Race For The Scottish Premier League: Last Games Of The Season

Kilmarnock Vs Rangers
Celtic Vs Motherwell

Kick Off:- 12:15 GMT, Saturday 15 May 2011

So here we are – final day of SPL season 2010 / 2011 and as usual, only two possible winners of the SPL title:- Celtic and Rangers. One game left for each to play and only one point separating the two clubs, with Rangers ahead and red-hot favourites to emerge Champions.

Clydesdale Bank Premier League : Table
Wednesday, 11 May 2011 21:41 UK

Team            P    W      D    L     F     A    GD    PTS
Rangers    37    29    3    5    83    28    55    90
Celtic         37    28    5    4    81    22    59    89

Rangers only need to match Celtics’ result to be crowned Champions, while Celtic need to get a better result than Rangers, which clearly relies on Rangers failing to win at Kilmarnock.

Under normal circumstances there might be a slight chance of that happening, but Killie have several players unavailable through injury or suspension and caretaker manager Kenny Shiels has let it be known that he wants to blood one or two of his younger players as well. So don’t expect Killie’s strongest XI to take the field.

Contrast that with Rangers’ situation. They have everybody fit and raring to go, their form is fantastic and they’re scoring for fun. As if they don’t have enough going for them, we’ve also got “the Walter Smith script”… This is Walter Smith’s last ever Rangers game. Are Rangers not going to win it for him? Are Rangers not going to present their beloved manager with a Championship as a goodbye present? Does he not deserve it for his work over the season? Over the years? Are Rangers really going to disappoint their manager? their fans? their new owner? Is the script not written?  Well, the script is written and it’s all good for Rangers and Smith.

Celtic can only pray for a miracle. Fortunately for Celtic, miraculous things have happened in the past:-

2005/2006 Last game of the season — Celtic play Motherwell (coincidentally), needing only a point take the title from Rangers. 88 minutes played and Celtic are 1-0 up. 89 minutes played and it is 1-1. 90 minutes played and it’s 2-1 to Motherwell. Final whistle goes – Rangers have won the title.

2001/2002 Last game of the season – Celtic and Rangers level on points. Celtic play St Mirren and Rangers play Kilmarnock and have to beat them by 2 goals more than Celtic win by. Scores:- 4-0 Celtic, 6-0 Rangers.

1986/1987 Last game of the season – Celtic 3 points behind Hearts and behind on goal difference. Celtic need Hearts to lose and Celtic need to win by a few. Scores:- Dundee 2, Hearts 0, St Mirren 1, Celtic 5. League title to Celtic.

Celtic will win comfortably enough, but will that be enough ? Can another miracle happen ? Of course. Will it ? Nope.

Rangers for the title.

Tags: Celtic, Dundee, Hearts, Kick off, Rangers, Result

Category: Football, Scottish Football