How many times have we been here? Miles ahead in the league, League Cup in the bag – or as often, only a minnow to take care off in the final, when some bright spark realises we’re only a handful of wins away from an elusive treble.
Celtic have had more than three great teams in the last 70 years, but anyone with a grasp of history will tell you that trebles are hard to get, particularly for a Celtic team who occasionally have to play teams at Hampden where outfield players are granted goalkeeper rights.
The ’67 team won the League Cup and Scottish Cup before anyone knew where that season would end. Rangers were still very much in the hunt for the league, while only the hearts of Celtic fans believed they would win the European Cup.
By 1969 the league title had become the formality it is now, as had the League Cup – Jock Stein won his first five League Cups as Celtic manager. A Scottish Cup final against Rangers was all that stood in the way of Celtic’s second treble. Big Billy, George Connelly and our own John Fallon with a man of the match performance destroyed our old, old-enemy 4-0.
Only a fool or a liar would tell you Martin O’Neill would overcome a +20 deficit in the league and take both cups in his first season in charge of a rag-tag looking Celtic in season 2000- 2001. It wasn’t so much winning the treble that made this special, or, indeed, the football we played, but the incredible leap forward we made between Martin’s appointment in May and that Glorious Six in late August.
Everyone was stunned, including Celtic fans, although not as much as some others. In a unguarded moment that season, one Rangers fan said to me, “I don’t think I can take any more of this”. All the old certainties came crashing down. A domination, which for the financially blind looked like it would continue for decades, was over.
Martin had the Midas Touch, for a while, anyway, and the treble was secured, but although his team continued to improve for a few seasons, that would be our last full house.
Brendan and the players are new to this. With faith in each other they may well be prone to getting ahead of themselves. There is a lot of work to do to win the Scottish Cup. Should we get past Queen of the South or the Rovers, the trip to Pittodrie will be difficult. And if we cope there, Tynecastle will be equally hostile in the quarter final.
So spare me talk of trebles until May.
Every pantomime needs a baddie and this year’s is Ally McCoist, who, against all precedent, finds his secret ballot activities for a resolution at Newco’s AGM public knowledge. It’s astonishing that we know how McCoist did or didn’t vote. In any other country, ‘news’ like this it would be a story in itself. It’s something private that we just shouldn’t know.
But when the clarion call goes up in Scotland, “”Who are these people” who failed to support us?”, the answer surely follows. Whatever reservations McCoist has about the current regime are his business until he says differently. Behind the headlines, there is little analysis about why he would jeopradise his reputation in order to inhibit King.
There’s the story.
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Thoughts with all of the pour souls caught up in the Brazilian flight disaster – great to see people around the world rally round, and I pray the families of the non-football-related victims will also receive similar support and help.
HH
BGFC
Paul67
Good article.
Brendan and the players are new to this. With faith in each other they may well be prone to getting ahead of themselves.
Aye, I was thinking about this when you penned the previous article.
And even many of us can get ahead of ourselves.
Pride before a fall.
The Holy Ghost said that. Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction: and the spirit is lifted up before a fall.
This is when we need auld heids to be listened to.
Wisdom is forged in the fire of experiences. The good, the bad and the ugly: one and all.
Crystal ball time and just a bit of fun but here’s how I think that the top of the SPL will look after the games on Hogmany. Celtic and St Johnstone will have played 20, the otehr 3 should have played 21 –
Celtic – 56
Aberdeen – 44
Hearts – 38
Rangers* – 32
St Johnstone – 28
That’d make for a fair old ‘Happy New Year’ toast at the bells!
BPOI.
After today’s exchanges your moniker is amusing.
JOBO BALDIE on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 8:20 PM
Don’t underestimate the huns due to…
#1. Honest mistakes
#2. Reckless spending
Ephemeral and limited success.
They could be second.
Jobo.
Who are we drawing with in December then? Just so that I don’t put Celtic in my coupon that week.
Hail Hail
Paul’s blog brings back the memories. The 1966-67 title was a very close run thing as our main rivals were a top class outfit. But JJ’s double in the rain at Ibrox got us the draw and the League. Incidentally, when the Celtic and Rangers players came off the park they had their arms around one another’s shoulders like brothers in arms. That wasn’t happening on the terracing.
Rangers were favourites for the 1969 Cup Final. Johnstone and Hughes had been in devastating form and neither was fit. Enter Billy McNeil, Bobby Lennox and George Connelly who surgically removed the ball from John Greig then scored that great slow motion goal to make it 3-0 before half-time.
Hey lads
Just back from lovely Newmarket!
Thanks for all the nice words (especially for a lawyer!) :)
Just catching up on the news… shocking stuff about the football team… but, out of tragedy, something positive grows… the response from the opposition and other teams has been amazing.
Torontony …. cheers big man. Email on the way to you… maybe next Tuesday?
We all remember with glee.
Strachan pulling the league out of the fire.
In a very short space of time, so it was.
The huns in disarray.
Jimmynotpaul –
When going through the fixtures I gave us a draw away to Hamilton on Christmas Eve. But there’s every chance that it could be any of our December away games against Motherwell, Partick or Hamilton. It won’t be in our last away game of 2016 ;-)
SIN CITY BHOY on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 8:26 PM
FAIRHILL BHOY-
In the middle of a busy day, so don’t have time for much of a post.
