A season to forget for so many reasons, we thought it would be a season to remember when in fact it was the complete opposite, a terrible display of a title challenge that has resorted in a 38 point swing since the 19/20 season, an awful campaign in Europe and an even worse attempt at trying to win a domestic trophy. The recruitment has been ridiculous and we have a boardroom that have are disinterested in communicating to the supporters who the boardroom has shown contempt towards this season. The first trophyless season since the Tony Mowbray era. A season to forget but funnily enough in this article we will reflect on where it went all so wrong.
JULY - THE FIRST RED FLAG
It was the first time in 5 months Celtic competed and it was in France where they played in a pre-season tournament. Games against Nice, Lyon and French Champions PSG saw Celtic get minutes under their belt before the start of the season. However, Leigh Griffiths who had played a big part of the second half of the season in 19/20 couldn’t get himself fit and therefore didn’t travel to Loughborough Sport Complex which right away angered the Celtic support. A fully fit Leigh Griffiths partnered with Odsonne Edouard for the start of the 10IAR season and in preparation for important Champions League qualifiers would’ve been crucial but it wasn’t to be because Leigh couldn’t be bothered. That should’ve been the first red flag of what was about to be a disastrous season.
AUGUST - EUROPEAN DISASTER
2 Aug 2020: Celtic 5-1 Hamilton
9 Aug 2020: Kilmarnock 1-1 Celtic
18 Aug 2020: Celtic 6-0 KR Reykjavik
22 Aug 2020: Dundee United 0-1 Celtic
30 Aug 2020: Celtic 3-0 Motherwell
Celtic started their league campaign from where they left off, a 5 star performance against now relegated Hamilton. However, 7 days later, only 2 games into the league campaign Celtic drop points at Rugby Park which would be the first of 11 draw’s in the league this season, a calamitous display by Celtic’s centre halves against Kabamba. Celtic’s European “run“ started with a 6-0 hammering against Icelandic part-timers, probably the most comfortable win of the season. After a late winner by Ajeti in Celtic’s first visit to Tannadice in years, Celtic were then knocked out by Ferencvaros in the Champions League second qualifying round, the earliest exit in the Champions League for 15 years, a truly horrific result which we never recovered from in the season. All this and we haven’t mentioned Boli Bolingoli who was at the centre of controversy after his holiday to Dubai which resulted in Celtic falling 2 games behind Rangers with Nicola Sturgeon getting involved and multiple senior figures in the Scottish Government being disappointed and embarrassed for the Belgian. Celtic ended a crazy start to the month with a 3-0 win against Motherwell, but things were not right, especially when three days before the Motherwell game Lennon slammed some players who “don’t want to be here.”
SEPTEMBER - WINS AND MORE WINS
12 Sep 2020: Ross County 0-5 Celtic
16 Sep 2020: St Mirren 1-2 Celtic
19 Sep 2020: Celtic 3-2 Livingston
24 Sep 2020: Riga 0-1 Celtic
27 Sep 2020: Celtic 3-0 Hibs
September was Celtic’s best month of the season winning 5/5 but the performances were still poor. Even the 5-0 win against Ross County was branded a “2-1 game” by majority shareholder Dermot Desmond. The performance in Latvia against Riga was desperate, an eye sore at times. The best performance of the month came at Celtic Park when Hibs were put to the sword, Celtic were good that day and although there had been dreadful performances before it, this looked like an encouraging sign.
SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW...
Albion Ajeti
Vasilis Barkas
David Turnbull
Shane Duffy
Diego Laxalt
Mohamed Elyounoussi
On paper, the Celtic summer transfer window looked like a solid one. We didn’t sell any of our marquee players and we brought in a £5m goalkeeper, a £5m striker, an experienced English Premier League central defender, a promising young Scottish talent, we had already seen Elyounoussi and he is a competent player and a £15m left-back. It looked seriously good. In reality, it was seriously bad. Like really bad. Ajeti has not featured enough this season. Barkas has been in and out the side and at one point was third choice. Turnbull has been a great signing, he was Celtic‘s POTY and was deservedly so as well. Laxalt has been inconsistent, started well but faded away and his last game was when he got torn apart at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup. Elyounoussi scored some good goals and overall had a good season, he will be pleased with his contribution. The less said about Shane Duffy the better...
