Why 2024 could become a generational Glasgow Derby match

Yet the Northern Irishman and his charges have the opportunity to finally 'write their own story' in Glasgow's east end this weekend and win a football match that will be lauded forever. 1979, 2000, and 2022 are there for posterity. No Celtic supporter needs a second invitation to wax lyrical about any of the games as mentioned above.

This is Rodgers' redemption shot in the eyes of the faithful. It's his title shot for the ages. If Celtic wins to seal a third successive crown it would rank as one of the 51-year-old's best managerial achievement. That's no mean feat considering he waltzed off with an 'Invincible' treble in his first season in charge of the club in 2016/17.

Rodgers and his men fancy their chances big time. The defending champions are three points ahead with three games to play and five goals better off than their rivals. It's a wonderful situation that Rodgers' team have manoeuvred themselves into. Some 60,000 partisan fans will cram into the gladiatorial amphitheatre in G40 that juts out of the skyline. Celtic and Rodgers expect. What makes Celtic Park so special? It's the rarified atmosphere of Celtic Park on such occasions that borders on mythical. There are few better places on planet football than Celtic Park when their supporters are in full cry.

They'll be in full cry for this one, you best believe it. Philippe Clement and his side will not have experienced anything like it in their careers to date. Hostile - you best believe it. Celtic Park will positively shake to its rafters.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Sky Sports cameras will find out for themselves the true essence and meaning of the late but great Celtic legend Tommy Burns words when he uttered the infamous phrase: "When you put on the Celtic jersey you’re not playing for a football team, you’re playing for a community and a cause.”

Millions watching around the world will know what it is like to see a football team and fanatical support give their all for a community and a cause. It was what got Celtc over the line in the championship decider in 1979. It helped them lay down the hugest of markers in 2000. It re-established Celtic as the dominant force in the country after the lame attempt at 10-in-a-row in 2022. Hero and legendary status now await Rodgers and the class of 2024.

READ MORE: Inside the night 10 men won the league for Celtic

Back in 1979, the manner of the title win is burned in the memory and lives in the hearts and minds of those who were lucky to witness the event. Billy McNeill's men needed to beat Rangers to be crowned champions. They did that and created a special Celtic moment in the process. If you know your history and all that.

Celtic trailed to an Alex MacDonald goal after nine minutes before Johnny Doyle was sent off for kicking out at the Rangers midfielder six minutes after the restart. Spurred on by Roy Aitken, he levelled for the ten men after 66 minutes. Incredibly George McCluskey fired them ahead on 74 minutes only for the joy to be short-lived as Bobby Russell hammered the ball low through a ruck of players and into the net to make it 2-2.

Amazingly Celtic went 3-2 ahead on 85 minutes when Colin Jackson diverted into his own net and Murdo MacLeod put the seal on a miraculous win with a screamer on full-time that was to become his career trademark. To the refrain of 'Boney Ms' famous hit 'Brown Girl In The Ring' - the chant 'Ten Men Won The League' was born.

McNeill hailed it as his 'greatest Celtic experience ever'. That's saying something considering he was the first British skipper to lift the European Cup back in 1967. Speaking to the Celtic Way in May 2022, Andy Lynch said this: "It's hard to explain what the atmosphere was like. I never experienced anything like it. Ask any Celtic fan who was there and they will tell you it ranks as number one in terms of atmosphere.

"When we were trying to get back into the game it was as if the crowd just sucked the ball into the net. I kid you not, when we went down to 10 men after Doyley got sent off the Celtic fans just started roaring. They just knew what to do. They came into their own even when we went down to 10 men.

“They built it up into a crescendo and I have never witnessed, heard or experienced anything like that in my life. They guided the players over the line to the title that night. It had to be seen to be believed. The supporters just refused to give up on the team that night. They were always going to see us over the line. We were going to win that title no matter what.

"There have been some magical and wonderful special moments in Celtic's history but the '10 men won the league' night will live with me and that squad of players forever. There is just something really special about it. It’s mystical."

There's that word again - mystical. Fast forward to 2000 and Celtic 6-2 crushing of Rangers has entered the Scottish football lexicon as 'The Demolition Derby'. Martin O'Neill's first taste of the Glasgow Derby has gone down in folklore.

It was the day the balance of power shifted from Govan to the east end of Glasgow. A red, white and blue empire was toppled and another green and white one rose to take its place. The previous season’s Scottish Premier League title was owned by a Rangers team which won the title by a landslide 21 points. O'Neill had cleverly labelled Rangers 'the benchmark' going into this clash.

