When Celtic won their first 7-in-a-row by a 10-point margin in 1972, there was scarcely a cloud on the horizon. The also collected the Scottish Cup that season, lost the European Cup semi-final on penalties and, but for a mishap against Partick Thistle in the League Cup final, would have completed their third treble.
A year later, the league-winning margin was cut to a single point and although 9-in-a-row was famously achieved in 1974, the seventh consecutive title would be the last truly dominant Celtic league win for 16 years.
Jock Stein’s team of the mis-70s was vulnerable in ways your Celtic team of today is not. Stein was brilliant and changed everything about Scottish football when he arrived at Celtic in 1965, but the longer he stayed, the closer his rivals could ape his methods.
At Sean Fallon’s funeral Mass, Alex Ferguson mentioned that he and his wife would deliberately go to the same restaurant Jock and Sean dined at on a Saturday evening, so that the young Rangers player could quiz them both on the game. It was a school day for Ferguson. People watched Celtic, copied their tactics, scouting and preparations. By 1974 Stein’s advantage was gone.
This interpretation of Scottish football history was clear in 1997, when Rangers matched Celtic’s “9”. Their golden era was not the consequence of a radically different manager, but of sheer financial power, power that unlike Stein’s in 1974, remained in place as Rangers planned for 10-in-a-row.
There has been little consistency across our current 7-in-a-row. Three managers and countless players (not the 44 used in league campaigns between 1965 and 1974). If you were to try to match the current Celtic formula for success, you would attempt to replicate their scouting, sports science and maybe their playing style, but most of all, you would need a business plan that produces income which can, on occasion, reach £100m.
Like Rangers in 1997, Celtic today have a financial advantage over all others in Scottish football. Unlike Rangers in 1997, Celtic do not have anyone readying themselves to match their investment in the team. While Fergus McCann and Jock Brown were busy signing Henrik Larsson and the like, no one in Scotland can come close to matching Celtic’s £9m investment in Odsonne Eduard, or their £52m wage bill.
Nor should they. Under Fergus, Celtic worked their way close to Rangers turnover. By 1997 there was still a gap, but it was bridgeable without putting the club into peril. Even without Champions League football, other clubs are years away from getting to within striking distance of Celtic.
This position of strength is a consequence of professionalism throughout the club. Look around as you walk up Celtic Way tomorrow. Picture in your mind the next stage of the regeneration of the old place, with the hotel to your left, and a museum and visitor centre.
That Champions League income is important, but we have been busy in the background. The cumulative value of the Dafabet shirt sponsorship deal that was signed BEFORE Brendan Rodgers appointment and revolution in 2016 was worth as much as a Champions League group stage qualification. The renewal of Dafabet’s sponsorship for seven years, announced this morning, is worth an absolute fortune. Add to that, New Balance, the Magners sponsorship on the back and other key partnerships with Eden Mill, Intelligent Car Leasing and others, and you see a football club underpinned by strong finances, before it sells a season ticket or scores a goal.
One Saturday night In the early 1990s (not on a match day), at the Walfrid Restaurant, our table was served a main course without potatoes. The spuds duly appeared with the sweet.
This is an obscure observation to trouble you with today, but it encapsulated everything about Celtic of that era. We didn’t have the organisational knowledge to server potatoes with the chicken instead of the carrot cake. How could we hope to recruit, develop and tactically deliver success on the football field?
There are reasons why potatoes came with the carrot cake – it is not because the kitchen staff didn’t know better, just as there are reasons why we are ‘knocking it out the park’, on, and off, the park these days. Getting things right in any organisation is not quick, easy or cheap. It takes planning, training and several iterations of learning from mistakes. We were a shambles. We are now a thoroughly professional outfit in every area we operate. Look at what our commercial team are achieving in contrast to what happens elsewhere.
That is why we are going to win the league this season. It’s why we will win “10” and it is why we will continue to win successive titles for the rest of your life. This success is not built upon the wisdom of Jock Stein or Brendan Rodgers, it is a consequence of planning to win, and never lose again. Ever.
While Peter Lawwell is hugely important in the operation, it goes well beyond him now. You will find the same unforgiving demands at every corporate contact point. These commercial deals take the risk out of making expensive managerial appointments.
I have concerns about our prospects against AEK Athens – a stronger opponent than we are capable of facing in the fourth qualification round. The chances of a third consecutive treble should also be given perspective. We have escaped ‘one of those days’ in two years of cup competitions, that does not mean we are immune from them.
Champions League football may or may not happen this season, but we will not collapse “like a pack (sic) of cards” if we miss out. The show will go on, because we have planned for such an eventuality. Average attendances will hover a touch below capacity, we will continue to improve.
If you are too young to know how special tomorrow’s Flag Day is, bore yourself talking to an auld yin’ for a while. This success has been worked on for decades. It is a result of denial and restraint, while lemmings were heading for the cliff. It is a milestone in history. It is a beacon that shines a green light far beyond Celtic Park. It is a wonderful thing.
Enjoy it.
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Here we go to 8 iar. BestoftimesCSC Hh
You are Wealthy Paul…
Excellent.
Don’t kid on.
Yer latest State of the blah blah blah was Triumphalist.
That annoyed me a lot.
Be Honest if it is to be a Bitch slapper.
Anyway feck the Huns.
We have a flag party in under 15 hours.
Being led off by Drumchapel’s greatest son.
Daniel Fergus McGrain.
World Class Celtic Legend.
