Watching yesterday’s rewind video of the day we stopped the ten, on Celtic’s official YouTube channel, got me thinking – just where does that title winning day rank in the list of greatest moments in the club’s history?
For sure the European Cup final in Lisbon would have to rank as number one, nobody could argue that. In terms of achievement, many other successes eclipse winning a single league title to stop the ten. However, I’d define the greatest moments by their importance and how much it meant.
I made a shortlist of moments that could possibly compete and took to Twitter to get people’s thoughts on the subject.
There’s been so many highs – the Centenary Cup final could have been included, as could the 7-1 game for example, but I omitted both as despite being great days in the history of Celtic Football Club, they can’t have carried the same importance or emotion of winning a first league title in ten years, whilst simultaneously preventing the arch enemy from overcoming your decades old record.
In different circumstances, clinching the invincible treble carried importance and emotion in terms of securing history that will never be done again. Love Street had that unexpected smash and grab title that made it uniquely great and ten men winning the league against Rangers was as good as it gets, once more defying the odds to win the title after Johnny Doyle’s red card. In addition, both the Coronation Cup and Empire Exhibition Cup were huge honours at the time without the invention of European football.
Where does stopping the ten rank in the history of Celtic games? Lisbon is obviously number 1
Rogic’s invincible treble game, 10 men won the league, Love Street 86, Coronation Cup Final, Empire Exhibition Cup Final?
Would winning 10 beat it?
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) April 18, 2020
Nearly all responses suggested that the day we stopped the ten was both the second most important and second most joyous day in Celtic history behind Lisbon. This is because of the context of the time, the fact that Celtic fans had waited a decade to win the title, the club had won sordid little and Rangers had been lording it over them with nine consecutive titles equaling the record that Celtic set in the 70s.
2nd behind Lisbon. Nothing was more important than stopping 10
— John McConnell (@JohnMcC28171320) April 18, 2020
I have not had as much emotion at a Celtic goal ever as I did when Brattbakk scores the second goal that day. Incredible feeling after living through the previous 9 years
— Kev C (@Chocolateknee) April 18, 2020
Stopping the 10 is the #2 most important thing after winning the European cup for me, even if it wasn’t my favourite ever season. 87/88 Centenary season still my all time favourite 🍀💚
— Brian S McMurtrie 💚🍀 (@Bracko1888) April 18, 2020
There were a few comments favouring the night ten men won the league, which is known as that generation’s Lisbon for those who couldn’t be in Portugal for the European Cup final. However, given the nature of most replies putting stopping the ten above all other moments because of the long wait for success, I arrived at a final question:
Going by the comments of those who lived through the pain of the 90s, I’m saying its between this and the Coronation Cup Final win for the 2nd best moment as those fans had the pain of near relegation in the 40s! Champions of Britain was a huge thing before European football too https://t.co/JN14UGzqeH
— Liam Kelly (@cfcliamk96) April 18, 2020
Of course most people won’t be of age to comment on the Coronation Cup triumph, but it’s worth noting the parallels. Celtic had not won the league title in 15 years (since 1938), they had not won the Scottish Cup in 14 years and only had 3 Glasgow Cups to their name in 22 years. Yet worse than the lack of success in the 90s, Celtic fans had to endure seeing their team almost get relegated in the late 40s as well!
The Coronation Cup was not only a massive coup for the club to be champions of Britain in the days before European football, but it was also highly unexpected as Celtic were only invited to participate due to their pulling power. The final was a real backs to the wall job against a stunning Hibernian team, who wes the best club side in Britain (despite Celtic’s victory earning them that crown). Goalkeeping heroics from John Bonnar won the game for the Hoops, so it’s hard to say if stopping the ten meant more than winning the Coronation Cup.
Which was the second greatest moment, winning the Coronation Cup or stopping the ten? Have your say and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
INVINCIBLE by Matt Corr
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