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Go on, admit it! If someone had said to you this time last year after Celtic were handed the 2019/20 league title in March, we'd be sitting in mid April 2021 having won our 55th title an impressive five weeks before, you'd think they were a few sandwiches short of a picnic. Sure, there had been signs of progress under Steven Gerrard. Our European efforts were, by and large, very good since he had taken over. We'd also started to offer Celtic difficulties in our head-to-head matches and showed we could beat them home and away. Importantly, our style of football was good and our system worked fairly well at home and abroad. We'd also reached the League Cup final and, arguably, should have won from a match we dominated. However, all these positives aside, there was still no success and, once again, when the tough got going after Christmas, the team and any silverware challenge fell apart. With that in mind, the transformation this season has been nothing short of startling. Yes, the same positives were there: good football, another strong Europa League showing and an early league victory at Parkhead. This laid solid foundations when it came to renewing supporter confidence whilst the players themselves were showing a steadfastness, a bona fide belief, that wasn't always evident before. And all this was happening with no fans in stadiums, without that 12th man Ibrox often provides. That didn't mean the season wasn't without it's challenges. Draws away to Livingston and Hibs in August and September asked questions of the management in particular and, arguably it was that first draw in West Lothian, that perhaps changed our mindset tactically. The overly negative Jack and Kamara double pivot was dispensed with, the experience and quality of Steven Davis was reintroduced and, a general sense, we didn't look back. Only the late loss away to St Mirren in the League Cup has brought any real pain in a, so far, undefeated league season and few teams have managed to lay a glove on us home or away. That meant our 55th Scottish top league title was delivered earlier than anyone thought possible. To do this in the first week of March remains, to me, still somewhat unbelievable and not always easy to comprehend as our form in the New Year was the polar opposite of previous recent campaigns. Sure, draws away at Motherwell and Hamilton through January and February weren't ideal but further wins over Celtic, Aberdeen and Hibs built us a buffer no other team were going to breach. Celtic's dubious deeds in Dubai helped but, by the time, they drew away to Dundee Utd last month, the league was already gone. After ten long years in the wilderness, 55 was finally here and it's an achievement we won on the field, fairly and squarely and all under our own steam. That was five weeks ago and, as much, as that success is something to be savoured, much work remains to be done. Trinkets such as an 'invincible' league season where we can go undefeated and/or better Arsenal's goal concession record of 15 goals would be nice and deservedly lauded but I'd suggest winning the Scottish Cup is much, much more important. Doing that, and beating Celtic on the way, would hammer home our dominance of this season. It would put to bed any (already silly) suggestion that Celtic remain the better side and have just been unlucky due to Covid circumstances. And, it would increase the winning experiences of our squad in bringing back a trophy we've not won since 2008/09. Understandably our form hasn't been quite as good since the title was secured. Players haven't exactly downed tools or gone on their summer holidays early, we've just not been quite as fluent. The sustained loss to injury of Ryan Jack and our captain James Tavernier hasn't helped whilst influential players such as Arfield and Roofe haven't looked as sharp as they did earlier in the season before injuries of their own. Our balance in midfield doesn't look as strong and the disgusting treatment of Glen Kamara by Slavia Prague has undoubtedly affected his contribution. Even so, although we did exit European competition, draws away to Slavia and Celtic through March and solid wins against Cove and Hibs mean we remain tough to beat. However, if we're to win the Scottish Cup and lay down any markers for next season, then our form must improve over the coming six weeks. This season has not yet finished. Dispatching of Celtic on Sunday won't be easy. Although they've yet to beat us this season, they did have strong periods in each of the last two games and are coming off the back of an impressive 6-0 demolition of Livingston last weekend. The Scottish Cup also remains their only chance of silverware this season so they have a lot to prove in this match. Fortunately, so do we. In that sense, our starting XI will be interesting. For example, in the 1-0 New Year derby win we struggled for much of the first half with a front three of Roofe, Kent and Morelos. Indeed, it wasn't until Ianis Hagi replaced Roofe for the second period that we started to properly come into the game. As such, it was perhaps no surprise to see Hagi start the last Old Firm fixture with the same deeper three of Aribo, Davis and Kamara; yet it can be argued that didn't work either - possibly more to due with Balogun struggling at right back - as Celtic had the better of the first hour in that match. This weekend Patterson will start at right back and there's no doubt the youngster provides a much better balance on that flank. However, it will be a key decision of the manager to see who provides the defensive cover for him: will it be Arfield or Aribo or, as has happened more often since Jack has ben injured, will Kamara be deployed in the right side of our midfield three. And how will that decision affect our front three? A fully fit and sharp Kemar Roofe would arguably start but he may be kept for later in the game. As such, I think the manager will choose between Aribo, Hagi and Wright. For example, if Arfield is played deeper, the big Nigerian may be moved up a position, pragmatically strengthening our right side which did look weak at Parkhead (and against Slavia). Or the manager may favour a more attacking outlook with Hagi or Wright - the latter of whom may be asked to do a job similar to that of Brandon Barker in the 2-0 win over Celtic in October (where Arfield also started). Indeed, it's that kind of flexibility and unpredictability that has strengthened our hand this season. Whilst most observers could pick their preferred starting XI for the majority of games, the manager now has the ability to change things to suit - whether that be down to injury or for tactical reasons. As such, it's genuinely difficult to predict our team for Sunday's match and that has to be a good thing, even if the players will know by now. All things considered I think we'll see the team below but, if we consider the chance of extra time and penalties, it will absolutely be all about the squad as a whole on Sunday and going forward. Our 55th league title wasn't won with just eleven players: everyone in the squad had to play their part over a long, hard year. Be it Jon McLaughlin earlier in the season, Leon Balogun's excellent reliability, Nathan Patterson showing his potential, and other younger guys like Hagi and Itten who, perhaps not always regular starters, were first class in terms of their attitude - all that and more will be needed, not just on Sunday but further ahead into a new season where we will have to defend our position as Scotland's champions. On that final note, there's no better place to do that, than a win over Celtic at Ibrox. Season 2020/21 has been an unqualified success but we can make it even better and lay the groundwork now for a similar campaign next season by winning on Sunday and going onto the reclaim the Scottish Cup. Just how good would that feel! After ten years in the wilderness, if you thought the journey was over, you were wrong - it's only just beginning... Possible XI (4-3-2-1)

