20. SFA Chief Executive saga

THE SFA boardroom contained more intrigue than House of Cards this season, rather fitting considering at one point the association seemed to be crumbling like one.

Its main board splintering into a power struggle between the old guard and progressives, at one point in the campaign the SFA had neither a chief executive or a national team manager to speak of, while even the interim chief executive was working his notice.

As much as he was given credit for modernising the association in his four years in charge, Stewart Regan also proved adept at gathering enemies.

Read more: 50 stories that made the season, 30-21: Celtic's Euro run, Murty's Rangers rollercoaster and Sammon's pizza

While the straw which broke the camel’s back was the cack-handed pursuit of Michael O’Neill as Gordon Strachan’s replacement and the idea of a summer friendly tour to Lima and Mexico City which most of your first team have no desire to play in, long before that he was winning few popularity contests at clubs at different ends of our game.

One member of the board’s progressive faction, Ian Maxwell, whose last act as Partick Thistle chief executive was leaving them in the first division, leapt into what remains one of Scotland’s hottest seats.

19. Neil Lennon

THE Northern Irishman has written more headlines than Rupert Murdoch this season.

Some of it was serious, as when he spoke out in February of the sadness and anger he feels about the fact two of his close former team-mates from Crewe Alexandra were victims of the convicted serial paedophile ex-coach Barry Bennell.

Some of it was triumphant, and why not, considering his newlypromoted Hibs side finished fourth. But most of it was simply good knockabout stuff. Hamilton Accies, who recorded a fine early season Easter Road win, were dismissed as “cavemen”.

Lennon cupped his ear to the Rangers fans at Ibrox then ran the length of Easter Road with his arms out like an aeroplane after the 5-5 last-day draw. This was three days after he had threatened to quit the club after losing the Edinburgh derby to Hearts. Who knows what gems he has in store next season . . .

Read more: 50 stories that made the season: Play-off brawls, stadium debates and madcap Mexicans​

18. Craig Levein, wind up merchant

LENNON wasn’t the only media mischief maker in Auld Reekie last 50 stories that made the season season. He had a partner in crime down Gorgie way in the form of the former Scotland manager.

Often misunderstood as dour and bookish, the last season witnessed a re-awakening of the Hearts manager. Levein had a gleam in his eye from pretty much the moment he decided that the best man to take over from the failed Ian Cathro experiment was, well, himself.

While they ultimately finished 18 points back on their Edinburgh rivals, that comment about restoring the “natural order of things” after a 1-0 derby win was just the start of things. If the 4-0 win against Celtic in December was the high point, there were some great one liners too.

Asked if Harry Cochrane, his hugely promising 16-year-old, needed protection from Scott Brown, Levein said: “Everybody should get a bit more protection from Scott Brown really.” Then there was the turf war over the Tynecastle grass.

17. Jack Ross, the new Fergie

THE Buddies are back in the big time. And much of it is thanks to one man.

A bit like a latter day Fergie, the man whom he spoke to on the morning of securing promotion to the Premiership, Jack Ross was like a oneman action hero during his time at the Paisley 2021 stadium, thinking nothing of leaping into the crowd to remonstrate with fans when times were getting tough, and rebuffing the attentions of Barnsley along the way to heroically return this club to top-flight status from the cusp of dropping into the third tier of Scottish football.

Read more: 50 stories that made the season, 40-31: Spongebob, designer dogs and runaway cows​

A supporter-run club, the feelgood factor at Ferguslie Park proved sufficient to cut a swathe through Scotland’s second tier, the former Alloa boss compiling a fine team which had honourable mentions to Lewis Morgan, who returned on-loan following his January move to Celtic, striker Gavin Reilly and captain Stephen McGinn, who was generally a colossus in central midfield.

Just as Tony Fitzpatrick was plotting world domination, though, Ross too followed Ferguson out the Paisley exit door all too soon, the lure of Sunderland proving far too much. He seems fated for great things but St Mirren must act quickly to stop their momentum going with him.

