The Generation Game

Yesterday's 5-1 victory over third placed Rangers at Ibrox is a game that will be remembered by Celtic fans for decades to come. Even though they liquidated and are a new club, the rivalry is just the same as it was before, every goal is celebrated hugely, defeats are a crushing disappointment and victories are celebrated far more than games against any other club. These games, for better or for worse, come to define players and managers at Celtic, and are the ones remembered and celebrated most by the fans.

Let's look back at some of the games against Rangers which defined certain eras for Celtic. In 1957, Celtic recorded which is still our biggest victory over Rangers, a 7-1 victory in the league cup final, a game which is still sang about today. The victory was a bit of a false dawn, as it turned out to be the last honour won by Celtic until the arrival of Jock Stein in 1957.

Jock Stein revolutionised Celtic, and one way he did that was to put Rangers in their rightful place - second to Celtic. This was exemplified by the 1969 Scottish Cup final as a Celtic team without Jimmy Johnstone, John Hughes and Harry Hood hammered Rangers 4-0 to complete the domestic treble and show who the real force in Scottish football was.

Billy McNeill's arrival as manager in 1978 brought about another game for the generations, as Celtic clinched the title against Rangers in an emotional night at Celtic Park in 1979, 10 men Celtic recovering from going one nil down to record perhaps the greatest victory ever at Celtic Park. The myth surrounding this game has grown over the years as the game wasn't shown on television incredibly enough, as a strike by technicians prevented that, the only known footage of the game is shown below.

Martin O'Neill's time as Celtic manager was in it's own way as revolutionary as Jock Stein's, as he took a Celtic team that was on the floor and dragged them all the way to our first European final in 33 years. But the definitive victory of the O'Neill years was in his first month on the job - the 6-2 victory over Rangers at Celtic in August 2000.

Celtic have had some great results and some good managers in recent years, but none has stamped their authority on the club in recent years the way that Brendan Rodgers has. Nine of the team that started yesterday's laughably easy victory were involved in the loss to Rangers in the Scottish Cup last season, so to transform that team into one which is four games away from completing a league campaign unbeaten and ninety minutes away from a domestic treble is quite remarkable. The earlier 5-1 victory over Rangers this season was certainly one to savour, but yesterday's win at Ibrox, our biggest ever win there, is the one that will be remembered forever.

There will no doubt be many more victories to come over Rangers - unless they liquidate again - but the ones featured in this article are the ones that will never be forgotten.