Why Dutch top-flight side have travelled to Celtic Park to unveil their new kit

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There are a wide range of reasons for Celtic’s global reputation.

But perhaps the most relevant is the club’s European heritage, which stems from Jock Stein’s Lions in 1967.

Celtic have been regulars on the European stage throughout almost all of the decades since, and though it hasn’t always been glamorous, this has its perks.

It’s up for debate whether Celtic are truly seen as a ‘big name’ in the Champions League or Europa League, given their relatively poor European performances over the last 15 years.

But for one Dutch top-flight side, Celtic’s European relevance has inspired a trip to Parkhead for their new kit unveiling.

Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles travel to Celtic Park for their new kit unveiling

Celtic defeated Feyenoord last week, as Martin O’Neill led the Hoops to a very small revenge on the 1970 European Cup final which ensured that the sides would always share European history.

Celtic have also faced Ajax plenty of times through the years, with an unfriendly twist developing between the teams’ supports in the last decade.

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But a lesser-known Eredivisie club, Go Ahead Eagles, have unveiled their new kit at Celtic Park, in tribute to their first ever European tie.

It’s not often that you see a side commemorate a 6-0 defeat, but that’s exactly what Go Ahead are doing, in reference to their tie against Celtic in 1965.

The match was also a historic one for the Hoops, as it was Stein’s first European match in charge of the club.

Go Ahead filmed their promotional video for the jersey at Celtic Park and around Glasgow:

In a special coincidence, Go Ahead are back in European football this season, after winning the Dutch FA Cup last year.

They’re in the Europa League along with Celtic, and even defeated Aston Villa in a memorable upset in October.

But of course, perhaps their strongest link with the Hoops was the very public gap in valuation for Jakob Breum in the summer, as the midfielder was targeted by Brendan Rodgers.

The club’s sporting director instructed Celtic to ‘take a leaf from Rangers’ book’ and pay the asking price, just as the Ibrox side did for Oliver Antman. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t happen.

Celtic and Go Ahead Eagles

At the time of the Celtic tie, they were just named Go Ahead. They added the ‘Eagles’ label the next year.

Despite a resounding 6-0 win in Holland, Celtic only won the return leg 1-0, and were booed off the park by fans after a disappointing performance.

It was the first round of the 1965-66 Cup Winners’ Cup. Stein’s men progressed past AGF of Denmark and Dynamo Kiev of the USSR to reach the semi-finals, where they faced Liverpool.

Celtic won the first leg 1-0 at home, but Bill Shankly’s men turned it around with a 2-0 win in the return game at Anfield. They reached the final at Hampden, where they lost in extra time to Borussia Dortmund.