It’s just getting silly now this domestic cup record of ours.
Yesterday, Celtic had to go to McDiarmid Park and grind out a 1-0 win at St Johnstone. It was a result that helped us bounce back from Copenhagen and secure us a spot in the Scottish Cup semi-finals for the ninth time in the last 10 years.
However, it also extended our record of cup-tie wins to 34 consecutive successes. It’s totally unprecedented, with Celtic having swept all before them since the start of the 2016/17 campaign three-and-a-half years ago.
Yet the numbers behind this run make it all the more impressive. It’s not just the fact that we’ve won 34 consecutive ties, which in itself is incredible, it’s also the manner of it.
Throughout that incredible streak, only once has a club ever managed to take us to either a replay or extra-time. Funnily enough, it was against Dunfermline Athletic – a Championship club – in the Betfred Cup earlier on this season.
What about goals scored?
However, despite the fact we’re four more cup wins away from the equivalent of a full league campaign too, there’s another stat that only highlights the impressive nature of our success.
In our 34 cup wins, Celtic have scored a remarkable 102 goals. That’s, on average, three goals per cup game. Considering how nervy these ties can be, that’s absolutely sensational.
It’s even more impressive when you consider the fact that we’ve only conceded 12 goals in the same period. Of those 12 goals, there are only three occasions when Celtic have conceded as many as two goals in the same game.
All of this has been flying under the radar. You can understand why too. When you’re in a cup competition, the sole focus is that you simply progress and make it to the next round. However, these stats can’t be underestimated. They should be getting praised to the hilt when you consider the magnitude of the achievements.
Celtic will next take on Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden next month. It would take an incredibly brave fan to bet on anything other than another cup victory. Of course, the record can and will go at a time when nobody truly expects it, but that’s all the more reason to celebrate it.
The work done by Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon, not just in terms of trophies, but also in terms of performance levels, can’t be underestimated. These figures prove that we really are living in a surreal era of dominance.
What about this domestic cup run then? Where does it rank in terms of the club’s best achievements? Have these figures flown under the radar? Give us your verdict in the discussion forum below.
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