A measured look at Celtic’s five main rivals ahead of new season

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The Celtic Star

·26 June 2025

A measured look at Celtic’s five main rivals ahead of new season

Celtic kick of their preparations for the new Scottish Premiership a week tomorrow, with a friendly against Queens Park…

Queen s Park v Celtic – Brendan Rodgers ahead of the pre-season friendly match at The City Stadium on Wednesday July 10, 2024. Photo AndrewMilligan

After finishing the 24/25 season an incredible 17 points ahead of our nearest challengers, this season may be one some are taking for granted. But, with a lot of change behind the scenes at some clubs, and others further down the road with their own plans, and a year wiser to boot. Are we likely to see a more competitive league race this season?

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Let’s have a look at the runners and riders, ahead of the start of the Scottish Premiership for the upcoming season…

Celtic Title celebrations. Photo The Celtic Star

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theRangers – A departure from caretaker-style stewardship

VAR decision at Ibrox for their offside goal. theRangers v Celtic, 4 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The takeover at theRangers by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, concluded in late May, comes with an initial £20 million investment via a share-issue. Meanwhile, a move to a private limited company structure, and new sporting leadership under Kevin Thelwell and Russell Martin is quite intriguing.

Meanwhile Vice‑chair Paraag Marathe draws on Leeds United experiences and boasts, in corporate jargon, or gobbledygook, of global gravitas and non-compulsory squad sales, alongside, it appears, genuine ambitions to re-establish theRangers for sustained domestic and European success.

Early signs are arguably promising for them—the injection of capital, structural control, but with a coherent long-term plan – promised, but arguably still short on detail – marks a clear departure from the old school caretaker-style stewardship of previous regimes.

New Rangers Head Coach Russell Martin ninth dressing room at Ibrox Stadium. Russell Martin unveiled as the new…Photo IMAGO / Shutterstock

The key will be execution and in the money. Russell Martin must rapidly recruit, as an aging squad faces tight Champions League qualifiers and the unrelenting immediacy of a Scottish football ecosystem obsessed with just two clubs. You may only play Celtic four times a season in the league, but indirectly you play them every week.

Verdict: This time theRangers may have stumbled onto the real deal here. They now arguably have some financial firepower, though how thinly they can spread it still seems open to question. But the intent is evident, and Russell Martin has progressed well as a coach, but can he manage the expectation as well as the changing room?

theRangers CEO Patrick Stewart is seen during the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers FC and Aberdeen FC at Ibrox on May 11, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

It will however be interesting to watch how quickly the squad responds. Could theRangers be genuine contenders again? You get the feeling that the devil may well show in the detail when all this gets up and running. Hearts seems to be embracing scrutiny and transparency in Edinburgh; there remains a nagging feeling with theRangers that they’d prefer to avoid both. So, what do they have to hide?

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Hearts – aiming to ‘disrupt the Glasgow duopoly’

Over at Hearts the immediate question has to be, is Tony Bloom the disruptor he claims to be, or a wishful thinker? Bloom, the data-driven brains behind Brighton’s rise and Union SG, has just injected £10 million into Hearts for a 29% non‑voting stake, backed by the Foundation of Hearts.

He’s bringing Jamestown Analytics, a board representative, and serious ambition to, in his words, ‘disrupt the Glasgow duopoly’. That should really be described as Celtic’s monopoly, but we can let that one slide. Critics, including former boss Jim Jefferies, caution that internal issues—unstable manager turnover and inconsistent recruitment—need addressing before disruption can happen.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Molineux on May 10, 2025 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Still, finance expert Kieran Maguire (a Brighton fan) suggests Bloom isn’t here to flip Hearts for profit, instead he aims for sustainable top‑two finishes, and/or cup threats via smart, analytics-based recruitment.

Verdict: Bloom’s credentials are real—love him or fear him, he’s the sort of investor who can shake things up, but internal governance and recruitment must now step up. If McInnes delivers, Hearts could surprise us all. But that is where there may be doubt for the upcoming season. After all, it’s all well having all this independent technology, but what are they inputting when Derek McInnes is the name it spits out?

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Hibs – Starting to show real ambition

Easter Road, photo The Celtic Star

Bill Foley’s Black Knight already back Hibs. They’ve backed Bournemouth too, and that is very much an EPL sustainable success story with foundations in data and analytics. They have strengthened infrastructure and now are starting to show real ambition.

However, Hibs now must translate investment into form across a full campaign. Expect them to be right in the hunt for top‑four and possibly challenging to replicate that 3rd‑place momentum.

Verdict: They’re serious challengers in the long-term, and may even show Hearts, they won’t have it all their own way in Edinburgh, never mind Scottish football as a whole. Sustainability will depend on maintaining continuity and not simply relying on one-season magic.

Aberdeen – Can Scottish cup glory lead to league consistency?

Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Aberdeen will be asking themselves, can an unexpected cup final win lead to league consistency? The Dons, claimed the Scottish Cup for the first time in 35 years and finished 5th in the Premiership under Jimmy Thelin, securing Europa League play-off spot. They’ve added reinforcements but lost a few squad regulars too. Competing on four fronts will stretch depth, but momentum is clearly with them.

Verdict: Fans will expect a strong league showing and deep cup runs. Their European involvement could be double-edged though. Exposure to more top-level football brings the risk of league drop-off due to fatigue.

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Dundee United – continuation of momentum is crucial

Tannadice Park. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Newly promoted last season, Dundee United grabbed a superb 4th place and European qualification under Jim Goodwin. A continuation of that momentum is crucial. With Goodwin staying and Tannadice improvements hinted at, they look set, in theory at least, to be top‑six regulars. Yet, maintaining quality across squad and European competition is their next test.

Verdict: Strong outside chance to stay up with the big boys in the Top 6, but the shine of surprise fades fast. Consistency is key.

Summary

It very much looks like the the 2025‑26 Premiership is more competitive than in recent years. theRangers are back (but aren’t they always), Hearts have serious backing, Hibs investors are well structured now and building from a position of strength and second half of last season consistency, Aberdeen will ride on real trophy winning success, Dundee United are proving their top‑six credentials.

This rising tide lifts all boats—and ultimately forces Celtic to sharpen up ahead of a possible challenge to our dominance. This season promises fresh narratives, big investment, and real unpredictability, for the first time in a long-time. It is likely Celtic may still dominate, but the chasing pack now have real firepower and not all of it resides in Glasgow.

Niall J

WATCH ROSS DOOHAN’S CELTIC FAN MEDIA CONFERENCE WITH THE CELTIC STAR AND JUST TWO OTHER OUTLETS – WHERE HAVE THE OTHERS GONE?

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