YNWA
Weebawbabity-thanks for your good wishes regarding my sis,appreciated.Yes Mick is a roofer tho not so much now.If you know him you will probably know my big mucker,they both went on the cherry bus back in the day???
Celtic will need to be Superb to get 8 Titles.
Even Better to match the Genuine Nine.
The dark forces are building.
P67 – I’m looking long term……..and thinking another £3 every Game.
Not Daft.
here we go for 8IAR
C’mon you bhoys in green
HH
annoyed the generic £3 is in play
No Fake Plastic Trees in Paradise.
Radiohead CSC
DD-feck them right enough ? Canny wait till tomorrow or Wednesday ???
Supply and Demand Fantasticque for GLASGOW Celtic.
Pricing out those that cannae afford things……………………………….
FB
Me too. The real fitba in Paradise is back.
COYBIG
Against GHordybhoys wishes…… Here is a tune that was played when Johnny Johnny Barnes was Smaashing Aiberdeen 5-0 – We were in Milton Keynes……
No Surprises
No catchy jibber jabber. What a story…. I’ve likely told TCR and 16R……. repeating on the 25/26th.
DD-looking forward to Danny doing the flag ???
Philadelphia by Oxford’s finest.
https://youtu.be/hrTGo5Vvivo
Lazy Youtubing
And I make no apologies for doing it.
Fairhill BHOY, Know him very well!! Will catch up later on your big friend. HH MATE
Tue 23rd Sept 2008
Celtic Squad v Livingston
05 Games 3 Shut Outs Artur Boruc
16 Games 2 Goals Bobo Balde
07 Games 4 Goals Shaun Maloney
06 Games 1 Goals Stephen McManus
04 Games 1 Goals Shunsuke Nakamura
04 Games 0 Goals Aiden McGeady
02 Games 0 Goals Paul Hartley
02 Games 0 Goals Lee Naylor
01 Games 2 Goals Georgios Samaras
01 Games 1 Goals Scott Brown
01 Games 1 Goals Darren o Dea
01 Games 1 Goals Glenn Loovens
01 Games 1 Goals
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
01 Games 0 Goals Paul Caddis
01 Games 0 Goals Massimo Donati
01 Games 0 Goals Andreas Hinkel
01 Games 0 Goals John Kennedy
01 Games 0 Goals Scott McDonald
01 Games 0 Goals Michael McGlinchey
01 Games 0 Goals Mark Wilson
No Celtic App v Livingston
Mark Brown
Gary Caldwell
Ryan Conroy
Marc Crosas
Ben Hutchinson
Chris Killen
Paul McGowan
Jean Joel Perrier Doumbe
Barry Robson
Cillian Sheridan .
ENTERTAINMENT
The Charlatans invite Scott Hutchison’s brother on stage in emotional tribute to Frightened Rabbit singer
Grant Hutchison was invited on stage at the festival to play alongside the Charlatans.
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ByJohn Dingwall
22:35, 3 AUG 2018
Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess invited Scott’s brother and fellow bandmate Grant Hutchison along with the band’s keyboard player Billy Kennedy onstage (Image: PA and Trevor Martin Photography)
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The Charlatans staged an emotional tribute to Frightened Rabbit singer and songwriter Scott Hutchison at the Belladrum Tartan Heart festival tonight.
Hutchison had been due to headline the festival’s Hothouse stage with Frightened Rabbit before he was found dead, aged 36, in May.
Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess invited Scott’s brother and fellow bandmate Grant Hutchison along with the band’s keyboard player Billy Kennedy onstage for a rousing version of the bands track, ‘Head Rolls Off’.
8th Title will be hard to get. Paul67, STFU dude in the best possible way. Seriously STFU.
I Hope Celtic can Win the Title.
WEEBAWBABITY-will do ???
discoland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmlstfFQDec
PETEC-for some reason I think BR will have us even more focused this year,hopefully ???
BB
Got tickets for The Charlatans and James at the Hydro December 5th.
Madchester ra ra ra.
Got tickets for Richard Ashcroft and Liam Gallagher at Old Trafford Cricket Ground August 18th. Fortnight today.
Madchester ra ra ra. Mad Ferret ?
GERRY CINNAMON – BELTER – TRNSMT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6puO67bDg4
Saint Stivs
Thanks pal. Tried to post the Green Brigade classic Discoland earlier.
Nanananananana Gerry Cinnamon Gerry Cinnamon
Rod Stewart, Grace, Las Vegas, June 12, 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdnR4Q4zvMY
David Holmes is a Maestro Mixer….
AWESOME
OLD Skool Daze in efe Ambroe Efect.
Ambrose – Sorry.
Imelda May and Finbar Furey When You Were Sweet Sixteen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwRkIlrGa6w
Hibs will get 2nd because of Neil Lennon.
They will be cheated a lot as well.
SAINT STIVS-don’t know mate but I don’t like rod singing grace,love rod as well ???
Neil shouldnae huv played the Magnificent Efe that Night.
I Hope, the Greight Efe is the Rock that makes Hibs the 2nd best team in Scotland.
Dreams
ok, a better version
CELTIC ENDS AMAZING RENDITION OF GRACE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV4D_8QNrfg
Dreams
So annoyed about so much.
The Fabulous Gerry Cinnamon Covers Ben E King’s Stand By Me At Fox & Hounds Houston Renfrewshire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sIYY92RsMw
CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS ~ Scottish Mountain Tunes @ Musicfest ‘n Sugar Grove NC – July 14 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY_FJBmkfjw