Celtic’s4-0 victory at Tynecastle on Wednesday night was Neil Lennon’s 100th win as Celtic manager and without having the concrete facts in front of me, I’d imagine he must be the quickest Celtic manager to ever reach 100 wins. Here is, in my opinion, the top 10 Neil Lennon victories during his Celtic reign.
10. Celtic 3-0 Motherwell. The Scottish Cup was Celtic’s! Lennon wins his first trophy as goals from Ki and Mulgrew sandwiched between a Craigan OG see Celtic comfortably win their first trophy in 2 years.
9. Kilmarnock 0-6 Celtic. Celtic clinched the SPL on Easter Saturday with a fine attacking display that saw a double from Charlie Mulgrew in between a Glenn Loovens goal and a Hooper volley send Celtic into the break as Champions Elect at 4-0 up. A fine move saw Ledley dink in number 5 and a screamer from Hooper wrapped things up. Championeeeees!
8. Motherwell 1-2 Celtic. The start of the domestic win of runs started with a fine comeback win, Stokes and a late Hooper winner gave Neil Lennon a priceless win when the team’s bottle was being heavily scrutinised.
7. Helsingborgs 0-2 Celtic. Celtic had given themselves a terrific chance of reaching the Champions League group stages for the first time in 4 years with a fine win in Sweden. An early Kris Commons volley gave the Hoops a nervy lead which was made safe when Samaras rose highest at the back post late on.
6. Rangers 0-2 Celtic. Everyone had Rangers on their accumulators in this new year clash. A Georgios Samaras double gave a heavily depleted Celtic the new year bragging rights. Celtic were in the middle of a good unbeaten run and would carry this on until late February.
5. Hibs 0-5 Celtic. Rangers went into administration and everyone said while the Celtic fans may party till the end of the season, the Celtic team will take their foot off the gas. Well within a week they were proved wrong when Mulgrew Stokes Hooper(2) and Ki all chipped in to send Hibs to defeat.
4. Celtic 1-0 Rangers. Celtic went top of the SPL for the first time in a long time with a fine battling display to take the spoils in this post christmas clash. Ledley nodded in Mulgrew’s corner in a stormy windy Glasgow night to cap a fine comeback from Celtic. 15 points behind in November and 2 clear before new year. Rangers were heading towards oblivion.
3. Hearts 0-4 Celtic. Maybe not as important as number 4. But Celtic enjoyed a wednesday night trip to Tynecastle at the start of the year. Fine goals from Brown Wanyama and Ledley had Celtic 3-0 up at half time and late on Hooper added a 4th. Celtic had exercised any ghosts of Tynecastle following a previous 2-0 defeat there.
2. Spartak 2-3 Celtic. Finally! 11 Years after Celtic’s first away Champions League group game we had got our first win. Hooper clipped in a fine Lustig cross before two Spartak goals had us sighing ‘same old story’. Spartak were reduced to ten men before Forrest smacked the ball off the Spartak keeper only for it to rebound off a defender and in. The win was sealed in stoppage time when Samaras rose highest onto Izaguirre’s cross and planted it home. Deliverance.
1. Celtic 2-1 Barcelona. Celtic celebrated 125 years this November and it was only fitting that the best team in the world would defeat Barcelona to put themselves on the brink of  the Champions League last 16. A first half Victor Wanyama header looked like being enough for Celtic until teenage sensation and one of our own Tony Watt delightfully slotted home number 2. Messi got one back late on, but it was Celtic’s night.
Well folks there you have it. Have I missed any out? What would your top ten be? Let me know in the comments below.
I would have had the 2-0 win at Ibrox as the third most important, it was the first really ‘big’ game we won under Lennon.
I´d have had the last ever Celtic-thems match where we stuffed them 3-0 right up there just for the sheer joy of it.
I´ll certainly never forget it.
HH.
They are all the best wins!