Well Done Celtic, But, As Good As The Lions - Come Off It

  The Lisbon Lions - the benchmark for Scottish club sides

IT WOULD be churlish not to congratulate the current Celtic squad on equalling the Lisbon Lions' record of 26 straight unbeaten domestic games. Statistically, they have done this, and deserve praise.

However, as well all know, there are: “Lies, damned lies and statistics”. So, debunking hat on.

Times are different, football in 2017 is a whole different ball game from what it was back in 1967. We football historians, in doing the impossible of comparing the game across different generations always hold one thing sacred – the assumption that a star in one era would be a star in any era. So, taking that as our first benchmark, we must ask: how many of the current Celtic squad would get a game for the Lisbon Lions?

I reckon only three of the current lot could get a game. Good keeper though Ronnie Simpson was, I think Craig Gordon is better; I would play Kieran Tierney at left-back and switch Tommy Gemmell across to the right to displace Jim Craig, and, I would reckon both Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffith are better goal-mouth poachers than Stevie Chalmers ever was, so either one of them could go in. Otherwise, I'd pick the Lisbon Lions.

Then there is the competition. OK, the whole 2016-17 edifice might collapse on the back of a horrendous injury crisis, but, given the 22-point lead they currently have at the top of the Premierhip table, I cannot see Celtic not being crowned champions, and even before the top-six/bottom-six split. I shudder to think what the margin between Champions Celtic and the runners-up will be come May.

The Lions won the league by three points in 1966-67, the season in which they set that 26-game unbeaten record; they finished with 58 points to Rangers' 55. That was in the days of two points for a win, one for a draw. Under today's three points for a win values, the Lions would have gathered 84 points to Rangers' 79 points.

That season too, while Celtic were winning the European Cup in Lisbon, Rangers were losing in extra time in the final of the Cup-Winners' Cup in Nuremburg, Kilmarnock were beaten by Leeds United in the semi-final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and Dundee United reached the last 16 of that predecessor to the Europa League, where they lost to Juventus.

First Division Table - Season 1966-67

 

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Celtic	34	26	6	2	111	33	78	84
2	Rangers	34	24	7	3	92	31	61	79
3	Clyde	34	20	6	8	64	48	16	66
4	Aberdeen	34	17	8	9	72	38	34	59
5	Hibernian	34	19	4	11	72	49	23	61
6	Dundee	34	16	9	9	74	51	23	57
7	Kilmarnock	34	16	8	10	59	46	13	56
8	Dunfermline Athletic	34	14	10	10	72	52	20	52
9	Dundee United	34	14	9	11	68	62	6	51
10	Motherwell	34	10	11	13	59	60	-1	41
11	Hearts	34	11	8	15	39	48	-9	41
12	Partick Thistle	34	9	12	13	49	68	-19	39
13	Airdrieonians	34	11	6	17	41	53	-12	39
14	Falkirk	34	11	4	19	33	70	-37	37
15	St Johnstone	34	10	5	19	53	73	-20	35
16	Stirling Albion	34	5	9	20	31	85	-54	24
17	St Mirren	34	4	7	23	25	81	-56	19
18	Ayr United	34	1	7	26	20	86	-66	10

You may note, eight of that top-12 of 50-years ago, are still in the top-12 today. I would argue, their squads back then were stronger than the squads today.

Note too, that 13-point gap between the Old Firm and the rest back then. As I write, Rangers, in second spot, are two points ahead of Aberdeen, but, the Dons have a game in hand. Even if Rangers hang on to second spot, I cannot see them being 13 points clear of whichever club is third.

That league-winning (actually they won everything they contested that season) Lisbon Lions squad could only secure 82% of the available points in the Scottish League that season. Right now, Celtic have won 98% of the available points - which emphasises how far above their domestic challengers they are.

I would never try to belittle the achievement of the present-day Celtic squad in equalling that great 1967 record, records are there specifically to be match and beaten, but, anyone who suggests it has been as difficult for the current squad to go 26 domestic games unbeaten as it was for the Lions, is deluded. Stein's squad had it far-harder.