Alan Stubbs believes that teamwork forged off the pitch helped Celtic over the line in 1998 to take the Scottish title for the first time in a decade.
Exactly 22 years ago Celtic Park was a bowl of nerves as Stubbs joined the huddle ahead of probably the most critical 90 minutes in the club’s history since Lisbon.
Wim Jansen was in the dug-out for what would turn out to be the last time with the simple task of overcoming St Johnstone to depart as a club legend.
Over the first half of the season the Dutchman had put together a brand new squad after inheriting a group almost broken by witnessing 9-in-a-row celebrated across the city.
Tom Boyd, Simon Donnelly, Tosh McKinlay, Malky Mackay, Phil O’Donnell and Jackie McNamara formed the native group while guys like Stubbs, Morten Wieghorst and Tommy Johnson had quickly discovered the local rules of combat.
Jansen brought in Marc Rieper, Henrik Larsson, Craig Burley, Darren Jackson, Paul Lambert. Jonathan Gould and finally Harald Brattbakk with the task of Stopping the Ten.
In the second last match Celtic could have clinched the title but a 1-1 draw at Dunfermline meant that the drama was stretched out for another six days and the visit of St Johnstone.
The days building up to the match were incredibly tense but Stubbs is convinced that bonds formed in Glasgow city centre saw them through to a 2-0 win and finally the Scottish championship.
Reflecting on that season the former Celtic defender told The Sun:
We had a great bunch of boys that year and I’ve always believed that’s why we won the title. The togetherness of that group was just brilliant and it was great to be a part of it.
No matter what happened on the outside we never let it affect us as a squad of players. It wasn’t always easy because there were things going on behind the scenes at the club, which obviously materialised at the end when the manager left. But as a group we focused on the job we had to do and didn’t let anything interfere.
St Johnstone were unable to interfere, Celtic won 2-0 with Stubbs, Jansen, Larsson, Brattbakk and others earning their place in folklore on the back of a never to be forgotten season.