'The Story Of' is a web series dedicated to small but special tales from Celtic’s illustrious history. Here, Simon Donnelly remembers one of the most nerve-racking afternoons of his career.

ANY league campaign decided on its final day will come with immeasurable nerves, but when history hangs in the balance for either side of the Glasgow divide, those nerves multiply tenfold.

Just ask Simon Donnelly, who, after playing 60 minutes for Celtic against St Johnstone on May 9, 1998, made way for fellow striker Harald Brattbakk. At that point, the Hoops led the visitors 1-0, knowing that the slightest slip-up would cost them the title, and now watching on from dugout meant Donnelly was at the mercy of fate and the efforts of his colleagues still on the pitch.

“At 24 and still playing, you’re maybe a bit caught up in it all,” said Donnelly. “At 45, you appreciate it a lot more, what we preserved, the Lisbon Lions’ record. We stumbled the week before at East End Park, which only added to the nerves and occasion the following week.

“When Wim made the correct decision to take me off and put Harold on, that 20-25 minutes was the most nerve-wracking of the season for me because you just became a fan. You can’t do anything, you can’t influence the game anymore. I remember sitting there, and when Harold put the second one in, it was just total relief. And I think everybody felt that.”

Donnelly explained that while not particularly outgoing in his playing days, he always felt most comfortable on the pitch – something he believes most players and ex-players can relate to.

On 72 minutes that afternoon, Brattbakk doubled Celtic's lead before Wim Jansen's men clinched the club's first league championship in a decade, prevented their city rivals from winning what would have been a record 10-in-a-row.

Donnelly added: “When I came off that day, that’s when I got nervous. I was sitting on the bench, powerless, hoping that they got over the line. We knew Rangers were getting the result that they needed, and we knew that one slip-up, if St Johnstone had scored, then it was finished.

“When Harold scored, and even watching it back recently, the roar when he put that second one in still gives me goosebumps. I jumped on poor John Clark’s back at the time and it was total relief.”

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