Celtic Historian Matthew Marr asks – When is a title win not actually a title win?

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·24 de abril de 2025

Celtic Historian Matthew Marr asks – When is a title win not actually a title win?

WHEN IS A TITLE WIN NOT A TITLE WIN?

St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

On Sunday, Celtic reached the Scottish Cup Final with a 5-0 win over St Johnstone at Hampden Park while this weekend gives the Bhoys the chance to seal this season’s league title up at Tannadice…

Tannadice Park, Dundee, home of Dundee Utd. Photo Celtic FC

Vídeos OneFootball

Celtic’s record books detail the club’s various league-winning matches. But what if they’re 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 about some of them (technically, at least)? In the past, the Celts have sometimes celebrated when, strictly speaking, they could still have been caught in the title race.

Celtic are close to their 55th title

Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic celebrates with team mates after scoring to give Celtic a 3-0 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, Glasgow, 12 April 2025. IMAGO Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Celtic are close to their 55th title. They are 15 points clear – with only 15 points left to win – and have a +42 goal advantage. There’s no realistic way the Bhoys can be caught – yet the title’s not officially confirmed. Historically, this approach wasn’t always the case…

Celtic Champions in 1971, proclaims Daily Record.

Not strictly true

Most Celtic history books say the 1970-71 title was won versus Ayr United on 29 April. Newspapers the day after the game proclaimed Celtic as six-in-a-row champions. However, in reality, it wasn’t officially confirmed.

Aberdeen were level on points with Celtic, and the Bhoys had a +11 goal advantage. Celtic had one game still to play, versus Clyde on 1 May. Very unlikely though it was, Celtic could theoretically have lost the title if they’d suffered a massive last day defeat to the Bully Wee.

Instead, the Celts won comfortably by six goals to one, moving them two points clear and confirming their status as champions. But it was only officially after this game that this happened.

Celtic v Clyde, 1971 – the last time that The Lisbon Lions walk out together. Photo The Celtic Wiki

This wasn’t really the Lisbon Lions last game

The Clyde match is better remembered for another reason – and it’s another example of mistaken history. This is often said to be the Lisbon Lions XI’s last game – although in fact Ronnie Simpson only walked onto the pitch and didn’t play.

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Celtic celebrate the title win at Falkirk in 1974. Photo The Celtic Wiki

In 1974 title was seemingly impossible to lose

This same confusion can be linked to the Bhoys’ 1974 title, the one that secured nine-in-a-row. Again, most Celtic history books will say this happened versus Falkirk at Brockville on 27 April 1974. But the reality is more complex.

In 1974, Celtic’s win v Falkirk put them four points clear of Hibs. With that and the Hoops massive goal difference advantage, it was seemingly impossible to lose the title so fans and journalists crowned Celtic as record breaking Champions.

Celtic celebrate the title win at Falkirk in 1974. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Hibs could technically have caught Celtic

Despite this, Hibs could technically have caught Celtic. The Edinburgh men still had two games to play whilst the Celts had three; heavy defeats for the Celts and big wins for the Easter Road side could have turned around this situation.

Again, this was highly unlikely, but it does mean that the title was not formally sealed. It wasn’t until Celtic drew with Aberdeen on 29 April 1974 that the ninth title was actually secured, despite what most history books record.

All of this is perhaps logical. If the title is effectively done – based on it being almost impossible for the second team to overhaul the points and goal difference – why wait to confirm it?

Yet this isn’t always the case, this season and on different occasions in the past.

Celtic celebrates the 1966 title win at Fir Park. Press cutting via The Celtic Wiki

The Celtic Rising continues

The first title in Celtic’s nine-in-a-row run – and the one that helped take the Bhoys to Lisbon – was won in 1966. It is noted that 1-0 win for Celtic at Fir Park gave them the championship.

Yet before the game, Celtic were level on points with nearest rivals Rangers (who had no more games to play), and well ahead on goal average, the metric used to separate tied teams in those days. In effect, short of a catastrophic and record-breaking defeat, Celtic could not be caught.

Despite this, it was not until the Celts won that day that the title was formally theirs. Although given that the Bhoys’ record defeat was at Fir Park (an 8-0 hiding in 1937), maybe that was just as well!

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Celtic fans at East End Park in 1968 to see Celtic win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Dunfermline v Celtic 1968

Two years later – in 1968 – Celtic went to Dunfermline on the last day. The Bhoys were level on points with Rangers, and had a +12 goal advantage. Rangers had finished their games, so couldn’t win more points.

However, history records the title being won versus the Fifers, rather than beforehand. In theory – very unlikely though it was – Celtic could have been hammered in this game. But only after beating Dunfermline – and avoiding a big defeat – do Celtic’s records state the club were champions.

Celtic celebrations – The Bhoys celebrate the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981. Photo The Celtic Wiki

There is a similar story in 1981

There is a similar story in 1981. On 18 April, Celtic claimed a 1-0 win at Ibrox, putting the Hoops six points and 13 goals clear of nearest challengers, Aberdeen. With only six points left to win – and a healthy goal advantage – this surely means Celtic were champions.

Except this wasn’t the case. Newspapers only said Celtic were certain to win, and manager Billy McNeill would not let players celebrate on Rangers’ pitch. Celtic history notes that the title was not won until a 3-2 victory at Tannadice four days later.

So why the inconsistency?

Celtic records have the Bhoys as champions some years only when it is mathematically impossible to lose, and others when defeat is unlikely but not certain. There are various possible reasons for this. Newspapers especially like the idea of being able to proclaim a team as champions during a game, rather than as a consequence of results in other games. Fans want to celebrate in the ground too.

However, none of this changes the fact that an unpredictable approach doesn’t make sense. In the study of history, consistency is always important, especially for accuracy when knowing the decisive game it happened.

None of this really matters in the grand scheme of things

Of course, none of this really matters in the grand scheme of things. From a footballing perspective, the only issue is whether or not Celtic are officially declared champions. This season, Celtic realistically cannot be caught – but they’re not yet Champions and won’t be until losing the table top spot becomes impossible.

So the same should go for games in 1971 (Ayr) and 1974 (Falkirk) credited as settling the title – these are not accurate. For 1971, it should be Clyde and Aberdeen in 1974.

Brendan Rodgers Celtic manager and his players pose for a team picture with the SPFL Scottish League trophy before the cinch Premiership match between Celtic FC and Kilmarnock FC at Celtic Park on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

The Bhoys need a point versus Dundee United to seal the title

It’s actually simple. Celtic need a point versus Dundee United to seal the title. If that’s true now – and it is – then it should also apply to historic League titles. Although this might mess up some fans’ league-winning programme collections!

Matthew Marr

If you want to learn more about Celtic history, follow Hail Hail History on Twitter/X. You can also take part in a FREE Celtic history walking tour. Visit celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com for more information.

Click on cover to order a hardback copy

Matthew’s debut Celtic book titled ‘The Bould Bhoys – Glory to their name’ was published by Celtic Star Books last year and is available to order HERE. This brilliant book is also available on Amazon Kindle for just £3.49 and includes all photo sections that appear in the hardback edition.

Matthew Marr with his debut Celtic book, Glory to their name, which tells the story of Celtic’s first ever title win. Photo The Celtic Star

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books.