The 2008–09 Scottish Premier League season was the eleventh season of the Scottish Premier League and the second season under the sponsorship of the Clydesdale Bank. It began on 9 August 2008 with a game between Falkirk and Rangers. After the 33rd round of matches, the league split in half and each team played a further five matches against the teams in their half of the league.
Champions Rangers qualified directly for the Champions League, while second-placed Celtic qualified for the qualifying rounds. Four teams qualified for the new Europa League: Hearts and Aberdeen via league position, Falkirk via the Scottish Cup, and Motherwell by the Fair Play initiative. Inverness were relegated after their fifth season in the SPL and were replaced by St Johnstone for the following season's competition.
The championship was determined on the final day of the season. Leaders Rangers travelled to Tannadice to play Dundee United knowing that a win would secure the title. Meanwhile, Celtic needed to win their final match of the season against Hearts at Celtic Park and hope that Rangers failed to win to clinch the title. In the end, Rangers achieved this comfortably, courtesy of a 3–0 victory with goals scored by Kyle Lafferty, Pedro Mendes and the league's top goalscorer, Kris Boyd, clinching their first title in 4 years. Meanwhile, Celtic drew Hearts 0-0.
Clubs
Promotion and relegation from 2007–08
Promoted from First Division to Premier League
Hamilton Academical
Relegated from Premier League
Gretna
Stadia and locations
Personnel and kits
Managerial changes
Events
8 August – Former SPL members and Scottish Cup finalists Gretna are formally liquidated by the club's administrators 3 January – St Mirren drew 0–0 with Motherwell in their last game at Love Street before they moved to New St Mirren Park 31 January – St Mirren drew 1–1 with Kilmarnock in their first match at their new stadium 2 May – St Johnstone won promotion to the Scottish Premier League as First Division champions following a 3–1 win over Greenock Morton 23 May – Inverness Caledonian Thistle were relegated after losing 1–0 to Falkirk at the Caledonian Stadium
League table
Results
Matches 1–22
During their first 22 matches, each team played every other team home and away.
Matches 23–33
During matches 23–33 each team played every other team once (either at home or away).
Matches 34–38
During matches 34–38 each team play every other team in their half of the table once.