| Match Pictures | Matches: 2003 – 2004 | 2003-04 Pictures |
SPL Champions
Trivia
- Celtic clinched their third Scottish title in four years.
- Celtic have now gone unbeaten through 32 SPL games this season and are 16 points clear of second-placed Rangers.
Review
Goalkeeper Rab Douglas, defender Johan Mjallby and midfielder Paul Lambert have not started many games in recent weeks but were handed the chance to be on the field for the title party by boss Martin O'Neill.
But Kilmarnock were determined to spoil Celtic's celebrations and were unlucky not to go ahead themselves after 15 minutes. Striker Boyd hammered the ball from an acute angle into the far corner of the net, only for Skora to be penalised for what referee Mike McCurry ruled was a foul on Balde.
Celtic made the breakthrough after 31 minutes, Larsson flicking the ball for Petrov to slip it past Meldrum.
The Kilmarnock goalkeeper saved superbly at full stretch to stop Larsson's curling free kick to the far corner as Celtic enjoyed a good spell of possession. Killie were thankful for a one-handed stop by Meldrum after a powerful 18-yard drive by substitute Miller.
And, at the final whistle, Celtic started to celebrate at the ground where they lost their title last season.
Teams
Kilmarnock:-
Meldrum, Lilley, Greer, Dindeleux, Hay, Fowler, Locke, Skora, Murray (Dargo 84), Boyd, Invincibile (McSwegan 87).
Subs not used:- Smith, McDonald, Dodds.
Celtic:-
Douglas, Balde, Varga, Mjallby, Agathe (Miller 70), Lennon, Lambert, Pearson, McNamara, Larsson, Petrov.
Subs not used:- Marshall, Sylla, Wallace, Smith.
Goal:- Petrov 31.
Referee: M McCurry.
Att:
Articles
Pictures
Articles
O'Neill delivers but he still wants more
Graham Clark at Rugby Park
guardian.co.uk, Monday 19 April 2004 02.18 BST
It has taken a while to become official but Celtic finally secured the Premierleague title yesterday. It is the club's third championship in Martin O'Neill's four-year tenure, and particularly sweet for being achieved at Rugby Park, where on the last day of last season they won 4-0 yet were pipped for the title by one goal as Rangers beat Dunfermline 6-1.
Triumph has been inevitable for months, but the party lost none of its fervour for that and as a hangover cure for being knocked out of the Uefa Cup in midweek it was perfect.
"It was nice to win it here after what happened last season and I think I sensed even then an inner determination to go for it this time," O'Neill said afterwards. "Now we have won it and we've been terrific throughout the season. I think we've deserved this success. All sorts of players have been exceptional through it."
The squad went on a lap of honour in front of fans who refused to leave Rugby Park without one, and every player was given a hug by O'Neill. Yet even as those fans drifted from Ayrshire to all corners of the country and beyond, there remained a nagging doubt among them that this might be the Irishman's last league title. He will enjoy this moment, and quite feasibly another if Celtic win the Scottish Cup next month, but he craves success on the European stage and the Premiership offers him the best chance of that.
Right now he is making the appropriate noises about plans for next season, as indeed he must, but in the wake of the Uefa Cup quarter-final defeat by Villarreal he insisted he needs at least half a dozen new and decent players to take Celtic to a new level.
The squad will lose its talisman Henrik Larsson and the Manchester United-bound Liam Miller in the summer and will be forced to start next season without the long-term injury victims John Kennedy and Shaun Maloney. But the chairman Brian Quinn has on a couple of recent occasions hinted that the transfer budget will be limited.
O'Neill, one suspects, will need cast-iron guarantees that he can spend before he dismisses interest from down south and he doesn't look like getting them. That cloud will hover over Parkhead no matter what plans he puts in place for next term. In the meanwhile there is the Scottish Cup final to contest and the feat of going through the league season undefeated to pursue.
"That is certainly a target but I'm not sure it will happen," O'Neill said. "One or two players have niggling injuries that need a rest and we also have the chance now to bring in a few younger players, so we'll see. If it happens, great. If not, so be it."
