That’s all, folks. Some 331 days after the League Cup groups got us underway, Monday’s game in Liechtenstein marked the end of the Scottish season.
It’s been exhilarating, controversial and entertaining. Say what you like about the quality. In terms of storylines, it’s never dull.
There’s scarcely a month to exhale and recharge the batteries before we do it all again. So, let’s briefly pause to recall the highlights, the lowlights, the weird and the wonderful from the campaign just gone.
49ers Enterprises, after months of negotiations, finally confirmed their takeover of Rangers
AMERICAN TAKEOVER
They finally got the keys to Ibrox. After months of negotiations, a consortium involving 49ers Enterprises struck the deal which signals the start of a new era. As well as Rangers, there will be another four Premiership clubs figuratively flying the Stars and Stripes next season — Dundee, Dundee United, Livingston and Hibs, plus St Johnstone and Dunfermline in the Championship.
BUDDIE HELL
A third successive top-six finish for St Mirren under the tutelage of Stephen Robinson would have been a remarkable achievement in itself. But the feat was accomplished with the club parting ways with three players — Jaden Brown, Shaun Rooney and Kevin van Veen — who each had legal issues.
CHAMPIONS
Celtic again. Rangers stumbled from the off. Aberdeen gave the Parkhead men a run for their money then fell away. Brendan Rodgers’ players didn’t lose a Premiership match up until the New Year and coasted home by 17 points to wrap up their 13th title in 14 years.
Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz turned up at an Old Firm clash at Celtic Park
DON’T I KNOW YOU?
Celtic fans attending the home match with Rangers in September might well have done a double take when they saw a certain figure making his way through the crowd. That’s surely not Oscar-winning actor Christoph Waltz? Well, in fact, it was. Just taking a break from filming a new movie apparently.
EUROPE
Celtic enjoyed a strong Champions League campaign and were only narrowly beaten by Bayern Munich. Rangers fared well in the Europa but fell to Athletic Bilbao in the last eight. Hearts couldn’t get out of the Conference League. Neither Kilmarnock or St Mirren got that far. Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Dundee United and Aberdeen will do it again next season.
Queen’s Park celebrate knocking Rangers out of the Scottish Cup but it soon turned sour
FALLING SPIDERS
Queen’s Park’s momentous victory over Rangers in the Scottish Cup was the point of no return for Philippe Clement. It was, bizarrely, the beginning of the end for Spiders boss Callum Davidson who was sacked after winning just one of his next seven games.
GOING DOWN
For the first time in the history of the national team, a relegation. Without a win in the three opening Nations League games with Poland, Croatia and Portugal, Steve Clarke’s side scrambled a play-off spot. But, having won away to Greece, they capitulated at home.
HAT DOFFED
Willie Collum promised greater transparency and accountability when he became head of refereeing. There was no attempt on his part to close ranks on the many occasions his match and VAR officials got things wrong. His review show was refreshingly honest.
INSOLVENCY
Both Dumbarton and Inverness entered administration and were hit with automatic 15-point penalties. The Sons were relegated from League One. Remarkably, Inverness stayed up. Happily, both clubs look like they have brighter futures ahead.
JOB SECURITY
Only five clubs who started the last Premiership season will begin the new one with the same manager at the helm. Rangers, Hearts, Motherwell, Kilmarnock and Dundee all made changes, as did St Johnstone who are now in the Championship.
KEEP THE FAITH
You’d like to think David Gray bought Rocky Bushiri a drink at Hibs’ end-of-season bash. Gray looked set for the sack until the defender scored in stoppage time against Aberdeen in November. It changed everything.
LEITH DELIGHT
Hibs women took the title by winning at Ibrox on the final day of the season. There was consolation for Rangers as they beat Glasgow City in the Scottish Cup final and Hibs in the League Cup final.
MORE IBROX BLUES
Big expectations, yet another barren season for Rangers. They were right to feel aggrieved when they lost the League Cup on penalties to Celtic, but went out of the Scottish Cup to Queen’s Park and were a distant second in the Premiership.
NO STOPPING HIM
Dick Campbell turned 71 in November. By the time the season was out, he’d taken East Fife up to League One via the play-offs. It was the seventh promotion of his career. He might just know what he’s doing.
Cieran Slicker made a late – and largely disappointing – impact on the season for Scotland
OH NO! NOT ANOTHER ONE
Scotland’s end-of-season friendly against Iceland should have been easily forgotten. Alas, it will always be remembered as the Cieran Slicker game. An early sub for Angus Gunn, he was at fault for three goals on his debut.
PARTY TIME
Aberdeen’s first Scottish Cup triumph in 35 years was achieved despite everything being against Jimmy Thelin’s side. They hadn’t beaten Celtic in 30 meetings and lost 5-1 at home to Brendan Rodgers’ men 10 days earlier. A win on penalties was the cue for extraordinary celebrations in the Granite City.
Daizen Maeda stretched opposition defences to breaking point for Celtic last season
QUICK, ISN’T HE?
Celtic’s supersonic winger Daizen Maeda was often unplayable. He scored 33 times, many of those goals coming after he’d been moved into the centre to fill Kyogo Furuhashi’s boots.
RIP-OFF
Dundee United supporters were offered the chance to own a digital piece of the hallowed Tannadice turf for 12 months at the cost of just £29.99. Anyone who missed out can always buy some magic beans.
SAY THAT AGAIN
After Rangers were denied a seemingly legitimate goal at Easter Road, John Brown, on co-comms for the club’s TV channel stated: ‘That’s corrupt.’ To which commentator Tom Miller replied: ‘I’m not sure we can actually say that.’ Brown: ‘Well, I’m saying it.’
TONY BLOOM
The role Jamestown Analytics played in appointing Neil Critchley was never going to deter Hearts from welcoming a £10million investment from the Brighton owner for a 29-per-cent stake. Interesting times await under Derek McInnes.
UPS AND DOWNS
Falkirk, Livingston, Arbroath, Peterhead, East Fife and East Kilbride were promoted. St Johnstone, Ross County, Hamilton Accies, Annan, Dumbarton and Bonnyrigg Rose took the drop.
Victor Wanyama returned to Scottish football… and was promptly sent off on his debut
VICTOR MELTDOWN
As if Dunfermline’s trip to Ayr wasn’t spicy enough given it saw Neil Lennon and Scott Brown face each other in the dugout, the Pars also signed Victor Wanyama. A forgettable day for the Fife club was complete when the one-time Celtic midfielder was sent off for handball.
WHAT’S THE HOLD UP?
Musselburgh Athletic’s Scottish Cup tie against Darvel was delayed after the referee asked for a fox to be removed from the pitch. Stranraer’s league clash with Stirling Albion was held up as the ball got stuck up a tree.
X-CERTIFICATE
A depressing aspect of the campaign was the rise in objects being thrown onto pitches at grounds up and down the country. At Tannadice, Aberdeen’s Jack MacKenzie was struck on the head with part of a chair launched from the visiting section.
YOU ASKED FOR IT
When Hamza Igamane scored Rangers’ winner at Celtic Park in March, Vaclav Cerny soaked home supporters with his water bottle. Never let it be said the administrator of Celtic’s official X account has a short memory. When Rodgers’ side then clinched the title, the post read: ‘We only spray champagne.’
ZERO OUT OF 10 FOR COMMON SENSE
Only in Scottish football could Hamilton Accies be poised to play at the former home of Clyde while Clyde are set to continue their tenancy at the home of Hamilton Accies. We might just see a solution here…
