Celtic and Rangers duopoly to end? Hearts lead the title race Scotland thought it would never see again

It’s May 1985. Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minister. Live Aid is just weeks away. The wreckage of the Titanic has yet to be discovered. And a rising Scottish manager is basking in leading Aberdeen to back-to-back league titles.

Nobody realised it at the time, but it would be the last occasion a club outside Glasgow finished at the summit of Scotland's top flight.

When Sir Alex Ferguson headed south to begin a dynasty with Manchester United, Scottish football fell into a familiar pattern. Celtic and Rangers tightened their grip on the title - and have refused to let go ever since.

But the status quo could finally be about to crack with Hearts out to heal a deep, historic wound.

In truth, the Celtic-Rangers duopoly should have faltered at the first hurdle.

In the 1985-86 season, Hearts only needed to avoid defeat on the final day at Dundee United to be crowned champions. They lost and watched Celtic overturn a four-goal swing to snatch the title on goal difference. The Old Firm have shared all 40 titles since.

Now the chance for redemption has arrived.

Hearts have staged a stunning title charge in 2025-26, responding magnificently each time the pressure has threatened to swallow them.

After last week's comeback win over Rangers, Hearts sit three points clear of Celtic with three to play. Opta now give Hearts a 75.3% chance of lifting the trophy, with Celtic at 23.8%.

Few understand the drama and pain of a Scottish title race better than Stiliyan Petrov.

The former Celtic captain won four league titles in Glasgow but also suffered two devastating near-misses - including by a single goal in the 2002-03 season - before eventually leaving for the Premier League with Aston Villa. And he believes the emergence of Hearts is exactly what Scottish football has needed.

"What exciting times for Scottish football," Petrov told TNT Sports this week.

"For many years in a row, Celtic were crowned champions by February. Everything was decided before the league split. But now it’s more interesting.

"Hearts have held their ground. They’ve had some good results, especially in the last game against Rangers, and it seems like it will go down to the last game."

Much of the attention has focused on minority owner Tony Bloom's data-led recruitment model - the same analytical approach that helped transform Brighton & Hove Albion.

Their recruitment across Europe has been unusual and remarkable in equal measure.

Claudio Braga has emerged as the standout player in the division, less than a year after joining from Norwegian club Aalesunds FK for around £400,000.

Star winger Alexandros Kyziridis was recruited from Slovak outfit Zemplin Michalovce, midfielder Tomas Bent Magnusson arrived from Icelandic club Valur, while starting goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow arrived on a free transfer from Union Berlin.

Manager Derek McInnes also deserves huge credit for persuading captain Lawrence Shankland to remain at Tynecastle, in addition to his leadership skills that will surely see him approached by Scotland's national team should Steve Clarke step down after the World Cup.

Naturally, Hearts have also benefited from chaos elsewhere.

Celtic have changed manager three times this season, with 74-year-old Martin O'Neill back for a second stint as interim boss after Wilfried Nancy's short-lived reign, while Rangers are still not the force they once were following their relegation to the Third Division in 2012.

It means we're set for one of the lowest-ever points totals to claim the title. Hearts can still finish on 85 points this campaign - but even if they win their final three matches, it would still be one of the lowest points tallies to secure the Scottish Premiership crown in the modern era.

Of course, with three title contenders - rather than the usual one or two - it is expected that the points total will fall.

"I think sometimes, unfairly, [people think] that Hearts are just there because there's been a drop-off from Celtic and Rangers this season," McInnes said recently.

"In a sense, Celtic haven't reached their levels of previous years, but we're still in around the points mark Rangers have been in recent years.

"Sometimes we've just got to focus on ourselves and try to be the best we can be. If that takes us closer to Rangers and Celtic, as it has this season, that's all we can do."

And yet, despite all the turbulence, Celtic are still alive.

If they win their next two matches - including an Old Firm clash with Rangers on Sunday - the title race will go to the final day, when Celtic host Hearts in a potentially seismic showdown.

Petrov knows exactly what that pressure feels like.

”I’ve been in these kinds of moments a few times," he says. "I lost the league once by one point, once by one goal. I know how painful it is, but at least Martin O’Neill and his team have given Celtic a chance to go to the last game.

"They have to win every single game to keep it alive. It could end up going to goal difference."

With Celtic's goal difference five inferior to Hearts', they could yet require a similar swing to the final day in 1986.

For Hearts, it would represent the ultimate - and belated - shot at redemption.

For four decades, Scottish football has belonged to two clubs. Hearts now stand just 270 minutes from changing the story.

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