Another season of Scottish football closed last night as we saw St Johnstone keep their premiership status after a 4-0 routing of Inverness in Perth. A campaign we can look back on with fond memories as it certainly didn’t lack entertainment. After a 20/21 season which saw no fans come through the turnstiles, the sight of spectators flocking back in their thousands was a stunning one. Little split the teams as well, just 13 points separated 4th place from eleventh highlighting the competitiveness of our game up north.
There was added incentives as well with more European places up for grab. League champions would find themselves automatically in the Champions league while runners up would have to overcome two qualifying rounds. Third, fourth and fifth would see conference league qualyfing action, while a Scottish cup win would guarantee group-stage football. Let’s have a look at each top flight’s teams’ season’s in numbers:
Aberdeen = 3/10
There was optimism around the Aberdeen camp heading into this campaign and with good reason. A promising transfer window saw Scott Brown appointed as player coach plus a Centre Back pairing in Declan Gallagher and David Bates came through the door while Matt Longstaff secured a loan move from Newcastle United. Although, the signing of Matt Longstaff correlated with Aberdeen’s season perfectly. Underwhelming. A pitch invasion two games in after a win at Livingston of all places was as good as it for Dons fans in all honesty. A run of five straight league losses plus an embarrassing Cup exit to Raith Rovers meant that the pressure was pilling on Stephen Glass. The chief executives were stubborn though and continued to back their gaffer through this tough period. There was a brief sign of a resurrection with consecutive wins over both Edinburgh sides plus a result at Ibrox. In the end though Glass showed no bottle and was replaced by Irishman Jim Goodwin. Nothing much has changed since that appointment although a Summer window awaits to see if he can put a blueprint on this squad. To wrap it up, finishing 9th with just ten league wins means it’s been a season to forget for the Dons.
Celtic = 9/10
The turn around has been a thing of a miracle. Although money has been spent, its easy to forget Celtic have still profited from a rebuild season. When Ange Postecoglou walked through the Parkhead doors last June the Aussie had the scraps of a bruised squad to deal with. An incredible turnaround of players were always going to take a while to gel. That proved to be the case as the bhoys managed just three wins in the opening seven league games and in Europe suffered a punishing loss to German giants Bayern Leverkusen. Late August signings of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota got through the door and added an abundance of quality to the side. Celtic were unfortunate not to qualify out the group stages as they racked up nine points in a very challenging group. A drop to the conference league ended in dissapointment as a 4-1 aggregate loss to Bodo/Glimt was a tie to forget. Little time to dwell though as there was a domestic up on the table as a 2-1 victory over Hibs was the day Kygogo announced himself as the main man. A shrewd transfer window in January allowed a ten point turnover in Celtic’s favour which brought the league title back to Paradise in the most spectacular of fashions.
Dundee = 2/10
The Dens suffered an abysmal season and find themselves in the second tier of Scottish football as a result. Three signings in Jason Cummings, Leigh Griffiths and Charlie Adams looked as though they were destined for a season of survival at least. However both Scottish strikers fell out of favour and found themselves moved on. James Mcpake hardly was setting the world like at Dundee however there was signs he was turning form around for the positive and left spectators scratching their heads. Sporting Director Gordon Strachan appointed Mark McGehee as manager. Bizarre. Clearly the old pals act coming intro fruition. Perhaps McGehee’s rituals ( such as when he starved himself to remind himself he was “hungry ” not to get relegated) were more entertaining than the football itself as he only managed a solo win in his thirteen matches. The McGehee era was a failure and he stepped down just recently.
Dundee United = 7/10
While city rivals play Championship football next year, Tam Courts will be looking to embark his side on a continental adventure as a place in the Europa Conference league qualifiers await. Perhaps a real characteristic of the tangerines this season was their ability to go toe-to-toe with the big two. They only lost once at home to the Glasgow sides in four matches plus on the road a 2-0 result at Ibrox was as messy as it got (better in mind they were Covid stricken). A young manager who stepped in for Micky Mellon was questioned although has proved to be worth it and will be looking forward to build on the progress next term. With Tony Watt in the ranks due to a swoop from Motherwell which proved vital for the top 4, there’s no reason why this side cant go from strength to strength.
Hibs = 5/10
It all started so well. A handsome league position early on, a solid cup run which included a 3-1 routing of Rangers at Hampden set up a Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic. Yet Jack Ross didn’t even get the chance to manager that final as he was relived of his duties the week following up. The writing was on the walls as Ross had previously complained about not being backed in the transfer window, when you go down the role of criticising the board, you better hope you are successful. It was all a bit of a mess as Joe Newell publicly told that the dressing room wasn’t best pleased with the decision. Ultimately Hibs were beaten by Celtic and in came promising manager Shaun Maloney. Maloney had it tough. Kevin Nesbitt found himself injured plus Martin Boyle made a move to Saudi Arabia, yet he found himself sacked after Hibs lost to 2-1 to Hearts in a Scottish Cup semi final! It really highlighted the bizarre way this club had been run from top to bottom is bizarre. In the end Hibs failed to manage a top six finish. Having let two quality managers pack their bags, Lee Johsnon better hope he hits the ground running at Watford’s brother club it seems.
