From Stein to Deila in the League Cup

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Jock Stein won his first five League Cups as Celtic manager (no pressure, Ronny) but in the 43 years since we’ve won the trophy only eight times, including yesterday.

There has been a bit of chat that the Treble is a bit easier since Rangers were liquidated, but, if you know your history, you’ll know that’s not really borne out by the facts.

We’ve won three of the last 10 League Cups and lost to Rangers once but the six other defeats in that period have come at the hands of the likes of Morton, St Mirren and Kilmarnock.  What’s more, Falkirk, Hearts (twice) and Morton all knocked us out at Celtic Park.  We haven’t actually lost an away game in the League Cup for over a decade.  25 of our 35 defeats since Stein’s five-in-a-row have come to teams other than Rangers.

Here is a list of our eventual outcomes in the League Cup, winners or those who eliminated us:

2014-15 Winners
Morton
St Mirren
Kilmarnock
Rangers
Hearts
2008-09 Winners
Hearts
Falkirk
2005-06 Winners
Rangers (November 2004 Celtic’s last away defeat in the League Cup)
Hibs
Rangers
Rangers
2000-01 Winners
1999-00 Winners
Airdrie
1997-98 Winners
Hearts
Raith Rovers
Rangers
Aberdeen
Airdrie
Rangers
Aberdeen
Dundee United
Aberdeen
Rangers
Hibs
Dundee United
Rangers
1982-83 Winners
St Mirren
Dundee United
Aberdeen
Rangers
St Mirren
Aberdeen
Rangers
1974-75 Winners
Dundee
Hibs
Partick Thistle
Rangers

At the 40th anniversary of Lisbon I wrote about the 1965-66 until 1969-70 period.  Jock Stein won 12 of the 15 domestic trophies available, five Leagues, five League Cups and two Scottish Cups.  We also won and lost a European Cup Final, while beating champions from Italy, Portugal France and England.

That we went on to win nine-in-a-row disguised the fact that the real glory era ended in 1970.  The last four title winning seasons were not characterised by beating anyone substantial in Europe (notwithstanding the fact that we reached two European Cup semis) and a series of capitulations in League Cup Finals. The downwards trajectory from beating Leeds at Hampden and finishing fifth in the league in 1978 is evident.

Two inferences can be drawn:

Winning trebles is incredibly difficult.  One slip, one bad tackle leading to a red card, and you are up against it.

Teams who aspire to genuine historical greatness never switch off. 

We have a ‘never switch off’ manager. No more Mortons, Falkirks or Raith Rovers’.

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667 Comments

  1. bournesouprecipe on

    Celtic Mac

     

     

    Great post.

     

     

    John (Yogi) Hughes was only 28 when he left Celtic (and he was still raging at Jock Stein

     

    for letting him go at CQN11 on Friday night)

  2. timbhoy in spain

     

    18:52 on

     

    16 March, 2015

     

    South Of Tunis,

     

    I was on a Med cruise recently & we had a day in Messina.

     

    What a brilliant place.

     

    Me & the wife thoroughly enjoyed it.

     

    And the main Church was absolutely fantastic.

     

    It was the highlight of the 2 week cruise & that included Rome,Venice etc.

     

     

    —————————————–

     

    Is the wee guy selling tea towels in the square next to Church still there?

     

    Liked his selling piece…’Asda price,Marks and Spencers quality’

     

    looked a wee bit like ACGR…better patter mind :O) hh

  3. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    sipsini, give wee dickie some credit. He did pump the huns and cause a riot in Manchester.

  4. bournes….

     

     

    Hope Big Yogi feels some compensation by being loved by a whole generation of supporters!

     

     

    HH

  5. F.A.B. Virgil (WATRC) on

    sftb

     

     

    Bawsman helpfully brought us up to date today on the new Ed/labour policy of no coalition post election. My point was that you both have a labour interest slightly more genuine than Alfie who I was less than convinced as a labour interest.

     

     

    No offence intended, those are just views I have respect for whether I agree or not. Not sure there is an SNP voice on here I would recognise as a member that I would rely on to the same extent.

     

     

    I know you were also sceptical of Alfie’s credentials.

     

     

    HH

  6. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    VP, you wouldnt be buying a towel. Start wi some soap ya manky big trollop.