Ironically the Czech Republic national side are basing themselves in Edinburgh for the tournament so I wonder if Kudela would have travelled anyway. He's a first choice centre half for them currently so he'll be missed. He's had a strange career, he was in his 30s before making his international debut, his move to Slavia and their manager seem to have transformed him from a journeyman into a full internationalist. Shame he couldn't manage to be a normal human being at the same time.

Full time in Prague. Slavia 0 Arsenal 4. All four Gunner goals were scored by black players. To any of our Slavia supporting friends looking in, the scorers are listed below : F Guy 18 minutes F Guy 21 and 77 minutes F Guy 24 minutes.

I see Premier Sports have been showing a full match replay of the OF cup final, which was originally broadcast on BBC Scotland, so it is their comms and analysis team. You would be forgiven for thinking they had dubbed the comms on this year, they are so utterly biased in favour of the bheasts. Now if memory serves me right we had won the last 2 titles on the spin , so why is the baseline opinion that us winning this would be a shock? Jelavic’s winner has just went in (spoiler alert!) and they are devastated. The commentator has just said that Celtic are going for the treble, and sit 2 points ahead of Rangers who have a game in hand. Now forgive me but would that not make us favourites with only a handful of games left? A few things I have seen that I had forgotten about; Jelavic was a fantastic player Boughera was a total mental case That boy Steve Davis can play football all right! Sasa Papac really was Mr Consistency. There is definitely no way Celtic got £5M for Ki, he is pish! Craig Thomson was a cheating corrupt piece of filth Billy Dodds has still never said anything positive about us.

On further research I see they had beaten us 2-0, 3-0 in the previous 2 meetings, the latter being just 2 weeks before the final. Strangely, I can’t remember those games but I remember the cup final and I remember who won the title!

Charlie George and John Radford, I believe. I've corrected it to a more relevant question.

On 20th August 1973, we played Arsenal in our Centenary celebratory game, 101 years and six months after our founding in the second week of February 1872. It was a ridiculously hot evening and the official attendance was given as 85,000, it was easily touching 100,000. Of course, every true Bear wanted to be at the Centenary match, but Rangers decided to revert to 19th Century prices and the price of entry mirrored the first charges of entry to Burnbank, one Shilling. Since Decimalisation had just occurred, the cost of going through the turnstile was 5 new pence(5p). The game was more than decent, we were winning 1-0 from a fine Derek Parlane first half strike. We held the lead until injury time when we conceded two late goals in ninety seconds. I think Alan Ball scored? Certainly, he played keepie-up in front of the old Derry and antagonised the majority of those in attendance. Alan of the squeaky Jimmy Cltheroe voice was the hate figure of choice for all Scots supporters in those days, and he revelled in it. Maybe this time, the Club will allow fans in at Glasgow Green(Fleshers' Haugh) prices?

