King has bad case of ten-itis but cash injection is only cure

YOU won’t find it in any medical journal but Dave King has a serious dose of it.

Ten-itis. An obsession with preventing Celtic reaching 10 in a row.

Time’s running out to halt this epidemic as an eighth championship could be wrapped up this weekend if Rangers lose against Hearts on Saturday and Celtic beat Hibs 24 hours later.

That’s why Ibrox chief King boldy claimed on Monday that Gers are close to becoming the dominant force in Scottish football again.

With the Hoops on the cusp of a treble treble, he delivered a sales pitch in the form of a personal letter to season ticket holders. He told punters the Light Blues are within “tangible reach” of knocking the Parkhead side off their perch at the summit of Scottish football.

Whether it is just bluster in order to get fans to renew their books you have to admire the brazen nature of his marketing ploy.

He knows fans are as desperate to stop 10 in a row as he is. And to stand a chance, season tickets have to be shifted in massive numbers yet again, even with a five per cent hike in prices.

When Celtic thrashed Rangers 5-0 to clinch a seventh Premiership title last year, King announced Steven Gerrard would be taking over as the new boss.

Fans flocked in their droves to snap up season books and back the Liverpool legend.

On the pitch, Gerrard got things moving in the right direction for King as he beat Celtic at Ibrox in December to move them level on points, albeit temporarily.

But since the winter break, Celtic have switched on the afterburners to move 11 points ahead of their rivals despite Brendan Rodgers’ shock exit.

They are now two wins away from clinching eight in a row under Neil Lennon and the Celtic juggernaut continues to sweep all before them.

But they should be wary of thinking the next two titles are a mere formality and can look to their old foes for a cautionary tale.

It was a complete role reversal back in March 2000 when Dick Advocaat’s Gers were homing in on a league and Scottish Cup double.

Gers thrashed Celtic 4-0 in the final Old Firm game of the season to move 15 points clear at

To stand any chance season tickets have to be shifted in massive numbers

the top of the table. But the Hoops took action by appointing Martin O’Neill in the summer and wrestled the title back on the way to a treble.

The difference back then was Celtic chucked cash at O’Neill and the guts of £18million was spent on the likes of Chris Sutton, John Hartson and Lennon.

If King does truly believe the gap has narrowed and Gers are ready to become the dominant force again he has to do exactly that.

He has to back Gerrard and put his money where mouth is. That’s the only cure.