The 2013/2014 season in Scotland was not only the first season of the re-named SPFL but it also employed a play-off system, in which 3rd and 4th place in the second-tier Championship play each other over two legs. This year was Falkirk and Queen Of The South, and whoever won would progress on to play the team that finished 2nd. Falkirk beat Queens of the South and then lost out to Hamilton, Championship runners up. As Hamilton took the victory, they would then play the team that finished 11th in the Scottish Premiership to determine who would go up or down. Hamilton then managed to overcome Hibs in order to grant themselves promotion to Scotland’s top league.

As a result of this, Hibernian were relegated alongside arch rivals Hearts. And coming up from the third-tier League One was Rangers. For anyone who knows anything about Scottish football, this is simply mouthwatering. If you look over the last 10 years, these 3 have been some the most successful teams in the country, bar Celtic. Not only do they bring a well-known status to Scotland’s second tier of football but they also enter with massive fan bases that will benefit everyone involved in respect to revenue.

Rangers come into the league as heavy favorites to win it. However I can’t see it being too plain sailing for the Blues, and there are many who will agree with me. I see Hearts being a big threat especially after seeing their young boys put in such great performances at the end of the season. They showed they do have the ability to play at a high level and can compete with some solid teams. Hearts have released a few players since being relegated but the bulk of the squad still remains, so I reckon they will be hoping for a good title race.

Of course Hibs will be one of the stronger sides despite losing a number of players. Hibs manager Terry Butcher is an experienced gaffer and will most likely make some smart decisions to ensure that both halves of Edinburgh are present in the title race. The Edinburgh derby is a massive spectacle in Scottish football so the Championship is bound to have some fiery games as well as some very technically skilled games between the three top sides.

But are they actually the three top sides?

All the focus has been and will be on Rangers, Hearts and Hibs but I think one team is being shamefully overlooked. That team is Falkirk. The Bairns have some very talented individuals such as Craig Sibbald, Blair Alston and, this past season’s Championship top goalscorer, Rory Loy. This is also a Falkirk side that finished just three points behind first place side Dundee and have a terrific team chemistry that will be a big bonus in the long run. I would put Falkirk as real dark horses to win the league.

All in all, the 2014/2015 season will be a special one for the Scottish Championship. Sparks will fly, shocks will happen and people will gasp as we watch last ditch tackles make all the difference. There are four spots that could potentially be the pathway to promotion: the league winner automatic and the three playoff spots. In my opinion, there are four very strong teams who could fill those spots but anybody could throw a spanner in the works. This is one you simply cannot miss.

Scotland gets a lot of stick for being somewhat of a talentless league at times. It does not have the financial power of the English Premier League or the crisp tiki-taka style employed throughout Spain. But Scotland has its fair share of decent players.

Here are 5 footballers who could become future world-class stars:

1. Ryan Gauld (Dundee United)

Ryan Gauld made his debut for a very strong Dundee United side at the age of just 16. And since then, he has been nicknamed “Baby Messi” because of his dazzling dribbling, lethal passing and eye for goal. Everton, Manchester United and even La Liga giants Real Madrid are said to be monitoring the 18-year-old, which says a lot about his talent. This kid is for real. You need to know his name because within the next few years he will be the footballer everyone is talking about. Also, he was recently named one of 100 most exciting talents in world soccer alongside Neymar, Paul Pogba and Mario Gotze.

2. Stevie May (St Johnstone)

Stevie May is head and shoulders above the rest of St Johnstone’s team. He has led from the front this season, scoring 27 goals in all competitions including an equalizer in the Europa League qualifying stages against Rosenborg to put the Saints through to the next round. His scoring consistency, even at just 21 years old, is ridiculous. When out on loan at Alloa from 2011 to 2012, he scored 19 goals in 22 games. During the following season, he went out on loan to Hamilton and scored 26 goals in 35 games. And then this season he netted an astounding 27 goals. May’s goal tally is made all the more impressive when you take into account that St Johnstone are a mid-table team at best in Scotland. There’s no doubt English Premier League sides will be sniffing around soon for his signature.

3. John McGinn (St. Mirren)

The St Mirren central-midfielder has been the shining star in what has been a gloomy season for the club. McGinn already has a great amount of experience under his belt despite only being 19 years old. He spent most of last season in the first team and has featured regularly for the Saints this year as well. Unlike a lot of young Scots we see coming through, he plays with a great deal of composure and calmness on the ball. Rather than rush a bad pass, he stops to look around and ensures his team will maintain possession. His great club performances earned him a place in the Scotland U21s, which can only help improve him as a player.

