2002–03 Scottish Premier League
Month Manager Player Young Player
August John Lambie ( Partick Thistle ) Mark de Vries ( Hearts ) Kris Boyd ( Kilmarnock )
September Alex McLeish ( Rangers ) Jean-Louis Valois ( Hearts ) Mikel Arteta ( Rangers )
October Bobby Williamson ( Hibernian ) Fernando Ricksen ( Rangers ) Ian Murray ( Hibernian )
November Martin O'Neill ( Celtic ) Henrik Larsson ( Celtic ) Mark Wilson ( Dundee United )
December Jim Jefferies ( Kilmarnock ) John Hartson ( Celtic ) Shaun Dillon ( Kilmarnock )
January Jim Duffy ( Dundee ) Barry Ferguson ( Rangers ) Kris Boyd ( Kilmarnock )
February Alex McLeish ( Rangers ) Lee Wilkie ( Dundee ) Shaun Maloney ( Celtic )
March Jim Duffy ( Dundee ) Thomas McManus ( Hibernian ) Zurab Khizanishvili ( Dundee )
April Craig Levein ( Hearts ) Bobo Baldé ( Celtic ) Andy Webster ( Hearts )
Monthly awards
Main article : Scottish Premier League monthly awards
The 2002-03 Scottish Premier League (known as the 2001-02 Bank of Scotland Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the fifth season of the Scottish Premier League (SPL), the top level of football in Scotland. It began on 3 August 2002 and concluded on 25 May 2003. Celtic were the defending champions, but were beaten to the title by Rangers on the final day of the season. This was Rangers' 50th Scottish league title. Both clubs went into the final matchday on the same number of points and with the same goal difference - Rangers were ahead in the table having scored more goals. On the final day, Rangers beat Dunfermline Athletic 6-1 at Ibrox Stadium while Celtic could only win 4-0 at Kilmarnock, meaning Rangers won the title by a goal difference of one more than Celtic. This was the closest finish in the history of the SPL.