Rangers CONFIRMED as Scottish champions for the 55th time in their history

Rangers have won their first Scottish Premiership title in a decade after Celtic drew with Dundee United.

Steven Gerrard’s team moved to the brink of sealing the championship for the 55th time in their history when they beat St Mirren 3-0 on Saturday, sparking wild scenes of celebration both inside and outside Ibrox.

And now they have been mathematically confirmed as champions after bitter rivals Celtic dropped points in a goalless draw at Tannadice.

Celtic were even goaded by Rangers fans who hired a plane to fly a banner reading ‘Can you see us now? 55 titles’ over the stadium during the game.  

The Rangers players gathered together to watch the Celtic game and duly celebrate their 55th league title.

Midfielder Ryan Jack poses with a ’55’ sign as the Rangers squad prepare to party on Sunday 

Rangers fans prepared for a second day of celebrations outside Ibrox after sealing the title

More and more Rangers fans gathered outside Ibrox on Sunday as celebrations went on

After a decade of Celtic dominance after Rangers were demoted to the fourth tier after a financial collapse, this was a sweet moment for their supporters

Rangers fans commissioned a banner flown behind a plane over Tannadice to goad Celtic

Celtic’s Diego Laxalt rues one of many missed chances as Celtic drew at Dundee United

Celtic saw 26 shots on goal come and go as they failed to score at Dundee United, the result leaving them 20 points behind Rangers with only 18 left to play for. 

Liverpool were among the clubs to offer their congratulations to Rangers as the final whistle in Dundee sealed the end of their long climb back to the top. 

Former Rangers player and manager Graeme Souness said in the Sky Sports studio: ‘I’m delighted for Steven Gerrard and all his team. It’s been a long time coming. Celtic have had a period of domination that has been, let’s say, uncomfortable for us Rangers supporters. They totally deserve it, they have been fantastic all season and I just wish I was in Glasgow right now.

Two fans wearing Steven Gerrard masks gather outside the gates of Ibrox on Sunday

It was time for the champagne to be uncorked as Rangers drew a line under a decade of misery

The celebrations begin in earnest outside Ibrox on Sunday afternoon as the title is confirmed

Fans gather with flags to celebrate at Ibrox as the news filters through of Celtic’s draw

There was an outpouring of joy from Rangers fans as a decade of hurt was ended on Sunday

‘There is part of me that wishes Celtic had won today so Rangers had to go to Parkhead and winning it there which would have compounded Celtic’s problems but I’ll take it.

‘They have never had turmoil in their history like they’ve had in the last 10 years after being thrown out the league – unfairly in my opinion – and all the anti-rangers brigade that came out the woodwork up there.

‘When you’re in the third tier and you’ve got 50,000 people turning up to your stadium, that’s a proper support. So I’m absolutely delighted, there will be some parties going on right now.

‘He has worked away quietly, this is his third year. Nothing was going to happen overnight simply because of where Rangers were. It was a slow burn but he’s got them back and now they are reaping the rewards of all the hard work they have put in.’ 

Sat next to him in the Sky studio, former Celtic player Roy Keane refused to offer Rangers his congratulations, saying his old team ‘would come back stronger’. 

The Rangers Twitter account mark their historic 55th title success after confirmation came

Gary Lineker offered his congratulations to Rangers and manager Steven Gerrard on the title

Gerrard’s former club Liverpool also tweeted their congratulations to the club legend 

The official Rangers account retweeted a message from Jermain Defoe when he signed for the club on loan in January 2019 

WWE legend Triple H added his congratulations after Scottish wrestler Drew McIntyre tweeted a picture of a title-winners belt

Interim Celtic manager John Kennedy admitted after the draw at Dundee United that Rangers had been the superior team all season.

‘Our objective was to get to 10, but Rangers have been better than us this season,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘We’ve been champions for so long, but we’ve not been good enough this season.

‘It’s not about giving up, though. We can’t stand by and watch someone else dominate.’

Steven Gerrard danced with his players in jubilant scenes in the Rangers dressing room following their 3-0 win over St Mirren at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon

Ianis Hagi (second-left) celebrates his goal, Rangers’ third, in a comfortable win on Saturday

Rangers supporters had gathered in their thousands ahead of the game to celebrate

Rangers players ran to the corner of Ibrox Stadium to celebrate with fans outside the ground

Gerrard stuck his head out a dressing-room window to celebrate with supporters afterwards

Rangers have dominated this season’s title race from start to finish, winning 28 and drawing four of their 32 matches, to ruin Celtic’s bid for a 10th successive crown.

It caps Rangers’ return to prominence in Scotland after a decade of hell that saw them demoted to the bottom tier in 2012 following financial collapse.  

They returned to the Premiership five years ago but truly regained their strength under Gerrard in the past couple of years and have blown Celtic away this season.

Saturday’s victory over St Mirren, earned thanks to goals by Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos and Ianis Hagi, preserved their 100 per cent home record and sparked extraordinary scenes.

Thousands of Rangers fans had gathered outside the stadium prior to kick-off, despite Covid-19 social distancing rules, with Gerrard greeted by cheers and a pall of smoke from blue flares as he drove into Ibrox.

Fans are seen in a party mood as Steven Gerrard’s side inch closer to an historic title triumph

Police Scotland confirmed ‘a large number of supporters’ were at the ground and no one has been arrested

After the win was secured, the Rangers players ran to the gates in the corner of the stadium to celebrate with those who’d remained outside.

And the party continued in the dressing room with video footage emerging of Gerrard sliding across a beer-soaked dressing room floor amid delirious celebrations.

The whole squad and staff were filmed singing, dancing and drinking, with the party now in full swing after Celtic dropped points to confirm the title.

Supporters swarmed what is believed to be Gerrard’s car as the Rangers manager made his way to the stadium

Fans waved flags and let off flares as they welcomed their side ahead of the St Mirren game

A strong police presence was at the scene, as one officer walks between red and blue flares 

‘I’m lost for words in how I describe my team,’ Gerrard told Rangers TV on Saturday.

‘I don’t think while I’m representing this club there will ever be a bigger three points.

‘I’ve only been part of it for three [years], but I can certainly relate and I’ve got that feeling and that affection with the fans and I know what they have been through.’