Scottish Premier League 2000-01

Infobox Football league season
competition = Bank of Scotland Premier League
season = 2000–01
winners = Celtic
promoted =
relegated = St. Mirren
continentalcup1 = Champions League
continentalcup1 qualifiers = Celtic, Rangers
continentalcup2 = UEFA Cup
continentalcup2 qualifiers = Hibernian, Kilmarnock
continentalcup3 = Intertoto Cup
continentalcup3 qualifiers = Dundee
league topscorer = Henrik Larsson (35)
total goals = 605
average goals = 2.65
biggest home win = Hearts 7–1 Dunfermline Athletic (24 Feb)
Rangers 7–1 St. Mirren (04 Nov)
Celtic 6–0 Aberdeen (16 Dec)
Celtic 6–0 Kilmarnock (02 Jan)
biggest away win = Dundee United 0–4 Celtic (26 Dec)
Dundee United 0–4 Hearts (14 Oct)
highest attendance = 60,440, Celtic 1–0 St. Mirren (07 Apr)
lowest attendance = 2, 610, Dunfermline Athletic 1–2 Motherwell (12 May)
average attendance = 15, 905
prevseason = 1999–00
nextseason = 2001–02

The 2000–01 Scottish Premier League was the third season of the Scottish Premier League. It began in on 29 July 2000.

Overview

2000–01 saw the Scottish Premier League expanded from 10 to 12 clubs, with the league 'split' introduced. After 33 rounds of matches, by which time all clubs had played each other three times, the league split into a 'top six' and 'bottom six' with clubs only competing against teams within their own section for the final five fixtures. The new format received widespread criticism from SPL managers.cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-63528579.html|publisher=The Mirror|title=YOU'RE TOO LATE NOW; Dick blast at SPL bosses|date=2001-02-07|accessdate=2008-04-24] cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-71131570.html|publisher=BBC Sport|title=SPL split will Pitt us in a right fix; SAYS EBBE SKOVDAHL|date=2001-02-07|accessdate=2008-04-24] cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/825790.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Fear factor worries McLeish|date=2000-07-09|accessdate=2008-04-24]

The 2000–01 title was won by Celtic - their first SPL title, won in Martin O'Neill's first season as manager of the club. Rangers finished second, 15 points behind their Old Firm-rivals. St. Mirren were relegated in what was their debut season in the SPL and their first appearance in Scotland's top division since 1991–92. As champions, Celtic qualified for the Champions League, as did second-placed Rangers, with Scotland gaining two Champions League berths for the first time. Third-placed Hibernian and fourth-placed Kilmarnock qualified for the UEFA Cup, while Dundee became the first SPL club - and the first Scottish club since Partick Thistle in 1995 - to qualify for the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Promotion and relegation from 1999–00

Promoted from First Division to Premier League
*St. Mirren
*Dunfermline Athletic

Relegation from Premier League to First Division
*No team was relegated due to the league being expanded from 10 to 12 teams

Table

Source: [http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Attendance/0,,10002~20003,00.html SPL official website]

Monthly awards

References

* [http://www.scotprem.premiumtv.co.uk/page/SeasonReview/0,,10002~674658,00.html Season Review - ScotPrem.co.uk]

ee also

*Celtic F.C. season 2000-01
*Rangers F.C. season 2000-01
*Dundee United FC Season 2000-01