Rod Wallace proved himself to be the bargain of the Scottish season by steering Rangers to the Treble.

The little striker, snapped up from Leeds on a free transfer in the summer, grabbed the winner after 49 minutes.

Wallace scored his 27th goal of a marvellous season with a clinical finish to leave Celtic without a trophy this season.

Tony Vidmar played the ball in from the left and both Neil McCann and Celtic defender Alan Stubbs went for it.

It spun into the path of Wallace five yards out and he lashed it beyond keeper Jonathan Gould.

Rangers went into the match with the Premier League title and the League Cup already secured.

But Celtic have been left with nothing just a year after winning the title.

Hampden Park opened its doors following a £63million facelift to welcome the Old Firm.

The eyes of the world were on this famous old Glasgow venue after the shameful scenes that marred the last match between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead.

Scottish Football Association president Jack McGinn indicated the need for a trouble-free day in his programme notes.

While the game was fiercely competitive - four Celtic players were booked - the fans were generally well-behaved.

Wallace returned to the Rangers line-up after suspension while Colin Hendry and Neil McCann both shrugged off groin and knee injuries respectively to take their place in the side.

Derek McInnes replaced Claudio Reyna in midfield while Andrei Kanchelskis had to settle for a place on the bench.

Celtic were without a number of key players through injury with Mark Viduka (ankle) the latest casualty.

Vidar Riseth was also absent as he is on international duty with Norway, preparing for the Euro 2000 qualifier against Georgia on Sunday.

The game started at a typically frantic pace with Rangers carving out the first chance in the third minute when they won a free-kick on the right.

Gabriel Amato got on the end of an inswinging cross from Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, only to see his header blocked.

Celtic immediately responded with Henrik Larsson releasing Regi Blinker in the penalty area.

But Van Bronckhorst managed to shrug off his fellow Dutchman and avert the danger.

Stephane Mahe, sent off in the last Old Firm game, moved forward in the 12th minute only to see his shot spin off Rangers skipper Lorenzo Amoruso.

Celtic defender Johan Mjallby became the first player to be booked by referee Hugh Dallas after tripping McCann.

Jorg Albertz got too much weight behind the free-kick and sent his effort into the crowd.

Celtic came within inches of taking the lead after 22 minutes when Mahe played the ball back into the path of Paul Lambert on the edge of the area.

He made a firm connection to beat Stefan Klos only for his shot to come back off the bar.

Rangers, however, stepped up the pressure in the minutes leading up to half-time.

McCann played the ball through to Wallace in the 28th minute and he raced in on goal.

However, Celtic defender Enrico Annoni got in enough of a challenge to knock Wallace out of his stride and Gould raced out of his goal to smother the ball.

Jorg Albertz then squared the ball to McCann only for Tom Boyd to get in a timely challenge.

McCann was beginning to figure prominently and delivered a precise pass across the face of the area.

Gould was again alert to the danger and took the ball of the toes of Gabriel Amato as he prepared to shoot.

Celtic, however, retaliated and Morten Wieghorst released Henrik Larsson. The Swedish striker honed in on goal only for Klos to avert the danger with a shuddering challenge.

Rangers began the second half in spirited fashion with Vidmar racing forward a minute after the break. His shot from the edge of the area was firmly struck but Gould managed to tip it around the post.

Wallace finally broke the deadlock after 49 minutes to leave Celtic racing an uphill task.

Celtic coach Jozef Venglos decided to shake things up in the 61st minute, taking off Enrico Annoni and replacing him with fellow striker Tommy Johnson.

A minute later Wieghorst fired in a shot that was beaten away by Klos before Regi Blinker became the second Celtic player to be booked for a challenge on Derek McInnes.

Celtic stepped up the pressure and Alan Stubbs had a shot blocked after Colin Hendry had only partially cleared the ball.

Rangers suffered a blow in the 67th minute when McCann, who had been struggling with a knee injury, limped off, being replaced by Ian Ferguson.

Johnson, out of the picture for much of the season at Parkhead, set up Larsson but Klos made another good save.

Amato should have added a second after being released by Albertz but he did not get enough weight on his shot and Gould was able to turn it round the post.

Wieghorst and Boyd were also given yellow cards for challenges on Albertz as the game reached its dying stages.

There was still a moment of controversy to come with two minutes to go when Celtic furiously appealed for a penalty claiming Lambert's shot had struck Amoruso's arm.

Referee Hugh Dallas would have none of it and that proved to be Celtic's last attack of the game.

While Rangers manager Dick Advocaat was celebrating winning all three trophies in his first season, Venglos has been left with nothing and an uncertain future.

Teams

Rangers: Klos, Porrini (Kanchelskis 77), Hendry, Amoruso, Vidmar, McCann (Ferguson 67), McInnes, Van Bronckhorst, Wallace, Amato (Wilson 90), Albertz.

Booked: Wallace.

Goals: Wallace 49.

Celtic: Gould, Boyd, Mahe (O'Donnell 79), Stubbs, Larsson, Wieghorst, Lambert, Annoni (Johnson 61), Blinker, Moravcik, Mjallby.

Subs Not Used: Kerr.

Booked: Mjallby, Blinker, Wieghorst, Boyd.

At Hampden Park

Att: 52,000

Ref: H Dallas (Motherwell).