CELTIC BEWARE: PERILS FROM THE PAST

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CELTIC are hoping to emulate a 14-year record when they take on Aberdeen at Parkhead a week on Saturday.

The last time the Hoops won their first eight league games was back in season 2010/11 when the team got off to a scorching start under Neil Lennon.

Despite the wonderful sequence of victories, the side FAILED to win the title in a campaign that disintegrated with just four games to go.

The fans were relishing the thought of Celtic reclaiming the title after two barren years, but their dreams and ambitions were not to be realised as Lennon’s men were derailed in the Highlands on a bleak, grey afternoon on May 4 when they unexpectfly collapsed 3-2 catastrophic loss to Inverness Caley Thistle.

That shocker left the team one point adrift of Rangers – and it was to prove to be a fatal setback.

CRYING OUT…Neil Lennon can’t hide his pain in Inverness.

LASHING OUT…Neil Lennon boots the bottle container in frustration.

Celtic won their remaining three matches – Kilmarnock (2-0), Hearts (3-0) and Motherwell (4-0) – but the Ibrox outfit refused to relinquish their advantage and won the championship by that solitary point.

The Hoops had a superior goal difference of plus four, but the nosedive against Caley was the calamitous result that saw them blow their chance of the crown.

That dismal day in Inverness wasn’t in anyone’s thoughts as Lennon’s team got off to the perfect start to the crusade at the same venue when a goal from Paddy McCourt gave them three points on August 14 2010.

St Mirren (4-0) and Motherwell (1-0) were also dismissed in the same month and Celtic were unstoppable in September as they racked up wins against Hearts (3-0), Kilmarnock (2-1) and Hibs (2-1).

October kicked off with a 3-1 home victory over Hamilton Accies  and was followed with a 2-1 success over Dundee United at Tannadice where Gary Hooper, a £2.4million recruit from Scunthorpe in the summer, claimed both goals.

FALSE DAWN…Gary Hooper thumps the ball past Allan McGregor to give Celtic the half-time lead in the derby encounter at Parkhead in October 2010, but the Hoops faded after the interval.

But the run came to a shuddering halt in the ninth league confrontation on October 24 when Celtic saw a 1-0 interval lead in the derby turn into a disastrous 3-1 loss after a mistake-strewn second-half.

Hooper scored again on the stroke of half-time, but Glenn Loovens deflected an effort past Fraser Forster early in the second period and a double strike from ex-Hoops hitman Kenny Miller – one a controversial penalty-kick – saw the points travel across the city.

The Hoops cause to get back on track wasn’t helped with three consecutive home draws in December with six points carelessly shed – Dundee United (1-1), Caley Thistle (2-2) and Kilmarnock (1-1) – which gifted momentum to the Ibrox side.

Brendan Rodgers’ men are unlikely to make the same mistakes as they keep their eye firmly on the prize in their bid for their fourth successive flag, their thirteenth championship in 14 years and the 55th crown in the glorious history.

Lessons from the past will surely be heeded – and NOT repeated.

FOOTNOTE: Celtic racked up a 9-0 victory over Aberdeen at Parkhead that season. A repeat this time around would be most welcome!

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