Could O'Neill's side land an early psychological blow? Ooft! The hosts were 3-0 up and cruising inside 11 minutes courtesy of strikes from Chris Sutton, Stiliyan Petrov and Paul Lambert. Claudio Reyna pulled one back for the visitors before Henrik Larsson hit a goal of stunning beauty when he skinned Bert Konterman and nonchalantly planted a delicate lob over Rangers goalkeeper Stefan Klos to make it 4-1.

It was a goal for the ages during a performance of the same vein. Billy Dodds pulled one back from the penalty spot before Larsson and Sutton hit doubles to make the scoreline as emphatic as it gets. The victory signalled a Celtic rebirth under O'Neill. The crowd played their part in driving Celtic over the line again.

Referee Stuart Dougal said: “I’ve never heard noise like it in my life. Some engineer might tell me it isn’t possible but it felt like the stadium was moving. It was a massive, massive outpouring after years of Rangers having the upper hand.” Before the game former Celtic winger Davie Provan opined: “Rangers have had Celtic in a psychological armlock over the last decade." The incredible 'Demolition Derby' victory in 2000 finally freed Celtic from Rangers clutches.

As O'Neill duly noted: “At the end of it all and I am not patronising – Rangers are still the benchmark and are a top-class side. We couldn’t have dreamed of a better start. We could play for another 100 years and not get a start like that again." The Celtic fans will still be talking about this match in 100 years and beyond.

READ MORE: Celtic's epic 6-2 win over Rangers revisited in stunning documentary podcast

Whilst the older generation have 1979 and 2000 to look back on with pride what about the younger generation? Their landmark derby clash occurred two seasons ago under Australian Ange Postecoglou. 60,000 fans once again packed into Celtic Park and just like this Saturday, there will be no visiting support.

They were treated to an exhibition of 'Angeball' in all its refineries. A kind of rip-roaring, free-scoring, never-boring Glasgow Celtic. The men in green and white ripped into their rivals with gusto as a double by Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate and a counter by Liel Abada had the match done and dusted at 3-0 by the interval.

Celtic hit the top of the league on that fateful night in February 2022 and never looked back as they were crowned champions by the end of the campaign as the Aussie landed a Scottish Premiership title and Scottish League Cup double. It was also the night Postecoglou uttered these words that will reverberate for the ages: Postecoglou said: "This is the reason you’re involved in football and I relished the opportunity to take over this football club because you want to be involved in the big games with the big crowds and consequences. It's the kind of team we want to be.

“We had 60,000 in here. I’m sure a lot walked in with some problems in their lives and for these 95 minutes we made them forget that and feel good – and that’s something special." It was something special indeed.

READ MORE: Reo Hatate youth coach salutes Celtic transfer as he heralds Rangers goals that will 'live forever'

Now can Rodgers finish off the job he started last June? Just like Postecoglou's version of Celtic last week was the kind of team that Rodgers finally wanted his team to be. He has had injuries and disruptions through the season but has stoically got on with the job in hand. Celtic are determined not to let this opportunity pass them by. That was evident in the win over Hearts with Celtic's pressing, running off the ball and working as a team. As Rodgers said: "It is not a choice. It's an obligation."

The Celtic fans can roll the clock back and have both the older and younger generations harking back to the halcyon days of 1979, 2000 and 2022. In those three generational games, it was the Celtic faithful who guided their heroes over the line. Rodgers knows how important their backing will be this weekend. He said: "I think the crowd for the Hearts game were brilliant for us.

"I mentioned it before the game about their importance at this stage of the season and really getting behind the football aspect of the club and the team. That emotion rolled down out of the stand right onto the pitch. You see what it gives the players and how they respond to that. We’ll need exactly the same at the weekend and I know we’ll get that because the supporters are happy with what they’re seeing now in the team and we have to play our part in that."

Celtic and Rodgers are ready to be the best version of the team that he's had since he was reappointed for a second Paradise stint last June. If the Celtic fans bring their full singing voices then a memorable sporting occasion for the ages awaits. Celtic are about to enter two weeks of football heaven or hell.  Just as McNeill did in 1979, O'Neill did in 2000 and Postecoglou did in 2022. All three got the finest tune out of their players and their golden performance saw the season laced with the most important piece of Scottish football silverware - the title.