We got stuck on nine but it was still quite an achievement
When you play for a club like Celtic, there are always huge demands on your shoulders.
That will be the case this season as they try to clinch 10-in-a-row.
But as Neil Lennon, Scott Brown and the players go about their business, I don’t believe they should feel pressure.
After all, they have already won nine on the trot. So, although they will be hurting badly, if they don’t manage to do it, they can still be proud of previous successes.
I can speak from experience.
I was at Celtic Park when we tried to win a 10th title in season 1974-75.
We didn’t get there. Rangers stopped us and won the league.
We were extremely disappointed, but realised that all winning runs need to come to an end at some stage.
You couldn’t put your finger on any one thing as the reason for us coming up short, whether that be losing David Hay and George Connelly, or whatever.
The bottom line is Rangers won more games than us to take the title.
Regardless of the season or era, that’s what matters.
However, the nine previous seasons under Jock Stein couldn’t be taken away from the club, and are still talked about today.
Itwasan unbelievable achievement from everyone involved. We were proud of it then, and still proud of it now.
The football club set a benchmark at that time, and it gave future managers and squads something to chase in the decades to follow.
Rangers matched it under Walter Smith in 1997, and now Celtic have the chance to go one better.
It all adds to the mix of what should be a fascinating and breathtaking season.