2004–05 Scottish Premier League
The 2004–05 Scottish Premier League was won by Rangers, who claimed the title on the final day of the season by a single point from Celtic, who had gone into the final fixtures leading and were still ahead in the closing minutes of their last game against Motherwell until they conceded two goals, costing them the title with Rangers winning their match against Hibernian in Edinburgh. The dramatic events became known in popular culture as 'Helicopter Sunday' due to the aircraft ceremonially delivering the championship trophy changing direction in mid-flight as the identity of its winners altered suddenly.
As league champions, Rangers qualified for the UEFA Champions League, with runners-up Celtic also qualifying. Third-placed Hibernian qualified for the UEFA Cup, as did Dundee United, who took the Scottish Cup place despite losing the final to Celtic.
Dundee were relegated, and Scottish First Division winners Falkirk were promoted.
John Hartson was the top scorer with 25 goals for Celtic, whose manager Martin O'Neill stepped down at the end of the season after five years and a host of major trophies.
Teams
Promotion and relegation from 2003–04
Promoted from First Division to Premier League- Inverness Caledonian Thistle
- Partick Thistle
Stadia and locations
Personnel
| Team | Manager |
| Aberdeen |  Jimmy Calderwood |
| Celtic |  Martin O'Neill |
| Dundee | Jim Duffy |
| Dundee United | Gordon Chisholm |
| Dunfermline Athletic | Jim Leishman |
| Heart of Midlothian | Steven Pressley John McGlynn |
| Hibernian |  Tony Mowbray |
| Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Craig Brewster |
| Kilmarnock | Jim Jefferies |
| Livingston | Richard Gough |
| Motherwell | Terry Butcher |
| Rangers | Alex McLeish |
Managerial changes
League table
Top scorers
| Scorer | Club | Goals |
 John Hartson | Celtic | 25 |
| Derek Riordan | Hibernian | 20 |
 Nacho Novo | Rangers | 19 |
 Dado Pršo | Rangers | 18 |
| Kris Boyd | Kilmarnock | 17 |
 Scott McDonald | Motherwell | 15 |
| Garry O'Connor | Hibernian | 14 |
| Steve Lovell | Dundee | 12 |
| Chris Sutton | Celtic | 12 |
| Darren Mackie | Aberdeen | 12 |
 Stiliyan Petrov | Celtic | 11 |
| Paul Hartley | Hearts | 11 |
Source:
Attendances
The average attendances for SPL clubs during the 2004–05 season are shown below:| Team | Average |
| Celtic | 57,906 |
| Rangers | 48,676 |
| Aberdeen | 13,576 |
| Hibernian | 12,541 |
| Hearts | 12,219 |
| Dundee United | 8,210 |
| Motherwell | 6,960 |
| Dundee | 6,879 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | 6,192 |
| Kilmarnock | 5,930 |
| Livingston | 5,157 |
| Inverness CT | 4,067 |
Source:
Monthly awards
| Month | Manager | Player | Young Player |
| August | Jimmy Calderwood | Alan Thompson | Alexander Diamond |
| September | Terry Butcher | Scott McDonald | Derek Riordan |
| October | John Robertson |  Fernando Ricksen | Steven Fletcher |
| November | Alex McLeish | Nacho Novo | Derek Riordan |
| December | Tony Mowbray |  Aiden McGeady | Derek Riordan |
| January | Martin O'Neill | Chris Sutton | Derek Riordan |
| February | Alex McLeish | Dado Pršo | Lee Miller |
| March | Craig Brewster | Craig Bellamy | Aiden McGeady |
| April | Gordon Chisholm |  Burton O'Brien | Lee Miller |
| May | Tony Mowbray | Dado Pršo | Derek Riordan |