Celtic return to the summit

Article by e-Celtic's Tom Shanahan

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19 years ago Celtic finished 4th in the league and also lost the League Cup final to Raith Rovers. Although the season had been one to forget for Hoops fans it was what happened on 27th May 1995 that the season will be remembered for most. Celtic defeated Airdrieonians 1-0 in the Scottish Cup final and eventually, silverware was returning to Paradise for the first time in six years. It brought the player’s redemption after the shock defeat to Raith Rovers, however more importantly it gave the supporters hope that things were changing for the better. This was the start of Celtic’s rise back to the top of Scottish football.

Chairman at the time Fergus McCann appointed the late Tommy Burns as manager after sacking Lou Macari. Burns’ objective was simple, to play football the Celtic way and to make the supporters proud of Glasgow’s Green & White once more.

Tommy Burns was Celtic manager for three years and although the only trophy he won was the 1995 Scottish Cup he had delivered on his promise of exciting attacking football. The Celtic fans were delighted to witness thrilling foreign talents such as, Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Andreas Thom, Jorge Cadete and Paolo Di Canio. The atmosphere at the newly built Celtic Park was buzzing.

Unfortunately, Burns could not build a defence worthy of the attacking threat at his disposal, due to a lack of finances. By the time of his sacking, Burns and McCann were not on speaking terms. These two men only wanted the very best for the club but could not agree on how to make this happen. With sadness and pride Tommy Burns left Celtic Park through the front doors to cheers and adulation. He may not have stopped Rangers’ league dominance but the foundations had been built to do so.

Next in the hot seat was the Dutchman Wim Jansen and the pressure could not have been greater, as he was the man who had to stop Rangers’ pursuit of 10 in a row. Jansen had a connection to Celtic after being part of the Feyenoord side that defeated Celtic in the 1970 European Cup final, however to most people he was an unknown gamble. The three Amigos had all departed by now and so Jansen set about building a team that would be able to compete with the men from Ibrox. In came a Swede from Jansen’s old club, who over time would write his name into Celtic folklore time and time again. Other important signings were made in the form of Marc Rieper, Craig Burley and Paul Lambert.

The League Cup was won with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Dundee United and confidence was starting to grow, although the big test was still to come. Rangers travelled to Celtic Park for the annual New Year derby, a derby that Celtic had not won since 1988. Second half goals from star midfielder’s Craig Burley and Paul Lambert made sure Celtic fans had a New Year to remember. Belief started to resonate all through the Celtic family, would this finally be the year that Celtic reached the pinnacle of Scottish football? The Celtic fans could not accept any other outcome. The final round of league matches had finally arrived after months of twists and turns. If Celtic managed to overcome St. Johnstone the title would be in the Green room for the first time in a decade. Henrik Larsson and Harald BrattBakk secured a 2-0 victory. Relief and ecstasy washed over a sunny Celtic Park, the dreaded ten had been stopped.

Sadly, Wim Jansen left Celtic a few days after the title triumph and so another summer of uncertainty was heading to Glasgow’s East End.

The next two seasons were massively disappointing with Celtic unable to build on Jansen’s success. The highlights from Season 1998/99 were the signing of the Slovakian magician Lubo Moravcik and the 5-1 thrashing of Rangers, however no trophies were won. The following season The League Cup returned to Celtic but the season was rightly viewed as a disaster. Henrik Larsson missed the majority of the season with a broken leg and John Barnes was sacked after a humiliating Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Celtic also finished 21 points behind Rangers in the league and it looked like the dark days had returned.

No one could predict what the next five years was going to bring. Up step Martin O’Neill. O’Neill brought charisma and a hard edge, two attributes that had been missing for too long from a Celtic manager. O’Neill won the treble in his first season, a feat not accomplished since the Jock Stein era. The following four years of his reign brought two league titles and one Scottish Cup, however that does not tell the full story.

Season 2002/03 is undoubtedly the most memorable but heart wrenching season in recent history with Celtic ending the season undeservedly empty handed. Losing to Rangers in the League Cup final and also relinquishing their grip on the Championship after finishing second in the league race, cruelly on goal difference. Celtic also incredibly reached the Uefa Cup final, where they lost to Porto in extra time. The Celtic support had not felt pride and a connection to a Celtic side like this for a generation. This was a Celtic team that made the fans believe anything was possible.

By the time of Martin O’Neill’s last season in charge much of that belief had disappeared, as the team started to look past its best. The League was lost in the dying seconds of the season at Fir Park and the O’Neill era ended in heartbreak.

Although sometimes criticised by fans for his style of play, Martin O’Neill had revitalised Celtic. He was the manager that finally put the hoops back on the top. Could the next manager retain this status?

In Gordon Strachan’s tenure in charge the hoops won three consecutive league titles, another feat not accomplished since Jock Stein, as well as two League Cups and one Scottish Cup. Strachan also reached the promised land of the Champions League last 16 on two occasions, with memorable victories over Manchester United and AC Milan along the way.

Strachan had many critics in his four years in charge, however he brought great success to Celtic on a tighter budget than the one given to his predecessor. He should be remembered fondly for his triumphs and not for his occasional spiky personality.

Between Strachan’s final year in charge and Neil Lennon’s first full season as manager Celtic failed to win the league on three successive occasions. Neil Lennon got the job after a successive caretaker period after taking over from the disastrous Tony Mowbray. Mowbray was a good man, with a philosophy of trying to play football the correct way, however his team lacked spirit and heart and Lennon was chosen as the man to change this.

Lennon delivered on this as Celtic stormed to another three in a row with many more seemingly in touching distance on top of two Scottish Cup triumphs. He also guided Celtic to one of their most historic victories when they beat Barcelona 2-1 at Celtic Park on the clubs 125th anniversary.

Throughout the past 19 years, fans have endured both ends of the spectrum including many tears and jubilation. Celtic have been Scottish champions on ten occasions, the Scottish cup has been won seven times and the League Cup five times. Thanks to the people in charge in 1994 the club has progressed and is now in the strongest financial position ever witnessed. Who knows what the next 19 years will bring but the good times look to be staying in the East End of Glasgow for a long time to come.

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