YOU were there to see it. When you look back on the great teams, the great seasons, the team who established a new British record of 69 games in domestic competition unbeaten, will fill your heart with joy. This team, The 69’ers, eclipsed the Centenary Team by some distance and will measure alongside the Seville Team in our annuls, second only to the Lions.
They are that good.
There is more than just being good. They have been incessant. They suffocate the life out of opponents. They played fast, attractive, football and when they sensed a vulnerability, they went goal crazy. They never gave up.
Eclipsing the club’s 100-year-old unbeaten British record last month took an emotional toll. After this, a late winner against Ross County, an industrial Cup Final win and that unforgettable late show at Fir Park suggested the players needed a new chapter. You and I discussed getting through December after a near thing at Easter Road, but the players just couldn’t climb another mountain.
It ended emphatically, amid two defensive slips and a stonewall penalty. Despite being three, then four, goals down, the players had the hunger, but not the imagination, to overcome the odds one more time.
The run has been a joy. Scott Sinclair announcing himself at Tynecastle in August 2016, then Moussa doing the same with a hat-trick a month later. In a little over four months of starting his first league campaign, Brendan watched his team score four or more against seven Premiership opponents. These were not just victories, they destroyed opponents desire to be on the field. 14 of 38 league games during that campaign saw four, five or six Celtic goals.
In 69 games across two seasons, one moment unquestionably towers above all others. Celtic were on the verge of a truly unique achievement: an Invincible treble, but the 2017 Scottish Cup final hung in the balance with two minutes remaining. One slip, and the most impossible of achievements, then in touching distance, would disappear.
Tom Rogic carved Aberdeen open and dinked the ball over the keeper in a delicious finish to a magnificent season. They did it! League Cup, League and Scottish Cup winners without losing a game. That Final could have been won as easily as the 3-0 League Cup win over Aberdeen earlier in the season, but fate would gift us a dramatic conclusion. Grown men cried.
Celtic winning the Premiership this season is the surest thing in sports betting. Their odds, 1/33, reflect how the betting companies can invest your money for the time they hold it, rather than any prospects of Celtic not delivering. A bet on Celtic winning the league is not actually a bet, it is a savings account.
We have planned to address the short-term issue of remaining unbeaten for too long. Now we can focus on being ready to defend the Scottish Cup, our trip to Russia and perhaps more European adventures. We will overcome Brechin City at home in the Cup next month, leaving four games for a second treble, while the January transfer window will bring the opportunity to add depth to the team.
Brendan, in the words of another great Celtic manager, you and your players have been utterly brilliant! Thank you.
*There’s still time to get a signed copy of Jim Craig’s new Lisbon Lion Diary, Right Back to 67, in time for Christmas. And we will also give you a free copy of That Season in Paradise, signed by fellow Lisbon Lion Willie Wallace. Just order Right Back to 67 today at www.cqnbookstore.co.uk
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For those, like myself, who had to Google, here you are:
” An anhedonic football fan is not excited when his team wins.”
JJ
SETTINGFREETHEBEARS
What diet is it that demands a dictionary for breakfast?
FWIW,Sunday’s forgotten about. And it will remain that way as long as our results this side of New Year are favourable. No point in dwelling on it,IMO.
When billions are being spent on a small number of Clubs, other Clubs spend more just to stay where they are. Celtic cannot compete with that.
I feel financial events in European Football are a more likely cause of Celtic`s `decline` than is the demise of the Huns.
JJ
Hope that special circle of hell is getting nicely fired up.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/christmas-ruined-charity-staff-volunteers-11717699
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 19TH DECEMBER 2017 8:53 AM
M6Bhoy
It is about as ironic as all the examples given in the Alanis Morisette song, which, ironically, is very few.
Posters get dissed for being uber:loyalist, happy-clapping, complacent and hunnishy-synservient to their Board masters and others get criticised for being perma-raging, mineshafters, anhedonic and hunnishly-self-entitled to expect superiority from their team on all occasions.
We all have a tendency only to notice it when it is our side of the argument that gets called out.
…………………………………………………………
I was called “Naziesque” by some ars*ho*e on here on Sunday for being a bully on here.
Am still hurtin’.
Compper the Marker dot com
Man-marking or zonal though????
Morning all
I am, like Greenpinta, in thrall to stats but mindful of them to.
I will admit that I like them when they confirm my suspicions and annoyed by them when they contradict them.
Last night SFTB ‘annoyed’ me with his defensive stats – though a bit naughty including stats from friendlies- whilst last week my thoughts that despite a loss of flashiness Scotty Sinclair remains one of our most effective players were confirmed by stats.
Statistics , like NitroGlycerine, should be handled with care but like that substance they are not without their uses.
Jimbo67
DAVIDOPOULOS
Eh,we’re signing a bliddy meerkat?
Ffs…
Some of the comments on here about our new signing remind me of Barry Fergushun saying live on radio that the penalty we got at Motherwell was never a penalty although he hadn’t seen it.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Well according to some we’ve been signing donkeys and turkeys for years and deploying squirrels on a regular basis.
Makes me thing that at the end of the heated driveway there is a petting zoo…
Not that kind of petting…shockin’….
JIMBO67
I always knew you suffered from confirmation bias(!)
Btw,certain ICI workers used to suffer NG Heid,caused by withdrawal symptoms when they were on holiday. Not kidding,and you wouldn’t believe how they treated it.
Philbhoy
I never heard or read Barry’s comments but they were ridiculous.
