The Scottish Premiership has been blessed to witness some of the best goal scorers to have graced European football.
Chris Sutton and Kris Boyd represented Celtic and Rangers when Scottish football was at the peak of competitive action, and football appreciated and embraced the out-and-out striker, unlike the modern times of Tiki Taka football and false nines.
The duo agreed that Henrik Larsson is the best SPFL striker of all time, but who comes after the King of Kings?
| Larsson’s Premiership games | Goals | Assists | Titles | Number of times top goalscorer |
| 191 | 151 | 46 | 4 | 6 |
Understandably, their list was filled with iconic players who wore the colours in the hotbed and intense atmosphere of Glasgow and Scotland’s most-talked-about clubs.
John Hartson – the best SPFL striker after Henrik Larsson?
After agreeing about Larsson being at the top of the list, Sutton and Boyd then proceeded to name the contenders.
Sutton was part of Martin O’Neill’s famous Treble-winning side, and he played alongside one John Hartson, whom he labelled as a ‘brilliant finisher’ and someone you just don’t want to play against.
Speaking on the Warm-Up, Boyd and Sutton agreed that the ‘phenomenal’ Hartson is the number one SPFL striker after Larsson, with Sutton giving the Welshman his flowers.
| Hartson’s Premiership matches | Goals | Assists | Titles | Number of times top goalscorer |
| 142 | 83 | 27 | 3 | 1 |
Boyd: “Do we all agree that Henrik Larsson will be number one?”
Sutton sarcastically responded: “I think he might just edge it.”
Boyd: “We are putting Henrik Larsson as number one. By a country mile. Agreed. But apart from Larsson, and we aren’t allowed to name ourselves. We have five other strikers to agree on. Our top five. No Larsson. No Sutton. No Boyd.”
Sutton: “Big bad, John. Prime John Hartson. I played centre-half a few times. I would not want to play against John when he was in the mood. He was similar to you (Boyd), a brilliant finisher.
“If you got him in the right mood, then heaven help you. He has to be in there. It’s where you rank him. His numbers were phenomenal. I am talking about, difficulty of playing against, prime Hartson.”
Sutton and Boyd’s top five SPFL strikers after Celtic hero Larsson
But who else made the list? Celtic have dominated Scottish football since the turn of the century, including winning 13 of the last 14 titles.
Not forgetting the countless number of Trebles for Scotland’s most successful club.
But that didn’t stop Boyd from naming three Rangers players in his top five SPFL strikers of all time, something which was picked up on by his fellow pundit.
“Big John (number one),” responded Sutton. “I will give you Mols and Negri. I am saying Kyogo and Viduka. In their prime. Oooh.”
Sutton’s top five SPFL strikers of all time:
- John Hartson
- Michael Mols
- Marco Negri
- Kyogo Furuhashi
- Mark Viduka
Boyd: “Right, Hartson (number one). Mols. Miller. I need out-and-out goal scorers. I am going Negri, for that season, he was incredible.”
Sutton interrupted: “You have got three Rangers players, albeit Celtic have won 19 titles and Rangers have just won eight in that period. You carry on.”
Boyd added: “I am going to name a man who has won it for both. There you go. Scott McDonald. I think I am being harsh on Griffiths because I think his goal return is incredible.”
Boyd’s top five SPFL strikers of all time:
- John Hartson
- Michael Mols
- Kenny Miller
- Marco Negri
- Scott McDonald
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