CALLUM McGREGOR picked up his 26th honour as a Celtic player yesterday – and then admitted he was a lucky Bhoy.
The Hoops captain capped a memorable eight days after being presented with the Scottish Cup after the 3-1 triumph over Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline at Hampden.
The previous weekend, of course, the 32-year-old inspirational midfielder held aloft the Premiership silverware following an amazing sequence of victories, culminating in a crescendo confrontation against long-time league leaders Hearts at Parkhead.
SEEING DOUBLE…Martin O’Neill and Callum McGregor hold aloft the newly-won Scottish Cup after the 3-1 victory over Dunfermline at Hampden.
McGregor and his team-mates had pieced together six successive league wins after stumbling to a dismal 2-0 defeat against Dundee United at Tannadice on March 22.
That dreadful performance on Tayside saw the champions written off by so many.
However, Martin O’Neill’s men responded magnificently and overcame the Tynecastle side 3-1 in the east end of Glasgow to collect their record 56th crown.
Reflecting on being labelled no-hopers, McGregor said: “I think that’s probably been the beauty of it that so many people had written us off.
“The reason we did it was because the group stayed together, they trusted each other, kept working and put everything into it.
“We knew, coming back from the international break, that we had to be pretty much perfect – and we did that.
JUST CHAMPION…Callum McGregor and his Celtic team-mates celebrate the club’s record 56th title following the 3-1 win over Hearts at Parkhead last weekend.
“Now we have got our rewards over the last eight days, so it’s been an amazing week to be a Celtic player and a Celtic supporter. We’re thankful everybody stuck with us and trusted us to get it over the line.
“What we’ve got in there is a real group of men who take responsibility, stand up and, even in the difficult moments, everyone’s together. That fills me with immense pride that we have a changing room that’s so together and fighting for the one cause, which is Celtic Football Club.”
McGregor’s latest medal has seen him surpass Lisbon Lion Bobby Lennox and he is now second only to colleague James Forrest, the most decorated player in the club’s history with an astounding haul of 28 honours.
The middle-of-the-park performer, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “It fills me with immense pride and it’s something I know my family and everybody who knows me properly, my real close circle, will be so proud and so happy for me, as well.
TWO OF A KIND…Martin O’Neill and Callum McGregor emerge from the Celtic Park tunnel.
“But you can’t do this job on your own. To have the group of players I’ve got and the staff and the manager, everybody at Celtic Park, we can’t do that without them.
“It’s the togetherness that’s brought us the success and I just get to be the lucky one who goes and lifts the trophy.”
Paying tribute to interim gaffer O’Neill, McGregor added: “He’s been amazing. He’s someone with a huge personality, charisma, calmness and he’s brought all of that to the group.
“He’s hugely experienced, he was already a legend at the club and this just cements it.
“He got a tune out of us again, and we all managed to come together to collect a double at the end of the season, so huge credit has got to go to him and his staff.”
IT’S THE BOOK DEAL OF THE YEAR! You can now own a copy of ‘Celtic 50 Flags Plus One’ AND ‘Celtic Treble Treble’ for only £9.95 plus postage. Two stunning Celtic publications and you can save a massive £20! Order now! Just click the image for details and your books will be on their way. Happy reading!
