SEASON 2000/01

It was on June 1, 2000, when new manager, Martin O’Neill stood on the steps of Celtic Park and proclaimed: ‘I will do everything I possibly can to bring some success to this club.’ We hoped, we prayed, we dreamed, but we neither realised how prophetic those words would turn out to be, nor just how quickly and how bountifully the Irishman would deliver. Over the course of the following season, he led the Celts to their third Treble and the first since the days of the great Jock Stein.

THE LEAGUE CUP

The League Cup was a major win that proved to be a springboard to a trophy Treble in Martin O’Neill’s first season as Celtic manager. The road there started with a 4-0 win over Raith Rovers on Alan Thompson’s debut and that was followed up with a 5-2 win after extra-time over Hearts at Tynecastle. Next up were Rangers in the semi-final. with the Celts winning 3-1 and three red cards being produced in the final minute at Hampden. Returning to the National Stadium on March 18 to face Kilmarnock in the final, it was a second-half hat-trick from Henrik Larsson that delivered Martin O’Neill’s first trophy as Hoops manager in the 3-0 win.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP

The competitive fight kicked off on July 30 when the Hoops visited Tannadice for a tough league opener against Dundee United. That was taster for things to come with the season being typified with the 6-2 win over Rangers. With six SPL games left, Celtic met St Mirren at Celtic Park and a 60,440 crowd saw a fluffed shot from Tommy Johnson being enough to clinch a 1-0 win and the title.

THE SCOTTISH CUP

An air of expectancy breezed around the Hampden bowl on May 26, 2000, with Celtic on the brink of their first Treble since 1968/69. Hibernian stood between Celtic and the third part of that Treble after the Hoops had beaten Stranraer, Dunfermline (after a replay), Hearts and Dundee United on their way to the Scottish Cup final. After a hat-trick in the League Cup final, Henriik Larsson had to settle for a double in this showdown, and those goals came after early substitute, Jackie McNamara, on for the injured Lubo Moravcik, opened the scoring in the 39th minute. The Swede added his brace after the break and the 3-0 win, and the Treble were in the bag. Martin O’Neill had, indeed, did everything he possibly could to bring some success to this club.

For this feature and many more in Celtic's Flag Night matchday programme, including the first of our 19 special covers to mark the 60th anniversary of the club's greatest achievement, lifting the European Cup in Lisbon in 1967, make sure you pick up a copy of Monday's Dundee programme featuring the great Billy McNeill. For more info on the Lisbon 60th anniversary series, see below.

New matchday programme feature: Celts’ Silverware Seasons