When we talk about the Scottish Premiership naturally the topic of conversation either concerns Celtic or Rangers, as the two ‘Old Firm’ rivals dominate the division and have done for more years than I can remember (outside of the period of Rangers’ off pitch issues) but the 2024/25 campaign is notable for two other clubs this year – namely Aberdeen and Hibernian.
The Pittodrie Stadium outfit have been outstanding since the start of the campaign and they had a fantastic run under new manager Jimmy Thelin following the virtually unknown former Elfsborg manager joining them over the summer, and they certainly took most by surprise. For a long time they were the prime candidates in the battle for top spot with Brendan Rodgers’ side again now looking likely to run away with the title given the gap they have opened up, but in the last seven odd games their form has fallen off a cliff and they have dropped into third place in the table.
Ten wins and a draw from the opening eleven games was naturally difficult form to follow, but being winless in the last seven was not something many had seen coming, and as soon as defeat came it seems their entire confidence levels just bottomed out and they turned from a side with the habit of winning, into a team who had forgotten how to.
Their Boxing Day clash with Kilmarnock was even more embarrassing as a 4-0 surrender would have been uglier had it not been for the form of their keeper, Dimitar Mitov. It was a long term plan from the beginning, and that journey has just grown longer.
At the opposite end of the spectrum though are Hibernian. A month ago manager David Gray and his side were at the bottom of the table with just one victory in 13 games, but they have also had a major turn in form and now find themselves almost on the cusp of a potential European journey at the end of the season, particularly having just spun together four wins from five games to further catapult them up the table.
Again, it was a turn in form that nobody had seen coming, although Gray would happily point out that he always had faith in his side to turn their year around, and he will undoubtedly be looking for further improvements from them in the months that remain.
Celtic and Rangers will undoubtedly continue to dominate the air waves, but for different reasons, both sides have earnt a few headlines of their own.