Daly and Hooper lead race for SPL Golden Boot

Dundee United striker Jon Daly is bidding to become the first player from outwith Celtic or Rangers to win the SPL Golden Boot.

With five games remaining, the Irishman is on 18 league goals for the season, the same number as Celtic frontman Gary Hooper. St Johnstone's Fran Sandaza is four behind on 14.

Daly looks almost certain to follow David Goodwillie in being the leading marksman outside the Old Firm clubs. The ex-United forward, now with Blackburn Rovers, was third-top scorer in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League in 2010/11, behind Kenny Miller and Hooper.

Leading non-Old Firm scorers since the SPL began
1998/99 Eoin Jess (Aberdeen) 14 goals
1999/00 Gary McSwegan (Hearts) 13 goals
2000/01 Arild Stavrum (Aberdeen) 14 goals
2001/02 Robbie Winters (Aberdeen) 13 goals
2002/03 Stevie Crawford (Dunfermline) 18 goals
2003/04 Nacho Novo (Dundee) 19 goals
2004/05 Derek Riordan (Hibernian) 20 goals
2005/06 Craig Dargo (Inverness CT) 17 goals
2006/07 Steven Naismith (Kilmarnock) & Scott McDonald (Motherwell) 15 goals
2007/08 Chris Porter (Motherwell) 15 goals
2008/09 David Clarkson (Motherwell) 13 goals
2009/10 Derek Riordan (Hibernian) & Jon Daly (Dundee United) 13 goals
2010/11 David Goodwillie (Dundee United) 17 goals