If you are still in Vegas tomorrow, I’ll be down on the Strip during the day.
As Mountblow Tim can attest to I’m no slow to dig in ma troosers to get a round in.
I’m more than happy to meet up for a blether and a swally to celebrate our 100th anywhere thats convenient for you.
HH
Good thing I didn’t get back and start reading at 1:46, or I would really have wondered what was going on ….
JOBO BALDIE on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 6:46 PM
Auld Tam –
30 ‘normal’ room temperature balls. 1 out the freezer and 1 out the microwave. Simples ;-)
**
then I read back, and realized Jobo was talking about the draw for the cup …. whew! I was a bit worried for a minute …. especially for the two poor buggers who got theirs frozen and.or micorwaved.
Jimmynotpaul, that’s great news about Lee. I hope he makes it.
Sunderland will probably be working on Lee’s upper body strength as JC told me, some of the players Lee is up against are huge.
JNP
I’m trying to do this and talk to a six year old at the same time and obviously failing.
==================
I would say sometime being on here is exactly like talking to a 6 year old :))
And happy birthday MiT eh.
Dallas.
That’s correct.
Lee also has time on his side, I’m not sue if he’s 17 yet, Lee is very pacey, Sunderland have been playing him through the middle to utilise his pace.
I noticed that kid on hard man. Bartley ex loan player at the deid club, is Leeds captain.
Another reason for me to dislike them. The majority of Leeds fans I have had the misfortune to encounter are close to the huns in the horrible stakes.
They also have the same sponsor as sevco.
Ming :-))
Ming more sense out of a 6 year old too.
It’s been Christmas songs tonight. Just magic seeing the joy on her face. Gladdens my heart.
MIKE IN TORONTO
Hoopy Birthday sir
hope it was all you wished for and more
HH
Thetimreaper on 29th November 6:33
Canny see being moved to airdrie rovers fans no likey airdrie if you get my drift :0) HH
Wee Rovers still 1 up at half time.
I’m hoping they hold on. I would rather play them.
JNP
was with my 5 year old grandaughter earlier tonight – doing her letter to Santa – magic
HAPPY HOOOOOOOOPY BIRTHDAY to
MIKEINTORONTO!!!!!!!!
Frannyb67.
I agree more likely Hamilton.
Jimmynotpaul, Lee is about 5 weeks older than my son who was 17 last Saturday.
One of my pal’s sons was in the year above Lee at secondary. He told me Lee was a difficult player to play against due to his pace and football intelligence.
The story about Sevco ‘s attempt to sign Lee was in the etims diary about two months ago. .
MIT: Breithlá sona dhuit.
Lynchiebhoy: Hope you had a great weekend. Glad everything worked out for you. There were plenty on here looking to assist you, probably more than you’ll ever know. Great Celtic site this, especially when we look out for each other.
Níos mó ná club amháin.
I had a very enjoyable day seeing my youngest earn a Masters degree at Glasgow Uni today.
I was very impressed by the address to the graduates by Prof. Muscatelli warning against the dangers of the so-called Post-truth world. It might have been wasted on some who were there for a good time but we need our liberal values and fact-checking defended as never before.
Address to the graduates
Choose 29th November option- speech is from 43rd minute to the 54th and a half minutes on the tape.
If you prefer to speed read:-
Link to the text
P.S. Delighted to see the graduates march out to the tune of “The Rammy” by the Vatersay Boys played on the ancient pipe organ at the yooni- around minute 55
Art of War, the sleekit one in work will see the rise in complaints as a huge blow to his ego plus he can’t deal with criticism and to the feeling of self importance.
SFTB
Present / Post Truth – never catch on in the SMSM
SFTB –
Congratulations to your son on his Masters.
Picked one up myself yesterday – but at Edinburgh.
No Vatersay Boys unfortunately…
MIT – Hoopy Birthday dude!
SFTB/Natknow: congrats to both of you.
Dallas.
I would love to have read that. I missed it.
Did they get the bit and this is true. When Warbs was giving Lee and JC a private tour and Simply the best started blasting out at an empty stadium. They had already made their mind up they weren’t signing but at the moment they looked at each other and thought WTF let’s get the hell out of here.
SFTB.
Congratulations to your son and, of course,the very proud Dad.
Hail Hail.
Master degrees = graduates that couldnae get a job – probably a doctorate next
getarealjobCFC
only kidding well done :))
Natknow.
Congratulations to you too.
Be very proud.
Well done to you Nat Know too.
Even if you did have to go thru to “You’ll have had yir tea” City to get it.
What did you get addressed on?
Bet it was as flowery as the Joseph Cotton address in Heaven’s gate.
MING on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 9:01 PM
Master degrees = graduates that couldnae get a job – probably a doctorate next
getarealjobCFC
only kidding well done :))
———————————————————
Mine was part-time – while doing my real job! Leave little time for drinking (which was the aim!)
Still – might get one of them Ph.D. hingmys you mention next… :-))))
Dallas
About 20 years ago Not the view produced results of a fan survey of English premier league clubs and whether they preferred Celtic or 1872 club. For what it’s worth and
If memory serves me, Leeds, Man City and West Ham were our biggest percentages, but it was mostly 55/45 either way.