The Green Brigade and Bhoys Ultra groups gave the Celtic squad a memorable send off as they checked into their hotel ahead of the Glasgow Derby at Ibrox.
Kerrydale Street and the newly named Celtic Way has hosted some spectacular scenes down the years with today’s ranking up with the best of them.
Back in May 1967 a coach turned right off London Road carrying the most precious prize in world football as Jock Stein carried in the European Cup for a year in residence at Celtic Park.
A lorry carried the players around the track of the old Celtic Park with a band from Coatbridge completely drowned out as thousands celebrated Scotland’s greatest ever sporting triumph.
Back in 2018 a Double Decker bus brought home the Double Treble winners after they had defeated Motherwell in the Scottish Cup Final to become the first club to successfully defend the three domestic trophies.
It was a perfect evening for Glasgow’s Green and White with a squad including Kieran Tierney, Moussa Dembele, Callum McGregor, Scott Brown, Odsonne Edouard, Scott Sinclair, Mikael Lustig and Tom Rogic soaked up the applause and acclaim for their achievements which included a 69 match run unbeaten by Scottish opponents.
Following a year of darkness caused by Lockdown Ange Postecoglou delivered an unexpected SPFL title at the first attempt, clinched with a 1-1 draw away to Dundee United to trigger massive celebrations.
Distance and timing wasn’t an obstacle as 10,000 fans awaited the return of the Champions to Celtic Park with fireworks and pyro from the Green Brigade lighting up the night sky across Glasgow.
On the Saturday, Presentation Day more than 40,000 celebrated around Glasgow Cross with the Trongate, High Street, London Road and the Gallowgate thronged by supporters delighted to be back watching a new look side turn on the style and deliver success.
There was nothing in particular to celebrate today but in some ways there was more passion about as the players and management were given a send off that none of them will have previously experienced.
Four wins on the bounce at Ibrox turned the Free Broomloan into a Green and White party zone that proved just too much for the fans of Charles Green’s Tribute Act to put up with.
From 7,000 to 700 the away allocation was cut, after the 2 January 2023 match the toll on injuries was just too much with Celtic refusing future allocations on safety grounds.
Back in September an unlikely looking squad anchored in defence by Gus Lagerbielke and Liam Scales secured a famous win that saw the loyal bears turn on Micky Beale in what turned out to be his final Derby defeat after 11 months of trash talking about the fings that he finks about.
Tomorrow the odds are all stacked against Celtic, the match referee has been dragged out of the Crown Bar in Bellshill specially for the fixture but with almost a full squad to choose from there are plenty of reasons for hope tomorrow.
A victory would be sweet and a draw acceptable but as the players walk out at Ibrox to songs of hatred from the locals they know that there are hundreds of thousands worldwide willing them to victory.
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