Video: SPL returns with a whimper and Celtic win

In case you missed it the Scottish Premier League restarted today...

Between the All-Ireland quarter finals a little later on and the Olympics, it could have been quite easy to miss out but the SPL is back

The Scottish Premier League and Glasgow Celtic started life for the first time without Rangers today.

With Rangers consigned to life in the dreary Scottish Third Division (their fall from grace clearly evident in this photo) due to their financial improprieties, the League began its new era with not so much of a bang than with a scrambled,  Kris Commons goal.

Celtic won 1-Nil against Aberdeen as they look odds on to retain their title in the absence of the Glasgow rivals.

Many feared for the future of Scottish football with the Old Firm split up, but a new new agreement between Sky Sports and the Scottish Premier League will guarantee the continued coverage of Scottish League football for at least another five years.

Instead of thirty matches being shown a season from the SPL, 25 matches will be shown from the SPL and five of Ranger’s third division matches.

48,000 attended the match between Aberdeen and Celtic today, which is a bit off Celtic Park’s capacity of 60,000 for a match against one of the more traditional sides in the Scottish game.

It remains to be seen if the SPL will merely survive or thrive in the absence of Rangers.

Here's the first SPL goal without Rangers: