After a five star performance swept Kilmarnock away the Celtic players took the acclaim of 3,835 away fans in the Chadwick Stand.
Twice before Celtic have lost at Kilmarnock this season but by half-time last night they were leading 3-0 with the party plans well underway.
Adam Idah, Daizen Maeda and James Forrest set the tone for an outstanding performance as Celtic cut home through the home defence with ease and demonstrated a cutting edge that Derek McInnes’ side couldn’t live with.
Midway through the first half ‘Piling on the agony, putting on the style’ bellowed out from the away support, perhaps the most apt chant of the season.
There has been a familiar look to the Celtic side over the last two matches as Brendan Rodgers got his squad back to full strength, Idah starting ahead of Kyogo was the only 23/24 recruit to make the Starting XI as the hoops flexed their muscles in a way that no Scottish club can get close to.
The missed chances that marred the Glasgow Derby on Saturday were converted last night on the plastic with a second half double from Matt O’Riley completing the scoring, taking his total for the season to 17.
When the final whistle blew the real celebrations kicked off as they players turned towards the fans realising that a testing campaign had been successfully negotiated with a familiar piece of silverware to be looked after for at least another 12 months.
With Callum McGregor enjoying a rare breather when he was substituted after 75 minutes the armband bypassed Cameron Carter-Vickers to Joe Hart who can look back on clinching the SPFL title as Celtic captain.
Hart now just has two matches left to go as a footballer, in a year’s time he is as likely to be in with the Celtic support as opting out in a media studio.
The celebrations were real and raw, away days are becoming something of a rarity in Scottish football but making up for the loss of trips to Ibrox and Tynecastle the songs and chants boomed out around Rugby Park.
Naturally Hart was at the centre of the post match celebrations, the former England keeper is an emotional type and knows that a special three year relationship is coming to a conclusion.
It was the fourth time this century that Kilmarnock have hosted a Celtic title party, every one of them has their own characters and dynamics as history is written.
The whole squad was called into the celebrations last night, Gus Lagerbielke, Odin Thiago Holm and Rocco Vata enjoyed a bow with the hoops six points and nine goals better off going into Saturday’s final match.
A dramatic and at times traumatic season is about to come to a conclusion, Celtic have secured one trophy with the real prospect of a double as they power their way to the finishing line.
CLICK HERE for two faced Keevins makes remarkable Rodgers u-turn
CLICK HERE for Santa Ponsa celebrates Celtic’s victory in the Glasgow Derby.
CLICK HERE for SPFL Premiership table.
