{"id":12793,"date":"2018-04-21T09:26:25","date_gmt":"2018-04-21T08:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etims.net\/?p=12793"},"modified":"2018-04-21T09:27:34","modified_gmt":"2018-04-21T08:27:34","slug":"celtic-diary-titleday-april-21-seven-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etims.net\/?p=12793","title":{"rendered":"Celtic Diary Titleday April 21: Seven Up ?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today is the first chance for Celtic to become the first Scottish club to secure seven consecutive titles. At 12.30 in Edinburgh the hoops will line up against Neil Lennon’s Hibernian and a win will see one or two of us raise a glass of light ale to something we never thought we’d see again.<\/p>\n

Anyone remember the first time ?<\/p>\n

\"1972-04-15:<\/p>\n

\"1972-04-15:<\/p>\n

Today there’s a half and half scarf available<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

From the Celtic Wiki, this is a double sided pennant that was bought at the game where that title was won, on the 15th of April 1972.<\/p>\n

\"1972<\/p>\n

Four days later..<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

The enduring image here of Stein telling the rest of the players to “get that fucking ball of Dixie before he takes a penalty. ”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Heady days indeed, and when you look at the squad that started the following season, its little wonder that Celtic were European cup semi finalists twice in three seasons.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Ah…yesterday, leave me alone.<\/p>\n

Perhaps this generation is about to make its mark, like those who first made a name for themselves back then..<\/p>\n

One of them, Davie Hay, looked back..<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were aptly named as the Quality Street Gang. The nom de plume fitted perfectly.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSeason 1971-72 is widely regarded as the campaign in which the Quality Street gang came to the fore.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the new wave of Celtic players who were coming through after the\u00a0Lisbon Lions<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Kenny Dalglish, Dixie Deans, Lou Macari, George Connolly and Danny McGrain had all broken into the first team. We owed so much to the Lisbon Lions though. We trained with them every day.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe did genuinely learn from the best team and the best manager in European football back then.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s not forget Sean Fallon and Neil Mochan were also at the club.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just a privilege and an education to watch those guys in action.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe showed the Lions the ultimate respect as we just kept our mouths shut and did what we were told.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe took in everything and said nothing and did a lot of listening.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAll of us learned from the master who was Jock Stein and the top players who had ruled Europe.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe learned how to play for Celtic in the right way.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

There was a fair bit of hunskelping that year as well.. as Hay recalls<\/p>\n

\u201cCeltic beat Rangers three times in the space of a month.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAll the games were played at Ibrox as Celtic Park was being refurbished and we won all three matches.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe actually clinched seven in a row at East Fife\u2019s old Methil ground. Kenny, Dixie and Lou scored 75 goals between the three of them that season.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember the title celebrations at Methil were a bit subdued as we were preparing to face Inter Milan in the second leg of the European Cup semi-final four days later.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Quality Street Gang never stayed together for long enough. It is hard to say whether Celtic would have won another European trophy.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Maybe not, but we were always there or thereabout in those days.<\/p>\n

Incidentally, Rangers would win the European cup winners Cup that year, and Dundee and St Johnstone made the last sixteen of the UEFA cup, which shows the strength of Scottish sides back then when we had that eighteen team league…<\/p>\n

Back to today, and its not going to be easy.<\/p>\n

Hibernian have proved to be a tougher opponent than anyone else this season, and if they continue to improve at the rate they have under Lennon, then they will be a lot more trouble next season, so its important to put them in their place.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hibernian have won 45%, drawn 25% and lost 30% of their last 20 home games.<\/p>\n

Hibernian have scored in 85% of their last 20 home games.<\/p>\n

Hibernian have kept a clean sheet in 5 of their last 20 home games, going on to win 4 and draw 1 of these matches.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

These games can be a little nervy, and very often turn out to be a disappointment, but as the song says,\u00a0“there’s going to be a show ” and with there being no real pressure to do it today, perhaps the manager will encourage the players to be a little more relaxed about things.<\/p>\n

Ah, the manager.<\/p>\n

Arsene Wenger is leaving Arsenal at the end of the season, and despite Rodgers pre empting any speculation by re-affirming how happy he is at Celtic , that hasn’t stopped the SMSM from their core objective of upsetting Celtic ahead of a big game.<\/p>\n

Here’s what Rodgers said..<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Reading between the lines, and perhaps looking for a hidden message one can only conclude, however…<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Then there’s the word on the street, Brendans street, actually…<\/p>\n

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Damian Patrick<\/strong>\u200f\u00a0<\/span><\/span>@deebhoyd<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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