That it should be a late late goal, the 11th this season scored beyond the 87th min, (8 of which were winners) was fitting indeed. However, let us not be kidded....performance levels were barely better during that fraught, excruciating run-in, than they had been over the course of a tortuous, and at times, unbearable campaign. Indeed, the Scottish Cup Final itself was a replicate of so much of the season, where the team have been unable to put two halves of football together in the same match. What set this squad apart however, is the heart, desire and team spirit this group of players displayed over that final 6 weeks. A spirit that belied and outweighed the overall quality and technicality of the group, and for that we should be truly grateful. They were magnificent and having been dealt a weak hand by the current incumbents of the club ties and cushy directors box seats, they were lucky enough to be on the end of one or two of Martin O Neil’s half time hairdryers, but boy did they respond in spades.

And what about the man himself? I don’t have the superlatives to convey my admiration for the job he done. To get the absolute limit out of that group of players and somehow get them over the line, was miraculous in itself. Pulling the club together (sort of) in the midst of it........we really shouldn’t have been surprised, should we?

This brings us to the next malevolence. For six months we were fractured, anarchic, flat and baying for blood. Under the circumstances, almost all of it was understandable, given the contempt with which the board appeared to hold wide swathes of the fanbase. The Green Brigade were banned for 6 months, a decision which was entirely detrimental to the team, and did nothing to help an already ailing group of players. The lack of self awareness from the directors at this time was both glaring and predictable. I was conflicted in many ways having been a ‘supporter’ of the board and their domestically successful strategies over the years, but on the back of the last 3 disastrous transfer windows, even my good grace was threadbare. I could not possibly back such an inept spending policy and lack of ambition on the back of one mediocre signing after another and circa £70m in the bank. A miraculous double indeed, in spite of poor mismanagement at executive level and their obvious malaise.

So where DO we go from here?

The Cup Final served as a timely reminder on 2 fronts. The first half was adequately pleasing, and yet the second half saw Dunfermline look every inch the match of a very average Celtic team. This should serve as a warning that the mistakes of the last 3 transfer windows cannot be repeated. The decline of the playing squad over the last year has been both easily recognisable and unforgivable. The Green Brigade were welcomed back in a show of unity that was somehow presented as an act of contrition on the boards behalf, grievances having been parked for the run-in. Their rendition of the cult Stone Roses classic ‘I wanna sack the board’ was perfectly timed during the Cup Final, so as to not affect the team but served as a sharp reminder to the custodians that as well as the most vociferous element of our support, the grievances ‘haven’t gone away you know’. Lessons must be learned

The previous seasons Cup Final and defeat to Aberdeen should have served as a major warning. Most of us could see at that point the decline had already set in. It would appear the suits and ties were the only ones who couldn’t read the room. An inadequate recruitment network that has failed to replace the goals of Kyogo, O Reilly, and Kuhn, STILL hasn’t provided a natural left winger nor a pacey, direct right one, a dominant centre back nor an aggressive midfield leader has at least seen Tilsdale fall on his sword. Whoever felt that the self proclaimed ‘football doctor’ who managed Exeter, Stevenage, Bath City, MK Dons and Bristol Rovers was the man to take Celtic to the next level on the European stage, should be tried for treason nevermind shown the door. Again, should we really be surprised if the stories of him sweeping Dermot Desmond off his feet at a showbiz wedding, are true? There is possibly no other feasible explanation for this extraordinarily disastrous appointment.

With the support united over the last 6 weeks and a team who refused to lie down, it should not be forgotten that had we allowed the ugly sister across the road the Champions league riches that would have gone with winning the title, this could have been a disaster that may well have taken years to recover. Thankfully, despite the boards refusal to spend any more than what they consider to be guaranteeing domestic success, appointments like Tilsdale and Nancy, and the discord and downright anger created by episodes like the AGM and the contemptuous nature of much of the clubs communications, we now have an opportunity to reset, rebuild and restructure.

The next step should be ambition. There is absolutely no question the later stages of both the Europa League and the Conference League are within our grasp. Champions League football is a necessity to fund that, but sitting on huge reserves of cash, ‘just in case’ should no longer be the limit of our aspirations. It woud appear Shaun Maloney has been primed for a position at the top.of the recruitment pyramid. He should at least know what we require, but on the back of that, I really hope MoN is not the next permanent manager. It needs freshness and Martin himself has alluded to the fact that it is a younger man’s game and he does not agree with much about modern football. Director of Football would be perfect. Let him oversee and be a bridge between the manager and the board and the ultimate shoulder to lean on.

And what about the board themaelves?

I’m pretty certain none of them would wish to be in the same unsavoury corridors of Celtic Park, they found themselves frequenting last season. A fan advisory board would be a start. Lines of communication drawn up and the supporters getting a ‘proper’ say in how they see their club being run. I would love to be involved in it myself, so if any of you Celtic faces are looking for volunteers to make up a committee, give me a ring. I am sure you will know someone who has ny number. Communication must improve, the supporter experience must get better, budgets need to be expanded to allow us to compete one level up. Recruitment is key, second only to the appointment of the next manager and a repeat of last seasons acrimony, malaise and downright contempt must never be allowed to take hold again. Otherwise, we’ll not just be going down to the lake, we’ll be drowning in it.

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