Celtic started season 2006-07 looking to retain the Scottish Premier League trophy and the Scottish League Cup. They also competed in the Scottish Cup, and entered the Champions League at the group stage. Such was the good form of Celtic and the lack of a clear rival in the early stages of the 2006–07 season, that bookmakers Paddy Power paid out on Celtic as the winners of the SPL on 6 November 2006, only 13 games into the season. By mid-November Celtic were 11 points clear of their nearest challengers.