4. James Forrest (Celtic)

James Forrest exploded on to the scene a few years ago, making a hugely memorable debut against Motherwell in which he scored. Since then, he has became one of the club’s leading players and a prime example of how academy players can break through. Forrest has all the tools to be a world class winger: pace, skill, and confidence. Forrest has proved his ability on the European stage too, having faced the likes of Barcelona and Juventus. And he has proven that he can hang with the best of them. He has however suffered a series of injuries this season that has greatly limited his playing time, but when the 22-year-old is back fully fit, he will be a handful for anyone in the world. Numerous teams from England have shown an interest in the young winger. However it would take big bucks for Celtic manager Neil Lennon to part with the young winger.

5. Andrew Robertson (Dundee United)

Andrew Robertson has gone from being a semi-pro player to playing international soccer in less than a year. Before joining Dundee United in August 2013, Robertson was playing soccer part time with Queens Park. Since then a string of outstanding performances fast-tracked him into Gordon Strachan’s Scotland side, and he made his international debut against Poland in March. The 20-year-old has been a rock at left back for Dundee United this season and by the sounds of things they could struggle to hold onto him come the summer. He also picked up PFA Young Player of the Year Award in Scotland ahead of his aforementioned teammate Ryan Gauld, so you know his performances have been quality.

There are many great soccer rivalries: El Clasico, the shared home of Milan, the highly anticipated Manchester derby, and Argentina’s biggest rivalry between Boca Juniors and River Plate. But there is one feud in world soccer that just seems to surpass all others: The Old Firm derby between Rangers and Celtic.

Scotland’s two most successful clubs are two of the most successful clubs in the world. They have been the dominant force in Scottish soccer since the 1890’s, inciting fans across the country to create an incredible atmosphere. I should know. Many times, I have been there to witness some of the greatest games ever played.

However, the scary thing in Scotland is that this rivalry could and to a certain point may already have died.

It is well documented that Rangers suffered some tough times in recent years and at one point it appeared as though they might not make it through at all. In the end they did, however, at the expense of playing top flight soccer. They were soon relegated to Scotland’s lowest tier, and despite winning the division by a country mile, they are still years away from being where they once were.

In the meantime, Celtic dominated Scotland like a shark in a fish tank. They tore through their closest “competitors” with ease and turned in some tremendous performances on the European stage. Most notably, a 2-1 win over Barcelona at Parkhead that saw them qualify for the last 16 in the Champions League in 2012.

This season has been no different. Celtic continue to dominate the SPFL, having lost just one game, a narrow defeat in February. Celtic were even able to set a new clean sheet record just to prove their dominance. Rangers have been similar, dominating performance in Scotland’s League 1. However, their financial problems have not dissolved even when the club did.

If I am honest, I don’t think anyone really has a “scooby doo” about what is happening at Rangers. They were hemorrhaging money for months despite having an average attendance of around 45,000. They lost a reported £14 million in 11 months, which provoked a response from those controlling the club as they asked for players to take a wage cut. In all fairness, players in Scotland’s third tier shouldn’t really be making £5,000 or £6,000 per week. The players’ argument that non-playing staff should accept lower wages should not be ignored as well.

In my opinion, Rangers are trying to function like a top European club but they simply cannot. The club is spending big money and employing over 30 non-playing staff trying to please the fans, but the money is not being regained.

Recently, Rangers took a loan of £1.5 million, which sent worrying signals for all fans. I myself am not a teddy bear, but there is only so much mistreatment a soccer fan can stand to watch his team go through. When Rangers almost lost an entire team of top players, were deducted 10 points, and forced into liquidation, it was just one bad thing after another for the fans. Yet the fans turned up in thousands to the first game Rangers played in the lower league campaign.

It probably seems like I am just yapping on about Rangers’ financial troubles but the reason behind all the talk will be the determining factor to whether or not soccer’s greatest rivalry will survive. I miss the days when I would go to school on a Monday morning and have relentless banter about the Old Firm game with my best friend. The bragging rights you would have if your side came out on top was one of my favorite aspects of football, and I can’t bear to think of a world where my kids won’t be able to go to school and have the same banter with their friends.

As I look into my crystal ball, I will make a wild prediction. Next season, in the Scottish Cup semi-final, a moment of madness will flood Scotland as the most highly anticipated draw in the Cup football history is made and the Old Firm come face to face again.