Celtic's 2012 Premier League title win - in pictures

24 July 2011 Celtic begin the season with a 2-0 win against Hibernian at Easter Road. Goals in each half from Anthony Stokes and Sung-Young Ki secure the three points for Neil Lennon’s side and sees them open an early lead over Rangers after they could only draw 1-1 with Hearts at Ibrox Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

21 August After three straight wins Celtic suffer their first setback of the new campaign; a shock 1-0 loss to St Johnstone at Parkhead. They find themselves third in the table, one point and two places behind Rangers, who are undefeated after their opening four fixtures Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA Archive

18 September The first Old Firm of the season is a joyous one for the champions as they win 4-2 at Ibrox. Steven Naismith gives the hosts the lead before Celtic, now in second place, storm back thanks to goals from Gary Hooper and Badr El Kaddouri. However, Nikica Jelavic and Kyle Lafferty reestablish Ranger’s advantage before Charlie Mulgrew is sent-off for the visitors. Naismith wraps up the win with a late goal and Ally McCoist’s side go four points clear of their fiercest rivals Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

29 October A goalless home draw with Hiberian brings an awful month to an end for Celtic, one in which they pick up just five points from four games and slip back to third place, 12 points behind leaders Rangers, who remain undefeated Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

28 December Celtic react to the draw with Hibs by winning their next eight games in a row and go into the second Old Firm of the season knowing a win will put them top for the first time in the campaign. They duly triumph in a tense encounter thanks to Joe Ledley’s 52nd-minute header Photograph: David Moir/Reuters

1 February 2012 Celtic receive a significant boost to their title hopes after Rangers sell top-scorer Nikica Jelavic to Everton for £5.5m. In their first match after the transfer, Neil Lennon’s side thrash Hearts 4-0 at Tynecastle thanks to goals from Scott Brown, Victor Wanyama, Joe Ledley and Gary Hooper and subsequently go four points clear of the champions, who are in second place Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

14 February Rangers enter administration in order to deal with huge debts, most significantly a £49m tax bill, and are subsequently docked 10 points by the SPL. They lose their next match, 1-0 to Kilmarnock at Ibrox, and following Celtic’s 5-0 win at Hibernian 24 hours later, find themselves 17 behind their Glasgow rivals Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire

3 March Andre Blackman’s 44th-minute own goal sees Aberdeen secure a 1-1 draw with Celtic at Pittodrie and stops the leaders winning a 21st consecutive match in domestic competitions. However, Rangers’ home defeat to Hearts on the same day sees Celtic open up a 21-point gap at the top of the table Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire

25 March Celtic go into the final Old Firm of the season knowing victory will see them clinch the title. It proves to be a disastrous day for the visitors at Ibrox, however. Sone Aluko gives Rangers an early lead before Cha Du-Ru is sent off for Celtic. Andrew Little and Lee Wallace then extend the champions’s advantage before late goals from Scott Brown and Thomas Rogna, following a red car for Carlos Bocanegra, provide the away supporters hope of a dramatic turnaround. But it is not to be Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

1 April Celtic beat St Johnstone 2-0 at Parkhead thanks to Georgios Samaras’s 66th minute strike and an own goal from Chris Miller four minutes later. The victory, their 25th of the season, means they only need a draw in their next game, away to Kilmarnock, to become champions Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

7 April An emphatic 6-0 victory over Kilmarnock gives The Hoops their 43rd League title, their first since 2008 Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images