2020–21 Scottish Premiership

The 2020–21 Scottish Premiership is the eighth season of the Scottish Premiership, the highest division of Scottish football. The fixtures were published on 6 July 2020,[4] with the season beginning on 1 August, following Scottish Government approval due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.[5] Celtic are the defending champions for the ninth season in a row.

Scottish Premiership
Season2020–21
Dates1 August 2020 – 16 May 2021
Matches played162
Goals scored400 (2.47 per match)
Top goalscorerOdsonne Édouard
(12 goals)[1][2]
Biggest home winRangers 8–0 Hamilton Academical[3]
(8 November 2020)
Biggest away winRoss County 0–5 Celtic[3]
(12 September 2020)
Highest scoringHamilton Academical 3–5 St Johnstone[3]
(17 October 2020)
Rangers 8–0 Hamilton Academical[3]
(8 November 2020)
Longest winning run15 matches:[3]
Rangers
Longest unbeaten run28 matches:[3]
Rangers
Longest winless run12 matches:[3]
Motherwell
Ross County
Longest losing run6 matches:[3]
St Mirren
2021–22 →
All statistics correct as of 7 February 2021.

Twelve teams are contesting the league: Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hamilton Academical, Hibernian, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell, Rangers, Ross County, St Johnstone and St Mirren.

Teams

The following teams changed division after the 2019–20 season.

Promoted from the Championship

Relegated to the Championship

Stadia and locations
Aberdeen Celtic Dundee United Hamilton Academical
Pittodrie Stadium Celtic Park Tannadice Park New Douglas Park
Capacity: 20,866[7] Capacity: 60,411[8] Capacity: 14,223[9] Capacity: 6,018[10]
Hibernian
Location of teams in the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership
 Kilmarnock
Easter Road Rugby Park
Capacity: 20,421[11] Capacity: 17,889[12]
Livingston Motherwell
Almondvale Stadium Fir Park
Capacity: 9,512[13] Capacity: 13,677[14]
Rangers Ross County St Johnstone St Mirren
Ibrox Stadium Victoria Park McDiarmid Park St Mirren Park
Capacity: 50,817[15] Capacity: 6,541[16] Capacity: 10,696[17] Capacity: 7,937[18]

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
Aberdeen Derek McInnes Joe Lewis Adidas Saltire Energy
Celtic Neil Lennon Scott Brown Adidas[19] Dafabet
Dundee United Micky Mellon Mark Reynolds Macron Utilita
Hamilton Academical Brian Rice Brian Easton Adidas Cullen[20]
Hibernian Jack Ross David Gray Macron "Thank You NHS"[21]
Kilmarnock Vacant Gary Dicker Hummel[22] Brownings The Bakers[23]
Livingston David Martindale Marvin Bartley Nike Phoenix Drilling Ltd
Motherwell Graham Alexander Declan Gallagher Macron Paycare[24]
Rangers Steven Gerrard James Tavernier Castore[25] 32Red
Ross County John Hughes Iain Vigurs Macron Ross-shire Engineering[26]
St Johnstone Callum Davidson Jason Kerr Macron Binn Group
St Mirren Jim Goodwin Joe Shaughnessy Joma Skyview Capital

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Ross County Steven Ferguson (co-manager) Internal restructuring 10 June 2020[27] Pre-season Stuart Kettlewell (manager) 10 June 2020[27]
St Johnstone Alec Cleland End of caretaker spell 18 June 2020[28] Callum Davidson 18 June 2020[28]
Dundee United Robbie Neilson Signed by Heart of Midlothian 21 June 2020[29] Micky Mellon 6 July 2020[30]
Livingston Gary Holt Resigned 26 November 2020[31] 10th David Martindale 21 December 2020[32]
Ross County Stuart Kettlewell Sacked 19 December 2020[33] 12th John Hughes 21 December 2020[34]
Motherwell Stephen Robinson Resigned 31 December 2020[35] 10th Graham Alexander 7 January 2021[36]
Kilmarnock Alex Dyer Mutual consent 30 January 2021[37] 9th

Format

In the initial phase of the season, the 12 teams will play a round-robin tournament whereby each team plays each one of the other teams three times. After 33 games, the league splits into two sections of six teams, with each team playing each other in that section. The league attempts to balance the fixture list so that teams in the same section play each other twice at home and twice away, but sometimes this is impossible. A total of 228 matches will be played, with 38 matches played by each team.