OCTOBER - STRIKE NUMBER 2
1 Oct 2020: Sarajevo 0-1 Celtic
4 Oct 2020: St Johnstone 0-2 Celtic
17 Oct 2020: Celtic 0-2 Rangers
22 Oct 2020: Celtic 1-3 AC Milan
25 Oct 2020: Aberdeen 3-3 Celtic
29 Oct 2020: Lille 2-2 Celtic
Celtic qualified for the Europa League group stages in really boring fashion with a drawn out 1-0 victory in Bosnia, the two Europa League qualifying games were an incredibly tough watch. A win at McDiarmid Park looked like a mark of Champions, we didn’t play well but up stepped Leigh Griffiths and Patryk Klimala with late goals to take home the 3 points in Perth before the first Glasgow Derby of the season. Celtic were given horrendous news during the international break where we would be without key players such as Forrest, Edouard, Christie, Elhamed and Bitton. The Glasgow Derby was the second strike of the season, Celtic didn’t have a shot on target and were so lacklustre that day despite the changes, Rangers eased through the game. A defeat and two draws completed the month, a loss against AC Milan was no embarrassment, they fielded some top class players that night, a draw at Pittodrie meant that Celtic had not won in 3 games for the first time in a very long time but that went to 4 with a great point in France against the current leaders Lille. Elyounoussi produced some quality moments that night and we showed our attacking qualities, although once again poor defensive lapses of concentration cost us.
NOVEMBER - PRAGUE CATASTROPHE
5 Nov 2020: Celtic 1-4 Sparta Prague
8 Nov 2020: Motherwell 1-4 Celtic
21 Nov 2020: Hibs 2-2 Celtic
26 Nov 2020: Sparta Prague 4-1 Celtic
29 Nov 2020: Celtic 0-2 Ross County
November was a month that was eventful and for all the wrong reasons. It started with an embarrassing 4-1 defeat at home to Sparta Prague who rolled out their reserve team and still managed to humiliate Celtic. A result that Neil Lennon said “would never happen under my watch again.” Fast forward 2 weeks after a win against Motherwell and another draw in the league, Celtic lose 4-1 against Sparta Prague again, which should’ve been the last straw for Neil Lennon. After that game there should’ve been extreme consequences and that should’ve been the removal of Neil Lennon. Dumped out the Europa League by a team who were in the 4th pot of the Europa League where we conceded a mammoth 8 goals over two games. If it wasn’t Sparta Prague that should’ve been the removal of Neil Lennon, it should’ve been Ross County, where Celtic lost 4 home games in a row for the first time since 1958. It was the first signs of tangible domestic failure, out of one of the two cup competitions for the first time in 4 years, that should’ve been it for Lennon. But it wasn’t, the Celtic board then showed contempt towards the supporters who were quite clearly unanimous of what should happen.
DECEMBER - THE EMERGENCE OF SORO AND TURNBULL
3 Dec 2020: AC Milan 4-2 Celtic
6 Dec 2020: Celtic 1-1 St Johnstone
10 Dec 2020: Celtic 3-2 Lille
13 Dec 2020: Celtic 2-0 Kilmarnock
23 Dec 2020: Celtic 2-0 Ross County
26 Dec 2020: Hamilton 0-3 Celtic
30 Dec 2020: Celtic 3-0 Dundee United
December was an extremely positive month, apart from the respectable loss in the San Siro were Celtic shockingly led 2-0 but went onto concede 4 goals and the 1-1 draw at home to St Johnstone which meant Celtic had won 2 in 12 and trailed by multiple points in the league, 4 straight competitive wins in the league plus an outstanding result against Lille at Celtic Park where we saw the emergence of Turnbull and Soro gave Celtic confidence going into the game at Ibrox in January to save our season. Turnbull and Soro have the side the energy they needed, it provided us with something different, there was a reemergence to the side. That gave us hope, albeit a small hope. It was disappointing that it took a dead rubber in the Europa League to see these two, especially Turnbull come into the side. But we prayed that the gamble of keeping Lennon would pay off.
