THE BEST OF THE NINE

Neil Lennon’s delight after his Celtic side are crowned Scottish champions again

- PAUL CUDDIHY

NEIL Lennon knows what it takes to win a league title for Celtic, having done so many times as a player and as a manager. Each success has been savoured in its own right, but for the Irishman, this season’s Premiership success is the best of them all.

Celtic are the 2019/20 SPFL Premiership champions following another dominant league campaign. More than that, however, the Hoops are the nine-in-a-row champions, replicating the achievement of Jock Stein’s great Celtic side from the 1960s and ‘70s.

And Neil Lennon, who kicked off this incredible run of success with the first of the three league titles between 2012-14, is delighted to be back at Paradise and leading the club to a historic triumph.

“To be sitting here now as the manager of the nine-in-a-row, and having played a huge part in that, fills me with so much pride,” Neil Lennon told the Celtic View. “It feels wonderful and I’m so proud of the players. It’s an incredible record and to be part of that is something very special, and I think it’s thoroughly deserved as well. And also to the fans, in these difficult times, I hope this gives them a huge shot in the arm as well.

“It’s the best, no question it’s the best and I’ve enjoyed the season immensely. I enjoyed the European campaign and winning the League Cup and I enjoyed working with the players every day and working with my staff.

“Whether you look at the first half of the season or the second half of the season, we’ve played some brilliant football throughout, and then you throw in the European campaign, you throw in the League Cup. A lot of that gets overlooked with all that’s been going on around Scottish football of late.