SPFL teams go coefficient busting as Celtic bank guarantee without playing and fab five rip up Euro script

It wasn't the start Scotland's coefficient wanted when Hibs lost that game in Andorra last month. But since then, our clubs have pulled it back in some style.

This week's games means the three SPFL sides who have played in Europe so far - Hibs, Hearts, and Rangers - have made it through all of their respective ties and for the first time ever, Scotland have FIVE teams at the playoff stage or further in European competitions. It means we've already added 1.8 points to our coefficient total.

Curiously it's Celtic, yet to kick a ball, who have contributed the most to that through virtue of qualifying for the Champions League group stage. That's worth four coefficient points in its own right and divided by the five teams we have in Europe (because that's how country coefficient points are calculated), their place in the tournament is worth 0.8 points on its own.

It all comes from data collated by Scotland's Coefficient on Twitter who have published a detailed breakdown of what it all means. Wins in qualifying are only worth half of what they would be in the group stage so Hibs, who face Aston Villa in the playoff round, have only added 0.5 through their results against Inter d'Escaldes and Luzern - winning two of their four matches in total.

Rangers, who won one leg and drew the other against Servette, have added 0.3 while Hearts' win and a draw against Rosenborg is worth 0.2. Aberdeen don't commence their European campaign until they travel to Hacken next Thursday.

*Yet to play

Even if the worst comes to the worst, this will be only the fifth time in Scottish football's history we've had three teams in the group stages with Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen all guaranteed tournament football until Christmas. Even if Rangers