Scottish football/soccer : Scottish Premier League 2009/2010 season preview

Rangers champions, Inverness relegated

Rangers won the Scottish league title with a 3-0 victory at Dundee United on the final day of the season, preventing Celtic from winning it for the fourth season in a row. Celtic were held 0-0 at home by third-place Hearts and finished four points behind. Rangers also secured a place in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, while Celtic will play in the third qualifying round. Third-placed Hearts, Aberdeen, in fourth, and Scottish Cup finalists Falkirk will enter qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

• Champions and Cup winners: Glasgow Rangers (UEFA Champions League)
• Runners-up and League Cup winners: Celtic (Champ. League 3rd qual. round)
• Third place: Hearts (UEFA Europa League)
• Fourth place: Aberdeen (UEFA Europa League)
• Scottish Cup finalists: Falkirk (UEFA Europa League)
• Fair Play spot: Motherwell (UEFA Europa League)
• Relegated: Inverness
• Promoted: St. Johnstone.

It has been confirmed that Motherwell will also play in this season's inaugural Europa League, formerly known as the UEFA Cup, after UEFA said Scotland will have an extra spot via the Fair Play League. At the other end of the table, Inverness were relegated from the Scottish Premiership after losing 1-0 to Falkirk in the last round of matches. St. Johnstone clinched the First Division title last term and they were promoted to the SPL after a seven year absence.

The table shows the overall number of titles (since 1891) for each club in the Scottish Premier League and their league standings in the last five seasons.

Gordon Strachan resigns, Tom Mowbray takes over as Celtic boss

Gordon Strachan quit as Celtic manager after his side failed to clinch a fourth straight Scottish title. The 52-year-old joined Celtic from Southampton in 2005 when Martin O'Neill stepped down in similar circumstances. Strachan won three consecutive league crowns before the team finished as runners-up to Rangers last season. He also won the Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cups.

This page is introduction to the 2009/2010 Scottish Premier League season. Latest news, statistics, results and predictions you can find on our main Euro Football > Scotland page.

Tony Mowbray has been named as the new manager after Celtic agreed a two million pounds compensation deal with West Bromwich Albion. A further amount, thought to be close to L500,000, means the 45-year-old will take his assistants Mark Venus and Peter Grant to Glasgow. All the indications are that he will be a popular appointment. Mowbray, a former Celtic player between 1991 and 1995, is leaving West Brom after they were relegated from the English Premier League.

* Table displays the league standings for season 2008/2009

Bench changes

Jimmy Calderwood led Aberdeen to a fourth place finish last season before deciding he had taken the team as far as he could. He was replaced by Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, who was part of Aberdeen's famous Cup Winners' Cup winning side of 1983. The 52-year-old former Aberdeen striker has agreed a two-year contract.

Motherwell, meanwhile, have named Jim Gannon as their new manager. Like his predecessor McGhee, Gannon, 40, brings with him experience of managing in the English lower leagues where he enjoyed a degree of success at Stockport. He guided County to promotion to League One through the play-offs in 2008 before turning down the opportunity to join Brighton earlier this year.

Hibernian finished sixth in the standings last season, missing out on Europa League qualification and manager Mixu Paatelainen resigned after just 16 months in charge of the club. John Hughes left Falkirk to take over the Hibs hot-seat, while Falkirk have confirmed Eddie May as the head of their new management team. May was promoted from youth coach.

Two-horse title race

According to the bookmakers, the outcome of 2009/10 season in the Scottish Premier League is another two-horse race. Rangers and Celtic are still way ahead of the rest of the league. On the other hand, St. Mirren, Hamilton, Falkirk and Kilmarnock are expected to scrap it out with newly-promoted St. Johnstone to avoid relegation.

* Preseason odds for the outright winner of the 2009/10 Scottish football league.

Scottish Cup finals in last five seasons

2005   Celtic - Dundee United   1:0
2006   Hearts - Gretna   1:1   (4:2 penalties)
2007   Celtic - Dunfermline   1:0
2008   Rangers - Queen Of The South   3:2
2009   Rangers - Falkirk   1:0

Scottish League Cup finals in last five seasons

2005   Rangers - Motherwell   5:1
2006   Celtic - Dunfermline   3:0
2007   Hibernian - Kilmarnock   5:1
2008   Rangers - Dundee United   2:2   (3:2 penalties)
2009   Celtic - Rangers   2:0