2011-12 was the fifth season of the Clydesdale Bank’s sponsorship of the SPL – and Celtic emerged convincing champions with a 20-point margin at the end of a traumatic season.
Celtic were convincing and worthy champions, clinching the title with their biggest away win of the season - the 6-0 victory at Kilmarnock on April 7. Manager Neil Lennon was voted Clydesdale Bank Manager of the Month four times during the season and was named Scotland’s Manager of the Year. Defender Charlie Mulgrew was named Player of the Year and winger James Forrest was Clydesdale Bank’s Young Player of the Year. Gary Hooper was the winner of the Golden Boot for top Clydesdale Bank Premier League goalscorer with a total of 24 goals – including a final-day five-goal haul against Hearts. Celtic were also the side who put together the longest winning run – 17 – and the longest unbeaten run – 21 games.
Across the city Rangers, under new manager Ally McCoist, started the season well and were fifteen points ahead in November. That lead was whittled away on the park – but the real problems lay off it. The later months of the season was dominated by the club’s financial crisis. On 14 February the club entered administration, owing an approximate £9m in unpaid taxes and with an ongoing tribunal with HMRC regarding the club's use of an Employee Benefit Trust Scheme. The case is subject to a First Tier Tribunal Hearing and the estimated claim of HMRC, subject to the findings of the tribunal, is around £50m, with estimated interest and penalties of around £25m. Although Charles Green has agreed a deal to take over the club, this story may still have a long way to run.
Elsewhere, Motherwell were the success story of the season and the beneficiaries of Rangers’ misfortune. Their consistency with a small squad saw them finish third and they’ll go into the Champions League for the first time next season.
Dundee United pushed Motherwell close but ultimately paid the price for a poor start in which they won only two of their first twelve Clydesdale Bank Premier League games. However they finished a creditable fourth and go into the Europa League.
Hearts were another club who had off-field problems and they failed to pay their players on time four times during the season but Paulo Sergio’s side finished a respectable fifth.
St Johnstone, under new manager Steve Lomas, also had a decent season, with Fran Sandaza a consistent goalscorer as they eased to a sixth-place finish.
In the bottom six, Kilmarnock and St Mirren were lauded for their good playing styles and they finished seventh and eighth respectively.
It was another season of disappointment for Craig Brown’s Aberdeen, who struggled to find consistency and ended in the same ninth position as the season before – albeit with three more points.
Inverness C.T. were another side who struggled but they were soon out of the relegation mire and finished tenth.
The real drama was the battle to avoid the drop and Dunfermline Athletic ultimately paid the price for their wretched home form. The East End Park side, who sacked Jim McIntyre and hired Jim Jefferies in March, won only one home game out of 19. They were finally relegated when they went down 4-0 to Hibs in the clubs’ final meeting on May 7.
In total 500 goals were scored in this most dramatic of seasons – and the excitement will start again on August 4.
By cbfootball.co.uk Last updated:
15 May 2012