Kilmarnock made Celtic work hard for their victory. They had what appeared to be a perfectly fair Kris Boyd goal ruled out at 0-0 and forced the would-be champions to live on their nerves as the title inched closer. But Stilian Petrov gave Celtic the lead just after the half-hour, which relieved some of the tension, and the party stayed unpooped.
Celtic are by far and away the best team in Scotland. They have, by and large, been solid at the back, where Bobo Balde and Stanislav Varga form a formidable central defence. Neil Lennon has had an outstanding season in midfield, where Petrov, Alan Thompson and Stephen Pearson have all been excellent. And they have had Chris Sutton and the 35-goal Larsson up front.
Yet Jackie McNamara may be Celtic's success story of the year. The 30-year-old had never seemed to take O'Neill's fancy until this term but in any defensive position or midfield role – and he has occupied the lot – he has been magnificent. "It has been a great year for me," he said after yesterday's triumph. "But it has been a great year for us all."
Man of the match:Neil Lennon (Celtic)
Celtic win Scottish title
BBC
Kilmarnock 0-1 Celtic
Celtic clinched their third Scottish title in four years thanks to a single strike by Stilian Petrov at Rugby Park.
Kilmarnock might have taken the lead, but Kris Boyd's goal was ruled out for a push by Eric Skora on Bobo Balde.
Stanislav Varga had hit the post for Celtic and Killie goalkeeper Colin Meldrum saved from Petrov's feet before Celtic scored the game's only goal.
Petrov converted after a neat flick from Henrik Larsson and Celtic held on to secure another league title.
Celtic have now gone unbeaten through 32 SPL games this season and are 16 points clear of second-placed Rangers.
Goalkeeper Rab Douglas, defender Johan Mjallby and midfielder Paul Lambert have not started many games in recent weeks but were handed the chance to be on the field for the title party by boss Martin O'Neill.
David Marshall, Liam Miller and Joos Valgaeren were the men to drop out after the midweek Uefa Cup defeat by Villarreal.
And Celtic almost took an early lead when a mis-hit shot from Jackie McNamara fell to Varga and the defender poked the ball on to the post from eight yards.
But Kilmarnock were determined to spoil Celtic's celebrations and were unlucky not to go ahead themselves after 15 minutes.
Striker Boyd hammered the ball from an acute angle into the far corner of the net, only for Skora to be penalised for what referee Mike McCurry ruled was a foul on Balde.
Killie goalkeeper Meldrum, told this week he will not be given a new contract, saved at the feet of Petrov and Stephen Pearson's drive from the rebound was cleared off the line by Garry Hay.
Celtic made the breakthrough after 31 minutes, Larsson flicking the ball for Petrov to slip it past Meldrum.
The Kilmarnock goalkeeper saved superbly at full stretch to stop Larsson's curling free kick to the far corner as Celtic enjoyed a good spell of possession.
But the home team continued to cause Celtic problems.
Boyd sliced wide after Murray's mis-hit found the striker unmarked eight yards out and he also tested Douglas with a 20-yard free kick.
A drive from Danny Invincibile flashed across the face of the Celtic goal as Kilmarnock created the first threat of a second half during which the visitors looked more interested in holding their lead than adding to it.
But Killie were thankful for a one-handed stop by Meldrum after a powerful 18-yard drive by substitute Miller.
And, at the final whistle, Celtic started to celebrate at the ground where they lost their title last season.
Kilmarnock: Meldrum, Lilley, Greer, Dindeleux, Hay, Fowler, Locke, Skora, Murray, Boyd, Invincibile.
Subs: Smith, McSwegan, Dargo, McDonald, Dodds.
Celtic: Douglas, Balde, Varga, Mjallby, Agathe, Lennon, Lambert, Pearson, McNamara, Larsson, Petrov.
Subs: Marshall, Sylla, Wallace, Smith, Miller.
Referee: M McCurry.