For 30 years the League Cup was our bogey tournament. Celtic won the trophy only three times during the 70s, 80s and 90s. We lost seven finals in the 1970s, winning only one that decade. That 1974 win is cherished especially this week for Dixie Deans’ hattrick in a 6-3 win over Hibernian. Dixie made history with his two cup final hattricks, while Joe Harper carved his name in the history books with his own League Cup Final hattrick for Hibs that day.
The 80s was a decade mostly of elimination before the final. A memorable 1982 win in the Hampden rain over Rangers was followed by two final loses to the same side that decade.
We waited 15 long years for our next League Cup victory. Wim Jansen’s immortal side beat Dundee United at Ibrox, heralding a pivotal season for Celtic. We endured two final defeats that decade, another loss to Rangers and that loss to Raith Rovers.
Celtic have been unequivocal top dogs this century and that shows in the League Cup winner stats, but it was the meek side assembled by John Barnes who won the trophy against Aberdeen under Kenny Dalglish in March 2000.
Martin O’Neill won the League Cup only once, during his first and treble winning 2000-01 season. He lost a final, again to Rangers, in controversial circumstances in 2003. Never question how bad things would be without VAR, kids. We have lost only two finals since, both under Neil Lennon: 2011 to Rangers and the following year to Kilmarnock.
Gordon Strachan won the League Cup twice: over Dunfermline in 2006, when the players wore No. 7 shorts, in memory of the Jimmy Johnstone, who died a few days before the final. Then in 2009, when extra-time goals from Darren O’Dea and Aiden McGeady beat Rangers.
Ronny Deila won the League Cup in his first season at Celtic in a 2015 final against Dundee United, before Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon delivered the Quadruple Treble, an achievement which still sets the tone in Scottish football. The 3-0 win over Aberdeen in 2016 was our 100th trophy and part of the Invincible Treble season. 2017 saw Celtic overcome Motherwell in a difficult final (their fans are still sore), while it was a Ryan Christie goal that beat Aberdeen in 2018.
The 2019 final deserves a moment’s reflection. That Celtic team were clearly at the end of the road and were battered by Newco on the day. But there is a culture of winning these days which is ingrained in the structure at Celtic Park. End of the road or not, Christopher Jullien scored the only goal of the game which saw Fraser Forster deliver one of the all-time great Celtic goalkeeper performances. Even a man advantage was insufficient for Newco.
Neil Lennon would deliver the fourth treble of the series before things fell apart the following year. The 2019-20 season has much in common with this term. This Celtic side is in need of rebuild, but you would be foolish to be bet against them winning any domestic trophy.
Who can forget that magic moment at Hampden when Kyogo lifted the ball over the Hibs keeper to give Celtic the lead and provide Ange Postecoglou with his first trophy in 2021? It was Kyogo who delivered the killer goal in the final a year later, ending Newco’s hopes of taking the trophy for the first time.
Brendan uncharacteristically saw his side eliminated from the League Cup at Kilmarnock on his return two years ago, but the trophy came back home last year, when an epic 3-3 draw with Newco was decided in Celtic’s favour after penalties.
Our incredible record of success in recent seasons has heightened the importance of all trophies, even the once-minor the League Cup. Celtic now cherish winning every trophy, every other club cherishes the prospect of winning any trophy. The League Cup has never mattered more.
Enjoy the day and best of luck to your team.
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Did big Wilf cave in to the media and get rid of his training shoes?
That bodes weakness to be exploited further down the line does it not?
If Wilf is sent out all wet behind the ears to be “judged” by the gormless media, when did this policy of hide behind the sofa from the media begin?
What do the media know about the board, or even big Wilf that wee Timmy hizny been told aboot yet?
Would it be better if Wilf wore Rainbow trainers?
How about getting an uppity manager who’ll tell the media to pick a window?
How about going out of our way to be this “stand alone club” that some auld boy mentioned once?
Big Wilf is so exciting that Daddy Lawwell fell asleep as well. lol
https://videocelts.com/2025/12/blogs/latest-news/now-it-is-peter-lawwell-enjoying-some-match-time-shut-eye/
What a time to be alive.
Cmon the Wilf
HH
oot.
Wonder what Huns get up to, on a Cup Final weekend?
ONIL,
More than one Banger saying it.🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐🤐
Anyone think this an easy game for Hearts tonight?
https://youtu.be/nhQN1TZydiI?si=vQwLFt45Q2682-UQ
We showed some improvements in second half Thursday eve.
Tomorrow’s game may well be the ideal opportunity to set down a marker
Slightly concerned about travel warnings being issued. The game must be a consideration
so 2 of the hearts front 3 are a booking away from missing their game against the bigger huns next week?
look out for a couple of imaginary yellow cards
there is absolutely zero chance of the game being in any danger tomorrow.
Yet another brilliant leader P67.
