Let’s be honest; when have we ever been in such a position as this?
24 points clear, 33 points ahead of our our so-called arch nemesis and 46 points better off than our our oldest Glasgow rivals.
A League Cup comfortably in the bag, a 6th consecutive League Championship guaranteed and a Scottish Cup quarter-final final coming up.
That in itself would be pretty darn good.
But there’s also the small matter of being unbeaten domestically all season in 32 games with 31 wins, 89 glorious goals scored (a sexy 69 of which have come in the league), only 16 conceded and 21 straight league wins.
I mean every time we kick a ball another record seems to tumble.
Off the field we’re quids in.
A return to the Champions League group stages saw us bank over £30 million and combined with a significant upsurge in season book sales and a decent turn on player trading we are literally rolling in it. With the exception of one, most top flight Scottish clubs have cleared their debt, are breaking even or are posting profits.
Talk of a football Armageddon 5 years ago turned out to be wishful thinking on the part of succulent lamb hacks.
But Celtic are looking to turnover a record £80 million this season which previously would have been regarded as a pipe dream.
We’re even sitting on an allegedly £40 million rated goal machine called Moussa Dembele.
It’s all going so well it almost sounds made up when you read it out.
As if it couldn’t get any better Celtic have just announced an initial planning application for a 4 star hotel , retail and museum facility to be added to the already grand exterior of the stadium which has been boosted by the building of the Emirates Arena, Commonwealth Village and Celtic Way in recent years.
A certain David Murray once announced similar plans for his club on the other side of the city.
It was all part of a mass regeneration of the local area that would have included a casino with a football pitch on the roof.
It all sounded fanciful. And so it was.
There was never anything in it other than a few drawings released to the press.
Rather like the old Celtic board’s Cambuslang delusion.
I still remember Kevin Kelly carrying the 2×4 picture under his arm as he paraded it in front of the press.
I often wonder if it now resides in Michael Kelly’s house taking pride of place on the dining room wall. Or maybe it’s in Kevin’s loft, up the back gathering dust beside the biscuit tin and an un-cashed bonus cheque with Tony Cacarino’s name on it.
Maybe Fergus McCann found it in a skip when he took control.
He could bring it out as dinner parties when it comes that time in the evening to regale his guests with hilarious tales from his business past.
This time Celtic actually have the land acquired already. They also have the finances in the black part of a bank account. No unscrupulously acquired overdrafts or imagined free Swiss stadium builders required.
I think fleeting Ibrox board member Chris Graham once described his club’s appointment of Mark Warburton as ‘what a time to be alive.’
God only knows how he’d respond if he found himself in Celtic’s current predicament.
An out of body experience would likely occur I’d imagine.
Though no astral projection is required in Glasgow’s east end at the moment. It’s all real.
Meanwhile over in Govan the bones are being picked over Dave King’s 24 month reign.
Even his biggest sycophants are starting to come to the overdue conclusion that the initial promises of huge personal investment were simply a smoke and mirrors routine conjured up to get in the door and his feet under the table, when he actually bothers showing up.
While his children release a sigh of relief that their imaginary inheritance remains intact the fortnightly denizens of Ibrox stadium have grown weary of broken promises and a side fighting to maintain third spot in the league. The management team and one man scouting network were offered up as unwilling and apparently unaware sacrificial lambs as appeasement.
Into the great chasm they have dropped the rather unsuspecting and blinkered Graeme Murty.
You have to feel sorry for him.
He’s stepped up out of necessity at his employers time of need and has been left to lead a bunch of average quality footballers to persistent beatings in front of a bating mob suspicious of his ethnic background and religious upbringing, all the while acting like an over enthusiastic PE teacher on the sidelines.
Apparently he’s getting advice from shadowy figures within Ibrox.
Some say maybe he has been given the legendary Walter Smith’s mobile number, who’s advice probably goes as far as recommending Murty find a cheque book and open it.
Though in actual fact it’s probably just Bomber Brown chasing him around Auchenhowie whilst brandishing his belt.
Long may it continue.
Meanwhile on Ash Wednesday while some observe the fast, Celtic will be endeavouring to devour another 3 points with a tricky tie in Inverness.
Then on Saturday the next step towards the treble will hopefully be negotiated.
11 days later the aforementioned Sevco will arrive in what one can only assume will be a spirited attempt to keep the score down.
Beyond that it’s just as you were.
It’s strange supporting a football team where you literally have absolutely nothing to complain about.
I guess that’s what happens when you have a board and manager who know exactly what they are doing.
The previous reference to our long since departed custodians will hopefully serve as a reminder of how things used to be and why we should be so appreciative of what we have now. The amateur hour antics occur almost specifically in the Blue Room these days. The forward thinking and responsible stewardship has been underway at Parkhead for some time with the true fruits of such leadership, plain for all to see.
What a time to be alive indeed!
Paul Cassidy is a Celtic fan and blogger who’s very pleased with life at the moment!