How To Win A Treble - Season 2000/01

It's easy to forget just how bad a decade Celtic endured during the 90's. One solitary league title, one solitary Scottish Cup and a couple of League Cups were all we had to show for ten seasons of abject misery.

It's also easy to forget the remarkable transformation the club went through in the space of one short season, in 2000/01, under the guidance of Martin O'Neil. So for those of you too young to remember, or those of you who were too drunk at the time to remember, here's where it all began. This is how we exorcised the horrors of the 90's and laid the foundation for us becoming the dominant force in Scottish Football for the best part of the last 7 years. Over 22 minutes of goals from season 2000/01. 138 goals in total, accounting for every goal we scored in competitive competition.

There are two versions. One small (320x240, 200Mb), the other Large (640x480, 600Mb). If you want to download, follow the links beside each clip.

Here's the small version (200Mb)

For those brave enough to try, here's a larger version (600Mb)
Enjoy!

Celtic 2 Rangers 0 - 2nd January 1998

After back to back wins at Celtic Park against the two Edinburgh sides Celtic travelled to Perth to face St Johnstone - and were brought crashing back down to earth in a post-christmas 1-0 defeat. With Rangers and Hearts both winning their own festive encounters, Celtic again slipped back down to third in the table, now 4 and 2 points behind Rangers and Hearts respectively.

But the new year would bring a swift change in fortune. The Edinburgh Derby on the first day of 1998 would see bottom of the table Hibs fight out a 2-2 draw at Tynecastle. The following day, Rangers arrived at Celtic Park eager to open up a 5 point lead for themselves at the top of the table. They were to leave dissappointed.

Celtic were fired up. Defeat was unthinkable. The game began cagily, with neither team on top. But by the time Half time came, still goalless, Celtic had the upper hand. Jansen's side would increasingly dominate the second half, with only Goram in the Rangers goal keeping his side in the game. Yet it took until the 66th minute for the deadlock to be broken - a beautiful reverse pass from Jackie McNamara giving Craig Burley a clear sight at goal from the edge of the Rangers box. Burley rifled the ball into the corner of the net, and all hell broke loose inside the stadium.

It would take until the 85th minute for the points to be secured, but the wait was worth it. The Rangers defence struggled to clear an awkward looping ball into their box and the ball fell into the path of Paul Lambert, who fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 25 yards. Celtic Park went into full party mode.

The result left Wim Jansen's men just one point behind Rangers once again, and saw them leapfrog Hearts back into 2nd place, albeit on goal difference. The psychological impact of the victory, however, was just as important as the points. For the first time since the Centenary season Celtic had came out on top in the New Year Old Firm fixture. 7 defeats and 2 draws had been endured since a Frank McAvennie double had set us on our way to the title in 1988. The Celtic fans hoped that this victory would set us on our way the the title a decade later.

Celtic 5 Hibs 0 - 20th December 1997

Having secured a crucial 3 points against League leaders Hearts the previous week, Celtic went into this match against a struggling Hibs side full of confidence. And with title rivals Hearts and Rangers meeting at Tynecastle, the Celtic players knew that there was a chance they could end the day in top spot, if results went their way.

The Celtic players did their bit, thrashing Hibs 5-0. Craig Burley opened the scoring, with a rare Morten Wieghorst header doubling the lead before half time. Further goals were added by Jackie McNamara and Henrik Larsson, before Burley rounded off the scoring with a 25 yard screamer in the last minute.

However, Rangers would thrash Hearts 5-2 in Edinburgh and, in the process, take over the top spot in the league. Celtic also jumped above Hearts into second place, still just a point behind Rangers.

Celtic 1 Hearts 0 - 13th December 1997

Having secured the first trophy of the season by beating Dundee Utd in the League Cup final, Celtic returned to league duty with a dissappointing 0-0 draw against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. This was followed up by a 2-0 midweek win at Pittodrie. That result left Celtic in 3rd place in the league - 5 points behind leaders Hearts, 3 behind Rangers.

Next up was a crunch match against the Edinburgh side. A win was vital. Celtic came out with all guns blazing, dominating the match from start to finish. However several good chances were squandered and it seemed like a frustrating afternoon was in store; frustration made worse by the news that Rangers were only drawing with Dunfermline. But just as it looked as if the game would end without a goal, Celtic got the breakthrough. With just 10 minutes to go, Henrik Larsson scampered down the left wing and delivered a fine cross to the back post. Craig Burley did the rest. Celtic moved to within 2 points of Hearts at the top of the table, just 1 behind Rangers who only managed a draw at East End Park. Jansen's team were back in the hunt.

