How The League Was Won – BBC Sportscene
If you missed this programme, it is well worth a watch on BBC iPlayer or Catch Up Television.
It contained rather more about (the)Rangers than we would have liked, but it was a faithful month by month account of what was a great season for Celtic and showed in some detail Celtic’s quite astonishing revival. We are amazed to realise that in the early days of the season Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard were still with us, and we had the very tactful comment by Pat Bonner that it was time for them to move on. Some of us put it rather more strongly, particularly in the case of Edouard who on many occasions in 2020/21 made it quite obvious that he didn’t want to be here.
The programme is quite right to stress the importance of games against Ross County and Aberdeen in determining the destination of the League flag, but is also correct to highlight the game on 2 February – that astonishing night when (the)Rangers, victims perhaps of their own naivety in believing everything that the Press and TV said about them – were totally and completely spooked by the Celtic Park atmosphere. From then of course Celtic never looked back, although there were a few hairy moments. My own belief was that a key moment came the Saturday before the 2 February game when Abada scored that late goal against Dundee United, and it was good that it was highlighted.
One does tend to forget a few things over the course of a season, and this programme was a good reminder. For example, attendance were still restricted at the start of the season. I had forgotten that. We could have done perhaps with a few interviews with Calum McGregor, for example, or Joe Hart (whose role this season was hardly, if ever, mentioned) or maybe Anthony Ralston, a man who overcame an astonishing amount of ill-informed criticism in social media to become a hero, not least in the 96th minute that dark December night in Dingwall.
The pundits were generally fair. One suspects from body language and voice tone that Leanne Crichton is not of the Celtic persuasion, and of course we know that Kenny Miller is definitely not one of us, in spite of him having played for us in a varied career. But fair play to Kenny, he did give Celtic praise, although he tried so hard to persuade (the)Rangers to get an equaliser on 3 April!
It was good that the League Cup triumph was mentioned, for that was of immense psychological value in persuading Celtic that they could win trophies once more, and it ensured that we had a Merry Xmas. But also tribute was paid to men who had died over the course of the season like Walter Smith and Bertie Auld, and that was as it should have been.
Not a bad watch at all! Not totally sycophantic about Celtic, and that is as it should be. Nothing worse than these propaganda videos that one sometimes gets containing nothing other than goals going in and supporters cheering. There is more to winning the League than that, and perhaps the best bit of the programme was hearing Ange at Lennoxtown saying the now immortal “WE NEVER STOP”.
David Potter
Here’s some additional reaction to How the League was Won from Celtic supporters…
“The title was part of the problem – it was more a season review than a story of us winning the League. I think they tried to cover too much in the time they had which gave it all a rushed feel. Lots of things not mentioned which perhaps should have been,” Hail Hail History.
“Well what a waste of a hour. Celtic winning the league has really hurt a lot of people it wasn’t meant to happen and that ‘program’ was testimony to it . . Shocker.” Wallace Heaney
“Watched it and basically it was about the team who finished second. Embarrassing stuff as usual.” Free the People.
“Congratulations on putting together an hour long programme whilst showing every goal from the worst possible angle! Some achievement.” Norrie Sinclair.
“I’ve put the wrong channel on, didn’t realise I had Rangers TV.” Niall.
“Should have just named it “Aw it’s a wee shame how Rangers almost won the league again”” Micky McKinney.
“Thought it was Rangers tv what is Kenny Miller doing on it and what is he smoking?” Michael Patrick Green.
Laughable guys. I fell asleep whilst Kenny Miller, the most inarticulate Rangers cheerleader, banging on about them beating Dortmund. I won’t bother with the rest. More time spent on rangers beating Ross County than Celtic beating Rangers 3-0 in a pivotal game. Dreadful.” Raffo Bonaccorsi.
“What a waste of time. Wonder what team the director supports. Makes it even sweeter though. Glasgow Celtic Champions!” Cian
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I thought Celtic won this years league , this programme was a waist of time, more about sevco what a total shambles of a show should have went to my bed.
I’m glad I’m not the only one.
The title was certainly misleading and it could have easily been titled “How The Rangers Threw The League Away ”
There was more footage of them than Celtic.