chat with someone a bit more statistically competent than myself and have
come up with the following based upon the top six spots being filled with
those teams currently residing therein.
RANGERS
Celtic
Hearts
Dunfermline
Kilmarnock
Hibs
Several points to bear in mind.
Ideally we would play teams home and away twice each. However, it¹s in the
rules that Rangers and Celtic will always have 19 home games - in some cases
other teams may end up with an 18/20 or 20/18 fixture card.
In the last two season we have ended up playing Dunfermline and Dundee three
times in the league.
We¹ll get three home games post-split and two aways.
The major question marks is over whether we play Hibs or Killie at home - in
both cases an away trip would be our third in the league.
HOME GAMES ARE LIKELY TO BE
Celtic
Dunfermline
Hibs or Killie
AWAY GAMES ARE LIKELY TO BE
Hearts
Hibs or Killie
WHEN DO WE PLAY CELTIC?
Last year after the split Celtic were so far ahead it was decided to give
them three home games in a row so that they could win the clinch the title
at home but not at an Old Firm game.
At present Rangers are six points ahead but Celtic have a game in hand and
there is an Old Firm league fixture still to be played.
Almost Best Case Scenario for us is - assuming both clubs win all other
games - they lose their game in hand and lose to us - gives us a 9 point
lead at the break.
Almost Worst Case Scenario for us is - assuming both clubs win all other
games - they win their game in hand and beat us - points even probably also
goal difference in their favour.
As the permutations for when either team would win the title in either
scenario are so varied I think the safest fixture date in terms of the
Beggars not rioting again would be to play the Old Firm fixture at Ibrox on
the first available weekend post the split - 26th April.
COULD BE A CRAZY FIXTURE LIST
We are already down to play Celtic in the league at Parkhead on 8th March
and in the League Cup Final on 16th March.
Assuming Celtic beat St Johnstone today we could also meet them in the
Scottish Cup quarter finals on 22nd March - three Old Firm games in three
weeks! - or at the semi-final stage on 19th April - that weekend is in
between the two sets of SPL fixtures.
POSSIBLE AND ACTUAL FIXTURE DATES
March
2 - Livingston (A)
8 - Celtic (A)
16 - Celtic - League Cup Final
22 - Scottish Cup Quarter Finals - possibly Celtic
29 - Scotland v Iceland
April
5 - Thistle (H)
12 - Dundee United (A)
19 - Scottish Cup Semi-Finals - possibly Celtic
26 - SPL 34 - probably Celtic