WE CAN REPEAT INVINCIBLE TITLE, SAYS SINCLAIR

SEVERAL blocks away from 34th Street in Manhattan, a surprised Scott Sinclair was being recognised for his part in Celtic’s very own miracle.

Enjoying a break with his family in the Big Apple, the winger was approached by a native New Yorker who had enjoyed the Scottish Cup Final victory over Aberdeen that sealed an Invincible Treble-winning season.

It was the same story during Sinclair’s subsequent sunshine break in Majorca, as admirers congratulated the 28-year-old on a campaign that saw him sweep the board in the various Player of the Year awards.

Sinclair was back at rainy Lennoxtown yesterday, having enjoyed a first summer in years with no worries about where he would be playing his football the following season.

Rested and relaxed, the former Swansea attacker turned his attention towards repeating his incredible first season under Brendan Rodgers for a club whose global appeal has hit home these past three weeks.

‘It’s great when you win the Treble, go unbeaten, and you see the reaction of the fans,’ said Sinclair. ‘In Majorca, there were a few people congratulating me and saying: “Well done” for the season.

‘I even bumped into a Celtic fan in Central Park. He came up and said he had watched the last game. It’s funny when you go to a place across the world like New York and you see Celtic fans. It’s great.

‘I’m feeling so relaxed now. I’ve had a nice break with my family and I’ve come back ready to go again.

‘I want to have a better season than the last one. Can we repeat our unbeaten run? I’d like to think so. Because we went unbeaten last year, everyone will be coming out the blocks to try to stop our unbeaten run.’

Last season, Celtic set a new Scottish top-flight points record of 106. Their 106 goals was also a new high. Rodgers’ ruthless outfit beat the club record for top-flight wins by recording 34 victories in 38 games, while four draws in the Premiership meant Celtic shipped just eight points all season.

It all begs the question of how the team can improve on a campaign that saw the club win just a fourth Treble since its formation in 1888.

‘There’s always room to improve,’ countered Sinclair. ‘We are always looking to win and, personally, I’ll be looking to improve on every match.

‘I think we are much stronger. Jonny Hayes has signed and he’s a good player. Was he the best player outwith Celtic last season? Well, he made it into the top four of the (PFA Scotland) Player of the Year nominations, so he must have been.’

One area where Sinclair will be looking to improve is scoring his first European goal for Celtic. His arrival last summer came after Champions League qualifiers had been negotiated against Lincoln Red Imps and Astana.

But he couldn’t find the net in the final qualifier against Hapoel Be’er Sheva, nor in the group of death against Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach.

This season’s campaign should kick-off with a trip to Belfast next month, should Linfield see off San Marino minnows La Fiorita.

After experiencing the SwanseaCardiff and Celtic-Rangers clashes, any anticipated hostility in Northern Ireland holds no fears for Sinclair.

‘I’m looking forward to it,’ he said. ‘Everyone keeps telling me how it will be hostile. We’re going to have to wait and see how it is.

‘Cardiff-Swansea was a good game to play in. The Cardiff fans were just shouting at us, nothing else — just normal abuse you get at the weekend. But Rangers-Celtic is the biggest game.’

Sinclair would have loved to sample the recent ScotlandEngland clash at Hampden, but had to settle for watching it in a bar in Majorca. It proved a strange experience witnessing Celtic team-mate Leigh Griffiths net two stunning free-kicks in a 2-2 draw with Sinclair’s homeland.

‘It was a weird one to watch,’ he laughed. ‘You want your mates to do well... but I’m English! I still have ambitions to play for my country.

‘How did I feel when Griff got his second? I can’t answer that! But I thought he’d score them both as he has amazing dead-ball ability.’

Scott Sinclair was speaking as the Celtic FC Foundation announced £2million has been raised by the #LionsLegacy campaign, in the 50th anniversary season of the 1967 European Cup triumph. The money raised will support projects across the UK and beyond.