Team tomorrow
KS
Ralston
Trusty
Scales
Yang
KT
Reo
Cal
Arne
Daezan
Iheanacho
2-0 Celtic and on to a treble
Two tough games in the reaction from some on here, though not necessarily the same folks
One, sack the manager, two sack the board (for sacking the manager), and three hope a Cup final with Celtic in it is postponed…
Guessing ‘Adeste Fideles’ is not gonna be on their Christmas Carol songs to be sung list…
Who’llStopThe RainCSC
Turkeybhoy on 13th December 2025 12:06 pm
Saint Stivs,
The post last night was from Auchinleck Talbot themselves.The only fekin Daftie is you,trying to be smart and making an arse of it.
Better sticking to counting empty seats.You do that well.🤐🤐
—————
yes, i am known for counting drstd, passes the time, cheers,
https://youtu.be/3HmR1NJXeqg
Did they talk about football?
Mc Cann not biased here,is he?
That stop with arm on the line would have been a penalty,and Red Card against us.
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
Keith Richards 1586.
Turkeybhoy on 13th December 2025 8:50 pm
Mc Cann not biased here,is he?
_____
He’s far more of a Judas than MoJo (who was a daft boy). McCann a full blown hun, ex Port Tim.
Ziggydoc1
Stivs has a great story about that canute. Posted it on here a while back, he knows the family.
Feel sorry for the wolves keeper. Dearie me. 😳
TURKEYBHOY on 13TH DECEMBER 2025 8:53 PM
That stop with arm on the line would have been a penalty,and Red Card against us.
—-
Just watched – def penalty for Falkirk.
What was the difference between that and the Tony Ralston one in the semi – final?
come on.
it was never a penalty.
his arm was right against his body.
had his arm not been there it would have bounced off his body.
none of us thought ralstons was a penalty, this was even less so.
the long wait is over on 13th December 2025 9:32 pm
TURKEYBHOY on 13TH DECEMBER 2025 8:53 PM
That stop with arm on the line would have been a penalty,and Red Card against us.
—-
Just watched – def penalty for Falkirk.
What was the difference between that and the Tony Ralston one in the semi – final?
Answer – Tony had a Celtic strip on.
BRRB @ 9:19
McCann’s granda….,first name I believe Jim,marched with the Brian Boru band in Belfast over 40 years ago and were presented with best visiting band trophy.A photo of the band was published in Andersonstown News and I gave it to a Port tim I knew.I know quite a lot of Port folk and not one has a nice word for him.Hope all is well with you John….,green and white ribbons tomorrow.
What is offside ? Not got a scooby anymore.
What is handball?. Not got a scooby anymore
From being a benchmark of football knowledge to not having a Scooby.
The jobebook needs rewritten to encapsulate all genders.😂
St Patrick’s day parade was Brian Boru outing around 1979.
Joe
Cheers old chap, all the best. 👍
Huddle,
That was not the question.A penalty given against us for a ball that was going nowhere,hitting Ralstons arm,against his side,on the ground,against a ball that was going in,blocked on the line,by a player with an arm across his body.
I never said it was a penalty tonight,asked if it would have been against us.Ralston answers that.
Tomorrow is a must win imho. If we don’t it’ll take WN quite a while to recover and that won’t be good.
Greenpiñata: I’m still in touch with Jamesgang. He still visits CQN corner when attending matches.
I’ll be watching tomorrow’s game in The James Connolly in Dublin City centre.
Greenpinata
Scooby Snacks?🤔
Ah well,if the games on,up the market for breakfast,a beer on the away back,walk the Dug along the beach, a beer there,then settle down with a bottle of Wine for the build up and match.
Better win,nothing worse than a hangover and a defeat.Nothing.
Paul67 et al
Well from 1964 onwards we were in 14 consecutive LC Finals. Won six of them. The 1965 LC Cup Final was important for us, (even though we had won the SC Final the previous season) because of who we beat in the Final, no names no packdrill. Set a marker.
But, given that we lost him earlier this year it is worth giving the OHG, John Fallon a worthy mention. For, if I’m not mistaken, John won not one, but two LC Finals in 1969. First in April 1969 in an earlier 6 goal thrashing of Hibs, (and in a month when JF won the LC, the League and the SC, (probably the only time that has ever happened) and then later in the same year when we beat Willie Ormond’s St Johnstone 1-0.
Lets hear it for those Bhoys!
RIP John Fallon
RIP John Dean
Will the covers be on the pitch tonight?🤞
ziggydoc1
Only if Quadro is playing….
i nearly told the mccann story to login.
but in another port story i want to respect neil lennons father.
good night and god bless
ziggydoc1 on 13th December 2025 10:45 pm
Will the covers be on the pitch tonight?🤞
Celtic Mac on 13th December 2025 10:54 pm
ziggydoc1
Only if Quadro is playing….
Very quick CelticMac 😂
collusion is no illusion
https://youtu.be/t7VDNZUcBak?si=WmytjjyJLEbSKW4b
The Old Fenian Gun
https://youtu.be/0C0dO4zCI5w?si=T-f0iHqi8Mjcp6EP
Cod Liver Oil & the Orange Juice
https://youtu.be/ERFfHLS4z_k?si=QM5YGuCP6jnafduA