Picking out five League Cup Final highlights of this millennium is much harder to pinpoint than five miseries.
This trophy has rarely been a friend of Celtic’s although there has been some spectacular highs such as 1957 and the record breaking run between 1965 and 1969 when the trophy sat alongside the League Championship trophy inside Celtic Park.
In contrast to the Scottish Cup where the club has excelled the League Cup has been something of a nightmare with Hampden defeats to Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Ross County still fresh and raw in the memory.
Previewing Sunday’s match Brendan Rodgers was keen to draw a line between those results and taking his side to Hampden on Sunday.
With wins over Aberdeen at home and away already this season the hoops are strong favourites to succeed and add to their five League Cup successes of this millennium
TOMMY AND VIDAR SHOW
This really was a strange affair as Kenny Dalglish led Celtic to the trophy after taking temporary charge following the sacking of John Barnes.
Aberdeen were in an awful condition under Ebbe Skovdahl which allowed the Celtic fans to head to Hampden in confident mood.
Vidar Riseth scrambled the opener in the 15th minute with Tommy Johnston putting the game beyond doubt just before the hour mark.
A trophy is a trophy, the season didn’t get any better and the fans got to see Tommy Burns, restored to the backroom team, celebrating around Hampden
HENRIK’S TREBLE BID
There was a fair bit of tension around this match with intense speculation about the club going for it’s first treble since the Jock Stein era.
At half-time there was no scoring but two minutes after the break Henrik Larsson broke the deadlock.
Hugh Dallas then decided to get involved by sending off Chris Sutton on the hour mark but Larsson completed his hat-trick with the Celtic fans delighted by the contribution from The King of Kings
JIMMY JOHNSTONE ON THE WING
It was an emotional week that started with the death of Jimmy Johnstone with the legendary winger buried two days before the Hampden final.
Dunfermline never stood a chance with Maciej Zurawski opening the scoring just before half-time.
A stunning free kick from Shaun Maloney in the 76th minute made sure of the trophy with substitute Deon Dublin completing the scoring in the final minute with the lap of honour accompanied by songs of praise for Jinky.
DARREN’S DAY
It was a grim match as Gordon Strachan put on his pragmatic hat to match Walter Smith at his bus parking best.
Safety was the order of the day forcing the match into extra time when Darren O’Dea sent a header into the net two minutes into extra time.
Aiden McGeady decided to share the glory with his international team-mate, scoring a stoppage time penalty after being hauled down by Kirk Broadfoot.
Having suffered so often in this fixture the win was wildly celebrated, Celtic’s last ever Hampden win before the Ibrox club went into liquidation three years later
DEILA DELIGHT
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The semi-final win over Sevco had given the club a confidence boost with a Europa League tie against Inter Milan offering hope for the future.
Dundee United had lost Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong leaving Jackie McNamara struggling against his former team. Nadir Ciftci was suspended.
Kris Commons opened the scoring in the 28th minute with James Forrest scoring the second in the 79th minute before a memorable pushing match between Forrest and John Guidetti over a penalty ended with Forrest’s penalty being saved by Radoslaw Cierzniak.