noughties not too bad

trophy count reveals third most succesful decade in the club’s history.

While it might not always have been the most pleasurable football to watch, as far as trophies won is concerned, the decade gone by was the second most successful in the history of Celtic Football Club.

Only the ten years between 1970 and 1979 saw a bigger trophy haul and more leagues won. When you stop to consider that but for three last day of the season title losses to Rangers (one of them on goal difference) it would have been nine leagues out of ten it is clear that the Celtic board have pretty much risen to the challenge set them when the Bunnet departed. Fergus left them with a 60,000 stadium pretty much filled to capacity every week and a debt-free financial platform on which to build success on the pitch.

Even their most grudging critics would have to admit that there’s not too much more the Suits could have done to ensure that success.
Leaving aside the silverware, perhaps the most heartening aspect of the last ten years has been that Celtic have become, if not a force again, then certainly a team that once more has respect whenever continental teams come to play at Celtic Park.

The contrast with the previous ten years couldn’t be starker; as anyone who suffered the 90s will testify, that was a real penance, the worst ever, given that the Forties can largely be dismissed as a meaningful period in the game thanks to the demented antics of a particularly horrible right-winger from Austria. Three domestic trophies between 1990 and 1999 had supporters of a certain age hankering back even to the 50s, an era widely regarded by those who lived through it as a period in the wilderness bereft of success, despite five trophies collected, one of which was the League Cup in 1957, captured from Rangers in an eight goal thriller.

Interestingly, the decade which gave Celtic fans most reasons for popping the champagne corks was not the 60s but the first ten years of the 20th Century. During that time the club won 9 out of the 20 major honours up for grabs, a success rate which saw 45% of all available silverware heading in the direction of Celtic Park.

1910 to 1919 witnessed the same number of trophies won, but this period is discounted due to a strenuous European campaign involving Kaiser Bill and his Austrian cronies which lasted from 1914-1918.

Statistics wise, domestically the 60s are relegated into second place by the 1970s. The Scottish Cup success against Dunfermline in 1965 was our first trophy since beating Rangers in the aforementioned eight goal thriller. Not only did victory against the Pars bring an end to a seven season drought, it was the springboard to European triumph a mere two years later and subsequent dominance of the Scottish game for fifteen years.

In the sixteen seasons from ‘65 to 1980 Celtic won 11 championships, 9 Scottish Cups and 6 League Cups. Of the 48 domestic trophies available the Hoops won 26, a strike rate of 56%.

Those were the days my friend!

To repeat the feat, Tony Mowbray would have to win the league for the next five seasons. He would also have to include the Scottish Cup in every season as well and win the League Cup twice in one season. Throw in a European trophy and it might mean some of the moaners who attend Celtic Park might grudgingly concede he’s doing a good job.

As my meerkat friend would say, simples.

The next ten years begins with the club facing a difficult series of challenges, more off the pitch than on. Looked at objectively, whatever you think of the personalities involved, you would have to conclude that we are in a stronger position than anyone else to meet these challenges.

 

JB BANAL