The Ibrox Doomsday scenario if Celtic do not win at Tynecastle on May 7th

I haven’t written anything about the post-split fixtures simply because everybody has been talking about them.

There isn’t much that I could add to what has already been said.

The first two fixtures given to Celtic were designed to benefit nobody but Sky, and to ensure the least amount of Celtic fans possible get to see their team win the League.

Am I being presumptuous in saying that Celtic will win the League over the course of these two fixtures?

Well, based on our last two performances at Tynecastle and the current form of that side, there’s a strong chance we will wrap things up on May 7th.

But you can never take anything for granted.

We have what is probably the biggest remaining game of our season on Sunday.

We need to overcome that hurdle first before we focus on the following weekend.

However, there’s one scenario that keeps playing over and over in my mind.

What if we only managed a draw at Tynecastle?

The title decider then moves onto Ibrox.

The Doomsday scenario.

For them or us, you say?

Well, I think it may be a bit of both.

I’m of a 90’s vintage, so I guess you could say I’m a veteran of one of the worst decades we had to endure as Celtic fans.

The misery we had to endure during that decade, with the exception of stopping the ten in 1998 and the odd cup win, cut to the core.

The scars are still there.

But none cut deeper than the title decider at Celtic Park on May 2nd 1999.

A day that will go down in infamy.

When I bring myself to watch the footage of that debacle every now and then, I can still feel the white hot rage I felt that day.

I am just one, but there were 53,000 Celtic fans inside Celtic Park that day, who felt that same white hot rage.

To say that an injustice was done that day, would be an understatement.

There was a litany of injustices during that match.

All perpetrated by one Hugh Dallas.

For the current generation of fans, I have included the grainy footage from YouTube of that dark day.

If you haven’t seen it already, take the time to look at it:

YouTube: Celtic 0 v 3 Rangers May 2nd 1999

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

You’ll only get a brief view of the mock huddle the Rangers 1872 players tastelessly performed in front of the Celtic fans.

They did this to further fuel the rage that was already pouring down from the stands.

It was done in the worst possible taste and it was reckless behaviour, to put it mildly.

Then again, who am I talking about?

Which leads me back to the scenario I began talking about, a title decider at Ibrox.

Now, the majority of Celtic fans are not angry, bitter, hate filled peepul.

It takes an awful lot for us to lose it and become enraged, but more than enough was done during that May day, all those years ago, to send us over the edge.

For the peepul, however, it does not take much at all for the red mist of rage to descend.

Correct me if I’m wrong here, but I believe the last time we won the League at Ibrox was back in 1967?

That’s a long, long time ago.

The most momentous year in our existence, so I guess it was fate that we would win it there.

Earlier, I alluded to a Doomsday scenario.

It would be a Doomsday scenario for them if we won the title at Ibrox in 2023.

It would send them into a foaming at the mouth frenzy.

“Anger” isn’t the middle part of their name for no reason.

Our club officials are already concerned for the safety of our players and staff, after the events of April 2022.

This is where it becomes a Doomsday scenario for us too.

50,000 raging bears at 2-0 down and we score a third?

Now, I know all of the above is based on the assumption we don’t win at Tynecastle.

But there’s a very real possibility that could happen.

You never know, nerves could get the better of our players on the day?

Do I want us to go to Ibrox and win it there?

In theory, it’s a delicious thought.

But I’m caught between a rock and a hard place on this one.

I do genuinely fear for what could happen if we gave them a pasting there.

Its weird, because my gut tells me that fate would decree that we’d beat them 3-0 and that we’d get to exact revenge for May 1999.

But based on what happened at Celtic Park all those years ago, can you just imagine what could happen at Ibrox?

We know anything at all goes there.

Last April proved that much.

So the sensible side of me tells me that we need to get the job done at Tynecastle.

If we do that, Ibrox is then a dead rubber and they’re just playing for pride.

We know they won’t give us a guard of honour, because they’re the sorest losers in World football.

But the dark and vengeful side of me thinks differently….

Go to Ibrox and hammer them there.

Then just try to get out in one piece.

You have to admit, it is a darkly delicious scenario.

Especially for all those of us who need to exorcise the demons of May 1999.

Is it already pre-determined?

Well, we’ll find out soon enough, won’t we?