SPL: Surprisingly Successful Season In Scotland

The emergence of the Jambo's as a credible force in Scottish football combined with the crowning of league champions Celtic, the Champion's League campaign of Rangers and possible shock Scottish Cup champions Gretna has meant that it has been a refreshing and successful season north of the border.

Although Celtic will walk away with the title it has been Hearts who have made the biggest impression in the SPL and have finally restored some credibility to east coast football after more than a decade of total western domination. The concoction of Romonav's new imports mixed with homegrown talent- such as Craig Gordon who was awarded the Writer's Player of the Year award at the weekend- has left the Tynecastle club tantalisingly close to a Scottish Cup victory and Champion's League football.

The success of Celtic should also not be overlooked in a season which commenced with a crushing, humiliating exit from the Champion's League before transforming into a season where manager Strachan can feel content with collecting another two trophies for the Parkhead cabinet. This accomplishment has been complemented with exhibitions of enormously entertaining football and the long-awaited breakthrough of Shaun Maloney and Stephen McManus into not just first team members but fundamental stars in the success of the Glasgow giants.

Where Celtic failed miserably, their oldest rivals flew the flag proudly for Scotland in Europe. The achievement of Rangers in progressing from the group stages in the Champion's League was even more remarkable when you consider their dismal league form. Indeed the Ibrox club were only a goal away from removing Riquelme's impressive Villarreal from the competition.

Yet forget Hearts and the Old Firm, the true success story has been the fairytale romance of Gretna in reaching the Scottish Cup Final. On May 13th they will come up against Hearts and it will be intriguing to see if Rowan Alexander's men can complete an historical triumph for the team that only entered the Scottish League in 2002.

The success stories in Scotland this season may herald a rethink from the usual critics of the 'Mickey Mouse League'. If Hearts do achieve qualification into the financial goldmine that is the Champion's League then there is no doubt that Romonav will continue to invest heavily in the Tynecastle club. With much respected and sought after Frenchman Paul Le Guen at the helm of a revitilised Rangers, Gordon Strachan's Celtic will have a serious fight on their hands to keep the SPL title at Celtic Park.

Daniel Law
18 April 2006