At the end of this 2026-27 season, two anniversaries will hove into view.
One iconic, the other shambolic.
The former is that day in May 1967.
Celtic were placed on a historic plinth that was impossible to dislodge.
As the legendary Bill Shankly observed to his fellow Scot, “You’re immortal now, John.”
Stein’s men, led by Cesar, had conquered Europe in a flamboyant style.
Then nine-year-old me was blessed even to see it on our wee black-and-white telly in Baillieston.
It warmed my heart to know that at least my scarf had made it draped around the neck of my uncle by marriage.
The pair of us were back in Stadio Nacional for the half-century in 2017.
In the darkest days of the early 1990s, that image of Billy lifting the Big Cup would reassure Celtic fans.
Next year sees another much less glorious anniversary in Irish soccer.
It will be 25 years since what became known here as the “Saipan walkout” or just “Saipan”.
Against the odds, we had dispatched the Netherlands at the old, creaky Landsdowne Road the previous September.
Reduced to 10 men in 58 minutes after Gary Kelly picked up a second yellow, it still didn’t give the team in Orange a numerical advantage.
That’s because our captain was like several frenzied demons driving Ireland forward from midfield.
He cleaned out Overmars in the first minute and sent a message that this was going to be a battle.
It was fitting that our only world-class player saved Ireland that day.
It set up a play-off tie with Iran, and we fared better against them than the German Jock in the White House is currently doing.
Bottom line, we couldn’t have qualified without the drive and determination of Keane.
Much was expected of our chances of progressing in the tournament in 2002.
Keane turned up with laser focus; his ambition was a wall of blazers on a jolly.
In the aftermath of the shitshow, the FAI commissioned the “Genesis Report,” which agreed with many of Keane’s criticisms regarding poor planning and preparation.
In an entirely unrelated development, the FAI General Secretary, Brendan Menton, resigned.
Today I would not forgive Celtic captain Calum McGregor for having some Saipan vibes.
He’s grown up in the club that he leads on the pitch.
Once more, the people who lead the Parkhead club gambled with Champions League qualification and lost.
If anyone thought that going out to Kairat Almaty last year was rock bottom.
For me, this was the Lask chance for many in senior positions at Celtic.
The stumbling, sclerotic nature of our transfer dealings early on in the window meant that there was no like-for-like replacement for Arnie Engels.
Of course, the main problem is at the very top, and little is likely to change in the court of King Dermot any time soon.
This from the folk at Celtic Supporters Limited is difficult to disagree with, and I certainly won’t try.
In business, and Dermot very much sees Celtic as a business, they say that you should never waste a disaster.
Well, we got one last night.
Discover more from Phil Mac Giolla Bháin
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
It’s another anniversary ending in a 7 as well – 1977, when Kenny Dalglish finally accepted there would be no repeat of Lisbon glory under the parsimonious and downright Edwardian leadership of Desmond Whyte, and headed south to a club focused on continental success rather than settling for sharing parochial domination with the redneck neighbours. Decades pass and surprisingly little changes in some ways.