AFTER much to-ing and fro-ing from the Old Firm in recent weeks the destination of this year's championship will finally be decided today and, taking into account how the season has panned out, I believe that Celtic will be the most nervous team.

With Rangers letting their standards slip for the first time in 10 years, Celtic should really have had the league sewn up by now. It seems that in tightening up their defence they have sacrificed their excitement and it is having a negative effect at the other end of the field.

I watched them play in the 1-1 draw with Dunfermline last Sunday and that match summed up their season so far. They had chance after chance to tie up the points but failed to take them and allowed Dunfermline back in to take a point. Too many times this season they have settled for a one-goal advantage and it has backfired on them at crucial stages.

A win for St Johnstone at Parkhead would not surprise the country to any great extent because they have been going really well for most of the season and have a lot to play for, with the European position up for grabs.

The loss of their two defensive stalwarts, Jim Weir and Alan Kernaghan, will be a huge blow to their chances and that can only help Celtic, who, if they win, will be forgiven by their supporters for their misdemeanours.

Rangers, on the other hand, are still clinging on despite having a poor season by their standards. They have not been helped by a catalogue of injuries to new players, others with thoughts of pastures new, and also the departure of manager Walter Smith.

Dundee United will be no easy opposition, although they have had their problems. They had a fantastic result against Hibs last week and are more than capable of giving Rangers a hard time.

There is no doubt the season has been exciting but it has not been for any positive reasons. There seems to be a significant drop in the standard of play at the top of the division and, taking into account the manner in which Rangers and Celtic have contested the championship in the last stretch, it would be no surprise to me at all if both teams were to lose their final matches, meaning Celtic winning the title.

The fact that it has been exciting in terms of battling for silverware so late in the season is perhaps the only reason the fans have been kept interested because quite obviously the football has not been of a high standard.

It was 15 years ago this very week when I won the European Cup-winners' Cup with Aberdeen and that was a great time for Scottish football.

Both ourselves and Dundee United were fighting for honours at home and abroad, playing some great football into the bargain. Sadly, I can't see a Scottish team doing that again for quite some time.

q JUST a few weeks ago it had looked like Partick Thistle were certain of falling into the second division next season.

However, they have fought hard of late and after conjuring up some terrific results, most notably the 3-0 defeat of champions, Dundee, John McVeigh's side now find themselves in the considerably more comfortable position of having their destiny in their own hands.

It is always very difficult for a club in freefall to sort themselves out but Thistle have managed to do just that. Off the park they are now beginning to find their feet and a victory over Ayr United would ensure that their recovery will begin next season in the first, and not the second division.

Their opponents, Ayr United, are on the same boat with regard to relegation, though, and it looks likely that the issue will be settled by the team who perform closest to their capabilities on the day.

q IT was refreshing this week to see a chairman accept his share of the responsibility when his team are relegated.

Although standing down was perhaps a bit over the top, it was a noble act by Hibs chairman Lex Gold to accept his part in what has been an unfortunate season for my old team-mate Alex McLeish's club.

Too often, chairmen sit in their comfy chairs in their ivory towers leaving the responsibility - and the criticism - for others to pick up, namely the managers.

It would be unfair to suggest he jumped ship purely because the club was relegated. Hibernian, I would assume, will bounce straight back up into the new Premier League. They have a lot to offer on the big stage and Gold has allowed Tom O'Malley to come in with fresh direction.