Perhaps we were wrong after all. The spectacular fall from grace of Rangers had led many – this column included – to speculate that the ramifications would be acutely felt across Scottish football as whole, and especially by their great rivals, Celtic.
However, the evidence to date has been less than compelling on that front.
The doomsday prediction, of course, had been predicated on seemingly sound rationale. That is, starved of the Ibrox club’s legions of supporters, SPL attendances would plummet, clubs would feel the pinch financially, and there would be a corresponding drop in product quality as bank balances (and mere survival) took precedence over what was offered on the field of play.
As for Celtic specifically, the generally acknowledged consensus was that the club would miss their Old Firm rivalry, both in financial terms and competitiveness as far as the league championship was concerned. We were told that Celtic would be diminished due to the absence of their only genuine challenge to domestic supremacy.
It must be acknowledged that it’s early days, and so the jury is still out in all this. There has as yet been little, if any, discernible drop in the quality of the game – some might argue the quality was so poor anyhow, it could hardly get any worse – and attendances have been largely unaffected.
Indeed, it should be pointed out that the lower tier clubs are enjoying something of a boost to their revenue in light of Rangers’ presence within their midst. Whether this is being appreciated by Rangers’ supporters is another matter altogether.
The feeling had persisted that Celtic’s participation in the group stage of the Champions League was essential as a means of repairing some of the damage to the game north of the border.
As it transpires, Celtic have done so, and to date have functioned well at that level. An opening draw against Benfica (who, it will be remembered, reached the quarter final of the tournament only last season) was followed up by a very mature win versus Spartak Moscow, against all the odds.
That the 3-2 win was Celtic’s first away win in 19 attempts at the group stage was laudable enough, but, more than that, the nature of the performance suggested that Neil Lennon’s young squad has a realistic chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages.
Talking of Lennon, the absence of Rangers appears to have resulted in a noticeable change in the Celtic manager. This season to date, he has cut a calmer and more thoughtful figure during matches.
It’s as if he has relished the prospect of not constantly being judged on his record amid the cauldron of the Old Firm rivalry. He now has breathing space, and the opportunity to develop a young side amid the cream of European football, removed from the destructively combustive nature of the Old Firm’s relentless battles.
Gone are the touchline hysterics. Until recently, Lennon patrolled his technical area like a caged lion, and moments of controversy had him dashing around like a triple jumper. Gone too is the incessant carping about match officials every time a decision goes against his team.
His tendency towards venting his spleen at every perceived injustice had come to sound wearying, even downright embarrassing. It now appears that a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, and Lennon is enjoying life at Parkhead.
Nobody is saying here that the Old Firm rivalry hasn’t been missed in certain quarters – it has been the lifeblood of the Scottish game for over a century, after all – but perhaps most, including Lennon, would be willing to admit that a temporary separation might just afford us all a bit of welcome respite.
Whether Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen can fill the void meantime remains open to conjecture, but those clubs cannot complain if they don’t rise to the occasion. They will need to do so sooner rather than later, however, as Rangers, despite their current woes, will return to the top flight eventually. Their fan-base will see to that.
Whatever the case, it’s clear that the malaise many had predicted for Scottish football has yet to take a firm hold, and the patient remains in a stable condition. However, given the turmoil that has engulfed Scottish football during 2012, it would be a brave man who would bet on a lasting return to rude health just yet.