penultimate match. Dunfermline Athletic were also relegated after losing 1–0 on aggregate to Queen's Park in the Championship play-offs. Queen's Park were subsequently promoted to the Championship after defeating Airdrieonians 3–2 on aggregate in the play-off final.

In total, 432 goals were scored across the 180 matches during the league season and Arbroath's Michael McKenna was the top scorer with 15 goals.