QUADRUPLE TREBLE WINNERS
20 Dec 2020: Celtic 3-3 Hearts (4-3 on pens)
I can‘t go through the season‘s review without mentioning a game from last season that happened this year. The quadruple Treble win was a rollercoaster of emotions, from the Edouard panenka to it being 2-2 and going to extra-time. The game then being 3-3 in extra time and heading for penalties. Kristoffer Ajer’s winning penalty made it 33 trophies for Celtic in the 21st century, a 22nd and final trophy for Scott Brown. During the historical Quadruple Treble achievement which will never be matched in world football ever again, Celtic played 180 games, winning 147, drawing 22 times and losing 11 times. Callum McGregor made the most appearances during that time with 163. It was a 40th Scottish Cup title for Celtic and it meant that Neil Lennon became the first person to win a Scottish Treble as a player and manager. It was a day for the record books, and it will be a day that will be remembered by Celtic supporters for a very long time and one we shouldn’t forget.
JANUARY - A SHAMBLES
2 Jan 2021: Rangers 1-0 Celtic
11 Jan 2021: Celtic 1-1 Hibs
16 Jan 2021: Celtic 0-0 Livingston
20 Jan 2021: Livingston 2-2 Celtic
27 Jan 2021: Celtic 2-0 Hamilton
30 Jan 2021: Celtic 1-2 St Mirren
By the start of January there was hope, optimism that Celtic would claw it back but on the 2nd January that was all gone when a Callum McGregor own goal meant that Rangers went 19 points clear and the league was all over. A body blow for Celtic that pretty much ended their league campaign. They still made us laugh a bit more though when Celtic decided to travel to Dubai during a global pandemic, an injured player picks up COVID and means that 13 first team players have to self-isolate miss 2 games and Celtic drop more points. It was embarrassing when Celtic had to field youth team players against Hibs and Livingston. What followed was an angry Neil Lennon outburst where he used words like preposterous, scandalous, ludicrous and hypocrisy, Lennon blamed Andy Walker, the SNP, the media, the photographers. He was at breaking point and it was beyond embarrassing. We also had a Peter Lawwell ’apology‘ which completely contradicted everything Lennon said. We then drew with Livingston again, this time with a full strength team. A win against Hamilton was blurred by what followed when St Mirren came to Celtic Park and won. 8 wins in 24 and it was like this was never going to end, Celtic continued on with Lennon, it was getting to the point if you didn’t laugh you’d greet. The effort levels, quality, managerial tactics and the amount of points we were dropping was incredible. Yet the Celtic board let the comedy show roll on.
FEBRUARY - LEXIT
2 Feb 2021: Kilmarnock 0-4 Celtic
6 Feb 2021: Celtic 2-1 Motherwell
10 Feb 2021: St Mirren 0-4 Celtic
14 Feb 2021: St Johnstone 1-2 Celtic
17 Feb 2021: Celtic 1-0 Aberdeen
21 Feb 2021: Ross County 1-0 Celtic
27 Feb 2021: Celtic 1-0 Aberdeen
After 5 straight victories for the first time since the start of the season, consistency looked like it was returning to the Celtic squad, however after an absolutely humiliating result against bottom of the league Ross County meaning that the Staggies doing the double over Celtic in a season that seemed to much for the Celtic board and they decided to part ways with Neil Lennon. To make a decision to get rid of Lennon in February where the league was over, Celtic were out of Europe, out of the league cup and the only chance of securing a trophy was in the Scottish Cup showed up the bizarre decision making by the Celtic board this season. The fans were proved right, after protests in November and December calling for Neil Lennon to resign or be sacked, if maybe the Celtic board had listened and done it then who knows where we might have finished up. But the Ross County result in the Highlands was the final straw for Neil Lennon, quite frankly a great Celtic player and will also be remembered for the trophies he won as a manager at Celtic but for the contempt he showed along with the custodians in the boardroom will leave a sour taste in the mouths of many.
MARCH - CHEERIO 10 IN A ROW
7 Mar 2021: Dundee United 0-0 Celtic
21 Mar 2021: Celtic 1-1 Rangers
The draw at Tannadice meant that Celtic’s fate was finally sealed, Rangers had been confirmed champions in John Kennedy’s first game in charge as interim manager. Our dreams of 10 in a row were crushed in the months before but it still hurt. It was that bad that we couldn’t even get a new manager’s bounce. The game itself in Dundee was one to forget and like so many games we failed to take our chances which ultimately cost us. The game that followed was against the newly crowned champions at Celtic Park. Probably Celtic’s best performance of the season out of the 5 Glasgow Derby games, we played well against the Gers especially in the first half, Elyounoussi nodded home only for Alfredo Morelos to equalise. Once again we had plenty of chances to punish Rangers but it wasn’t to be our day again against Rangers in the final Glasgow Derby of the season at Celtic Park.
