Season 1990-91 was make or break for Billy McNeill as manager. The glory of the Centenary season was a fading memory, and the two subsequent seasons of playing second fiddle to Rangers were hard for the fans to take. Finishing fifth the previous season had meant that there was no European football at Celtic Park for the first time in over 20 years.
McNeill again plunged headlong into the transfer market, signing £650,000 bench warmer Martin Hayes from Arsenal. Charlie Nicholas returned to Celtic Park from Aberdeen for close to half a million pounds. And the club transfer record was broken when we paid £1M for talented Hibs youngster John Collins.
But despite these new signings, the season was much the same as before. Hopes of winning the league died in a atrocious spell of form towards the new year - a spell which produced only 3 wins in 15 games. By the 5th day of January, Celtic were struggling in fifth place in the league, only 4 points above Hibs at the bottom of the table.
The new year brought better form, a great run of 12 undefeated games that produced 10 wins - including back to back wins over Rangers in both the league and cup. But the league win over Rangers was followed by three successive defeats, and the wee white flag was raised over Billy McNeill's tenure as Celtic boss. A cup semi final defeat to Motherwell left Celtic trophyless for a second successive season for the first time in 30 years.
Clips
McNeill again plunged headlong into the transfer market, signing £650,000 bench warmer Martin Hayes from Arsenal. Charlie Nicholas returned to Celtic Park from Aberdeen for close to half a million pounds. And the club transfer record was broken when we paid £1M for talented Hibs youngster John Collins.
But despite these new signings, the season was much the same as before. Hopes of winning the league died in a atrocious spell of form towards the new year - a spell which produced only 3 wins in 15 games. By the 5th day of January, Celtic were struggling in fifth place in the league, only 4 points above Hibs at the bottom of the table.
The new year brought better form, a great run of 12 undefeated games that produced 10 wins - including back to back wins over Rangers in both the league and cup. But the league win over Rangers was followed by three successive defeats, and the wee white flag was raised over Billy McNeill's tenure as Celtic boss. A cup semi final defeat to Motherwell left Celtic trophyless for a second successive season for the first time in 30 years.
Clips
08/09/90 PL Celtic 2 Hibs 0
22/09/90 PL Celtic 3 Hearts 0
25/09/90 LC Celtic 2 Dundee Utd 0 (Semi Final)
29/09/90 PL St Mirren 2 Celtic 3
13/10/90 PL Dunfermline 1 Celtic 1
24/03/91 PL Celtic 3 Rangers 0
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