Scottish League Review 2004/5

SPL

The most dramatic final day since, ooh 2 seasons ago, and most unexpected final 10 minutes since Celtic snatched the title from Hearts in 1986 saw Rangers crowned SPL champions in 2004/5. It was a different story 5 minutes beforehand as Celtic held onto their 1-0 lead under increasing Motherwell pressure. The side that had been able to near dominate Scottish football in the previous 4 seasons, had emerged unbeaten from the Nou Camp twice in two seasons and played Rangers off the park at Ibrox just 4 weeks beforehand was growing old quickly. Despite all these great performances this was one lead they couldn't defend. Scott McDonald's 87th minute overhead kick finished off Celtic mentally at Fir Park and sent the title across the city to Rangers.

"Scott McDonald's 87th minute overhead kick finished off Celtic mentally at Fir Park and sent the title across the city to Rangers.."

So McLeish took his second title in 3 full seasons at Rangers in what had been a rollercoaster title race for much of the season. Many compared it to the 2002/3 season which was settled on goal difference on the final day of the season. While it did match that day for drama I feel that neither side of the Old Firm could match their 2002/3 counterparts for consistency and domination. There were only 4 and 5 points difference between the points gained this season and two seasons ago but the goals scored column told one story - 199 in total in 2002/3 against 163 this season and the home form figures told another. In 2002/3 the Old Firm dropped a total of 5 points at home out of a possible 114! This season saw 22 points dropped at home between the pair.

Celtic had faced the difficult, no impossible, job of trying to replace the greatest ever Celtic player after Henrik swapped the bright lights big city atmosphere of Glasgow for some wee team and city in Spain called Barcelona. Martin O'Neill was given little help by the money conscious Celtic board and ended up with World Cup winner Juninho, on a freebie, and Senegalese striker Henri Camara, on loan, to try and freshen up last season's squad. Neither, for one reason or another, made much of an impact apart from on the club's finances. The January transfer window loan signing of Newcastle problem child Craig Bellamy saw him have a far bigger impact than either of the two summer signings who by that point were on their way back out of Celtic.

Rangers tried to pull round last seasons 17 point gap with a mixture of the good (Prso from Monaco), the bad (Mladenovic from Red Star Belgrade) and the ugly (Alex Rae) as well as putting their faith in Marvellous Marvin Andrews and Spanish striker Nacho Novo from Dundee. However any new faces with even the slightest bit of enthusiasm would be better than the previous seasons "efforts" from Capucho, Emerson and Ostenstad.

"One of the most impressive home records in domestic and European football disappeared in the previous season as Celtic suffered home defeats to Aberdeen and Dunfermline."

I think the lead in the league changed 11 times or more this season which backs up my feeling of a greater inconsistency shown by both sides. Or maybe they just aren't as good as they were, the others are improving and are no longer fully fazed by playing the Old Firm. For one thing Fortress Parkhead is no more. One of the most impressive home records in domestic and European football disappeared in the previous season as Celtic suffered home defeats to Aberdeen and Dunfermline. A mere blip surely in "nothing to play for" games but this season saw Aberdeen (again), Hearts, Hibs and Rangers, for the first time in 5 years, leave Parkhead with all 3 points.

Rangers also suffered, taking 1 point from 6 from their two home games v relegation candidates Dundee Utd (who they could still beat 7-1 in a cup semi final) and saw SPL new boys Inverness Caley Thistle leave Ibrox with a point as well. Rangers seemed to have a problem with these two sides in particular, dropping points at both sides away from home as well. Celtic meanwhile found the exciting young Hibs side and relegated Dundee taking points of them on their travels, amongst others.

So Rangers won the title to add to their League Cup win over Motherwell while Celtic ended up with the Scottish Cup after a 1-0 win over Dundee Utd.

The rest

The most impressive side of the season, for large periods, was the young Hibs team under the rookie leadership of ex Celtic and Middlesboro player Tony Mowbray. Their football at times was excellent and in one memorable game at Parkhead it was widely acknowledged that they had passed a Celtic side off the park in a way that only the visiting Barcelona had done this season. Only inexperience and a smallish squad stopped them picking up more points, the game mentioned above saw them finish 2-1 losers, but they ended with enough to secure a 3rd place finish and a UEFA Cup spot.

Aberdeen came under the managerial reigns of what's known as the two Jimmy's, Calderwood and Nicholl, after they walked out on last season's cup finalists Dunfermline. A close run race for 3rd place with Hibs, some impressive results and decent youngsters saw them give Aberdeen fans their best season in years. Like their time at Dunfermline they are putting together a decent side and prospects are looking good for next season.

Hearts, the perennial 3rd best side in Scotland suffered more than most from the financial bite on Scottish football. Craig Levein departed to the Championship and Leicester City, only returning to pinch a couple of players from his cash strapped former club. Hearts legend and all time top goal scorer John Robertson moved into the hot seat from SPL new boys Inverness Caley Thistle and a mysterious Lithuanian bearing money (maybe!), some players, and a few promises arrived to take over Hearts. He won over the Hearts faithful initially with the decision to keep them at their traditional Tynecastle home but has still to fully convince everyone he is here for the right reasons. He certainly isn't a Baltic Roman Abramovich that's for sure. Robertson couldn't do enough to impress him in his short time in charge and Hearts were onto their third management set up of the season for the final two games. What the close season will bring no one knows but rumours of Terry Venables amongst others are very worrying as was their end of season slump which saw them take 9 points from 36 despite the goal scoring record of Lee Miller on loan from Bristol City.

