Title win gives McLeish biggest "spine-tingle" of his life

Hibernian 0 Rangers 1

McLeish was all but resigned to his side finishing runners-up to Celtic despite a 1-0 win at Hibernian, courtesy of a deflected Nacho Novo goal.

With Hibernian happy to let the score stay the same as the minutes ticked away, the Gers required news of Motherwell cancelling out Chris Sutton's first half opener for Celtic.

McLeish was getting ready to congratulate the Hoops on retaining the Bank of Scotland Premier League crown when the word his side had been waiting for suddenly arrived.

And the Rangers boss admitted afterwards he hadn't been aware initially that Motherwell had also gone on to win 2-1, thus handing his side the title by a point.

Asked about the roar from the crowd which signalled Motherwell's equaliser McLeish revealed: "It was probably the biggest spine-tingle I have ever had in my life.

"The next thought was "For God's sake don't do anything stupid!" to the players at the back because Hibs obviously knew they were in Europe if they could keep the score down and they didn't have to press us.

"We saw the game out and to get that news was fairytale stuff. I thought the second roar was that the game was over. I didn't realise that Motherwell had won so that was a wee bit of a surprise.

"I had been preparing a speech for if we hadn't won the championship. I would have said that maybe the only thing that was missing was a wee bit of consistency."

McLeish's job had been on the line in September after some indifferent results at home and abroad and he admitted there had been times when he feared he would not last the season, let alone lift the title trophy aloft on the final day.

He said: "After August, we took a barrage of criticism but everybody retained their focus, we brought in a few guys in January and got back in the title hunt.

"It is never over until it is over, as they say and I think the only way you can silence people who criticise you is by winning."

Rangers had won the title on the last day in 2003, pipping Celtic on goal difference, and McLeish declared the most recent triumph as the sweeter.

He said: "I think this would be the best because we are ahead of schedule. People had already been writing the obituaries."

Novo picked the ideal moment to end a goal drought in the league that dated back to March 2, when Rangers had won controversially at Hearts.

McLeish said: "It was fitting that the wee fella, who has dried up in recent weeks, should get the goal today."

The players returned to Ibrox to celebrate in style but McLeish admitted the party had not been planned in advance.

He said: "We never arranged anything and that wasn't through pessimism. It was more that we didn't want to be arrogant."

HIBERNIAN: Simon Brown, Whittaker, Caldwell, Smith, Ian Murray, Sproule (Shiels 65), Scott Brown, Beuzelin (Antonio Murray 74), Glass, O'Connor (Konte 68), Riordan.

RANGERS: Waterreus, Ricksen, Andrews, Kyrgiakos, Ball, Arveladze, Ferguson, Alex Rae, Buffel, Prso, Novo.

Referee: K Clark.