Celtic’s win over Livingston has prompted Pat Bonner to deliver a surprising comparison of Wilfried Nancy’s side.
Celtic beat Livingston 4-2 after battling back from being behind twice in the first ten minutes of the game at Almondvale.
A double from Benjamin Nygren and goals from Hyunjun Yang and Arne Engels in the first 45 minutes of Celtic’s win were enough to take all three points from West Lothian back to Glasgow.
Tell us who your MOTM was then Bhoys
However, as Celtic fans watched the game through their fingers, Pat Bonner was blown away by Wilfried Nancy’s side as he delivered the ultimate comparison to a legendary Hoops side that will surprise the Parkhead support.
Pat Bonner compares Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic to Tommy Burns’ Bhoys
Celtic fans will remember Tommy Burns’ Celtic as the all-action, swashbuckling side that was extremely unfortunate not to win the title in 1996.
Burns’ Celtic came close to ending Rangers’ bid for nine-in-a-row but, ultimately, four Glasgow Derby defeats cost the Hoops legend the chance to win the title as a player and manager.
But it was Celtic’s attacking flair and defensive frailties that made Bonner tell fans that watching Nancy’s team at Almondvale took him back to watching Burns’ team in season 1996/97.
Speaking at half-time during the Celtic win, Bonner told BBC Radio Scotland, “I was trying to think there a wee while ago, this team, who does it compare to?
“I think probably the closest I could get is under Tommy Burns when he had the four, [Pierre] van Hooijdonk, he had [Paulo] Di Canio, he had [Jorge] Cadete, he had [Andy] Thom, all playing in the same team, almost doing all the attacking side, but not getting involved at all in the defensive side.
“There was always, sometimes only four defenders. But very, very entertaining, brilliant to watch, but always vulnerable to ship goals.”
Celtic’s season under Tommy Burns in 1996/97
Burns’ Celtic will evoke plenty of romantic memories from the Hoops support as they fondly remember the famous Four Amigos.
That team scored 78 goals and conceded 32 as Celtic ran Rangers close in the title race but fell short with five points.
Does Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic compare to Tommy Burns’ in 1996? Let us know in the comments.
Celtic lost all four Glasgow Derbies as the Bhoys recorded 23 wins, six draws and seven defeats compared to Rangers’ 25 wins, five draws and six losses.
Burns did win silverware the previous season as the Scottish Cup victory over Dunfermline ended a six-year trophy drought.
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