DAVIDOPOULOS
Careful now-the animals are on the other side of the city!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 19th December 2017 9:53 am
DAVIDOPOULOS
Careful now-the animals are on the other side of the city!
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Aye but are we not making money out of selling tickets to gaze at them with curiosity from a safe distance???
DAVIDOPOULOS.
I’ll be no nearer to them than Wimbledon on the 30th. That’s close enough!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
You going to SW19 for it?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42406138
I thought it was just the Americans who had navy seals…
Roast Your Chestnuts On my Fire
https://youtu.be/GEZtN3eVP7E
I deliberately used “malcontents” to describe those of a negative persuasion, despite experiencing 18 months of invincibility!
If you know the history… :)
FLEAGLE1888
No what you mean.
“Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am…………………..
When ghuys are pointing out Brendan’s’ disappointing European record’ a couple of things need to be borne in mind.
Qualifying alone for the Group Stage has got more difficult and Brendan achieved that twice in two attempts,
Secondly for past 2 years we got drawn in the toughest possible Groups.
Finally we were 4th seed this year & finished 3rd and are still involved in European Competition.
In saying all that I do agree that 4 of our Group Games were very disappointing,, but as an earlier poster alluded a lot of that has more to do with how.the era of the Super Clubs has evolved rather then anything Celtic have or have not done.
Off oot to Palermo – Christmas shopping with Mrs S of T –
An appropriate choon – December 66 . Bought on the day Celtic beat PTFC 6-2 ( the wee notes obsessive me wrote on choon sleeves turned out to be mighty handy )
https://youtu.be/34PvSBrcr-Y
Looks like I just imagined some of the fantastic free flowing football over the run of 69 and we are crap after all.
There’s no doubt we’ve struggled a bit lately and some players have lost form. It might even continue for s few games yet , once everyone is fit and back to form we’ll be fine again.
Sometimes you have to take a couple of steps back before progressing again, I’m confident we will and next season we will be stronger again.
DAVIDOPOULOS
Sure am,bud. Wee dayoooot for me and my mate.
Looking forward to it,so hope you can join us!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
I’ll consult the diary and drop you a message!
GREENPINATA on 19TH DECEMBER 2017 9:17 AM
My friends in Celtic,
I find the figures quoted by ” Celtic by Numbers” fascinating.
However I am mindful of the very true phrase ” Lies, damned lies and statistics “.
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That is such an easy not to say trite rebuke. I have provided you with many data points not available elsewhere. Feel free to apply your own interpretation of it and I will avidly read it and link the hell out of it.
I am constantly astounded of forehead the number of people who consider more information some kind of bad thing.
CELTICBYNUMBERS
I doubt it was intended as a rebuke,mate. It’s not his style.
There are a great number of posters on here who have stated their gratitude,admiration and downright awe at your work. GREENPINATA has frequently done so too.
Keep up the good work,old bean. You’ve got a 70-game unbeaten record to start working on,so get yer finger out!
Not every signing is going to be a good one,but over the years,we have signed quite a few players,who to be honest, shouldn’t have been at Celtic,but that’s what happens,
And one for the malcontents,as Fleagle and others have correctly identified.
‘Ave it…
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2017/12/18/the-reaction-to-a-result-that-reveals-the-true-exent-of-celtics-domestic-dominance/
Celticbynumbers
“Too much information “ you hear it all the time.mibees not in this instance,though.
When I was a boy and Celtic got beat my asthma would come on bad.
Would you believe I’ve had a stinker of a head cold since yesterday.
Anyway hail hail to the good guys
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 19TH DECEMBER 2017 11:29 AM
I’m sure your right but when people imply you are lying because well…..
I knew plan A of a random number generator was the better option! Would save hours.
If people disagree with the interpretation then that is fair game. In which case state your alternative preferably backed up with some evidence.
Anyway! As you say, onto 70. HH
CHAIRBHOY on 19TH DECEMBER 2017 7:09 AM
Superb post. Insightful, cogent and with a “powder dry” promise of more, much more to come!
Great post!
T
Celtic by numbers,
Of course I wasn’t trying to rebuke you. BMCUW is correct.
I appreciate the time and effort you put in and I find the stats fascinating . However statistics can be interpreted in many ways and people may come to differing conclusions; this also adds to the attraction .
Please carry on, I’m actually complimenting you.
HH.
Some excellent posts to counter the “affthedeepend” type that we always have after a Celtic defeat.
I’m really looking forward to see how Brendan and his Bhoys react to the weekends defeat, we have some important games coming up no more so than tomorrows and their reaction could well be something to see:))
“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
BTO CSC
CELTICBYNUMBERS
Lies,damned lies and statistics. It’s one of Mark Twain’s throwaway lines,and an eminently quotable one.
But like most eminently quotable throwaway lines,signifying nothing.
Frankly,if that had been his reply to me personally I’d have repeated my statement,maybe enlarged on it,and asked him to refute it point by point. Not too keen on smartarses,me
Well,kiddy-on ones at least. A proper smartarse is a challenge. You might have noticed that over the years on here,and elsewhere in person. A level head required as you prepare the final denouement,the verbal and proverbial boot in the baws.
Bitofabugger when it misses,mind!!!
new article posted.
Before Wednesday’s game I would just like to say, ” I saw that result coming for weeks.”
Tobago Street
Beat me to it!
Chairbhoy
Don’t know what you had for brekky but keep taking it as that was a fantastic post at 7.09
HH