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Steve Nicol and Craig Burley tell their American audience the truth about Celtic Park 

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From Hearts to AS Roma, the unusual has happened at Celtic this season, and that’s losing far too many home games.

Take your pick as to which loss has been worse in 2025; perhaps many will point towards losing to Barry Ferguson’s Rangers, even though the Hoops were putting Premiership title number 55 on the table.

But in some cases, it has summed up the decline at Celtic, the woeful performances on the pitch, and the disconnect between fans and the board off it.

Despite all of that, one thing will never change at the champions of Scotland, and that’s the magic of Celtic Park.

Toni Kroos names Celtic Park as the best stadium he played in

A general view inside Celtic Park before a Champions Legue game
Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images

Steve Nicol and Craig Burley speak highly of Celtic Park

Given that Celtic opted to look to the MLS to replace Brendan Rodgers, it has resulted in the Hoops generating more noise Stateside.

Unfortunately, Celtic’s woeful start under Wilfried Nancy meant that the headlines were being written all for the wrong reasons.

But, before Celtic’s win over Aberdeen, some spoke about whether Nancy could get sacked, as Craig Burley and Steve Nicol wanted to take that conversation down a different route.

Speaking to an American audience on ESPN, Burley explained how Parkhead has an ‘incredible atmosphere’, and also ‘one of the best places to play football in Europe.’

Of course, during the late 90s, Burley got to experience that first hand when he donned the famous green and white colours to stop Rangers from winning 10IAR.

But Liverpool legend Nicol, who grew up supporting Rangers, didn’t, and even he admitted that Paradise is a place ‘you don’t forget you played at.’

Burley: “It is one of the great theatres to play. I have played in Celtic and Rangers games. Against Liverpool in the UEFA Cup. 

“It’s an incredible atmosphere. Whether you are a Celtic fan or not. It’s a great place to go and play.”

Nicol: “You got to play there every week. But as somebody who plays at other clubs. It’s a place you don’t forget that you played at, in terms of what the stadium and the atmosphere is like.”

Burley: “The new stadium is just incredible. One of the best places to play football in Europe. 

“However, when things are not going well. Trust me, I have seen a lot of players. Just buckle. Buckle under the pressure.

“When I went there, Rangers had won nine titles in a row – and every week they reminded us that we had to beat them. If we even drew a game at home. They were going to kill us.”