The most surprising side of the season was new boys Inverness Caley Thistle. Everyone's favourites for relegation came out of the 1st Division under the guidance of John Robertson. They were saddled with the added difficulty of playing "home" games at Aberdeen, a 100 odd mile round trip, due to ludicrous SPL stadium requirements. For the first half of the season they lived up, or should that be down, to everyone's expectations, ambling along at the bottom or near the bottom of the league. However the move back to playing their home games in Inverness together with Robertson's departure to Hearts and the introduction of ex Dunfermline striker Craig Brewster in the managers seats saw ICT rise from the bottom of the league and finish 11 points clear of the drop. The improvement probably started in early December with a home point against Rangers and from then on they only lost 7 of their final 22 games.

If ICT were the most surprising side then they biggest disappointments were no doubt Dunfermline, last seasons cup finalist but now missing the Calderwood management set up and later on Brewster, Dundee Utd, under achieving with a decent set of players and Dundee, relegated this season. None of these sides could hit much of a run of form. Dunfermline's previous SPL success was always based on solid home form. This season, despite having the advantage of the hated plastic pitch, they only won 5 games from 19 at East End Park and were even worse away from home.

Dundee Utd were doing their best to keep city rivals Dundee up until a victory at Ibrox in April lifted them off the bottom and saw them on a run of 14 points from their final 21 to escape the drop.

Dundee just never got going this season. A win at Dundee Utd in their first away game was their only away win and 6 of their 16 away goals came in their opening two away games. In a league where the teams out with the Old Firm can conceivably beat each other on any given day Dundee just couldn't take enough points from their rivals.

Livingston also suffered via a mixture of managerial changes and lack of funds, or possibly just lack of decent players. Allan Preston, inexperienced and a coach before hand replaced Davie Hay as manager. Hay didn't exactly prove Livi were wrong to sack him with a wretched time at Dunfermline but Preston's inexperience showed and he lasted approx half a season. He was then replaced by ex Rangers captain Richard Gough, another managerial novice. Run ins with the owners didn't help as well as Richard Gough not realising to start off with that he didn't have any players of the quality of Richard Gough in his side! One memorable early game saw him go for a back 3 with right sided midfielder Stewart Lovell at the centre of the defence! In the end they escaped, just, but next season will be managed by Paul Lambert, another managerial novice.

Kilmarnock and Motherwell were solid mid table sides and bar Motherwell's last day defeat of Celtic are two sides that look to be able to safely steer clear of the drop while not really being able to make the jump to challenging the likes of Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs.

The over riding factor in Scottish Football now is money or more importantly, the lack off. Outside the Old Firm all the SPL sides are struggling for cash. Contracts are being shortened, wages are dropping and new players are either youngsters from the lower reaches of English football, freebies or unknown foreigners shipped in to try (!) and improve the quality.

Pointers for next season

" A treble in his first season, 3 titles in 5 seasons by an aggregate winning margin of 50 points, the other two lost on goal difference and a point on the last days of the season."

In the last week or so days Martin O' Neill confirmed his five year Celtic adventure was over. Along with John Robertson and Steve Walford, he has now left the club. The reasons for MON leaving are now well known after a year or more of intense media speculation. Personally, as a Celtic supporter, I, like many others would like to thank him for his time in charge. A treble in his first season, 3 titles in 5 seasons by an aggregate winning margin of 50 points, the other two lost on goal difference and a point on the last days of the season. Despite the honours his best season was probably the season Celtic ended up with nothing but restored some credibility to their name in Europe by taking the following seasons European champions Porto to extra time in a 3-2 UEFA Cup final loss in Seville. The pride felt by Celtic supporters world wide to see their team in a European final again was probably worth more than any domestic trophy. Gordon Strachan comes in with a hard act to follow but a lot of determination to do so.

Both sides of the Old Firm will no doubt make signings in the summer and who comes in to either side could make the difference next season in what at the moment is a pretty evenly matched pair of sides. One thing for sure is that the current Celtic side with many players on the wrong side of 30 needs freshening up.

Aberdeen are looking to add to their squad, Scottish internationalist Barry Nicholson from Dunfermline seems close to joining and they should continue to thrive under a good managerial set up. Hibs, also stuck with tight budgets, will lose captain Ian Murray on a Bosman and are also looking, at the moment, to sell the impressive Derek Riordan after he rejected a new contract extension.

Hearts are an unknown at the moment. There is no idea at present who will be in charge next season or what finances will be available. However one thing for sure is that funds, if any at all, will be very limited.

As for the rest, well any side is as likely to be up challenging for a top half spot as they are to be relegated. Inverness Caley Thistle should benefit from an entire season at home as well as the confidence their form in the 2nd half of the season will have brought them.

Crowie's review of Divisions 1, 2 and 3 follows in the next issue