League summary

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

After the 12 Premiership clubs were given permission to restart full-contact training by the Scottish Government from 29 June 2020,[38] it was announced that an Aberdeen player had tested positive for COVID-19 two days later. The identity of the player was not disclosed but the club said that he was asymptomatic and self-isolating.[39]

Nine days prior to the start of the season on 1 August, it was reported on 23 July that seven members of St Mirren's coaching staff had tested positive. As a result, a pre-season friendly between St Mirren and St Johnstone on 25 July was cancelled and Hamilton Academical, who had played St Mirren in a friendly on 18 July, confirmed that all of their players and coaching staff had subsequently tested negative.[40] The following day, St Mirren announced that after the seven positive tests were retested, only one came back as positive with the other six negative.[41]

On the opening day of the season Rangers defeated Aberdeen 1–0 at Pittodrie Stadium and after the game, eight members of the Aberdeen squad went out to a pub in the city. Later in the week, the pub was linked to an outbreak of coronavirus cases in Aberdeen which led to a lockdown of the city.[42][43] Two of the group subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 and the eight players were put into self-isolation.[42] Initially, the Scottish Government said Aberdeen's match against St Johnstone, scheduled for 8 August, wouldn't be affected by the lockdown of the city but the match was postponed after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was "pretty furious" about the situation.[42][44] Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes was critical of the group of players - namely Bruce Anderson, Craig Bryson, Sam Cosgrove, Michael Devlin, Jonny Hayes, Matty Kennedy, Dylan McGeouch and Scott McKenna - who apologised for a "huge error of judgement".[45]

The following weekend, defending champions Celtic drew 1–1 with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on 9 August. Defender Boli Bolingoli was in the Celtic match squad and came off the bench during the match, but was found to have travelled back from Spain a few days earlier[46][47] – at that time, a 14-day quarantine was required for anyone travelling to Scotland from that country.[48] Celtic manager Neil Lennon said Bolingoli "went rogue" and the club were unaware of his actions before it came to light on 10 August.[46] Kilmarnock manager Alex Dyer revealed that Celtic had apologised for the situation.[49] Bolingoli (who tested negative for the virus) was subsequently fined £480 by the police for his breach of quarantine rules.[47]

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned Scottish football clubs, players and authorities that the breaches of COVID-19 protocols set up to allow football to resume in Scotland had resulted in her giving the game a "yellow card" and that further breaches could lead to a pause in the football season. Aberdeen and Celtic's matches against Hamilton Academical and St Mirren respectively on 12 August were postponed as a result of the two incidents, as well as the Celtic vs. Aberdeen match on 15 August.[50][51]

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) and Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) introduced new rules following the breaches of COVID-19 rules which meant Bolingoli and the "Aberdeen eight" were charged by both governing bodies.[52] An SFA hearing was held on 28 August which resulted in a three-match ban with a further two-match ban suspended for Bolingoli. The "Aberdeen eight" were each given a three-match suspended ban. The suspended bans would be triggered if a player was again charged with "bringing the game into disrepute" before 28 February 2021.[53]

Three fixtures (Kilmarnock v Motherwell, St Mirren v Motherwell and St Mirren v Hamilton) during the autumn were postponed after Kilmarnock and St Mirren told the SPFL that they could not fulfil them as scheduled due to COVID-19 outbreaks. The SPFL initially awarded 3–0 victories to their opponents; but that decision was overturned after an appeal to the Scottish Football Association.[54][55]

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
1 Rangers (W) 28 24 4 0 68 8 +60 76 Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round
2 Celtic (X) 26 16 7 3 57 21 +36 55 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
3 Hibernian (X) 28 14 7 7 39 26 +13 49 Qualification for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round
4 Aberdeen 27 12 8 7 31 28 +3 44
5 Livingston 27 11 6 10 35 31 +4 39
6 St Mirren 25 9 5 11 26 28 −2 32
7 Dundee United 28 7 10 11 23 38 −15 31
8 St Johnstone 28 7 9 12 27 37 −10 30
9 Motherwell 26 6 7 13 24 39 −15 25
10 Kilmarnock 27 7 3 17 26 39 −13 24
11 Ross County 28 6 5 17 21 53 −32 23 Qualification for the Premiership play-off final
12 Hamilton Academical 26 5 5 16 23 52 −29 20 Relegation to the Championship
Updated to match(es) played on 7 February 2021. Source: BBC SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-Head points; 5) Head-to-Head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification, second stage group allocation or relegation).[56]
(W) Assured a place of the top 6 group and the Europa Conference League; (X) Assured a place of the top 6 group.
Notes:
  1. Teams play each other three times (33 matches), before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. To preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included in the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for round 13, but then postponed and played between rounds 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for round 16.