APRIL - TROPHYLESS
3 Apr 2021: Celtic 3-0 Falkirk
10 Apr 2021: Celtic 6-0 Livingston
18 Apr 2021: Rangers 2-0 Celtic
21 Apr 2021: Aberdeen 1-1 Celtic
April was yet again another month of disappointed despite starting the month off with 2 comfortable wins. It was our best performance of the season against Livingston hitting Martindale’s side for 6 we were simply unplayable. We also got to see the return of James Forrest for the first time in a long time which was encouraging but after picking up an injury in the second half that would rule him out of the game against Rangers in the Scottish Cup 4th round at Ibrox. However, the game at Ibrox was an absolutely unmitigated disaster, the last chance at a trophy and it was a pathetic attempt at doing so. No intensity in the first 25 minutes and we got torn apart by Patterson and Kent. Once again though we had chances, McGregor pulled off some top class saves yet again which we have seen this season can be the difference with a top class goalkeeper in net. It was just a depressing game to watch, the season just ending in front of our eyes in April. We ended the month with a nothing game against Aberdeen at Pittodrie, the first time in a very long time where many Celtic supporters didn’t pay to watch the game because quite frankly who would want to watch that Celtic team on a Wednesday night and have to pay £15 to do so. A lot of the performances this season were unacceptable, the game at Ibrox was one of them. Ultimately though the result at Ibrox meant that Celtic went trophyless for the first time since the 09/10 Tony Mowbray season which shows the levels of complete embarrassment this season has been.
GOODBYE BROONY
We wrote a long article on the departure of Broony but he announced he would be leaving Celtic in March to join Aberdeen as a player/coach alongside Stephen Glass. What a servant Scott Brown has been for Celtic, 600+ appearances, 23 trophies, 9IAR and Quadruple Treble captain. He will be in Celtic folklore forever, not only did he display astonishing loyalty and dedication to Celtic for 14 years but he had to overcome some difficult challenges throughout that 14 year period which shows his great character. Broony was a fantastic player and leader but is a wonderful human being also. His love and connection with the Celtic supporters will be forever remembered. He will be sorely missed. Captain. Leader. Legend.
MAY - THANK GOD ITS ALL OVER
2 May 2021: Rangers 4-1 Celtic
10 May 2021: Celtic 4-0 St Johnstone
15 May 2021: Hibs 0-0 Celtic
The first game of May was the final nail in the coffin. A horrendous result at Ibrox pretty much summing up our season, gutless at the back and toothless up front. Making silly individual mistakes costing us and also not taking our chances. The pathetic defending on display in the final Glasgow Derby of the season pretty much summed up where both Glasgow teams are just now. There is now a 25 point gap between Rangers and Celtic, a 38 point swing from the 19/20 season and a huge amount of credit has to go down to the mis-management of the Celtic board. The Celtic custodians have managed to cause this implosion to occur. Thankfully, the final game at Celtic Park was an occasion for Broony, to celebrate his wonderful career, he even managed to do an Andrea Pirlo esque assist to bow out. Broony’s final game for Celtic was ironically against Hibs at Easter Road where ironically is where it all ended for him at Hibs against Celtic when he scored a memorable header leading to applause from both supporters. Celtic’s last game of the season was a typical end of season nothing game, Celtic had nothing to play for and simply ran out of ideas to break down Hibs reserves who were preparing for a Scottish Cup final the next week. It a nothing game which was symbolised by the result.
A SEASON REMEMBERED FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS
This season will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. The decision not to sack Neil Lennon in at least November/December cost our season. John Kennedy who came in for 10 games only won 4 which shows he is part of the problem not the solution. 25 points behind Rangers, bottom of the group in Europe, 4th round of the Scottish Cup and 4th round of the League Cup, a complete embarrassment. The players aren’t good enough either, commitment issues can be questioned and there is certainly questions around the quality of some of the players in that Celtic team. Ultimately, Dominic McKay has a massive job on his hands, the rebuild must start now, we need an injection of new talent, a manager similar to the calibre of Brendan Rodgers which looks like it’s going to be Eddie Howe, a new captain and a re-connection with the supporters, the club has been mia managed from top to bottom and McKay needs to sort that problem out and communicate better with the fans. This is an exciting time for Celtic ahead of starting a new chapter in our history, but we cannot forget at how this season will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
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