TITLE RACE 1986.. I KIDD JUST LIKE YOU NOT

Old Firm’s titanic tussle reminds former Celts boss Hay of historic campaign

- KEITH JACKSON

AT one point during the unrelenting bedlam of derby day at Ibrox on Sunday, Sky’s cameras homed in on a familiar face in the Rangers directors’ box.

Having slipped in behind enemy lines, Davie Hay watched on from the posh seats as Brendan Rodgers attempted to become only the third Celtic manager in 40 years to rattle off three wins from the first three Old Firm league games of the season.

Hay managed it first in 1984. Then, 20 years later in 2004, Martin O’Neill passed that same landmark on his way to a league and Scottish Cup double.

But just when Rodgers seemed on the brink of doing it too another two decades on, Rabbi Matondo burst Celtic’s bubble with a stunning strike in injury time to cap one of the most dramatic, high-scoring draws in this fixture’s history.

At that moment, Hay’s mind drifted back to a barnstorming Ibrox encounter in 1986 when Celtic escaped across the city with a 4-4 draw before going on to secure the title on the last day of the season with a five-goal turkey shoot at St Mirren.

Or Albert Kidd Day, as it’s been known ever since.

And it’s that historic campaign Hay believes may actually be being repeated and played out before our eyes this time around.

“I wasn’t even aware of the statistics about winning the first three Old Firm games of the season,” Hay blushed modestly, speaking to Record Sport.

‘To be honest, I had no idea Brendan could have become just the third Celtic manager to do it. But what I do know is that Sunday’s draw reminded me very much of what happened back in 1986 when we went to Ibrox for that 4-4 draw. It feels like this run-in could be something similar.”