16. Livi up, Thistle doon . . .

HOWEVER unlikely St Mirren’s promotion push seemed, Livingston’s was even more of a wild card. David Hopkin, ably assisted by John Hartson as a strikers coach and a wee kit man called Cheb, has performed miracles at the Tony Macaroni Stadium, even if he too has bigger fish to fry than sample life with the Lions in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

With three hulking central defenders which would put the fear of God into any self-respecting centre forward, the Almondvale side were a nightmare to play against and they caused Partick palpitations.

Coming off their first top-six finish since the implementation of the split, Thistle were hardly favourites for the drop as the season began but their confidence as a unit gradually seeped away. As admirable as it was that they stuck with Alan Archibald, he must light a fire under a club who are staring at a £1m shortfall under new chief executive Gerry Britton.

15. Kieran Tierney continuing to be magnificent

ONLY in Scotland in 2017-18 could we send one left-back out to the Champions League final and still not know if he is the best player in his position in the country.

All Kieran Tierney did during this campaign was complete another 60 games of startling quality and consistency for club and country, rattle through a second domestic clean sweep, win another young player of the year award, captain his country for the first time, and excel in the Champions League.

Read more: 50 stories that made the season, 30-21: Celtic's Euro run, Murty's Rangers rollercoaster and Sammon's pizza

Atletico Madrid were apparently checking him out in the Scottish Cup final and every other major club on the continent won’t be far behind. When he eventually goes, this guy will smash every Scottish transfer record going.

14. Gary Mackay-Steven jumping in the Kelvin

IT was the modern-day equivalent of Jimmy Johnstone in that rowing boat at Largs. The season was only just under way when news came through of GMS being plucked out of the river Kelvin and treated for hypothermia.

Twitter was ablaze, at least until the player himself posted a photoshopped image of himself in an inflatable ring on river rapids, with the words “Floating Into Training like . . .”

A few drinks after Aberdeen’s 4-3 win against Partick Thistle on the Saturday having got seriously out of hand, GMS explained himself thus: “I had a night out and some drinks were consumed. I jumped over a wall and ended up in the river. The river had a few rapids in it so it was some experience. It was just a silly night out that got out of hand.”

13. Scott Brown giving it the big ‘un at Pittodrie 

IN Scottish football, it isn’t enough just to be the best football player around, sometimes you have to prove that you are the alpha male too.

This was never truer than Pittodrie in February when Celtic racked up a 2-0 win against one of their closest challengers. Fouled first by Anthony O’Connor, then taking a sore one from Sam Cosgrove, then having the ball smashed against him by Shay Logan, Brown simply picked himself up, and flexed his muscles in celebration, like something out of the world’s strongest man, in front of the visiting supporters.

12. Hamilton Accies losing a mil

HAMILTON defy the odds on an annual basis. Last season they did so with a gaping shortfall in their coffers.

Targeted by a sophisticated vishing fraud back in October which wiped out their savings, Accies ended up £800,000 down.

Read more: 50 stories that made the season: Play-off brawls, stadium debates and madcap Mexicans​

Cue a fall-out with the Royal Bank of Scotland which saw stickers placed on ATMs saying “give the Accies back their cash”.

11. Pedro Caixinha’s best bits

VAMPIRES, elephants, banning green boots: say what you like about the Portuguese but he didn’t half provide some soundbites.

Here’s a few to get your teeth into. “I’m polite, I’m educated but I’m a f***** tough guy.” “There is a Portuguese saying, ‘the dogs bark and the caravan keeps going’. That means that we are focused in our work and together in the same direction.”

“Have you ever been to Las Vegas? Well what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

“You are trying to use me as a clown, and I’m not going to allow it. I feel like we live in a circus, and they want me to be the fish in the goldfish bowl.”

“When I was young, the boys used to call me elephant, because elephants have a great memory and I have a great memory.”

“Vampires taste the flavour of blood and they want more. It’s the same with the competitive teams and clubs, competitive players and competitive managers.”