1998–99 Scottish Premier League
The 1998–99 Scottish Premier League season (also known as the 1998–99 Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League for sponsorship reasons from 11 March) was the inaugural season of Scottish Premier League football, the top division of Scottish football. It began on 1 August 1998 and concluded on 23 May 1999.
| Season | 1998–99 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1 August 1998 – 23 May 1999 |
| Champions | Rangers 1st Premier League title 48th Scottish title |
| Promoted | Dundee |
| Relegated | Dunfermline Athletic |
| Champions League | Rangers |
| UEFA Cup | Celtic (via Scottish Cup) St Johnstone Kilmarnock (via Fair Play) |
| Matches played | 180 |
| Goals scored | 471 (2.62 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Henrik Larsson (29) |
| Biggest home win | Celtic 6–1 Dundee (7 November) Rangers 6–1 Dundee (20 February) |
| Biggest away win | St Johnstone 0–7 Rangers (8 November) |
| Highest scoring | Motherwell 1–7 Celtic (21 February) |
| Highest attendance | 60,092, Celtic v St Johnstone (31 January) |
| Lowest attendance | 3,532, Dunfermline Athletic v Motherwell (23 May) |
| Average attendance | 18,577 (541) |
← 1997–98 (Premier Division) | |
The league was made up of the twelve clubs that broke away from the Scottish Football League at the end of the 1997–98 season. Celtic went into the season as the defending Scottish champions, having won the 1997–98 Scottish Premier Division.
Rangers won the title with 3 matches still to play on 2 May 1999, after defeating Old Firm rivals Celtic 3–0 in controversial circumstances at Celtic Park. Three players were red-carded during the game and referee Hugh Dallas was struck by a coin thrown by a Celtic supporter and required treatment from paramedics on the field.