In the end it wasn't even close.

After all the pre-match hype, the destiny of the SPL title was effectively decided after five minutes when Kyle Lafferty stabbed Kris Boyd's cross into the back of the net to give Rangers a 1-0 lead against Dundee United.

And from that point on, the result never looked in doubt, despite United enjoying plenty of possession.

But even if the Tangerines had forced their way back into the game, Celtic's ineptitude in the final third would have saved Rangers anyway as they failed to break down a weakened Hearts side already thinking of their summer holidays. (Incidentally where was the bold Georgios Samaras when Celtic were firing blanks in three of their last four games?).

In the end Rangers wanted it more.

I wrote a column the day after Celtic won the Co-operative Insurance Cup in which I said the league was over, that there was no way back for Walter Smith and Rangers after a pretty dreadful Hampden display.

But something changed in the Ibrox dressing room following the 'Boozegate' incident involving Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor.

For one, it led to Smith stumbling upon a pretty formidable central midfield partnership in Pedro Mendes and Maurice Edu, the American doing the dirty and unselfish job Kevin Thomson did before his injury.

But more importantly, it seemed to foster a sort of 'everyone is against us' spirit after it emerged that a number of other players in the Scotland camp could, and probably should, have been punished after the drinking session at Cameron House.

That Ally McCoist, a man who played in the 1992-93 Gers side that came within one game of a Champions League final and who was assistant when they reached the UEFA Cup final last season, said: "I've never wanted anything more in my life" speaks volumes.

When it mattered most, Rangers produced the goods, not always in terms of performances, but in results thanks to their dogged spirit.

Until Ferguson and McGregor's suspension, Smith's side had only won more than two successive SPL games on one occasion - but in the final nine games of the season they won eight, winning six-in-a-row in the immediate aftermath of 'Boozegate'.

While Rangers took 25 points from a possible 27, Celtic could muster only 18 and that is why Gordon Strachan is leaving Parkhead.

Despite winning three successive titles prior to Sunday, many fans have never warmed to Strachan and he will Jimmy Calderwood out of the SPL, the Aberdeen boss leaving by mutual consent after leading the Dons to fourth and another spot in Europe.

Calderwood paid the price for a series of poor cup results - exits to the likes of Dunfermline, Queen of the South and Queen's Park - despite solid league performances but it would be no surprise to see him land a decent job in England. Reading perhaps?

Hearts will join Aberdeen in the Europa League next season after enjoying an excellent season under Csaba Laszlo.

The Hungarian has taken the Jambos from eighth to third with almost the exact same squad of players - but he will be tested in the summer, with Robbie Neilson, Bruno Aguiar, Christos Karipidis and others set to leave Tynecastle.

Meanwhile, there was more heartbreak for Dundee United.

Craig Levein's side suffered an agonising Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat to Celtic at Hampden and again performed well against the Old Firm in the league, but ultimately missed out on Europe as a result of a series of failures to beat the 'lesser' sides at Tannadice.

The loss of Willo Flood to Celtic and a serious injury to Scott Robertson seemed to take the wind out of them mid-season but they are certainly heading in the right direction.

And so too may be Hibs. Mixu Paatelainen was a defeat against Hamilton away from the sack earlier in the season, but after sneaking into the top six, draws against both of the Old Firm and a derby win at Tynecastle against Hearts look to have won the fans over.

But like their Edinburgh rivals, their squad could be decimated in the summer transfer window, with Steven Fletcher and Rob Jones almost certain to move on, while Derek Riordan is attracting attention once again.

At the bottom, Inverness will certainly be a miss, but after only needing a point at home to stay up on the final day, they deserve to go down, although it will hurt that it's with a record-high number of points (37).

Bigger things were expected of Motherwell and Falkirk, both of whom could lose their managers in the summer, while Hamilton excelled beyond all expectations, surviving comfortably in the end - again though, they will be doing well to keep hold of key men James McCarthy, Brian Easton and James McArthur.

Kilmarnock were a huge disappointment once again under Jim Jefferies, but the inspired signing of Kevin Kyle mid-season just about kept them up. They must surely do better next season while St Mirren endured a nervy final day, surviving only on goal difference, that freak 7-0 defeat to Celtic almost costing them big time.

Overall, while the standard may not have been the best, the SPL has thrown up some amazing drama, with, barring third place, every single issue still up for grabs on the final day.

And if St Johnstone can bring as much as last season's First Division champions Hamilton to the top-flight next season, we could be in for another cracker.