How to celebrate a championship winning goal

Now that the dust has settled, the hangovers have been cured, and the Rangers have been well and truly laughed at, it's time for some clips to commemorate events at Rugby Park on Sunday. I'm sure we've all seen Naka's goal from the Setanta coverage by now, so here's a wee collection of clips that you may not yet have seen. These were (nearly) all taken by brave souls in the stands at Rugby Park, so thanks to them for having the sense to stick their mobile phones in the air and keep them there as all hell broke loose around them.

Big Jan opens the scoring


A Side on view of Naka's goal


From behind the goal. From the Naka special to the final whistle


The winning goal as celebrated inside Bairds


The winning goal as celebrated a pitch length away


And another


Naka's goal as seen on Japanese TV


Naka's goal as seen on what I suspect is Polish TV


After goal celebrations


The celebrations kick off


Celtic fans belt out YNWA at the end of the game


More celebrations captured on a mobile phone


And yet more celebrations


The Celtic fan sing this seasons favourite celebration song


Highlights on Japanese TV


And more highlights on Japanese TV, this time focussing on Naka


Spanish highlights of the game


What sounds like a Dutch view of Nakas goal


Celebrations reach a train on the way back from the game...


...before reaching Central Station in true style


If there's any more kicking about, let me know

Celtic 1 Rangers 1 - 19th November 1997

Having gone the best part of 3 months unbeaten, by the time this game came around Celtic were in the middle of their second mini-crisis of the season. It began with a 1-0 Old Firm loss to Rangers at Ibrox ten days earlier - Richard Gough scoring and Stephane Mahe being sent off for...well, being Stephane Mahe. That was enough back then.

The derby defeat was hard to take, but what followed 7 days later was worse. Motherwell were the visitors to Celtic Park, and it was the Fir Park side who left with all 3 points, thanks to a 2-0 win. Another defeat, another red card - this time Regi Blinker the man sent for the early bath.

The two defeats left Celtic six points behind leaders Hearts, albeit with a game in hand. More worryingly, Jansen's team were now 3 behind Rangers. Celtic went into the game needing to avoid defeat.

This match at Celtic Park will probably be remembered for two things. First up was the controversial sending off of Paul Gascoigne for raising his hands against Morten Weighorst as they were both chasing down a ball. Looking back on it, the sending off seems harsh, although Gascoigne's second petulant swipe at the Dane was probably the deciding factor.

The second was Alan Stubbs last second equaliser to salvage a point for the Hoops - Marco Negri having given Rangers a lead with only 20 minutes left on the clock. Stubbs' goal would be a major turning point of the season. With one header, a six point deficit was slashed in half - a vital moment in a league title race that would go right down to the last game of the season.

Cheerio to 10 in a row

Following on from the BBC's pretty dull effort at rekindling memories of 1997/98 in That Was The Team That Was, here's a goal-packed reminder of the season we said Cheerio to 10 in a row! 79 goals are packed into about 17 and a half minutes of memories. Enjoy!

Celtic 3 Dundee Utd 0 - 30th November 1997, League Cup Final

Having thrashed Dundee United the previous week in the league, Wim Jansen's side were firm favourites to lift the first trophy of the season when the sides met again in the League Cup Final at Ibrox. 90 minutes later, the Perm had his hands on his first silverware as Celtic manager, thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win.

The opening goal comes from the head of Marc Rieper in the 20th minute; the Dane rising to guide a Weighorst cross into the top corner with a delightful header. Only 3 minutes later and the lead was doubled - Henrik Larsson scoring with a deflected drive. Craig Burley added a third in the second half and the celebrations began. It was only the second trophy won by the club in 8 and a half seasons.

Celtic 4 Dundee Utd 0 22nd November 1997

Having salvaged a point with the last head of the ball in the Old Firm game, Celtic bounced back from their sticky spell with a comfortable win over League Cup Final opponents Dundee United - just 8 days before the final itself. Two goals apiece for both Andy Thom and Henrik Larsson secure both the points, and the psychological advantage going into the final.

Dunfermline 0 Celtic 2 - 1st November 1997

Celtic travelled to East End Park to face mid-table Dunfermline as the new league leaders. With the first Old Firm game of the season on the horizon, another win was vital. Despite dominating possession, Celtic struggled to break down a well organised Dunfermline side. The breakthrough, when it came, arrived from the boot of the much maligned Regi Blinker - with a big bit of help from Mr Deflection. The win was secured with only 4 minutes left when Henrik Larsson burst into the box, eluded a couple of defenders, and calmly slid the ball into the back of the net.

Despite the win, Hearts jumped back to the top of the league on goals scored, having thrashed Aberdeen 4-1 at Pittodrie. Yet going into the Old Firm game at Ibrox the following week, Wim Jansen's side were full of confidence. Unbeaten in 14 matches, including 8 straight league wins, there was a real belief that this was a Celtic team that could finally shake off that Rangers jinx that had haunted the club for the best part of a decade. Unfortunately it was not to be.