That is utterly ridiculous. Typical stupidity from UEFA. One ban has an impact on the player's country, who weren't involved in the incident or match in question at all, but all of that means that he will be available sooner for his club, who WERE involved in sad match (and, worse, his club actually made ridiculous statements defending him)….. the other ban, for the victim of racist abuse, sees him eligible for his country (which I am glad for Kamara;s sake) but his club are the ones who suffer as he is ineligible for games which could be pivotal. UEFA couldn't organize the proverbial piss up in a brewery !

Would be great to see Tav on the bench. His presence in the match day squad would be a big boost

The sheer hypocrisy of UEFA will be writ large when we get our next european fixture with fans in the stadium... guaranteed we will have lots of pre-match warnings that FARE will be in attendance and to be on our best behaviour.

I always think Brian Clough was the ultimate turn a small club around. getting Derby promoted and winning Div 1, then getting Forest promoted (in 3rd place in 76/77 that year behind Chelsea and Wolves!!) then winning 2 Div 1 and 2 European cups with a fantastic team. Even the Hartlepool team he and Taylor built got promotion the following year after they left for Derby. Oh and he also got fined for calling the Italians "cheating bastards" Quality.

Ah, but your a biased bastard?

Wonder if they will gift the shares? again that were hoovered up by the charlatans that tried to kill us.?

It's the right opposition and continues a fine tradition. I wonder if it will be for the Kudela Cup?

Surely they mean for our 149th anniversary?

UEFA may have been clever. The ban means that he doesn't get picked for the Euros so it means that none of the ban is used up by international games, so he misses 10 games for Slavia AND the Euros.

I think, and I stand to be corrected, that Kudela can only be banned for games in which he is eligible to play. If he is not in the Czechs' final and registered pool of players for the Euros, then he cannot be banned for these matches. The Czech coach is unlikely to select a player who will automatically be suspended, leaving himself a man short.

Ryan Jack is our metronome.

IMHO, the loss of Jack are one of the factors that we`ve bowed out to Slavia, who, IMHO, were not any better than quite a few teams we faced before. Even worse, some of their antics (Kamara et al aside), cheating and heinous fouls were worse than those committed by some of our Premiership neighbours. Let`s hope we`ve found the solution to Jack`s problem and that we`ll have him back in full force next season. It is hard to guess what sort of line-up we will start with, IMHO, the last game showed that neither Aribo nor Arfield are strong starters right now, nor exactly what we need. I would hope that we`ll have Kent and Wright alongside Morelos, with Hagi as the creator. Davis and Kamara are dead certain, likewise the 4 -man defense of Patterson, Goldson, Helander and Barisic.

Only lasted the customary 44 days at Leeds. I knew he was in and out at Elland Road but I hadn’t realised it was the same period as Stein. Clough was an excellent centre forward before a bad injury finished him. Saw him score two in a 6-6 draw in a friendly at Easter Road. Joe Baker got four for the Hibs.

I always believed this too, but Moyes has completely bucked that trend. Mourinho looked like he was doing the same, but has rather predictably turned into an arse again. Me too, but it also annoys the shit out of me how players down tools when a guy is under pressure.

I can recall feeling like the momentum was with Celtic before that match.

Would have been a good Friday night game under the lights if there was a full house inside Goodison. There is at least one Premier game for the next 10 days due to rearranged matches, Ive gone with my predictions until this Monday: Everton 1-1 Tottenham Newcastle 2-2 West Ham Wolves 2-0 Sheff Utd Arsenal 3-0 Fulham Man Utd 2-0 Burnley Leeds 2-2 Liverpool FA CUP Brucie Bonuses: Chelsea 2-1 Man City aet Leicester 3-1 Southampton

Thanks, did we say £20 or a denomiation of the SNP's micky mouse currency ?

Not looking to take any credit but i suggested this type of flag display a number of year ago to the club.

I always wonder how the likes of Guardioa, Klopp and Mourinho would do in these circumstances. My guess is that, without their magic chequebooks, they would fail spectacularly. I think they know this, which is why they won't go to a club that doesn't give them the facility to buy success.