     

     

    x

  7. bournesouprecipe on

    justa

     

     

    Yogi was in fine form including a hilarious two word description of Ranger Bobby Shearer.

  8. lennon’s passion at 18:58 on 16 March, 2015 said….

     

    That’s 2 emails sent in last few days about last man standing. No reply Times like this I wish I was in the clique. I’m sure I will survive though.

     

     

    —————————-

     

     

    Sorry but I can’t see any emails from you? Assuming you sent them to our new email address – cqnlastmanstanding@gmail.com – can you confirm what time you sent or better still, send it again. Or to me direct at jobobaldie@yahoo.co.uk

     

     

    Anyone and everyone is welcome – so long as we get your payment by this Friday.

     

     

    Jobo

  9. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Just heard Stewart McCall comparing his first game to Tim Sherwood’s first game at Villa ???

     

    They were playing Livingstone

     

    The gift that keeps blinkin giving

  10. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    Sips

     

     

    If you had seen poor Acgr at 4:30am on Saturday morning you would show some pity .. Drinking with big dan takes a toll on most :)

  11. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Mickeybhoy88, I noticed the Star of David flag being displayed by some Utd fans yesterday bfore kick off..

     

     

    Not sure why they were doing it unless as a sign of appreciation for the footballing talent Nir Bitton has (highly unlikey I know).

  12. SIPS

     

     

    Nae teuchter will get the better of me :O)

     

     

    With big Shug yesterday ,finally solved the mystery hh

  13. They are hurting

     

    glibly and shamelessly

     

    enjoy it.

     

    The Rev I.M jolly is positively ecstatic in comparison.

     

    :-) :-):-)

     

     

    HH

     

     

    To all who enjoyed Cq11.great smashing super

     

    Tom/Lefti/OT67 Bwwwiiilllliiaaant.

     

    oh and a League cup victory

     

    Well done Celts

     

     

    HH

  14. FAB Virgil

     

     

    I appreciate the clarification.

     

     

    I read your post as accusing us of bringing Jim Murphy news on here.

     

     

    You will get more of such “news” from sources other than us two.

     

     

    BTW- I am not a Labour Party member nor have I been for some time, not that this should matter

  15. jinkyredstar cuts it back for Neil Lennon on

    Just got home and tuned in to discover my license fee is going to Reading and Brentford tonight! As if Sky didn’t pump enough down the ever sucking gullet that is English football- down with that sort of thing!

  16. bournesouprecipe

     

     

    Yes Big Yogi could still have done a job for us. Do not know all the ins and outs re Celtic back then, but still have the impression that Big Jock was doing the Board’s work for them. We had a good mix of both experienced players and younger talent at the start of the 1970’s and ended up losing players like John Hughes, and then still lost Macari, Hay and later Dalglish. Don’t know what the plan was, know that it did not work out well in the longer term.

  17. lennon's passion on

    jobo baldie

     

     

    19:27 on 16 March, 2015

     

     

    Thursday the 12th at 22.02 to the jobo email.

  18. pedrocaravanachio67 on

    BMCUWP’s

     

    Ayrshiretim

     

    MickTT ( phone a sickie )

     

    Saltires en Sevilla

     

    Catman

     

    Murdochauldandhay

     

    Midfield maestro ( c’mon do it :-)

     

    The Berr ( Ian )

     

    And anyone else that would like to join in.

     

    Thursday 19th curry / beer night still on :

     

    Details to follow ……

  19. Tricoloured Ribbon on

    Kris Commons proved yesterday that if fit he should never be left out of a starting Celtic eleven.

     

    A wonderful Celt with a magical scoring record.

  20. sipsini

     

    19:43 on

     

    16 March, 2015

     

    VP,

     

     

    A big gent is shug. Lives and breathes Celtic….like most of us.

     

    ——————————————————————————–

     

    sips

     

    Our young team in the vogue,all great Bhoys who have never let us or Celtic down.hh

  21. Captain Beefheart on

    Let’s see some Norway and Israelflags at Celtic Park. Johanson and Bitton are becoming crucial players for us.

  22. Captain Beefheart on

    KC domestically yes.

     

     

    In Europe no. Well, sometimes in the EL but we want to be in the CL don’t we?