Season 09/10 of The Clydesdale Bank Premier League started with defending champions Rangers lagging behind resurgent Celtic in the bookies' eyes for the campaign to come – but in the end it was the defending champions who were triumphant again.

Walter Smith's side had financial problems off the field which left them unable to make transfer signings – but their squad showed commitment and desire as Celtic stuttered and they won the title with three games to spare against Hibs at Easter Road on April 25.

The Ibrox side eventually won the title by six points and were unbeaten at home all season. Three away defeats – at Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Parkhead after the title had been clinched – underlined their resilience. Lee McCulloch scored their first goal of the season against Falkirk on the opening day last August and in many ways summed them up with his spirit and endeavour, although Davie Weir, 40 in May, was voted the Clydesdale Bank Premier League Player of the Year.

The title success guaranteed Rangers direct qualification to the group stages of next season's Champions League, while runners-up Celtic go into the third qualifying round.

The Parkhead men had opened their campaign explosively with a 3-1 win at Pittodrie a few days after an impressive Champions League third qualifying round win away to Dinamo Moscow. But their form turned patchy and manager Tony Mowbray paid the price after a 4-0 thrashing at St Mirren in March and Neil Lennon was appointed his successor on a short-term basis.

None of the top five Clydesdale Bank Premier League goalscorers, of which Kris Boyd, inevitably, led the way, played for Celtic and that fact told its own story. Their top marksman, Robbie Keane, had arrived in January and blasted in an impressive 12 goals in 16 league games.

Dundee United finished a comfortable third, with ex-assistant manager Peter Houston moving easily into the hot seat after Craig Levein departed for the Scotland job in December, while Hibs edged ahead of Motherwell in the race for a Europa League place with their final-day win at Tannadice.

Four days before that, at Fir Park, 'Well and Hibs had been involved in one of the most amazing games of this or any other season. The home side were 6-2 behind before a stunning comeback saw them level to 6-6 with a stunning injury-time volley from loan striker Lukas Jutkiewicz to create a new SPL goalscoring record for one match.

Former Scotland boss Craig Brown had taken over at ‘Well after the sacking of Jim Gannon in December but even Brown, 70 this summer, admitted he'd never been involved in a game like it.

Hearts also replaced managers in mid-season, with Csaba Laszlo axed and Jim Jefferies installed, but theirs' was also a season of inconsistency and sixth spot was as good as they could manage.

In the bottom six, Hamilton, under the shrewd management of Billy Reid, were once again worthy participants in their second SPL season, finishing top of the 'bottom six' after a late run which saw them win eight of their last eleven matches.

Newly-promoted St Johnstone, well-organised by Derek McInnes, also pulled away from the relegation pack and finished eighth.

Aberdeen, under Mark McGhee, toiled, and went into the final game having won just two games in 19. But they'd amassed enough early points to avoid the drop, leaving Falkirk, Kilmarnock and St Mirren to battle it out.

Kilmarnock had replaced Jim Jefferies with Jimmy Calderwood in January and although his side had lost ten games in eleven going into the last week of the season, a win at Pittodrie in the penultimate set of fixtures gave his side breathing space. The same went for St Mirren, whose April win over Killie kept their heads above water – even if it wasn't enough to save manager Gus MacPherson, who was sacked in May.

That left Falkirk. Steven Pressley had taken charge after Eddie May's resignation in February, insisting they wouldn't go down. But on a final day of drama, they were unable to get the win they needed at Rugby Park to save themselves and will be replaced in the 2010-2011 Clydesdale Bank Premier League by Terry Butcher's Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The new Clydesdale Bank Premier League season starts on August 14th!

By cbfootball.co.uk   Last updated: 14 May 2010