NINE-IN-A-ROW

History repeats itself as Celtic chalk up incredible run of consecutive titles

- PAUL CUDDIHY

THAT WAS THEN…

Jock Stein arrived at Celtic Park as a manager is March 1965, and helped steer the club to their first piece of silverware in eight years, with the Hoops winning the Scottish Cup at Hampden.

However, Celtic’s final league place of eighth in the 1964/65 season was an indication of the magnitude of the task facing the new manager.

However, what was to follow, both domestically and in Europe was an indication of the genius of the man in the Paradise hot seat.

One year later, his Celtic side were champions of Scotland. Two years later they were champions of Europe.

And over a period of nine years, from 196574, the Hoops dominated Scottish football, winning nine league titles in a row – beating the previous record of six consecutive titles set by Willie Maley’s Celtic side in the first decade of the 20th century – as well as securing two domestic trebles and a total of six League Cups and five League Cups.

More than that, however, they became one of Europe’s top teams, becoming the first British team to win the European Cup when they defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon’s Estadio Nacional on May 25, 1967. There was also another final appearance in 1970, along with semi-finals in 1972 and ’74.

It was on April 27, 1974, that Celtic drew 1-1 with Falkirk at Brockville, with Kenny Dalglish scoring Celtic’s goal on the day. The point was enough to confirm Jock Stein’s side as champions of Scotland for a ninth consecutive season.

That domestic triumph came just days after the team’s exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the semi-final of the European Cup, which the View described as ‘a wicked farce’.