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
Rangers3211111111111111111111111111
Celtic1446432222222222222222222222
Hibernian2122223333433443343444434433
Aberdeen991111744444344334434333343344
Livingston101110101210111286891010109777665555555
St Mirren56656671012111111111111121088777888666
Dundee United6554588667665566665556666777
St Johnstone7797876911129109788910101099999888
Motherwell1110891012128991087855556910111011111099
Kilmarnock88781191075555667789988877791010
Ross County43333555787789911121212121112121010111111
Hamilton Academical121212129119111010121212121210111111111210111212121212
Leader and Champions League Third qualifying round
Champions league Second qualifying round
Europa Conference League second qualifying round
Qualification for the Premiership play-off final
Relegated to the Championship
Source:

Results

Matches 34–38

After 33 matches, the league splits into two sections of six teams i.e. the top six and the bottom six, with the teams playing every other team in their section once (either at home or away). The exact matches are determined by the position of the teams in the league table at the time of the split.

Season statistics

Top scorers
As of 7 February 2021
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Odsonne Édouard Celtic 12
2 Kevin Nisbet Hibernian 11
James Tavernier Rangers
4 Kemar Roofe Rangers 10
5 Martin Boyle Hibernian 9
6 Lewis Ferguson Aberdeen 8
Nicky Clark Dundee United
8 Mohamed Elyounoussi Celtic 7
Ross Callachan Hamilton Academical
Chris Burke Kilmarnock
Alfredo Morelos Rangers

Source: [1][2]

Hat-tricks
Main article: List of Scottish Professional Football League hat-tricks § Scottish Premiership
Player For Against Score Date Ref.
Odsonne Édouard Celtic Hamilton Academical 5–1 (H) 2 August 2020 [57]
Kevin Nisbet Hibernian Livingston 4–1 (A) 8 August 2020 [58]
Mohamed Elyounoussi Celtic Motherwell 4–1 (A) 8 November 2020 [59]

Most assists
As of 7 February 2021
Rank Player Club Assists
1 Ianis Hagi Rangers 9
James Tavernier Rangers
3 Ryan Christie Celtic 6
Callum McGregor Celtic
Ryan Kent Rangers
6 David Turnbull Celtic 5
Martin Boyle Hibernian
Scott Arfield Rangers
Borna Barišić Rangers

Source:[60]

Attendances

Games are mostly being played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited attendance is allowed at some grounds with strict conditions under the Scottish Government Tier system, dependent on the club's geographical location.

Awards
Month Manager of the Month Player of the Month Ref.
Manager Club Player Club
August Steven Gerrard Rangers Ryan Kent Rangers
September Neil Lennon Celtic James Tavernier Rangers
October Steven Gerrard Rangers Connor Goldson Rangers
November Steven Gerrard Rangers James Tavernier Rangers
December David Martindale Livingston David Turnbull Celtic
January
February
March
April

Premiership play-offs

The quarter-finals will be contested between the third and fourth placed teams in the Scottish Championship. The winners will advance to the semi-finals to face the second placed team in the Championship, and the winners of that tie will advance to the final to play-off against the 11th placed team in the Premiership, with the winners securing a place in the 2021–22 Scottish Premiership.

Broadcasting

Live matches (UK and Ireland)

Sky Sports has exclusive rights to the Scottish Premiership and will show up to 48 matches, whilst also broadcasting the play-offs.[61] Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, clubs will stream matches (not broadcast on Sky) to fans on a pay-per-view or "virtual season ticket" basis, whilst capacities in stadia are limited due to social distancing restrictions.[62]

Highlights

From the start of this season, highlights are shown on both Saturdays and Sundays on BBC Scotland's flagship Sportscene programme. Sky Sports also show highlights.

Gaelic-language channel BBC Alba has rights to broadcast repeats in full of 38 Saturday 3pm matches "as live" at 5.30pm.

The SPFL also uploads the goals from every Premiership match onto its YouTube channel - available from 6pm on a Sunday for UK and Ireland viewers and 10pm on a Saturday for those worldwide.

References
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  2. "Scottish Premiership Scoring Stats - 2020-21". ESPN. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
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