Such A Perfect Day

Manager delighted to seal title with a demolition derby at Paradise

- Mark Henderson

SUNDAY, April 29, 2018, was the perfect day in Paradise for Brendan Rodgers and for every Celtic supporter. On that sunny afternoon, the Hoops hammered city rivals Rangers 5-0 in front of an exultant home crowd to clinch a seventh successive title for only the second time in the club’s history.

The Bhoys had passed up their first opportunity to cross the finishing line the previous weekend at Easter Road, losing 2-1 to Hibernian, but that allowed them to wrap up the championship against their city rivals for the first time since ’10 men won the league’ in 1979.

Not since the glory days of Jock Stein had the Celtic supporters enjoyed such sustained success and they couldn’t have asked for a more memorable way to seal seven-in-a-row. Graeme Murty’s side were simply blown away by the intensity, aggression and quality of Brendan Rodgers’ men. Odsonne Edouard bagged a brace, while James Forrest, Callum McGregor and Tom Rogic were on target in a one-sided contest that maintained the manager’s remarkable unbeaten record against Rangers, which stands at nine wins and two draws from 11 meetings.

“It looked as if it was planned but it certainly wasn’t,” the manager told the View. “As a manager you always want to win the league as early you can. But again, the sun came out for Celtic and for the supporters and the club it was just the perfect day.