Hearts = 8/10
After Hearts stumbled to a Scottish Championship title last year many Jambos fans had saw enough of Robbie Neilson and felt that it was better for the club if he departed. Anne Budge refused to exercise her surname though as she kept with her manager. While many of her decisions as Hearts CEO have been questionable that was one you cannot say anything but positivity about. After all, guaranteed European football is a rich place for a club like Hearts and has many benefits. A solid third place plus Scottish Cup runners up medal mean the Scottish Cup runners up medal mean the Edinburgh side have a Europa league play off tie and Conference league group stages at the worst. For Scottish football that is big plus it also means a higher quality of player will be attracted.
Livingston = 7/10
A club which has overachieved in recent years hit the main goal of survival this year comfortably and if it wasn’t for a presplit heartache late on against Motherwell, a push for European spots looked realistic. David Martindale can have his head held high however with a seventh place finish. Alan Forrest has been a crucial part of a solid season but now looks on his way to Hearts, Martindale has declared he would see no problem in this and even embraces it. Livi are the new Hamilton who punch above their weight in the top tier. Next season will once again no doubt be a tough shift, one they are equipped for though.
Motherwell = 5/10
Scrambling to a top five finish, Graham Alexander’s Motherwell have achieved the miracle which gives them European football. The opening half was really solid for the steel men and with Tony Watt firing on all cylinders a top half finish looked a formality. Yet the minute they lost the former Celtic striker fortunes went seriously down hill. Just the three wins have been recorded this calendar year in which has been a truly abysmal run of form. In that run a 3-1 home loss to Rangers with a man less was in all honesty the worst ninety minutes from a Scottish football side in a long, long time. The controversial split format you cannot help but feel has came to their rescue. A major rebuild job awaits in the Summer, a successful one it needs to be because as it stands this isn’t a side which can qualify for Europe.
Rangers = 7.5/10
It has been a really bizarre season for the Gers. An incredible European run to Seville plus a Scottish cup success gave Rangers fans great moments to celebrate. Yet, with an automatic Champions League place up for grabs at the start of the season, lets not lie the main objective was finishing top of the pile. Domestically there has been some real down days. A 3-1 loss to Hibs in the Premier Sports Cup Semi-final was one to mention, as a coaching team with little experienced covered as Giovanni Van Bronchurst awaited. A horror loss at Parkhead by three goals left a bitter bitter taste. Yet incredible nights have made up for that as German Giants in Dortmund and Leipzig stumbled in Glasgow. Being six points clear at the summit going into the break though and surrendering a ten point turnaround is unforgivable. Without the comfort of a guaranteed Champions League jackpot that their rivals have though, you cant help but feel they go into next season already on the back foot.
Ross County = 8/10
Destined for relegation at a point Ross County, it looked as though it was going to be another season of fighting for the scraps. Yet, a real turnaround job from Malky McKay deserves praise and appreciation. A unbeaten home run than lasted four months was monumental in a turn-around. Charles-Cook was the difference maker who sits level top Cinch Premiership scorer this campaign to prove that. Although domestic cups haven’t been a strong point failing to make it
out the Premier Sports group stages and past the first hurdle of the Scottish
Cup. In reality though, a season in the top six for Ross County is one they would’ve bitten your
hand off for.
out the Premier Sports group stages and past the first hurdle of the Scottish
Cup. In reality though, a season in the top six for Ross County is one they would’ve bitten your
hand off for.
St Mirren = 5/10
A new manager and an
average season there was little to shout about for the Paisley saints. At a
point a top six finish looked really realistic however two runs which have saw
a no wins In nine, and just one win in ten have plagued their season into a
near relegation escape. New gaffer Stephen Robinson has spoke about his desire
to play an attractive brand of football. Although, this season proves we will
have to wait a while before we see that. Next season will be an interesting one.
St Johnstone = 3/10
While a 4-0 victory last night against Inverness would’ve been one of immense satisfaction, the fact it came in the play-off final shows how far the standards have dropped this season in Perth. Last seasons double-winners struggled greatly this season and at a point looked destined for relegation. Starting off with a draw in Turkey against Galatasaray, the Perth side then lost Ali McCann, Jason Kerr and Scott Tanser and were never the same side. There is no reason why the saints should be so poor next season however, expecting a double again may leave you underwhelmed.
(Image credit on WIkkicommons, FLickr and Geograph)
Beyond The Score 
Leave a comment