WEIRD ENDING TO A THRILLING LAST DAY

IT was thrilling, exciting, undoubtedly dramatic. And ever so slightly odd. Unexpectedly joyous for the visiting fans, obviously. But with a closing few moments that were just … weird. Among those pitching up at Easter Road exactly 15 years ago today, few really believed that Rangers would end the afternoon as Scottish champions for the 51st time. Celtic had everything in their own hands at Fir Park. All Alex McLeish’s men could do was beat Hibs. And hope. Maybe even pray. Rangers did just enough to get the win, Nacho Novo breaking a scoring slump with the game’s only goal. Understandably, though, the loudest cheers from the away end came in response to events some 40 miles to the west. The reaction to Scott McDonald equalising for Motherwell with 88 minutes gone? Absolute bedlam. Rangers striker Dado Prso actually stopped in mid stride, giving up on chasing a ball towards the Hibs goal, to raise his arms in triumph. When news of future Celtic hero McDonald’s second drifted through, the entire visiting team could start celebrating. Weren’t they worried about Hibs equalising? Hell no. Tony Mowbray’s men were sitting on a 1-0 defeat that would guarantee them a UEFA Cup spot. Losing a second goal would knock that prize from their grasp. If Rangers were happy to sit on the result, so were their hosts. Honestly? The closing five or six minutes, including stoppage time, looked like two teams working on positional drills for a coaching video. At full-time, Prso actually ran towards the Rangers fans invading the pitch, emerging without his shirt but wearing a smile wider than the Clyde. God-fearing central defender Marvin Andrews fell to his knees in prayer. And McLeish, back at the very venue where he’d so famously celebrated Aberdeen’s title triumph in May of 1980, once again danced a jig of joy as the helicopter carrying the league trophy made its famous diversion from Fir Park to Easter Road.