Beating Rangers 5-0 in the sunshine to lift the title AGAIN is as good as it gets

EIGHT titles in ten seasons at Celtic. Including captaining the club to each and every one of the league crowns that make up a glittering Seven-In-A-Row.

That’s a lot of highlights. Yet yesterday’s occasion at Celtic Park stood out above all of the previous triumphs for Scott Brown.

Aware of the history, understanding its importance and significance to fans, the club captain was never going to underplay the magnitude of what happened in the Glasgow sunshine with a 5-0 victory over their bitter rivals.

With a vow that this Celtic team will get even better — a reminder of the relentless drive that has kept them on top for so long — Brown wore a wide grin of contentment as he soaked up the atmosphere.

‘It was very sweet,’ he said of a walkover victory over Rangers. ‘There have been a lot of good wins against Rangers recently but, for me, that has to be right up there.

‘Just the emotions of today, how we played and the style of our performance made it special. It’s all come good at the right time.

‘It’s the first time the title has been won against Rangers for a long, long time at Celtic Park.

‘So it’s a great honour to be part of it. It means a lot to be captain as we’re winning seven in a row.’

Celtic’s title triumph — emulating the circumstances if not quite the drama of their 1979 league clincher at home to Rangers when ten men came from behind to win 4-2 — was made possible by a season of toil and sweat. Not least by Brown himself.

Yesterday was an occasion to savour, then. For the players as much as the fans.

Despite all the talk about how Rangers might play, the visitors were never in the match.

What about the predictions that Graeme Murty’s men would not repeat their passive Scottish Cup semi-final approach? The confident assertions that they would learn from how Neil Lennon’s Hibs had delayed Celtic’s title party the previous weekend?

Brown said: ‘It was always going to be about how we played today.

‘We were outstanding. Every player worked as hard as they possibly could and gave everything.

‘And we wanted to win it today, we wanted to win the league.

‘It’s lovely, the way we did it, in the sunshine, in front of our own fans by beating Rangers.

‘It was all about our performance. We let ourselves down last week against Hibs but we bounced back.

‘We had spoken about bouncing back in style and we did that.’

Celtic did not want to let their coronation drag on for another week. Not least because the players were jetting off for ‘warm weather training’ in Tenerife last night.

Beyond that, it was essential to lay down a marker for next season. To remind everyone that resistance is, if not quite futile, then at least ill-advised.

‘Yeah, that’s important,’ agreed Brown. ‘Because we are going to get better. There is a lot more time for us now to focus in training.

‘You usually get weeks between games now, so we can work on tactics more, work on how we’re going to press teams.’

Next month, of course, comes the chance to secure a historic double Treble when Celtic play Motherwell in the Scottish Cup final.

‘There are places up for grabs in a cup final now, so everyone will be wanting a chance and I’m sure the gaffer will rest a couple of players here and there,’ added Brown.

‘It’s all about our willingness to win now, to keep producing that form every week.’

At 5-0 up with over half an hour remaining yesterday, there was a feeling that Celtic could have doubled their margin of victory.

It would be churlish, however, for anyone to express disappointment that they didn’t cap a record league win over Rangers by hitting a new high in all competitions. As Brown was quick to point out.

‘There are no disappointments,’ he said. ‘Look at the way we played. We’re 5-0 up and you’re talking about disappointment? Come on.

‘Yeah, we felt we could have scored more. We created chances, they just didn’t go in.

‘But, to be perfectly honest, winning 5-0 at home to clinch the league is absolutely outstanding.’

Brown had special words of praise for double goal hero Odsonne Edouard and livewire winger James Forrest, also a scorer on the day.

‘Odsonne was magnificent,’ said the skipper. ‘From start to finish, his hold-up play and work-rate stood out.

‘When he was one-on-one with a defender, as well, he fancied his chances — and got two great goals.

‘We have seen all season just how good James Forrest is — and he was outstanding again today.

‘Odsonne has come in and done brilliantly when he has played.

‘We have three great strikers who are all capable of scoring goals and creating chances, holding the ball up.

‘It’s a sign of having real strength in depth in this squad and it’s all about the togetherness, as well. The will to win.’