Celtic eye pre-split title party

Published on 21/02/2013 00:00

CELTIC look certain to wrap up the SPL title before the split, despite their slip-up 
at St Johnstone on Tuesday.

Neil Lennon’s side are now 19 points clear at the top of the league, although second-placed Motherwell have one game in hand.

And even if Motherwell do win that extra game, and Celtic match them for points, they can wrap it up with a home game against Hibs on 6 April – the last game before the SPL split – because they would be 16 points ahead with only 15 left to play for.

However, if Celtic keep winning and Stuart McCall’s side do drop points – especially with the two sides due to meet later this month at Fir Park – the championship could even 
be clinched next month.

Celtic are away to St Mirren the previous week at the end of March and could win the league in Paisley as long as they remain at least 19 points clear at that stage.

But if Motherwell and Caley Thistle drop just four points in their next five games and Celtic win their next four, they would clinch the title as early as 16 March at home against struggling Aberdeen.

With Rangers needing just seven wins to be certain of the Third Division title and Queen of the South running away with the Second Division, it seems certain three out of the four leagues will be over by spring.