Lack of Competition in the Scottish Professional Football League.

Football is Scotland’s national sport.

The Scottish Cup, first contested in 1873, is the second oldest football tournament on the planet.

Scots have spread the sport around the world. For example, is was a Scot who first introduced football to Brazil in 1894.

At international level, Scottish supporters have followed their team to many far off countries, becoming famous for their kilts, bagpipes and exuberant high spirits. The national team may have won little but the supporters have made friends everywhere.

At club level, Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup ( now the Champions League) in 1967. Indeed, this win was the first victory in the tournament by any club outside Spain, Portugal or Italy.

In many ways, the 1950’s and ’60’s were the Golden Period of Scottish football. A highly competitive league – seven different clubs won the league title between 1950 and 1965 – and good attendances.

From 1965 to 1979 – 15 seasons – only Celtic and Rangers won the league. This period ended when a Sir Alex Ferguson inspired Aberdeen became champions in 1980. In a brief return to a truly competitive situation, the next six seasons saw both Aberdeen (on three occasions) and Dundee United become champions of Scotland, with Celtic also winning twice in the same period.

And then came 1985.

In the 35 years since the mid 1980’s, Celtic and Rangers have completely dominated Scottish football. Celtic have won the title 18 times to Rangers 17 victories.

In many ways, this was a cosy duopoly, “The Old Firm”, suiting both the clubs and the Scottish media. For many reasons, the rivalry between the two clubs is the stuff of legends, not all of which are directly related to the sport of football.

Meantime, the rest of Scottish football has declined.

A good example of this decline can be found in the record of Aberdeen, a club which from the time of Sir Alex has been regarded as the main challengers to the Glasgow duopolists.

Since the dawn of the new millennium, the challenge offered by Aberdeen has faded almost to nothing. They have contested 60 national league and cup competitions, winning a solitary League Cup.

Despite Aberdeens decline, no other club has risen to become challengers.

Most people would argue that the duopoly was not healthy for Scottish football. No other league in Europe has been dominated by two clubs to the extent seen in Scotland.

In the last 35 years, Scotland has had only two champions. Looking around Europe, no other league has seen less than five champions in the same period.

In 2012, the competitive situation in Scotland actually worsened.

Rangers fell into bankruptcy, with a new company taking over the clubs assets and the new Rangers allowed to play in the 4th tier of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

The fall of Rangers has left the top division of the SPFL dominated by Celtic. As of 2020, Celtic have won nine league titles in succession and are on course for “10-in-a-row”, a feat never before achieved.

Celtic play each season in the Champions League -Scotland is allowed only one entry – and typically earn £30 million plus each season in prize money from this competition, in addition to ticket sales and other commercial revenue deriving from the matches.

The Champions League revenue, added to domestic revenue which includes ticket sales from their 60,000 capacity stadium, have earned Celtic a financial leadership in Scottish football that cannot be challenged.

Celtics financial primacy is mirrored by their success on the pitch. In the last three seasons, Celtic have won every domestic tournament they have entered, completing a “Treble Treble”. They are on course for a “Quad Treble”, only needing to win the Scottish Cup ( due for completion in December 2020) to bring about this accomplishment.

The monopoly position Celtic are in has been achieved through their own success and some external factors, notably the demise of the company controlling Rangers in 2012.

It would be pointless and counter-productive to attempt to criticise Celtic for effectively monopolising the top rung of Scottish football. They have done what any well-managed business would be expected to do; continually improve their performance.

Nevertheless, the overwhelming success of Celtic has undermined the credibility of the Scottish Premier League as any kind of seriously competitive sports tournament. Supporters of clubs other than Celtic and Rangers seem to be losing interest in what is on offer.

It is the view of the author than radical change is needed at SPFL level to make the Premiership more competitive.

Quite simply, a new modus operandi has to be put in place that will allow more than one club to win the league.

To be very clear, radical change would be needed WHATEVER club was totally dominating Scottish football. If it were Cowdenbeath FC, instead of Celtic, the need for change with be just as urgent.