19 April 2021

Barren run ahead? Celtic cup loss means first season without a trophy since 2010

19 April 2021

Celtic’s 2-0 Scottish Cup defeat by Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday meant the Hoops lost their grip on the trophy that they recently won a record four times in a row.

The Gers’ victory also meant their Old Firm rivals will finish the season without a trophy for the first time since 2009-10.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the last five barren periods for the Parkhead club.

2009-10

Tony Mowbray departed as manager before Celtic came second to Rangers in the league.

Hearts had earlier knocked the Parkhead club out of the League Cup and with Neil Lennon in interim charge for the first time, the Hoops lost their Scottish Cup semi-final against Ross County 2–0 at Hampden Park.

The following season Celtic again finished behind the Ibrox club in the league but captured the Scottish Cup with a 3-0 win over Motherwell in the final.

2002-03

Rangers swept the board under Alex McLeish, leaving Celtic ruing their luck.

Martin O’Neill’s side lost the league on goal difference on the last day of the season having lost the League Cup final to the Gers, with another shock defeat by Inverness in the Scottish Cup.

There was more disappointment in the UEFA Cup final when Celtic lost 3-2 to Porto after extra time in Seville.

O’Neill’s men came back to win the club’s 10th league and Scottish Cup double the following season.

1998-99

Celtic were left with nothing to show for their efforts again as Rangers won the treble under Dutch manager Dick Advocaat.

The Hoops, managed by Jozef Venglos, were runners-up to their Old Firm rivals in the league and in Scottish Cup, with a shock exit to Airdrie in the League Cup.

Former Liverpool and England winger John Barnes started the next season in charge but he was dismissed in February after a Scottish Cup defeat to Inverness at Parkhead.

The following month, with caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish in charge, Celtic captured the League Cup with victory over Aberdeen in the final but finished 21 points behind Rangers in the title race.

1996-97

This was the second year in a row that Tommy Burns’ Celtic had gone without a trophy as they finished runners-up in the league twice to Rangers, who completed their quest for nine in a row.

Under Dutch boss Wim Jansen, Celtic stopped the Gers’ bid for 10 the following year and won the League Cup with a 3-0 victory over Dundee United at Ibrox.

1989-1994.

Celtic went five seasons without a trophy as Rangers dominated the title.

Indeed, in those five fallow years, Celtic finished fifth, third, third, third and fourth.

The Hoops lost the 1990 Scottish Cup final to Aberdeen on penalties and the 1991 League Cup final to Rangers.

The 1995 Scottish Cup final win against Airdrie at Hampden stopped the trophy rot.

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