The remarkable story of Celtic’s six-in-a-row from 1905-10

Tomorrow’s match versus Dundee United could see Celtic secure their 55th title. Today (25 April 2025) also marks the anniversary of a notable League achievement in Celtic’s past…

Every fan of the club knows about the club’s two nine-in-a-row league runs. However, in the early 1900s, there was another period of sustained league success.

From 1905 to 1910, the Celts each year celebrated being Champions, setting a record that would last for decades. And it was also an era of historic events and controversies for the Bhoys.

This is the story of Celtic and six-in-a-row.

When Celtic were formed in 1887, there was not yet a Scottish League. Instead, clubs competed for various cups, with the Scottish Cup being the most renowned prize in the country. Even after the League had been established in 1890, the Scottish Cup initially remained Scotland’s premier competition.

However, as the new century arrived, this was changing. Increasingly, the League was seen as the most important event for Scottish clubs. By the time of the 1904-05 season, Celtic had been champions four times, although not since 1898.

The lead up to 1904-05 had been a momentous one for Celtic, full of multiple incidents. August 1903 had seen Celtic switch to the now world-famous Hoops, and also take part in their first ever European tour when they went to Austria and Bohemia.

There were also major problems for the club. May 1904 witnessed a major fire at Celtic Park which destroyed the club’s grandstand and pavilion. This was not insured and left Celtic with a huge repair bill, although bizarrely did not stop sports events being held at the park.

Continues on the next page…