MARC RIEPER was the very definition of a "Great Dane".
The Danish defender oozed class and was excellent in the air and possessed superb positional sense.
At his best, he was a commanding and experienced figure at the heart of the Celtic defence.
He was a huge influence on the Scottish League and League Cup double-winning campaign during Wim Jansen's inaugural season in 1997/98 which shattered Rangers' hopes of landing 10 In A Row.
Rieper formed a formidable partnership with Alan Stubbs after signing for £1.8 million from West Ham United in September 1997.
It will be 24 years since Rieper opened the scoring against Dundee United in a 3-0 League Cup win over the Tangerines at Ibrox.
Goals by Rieper, Henrik Larsson and Craig Burley put the seal on a one-sided Coca-Cola cup victory against the Tangerines in Govan.
It remains a special moment in Rieper's career as Celtic swatted everybody aside to lift the cup without conceding a solitary goal.
The 53-year-old insists the win over Dundee United was the catalyst for Celtic to go on and end Walter Smith's sides' quest for the coveted ten after some bookies had already paid out on Rangers winning the title.
Ironically this was only Celtic’s second trophy of the 1990s and Rieper is convinced to this day the League Cup victory in 1997 laid the foundation for Jansen's men to create a slice of Scottish football history.
The manner of victory gave Celtic and their supporters the belief that they could go on and knock Rangers off their lofty perch at the summit of Scottish football.
Rieper revealed how some of his Celtic teammates were even throwing up in the dressing room prior to the final as the pressure to win was so intense.
Rieper said: "The Coca-Cola cup win was a fantastic moment for all of us in that Celtic team. At that time very few people thought that Celtic could win the league. Rangers were going for 10 In A Row and Celtic were still trailing Rangers at that point.
"Getting that first trophy on the board just gave us the confidence to go on and lift the big trophy in May. Beating Dundee United in the League cup final at Ibrox was a special moment for all of us as that bonded all of the group together in a special way.
"Wim Jansen was a new manager and we had a brand new squad of players. It was an enormous task trying to displace Rangers from the top of the league. All the talk was of 10 In A Row and stuff like that. There was huge pressure on Celtic in every game that season.
"I arrived two games into the season and we had lost both of them to Hibernian and Dunfermline. The bookies had already paid out on Rangers winning the league. It was an uphill battle the whole season.
"I could see how much this particular game meant to some of my homegrown Scottish teammates as some of them were sick in the dressing room before the cup final against Dundee United. They were physically sick in terms of their nerves.
"Now I have played in some big games for Denmark and featured in World Cup finals tournaments but I had never seen anything like this in my career. Winning meant the world to some of those Celtic players and losing just wasn't an option for them.
"The League Cup was the boost that Wim's team needed to finally overhaul Rangers as it showed the players they could finally be winners. I didn't score a lot of goals in my career but the ones I did score were usually important ones and that is why I remember them all.
"I strained every sinew to get on the end of Morten Wieghorst's corner and I was just delighted to see my header hit the back of the net that day. It was a wonderful feeling."
Rieper reckons that he can see striking similarities between Jansen's first season and Ange Postecoglou's first campaign as Celtic boss.
The former Danish internationalist who earned 61 caps for his country hopes that history can repeat itself and that Ange's men can triumph at Hampden next month and then go on and lift the League title come May.
Rieper said: "There are some real similarities this season with Celtic under Ange Postecoglou and the class of 1997/98. It was a new Celtic side that came together under Wim Jansen and they took time to gel just as Ange Postecoglou's team are doing now.
"We reached the League Cup final and so have Ange's team so there is a massive comparison right away. Winning that trophy helped gel our Celtic team together and the same thing could happen for Ange and his team.
"Celtic are trailing Rangers in the league just as we were under Wim but we won the League cup and it gave everybody a huge boost and that could also happen to Ange's team next month if they can see off Hibs in the final.
"That took a massive burden off our shoulders as we knew we could succeed and Ange's team will feel the same way if they can complete the job. Winning the league is always the most important thing in any season for all the players.
"The League Cup final is a great day and a wonderful occasion. If you win the trophy it is something that can take you forward. It worked a treat for us as it helped set Celtic on their way to winning the title and hopefully the same thing will happen to Ange and his side this season."
Rieper admits that he has never known a pressure-cooker like playing for Celtic during the 1997/98 season. He confessed that his overriding emotion when Celtic finally clinched the league title on the final day of the campaign by beating St Johnstone 2-0 at Celtic Park with goals from Henrik Larsson and Harald Brattbakk was just one of sheer relief.
READ MORE: Facing Henrik Larsson: Celtic's magnificent seven as seen by the defenders he tormented
Whilst both Glasgow clubs will now have to be content with their Nine In A Row achievements for the time being he insists that he can't foresee a spell when one of Scottish football's giants will dominate the domestic game for such a lengthy spell ever again.
However, Rieper joked that he still encounters problems back home when he attempts to explain how big Celtic and Rangers are as clubs.
Rieper said: "I absolutely felt the pressure of trying to prevent Rangers from clinching the ten that season. I remember the St Johnstone game and when the final whistle went the players were just drained emotionally and physically.
"We were just relieved really. We knew we had to win the game and the pressure was so intense.
"When Harald Brattbakk scored the second goal we knew we were home and dry. Up until that moment, the season had been such an emotional rollercoaster. You could feel the tension creeping into the stands as the fans were on your back if you made a mistake.
"The Celtic fans are so passionate and you couldn't help notice that off the park they were going through exactly what the players were going through on the field. The history of 10 In A Row is well documented.
"Neither Celtic nor Rangers have managed to achieve that feat. It actually just makes the rivalry between the two Glasgow clubs even bigger. I doubt that any team will dominate for such a lengthy spell ever again.
"It should have happened last season with Celtic and Rangers will say that it should have happened in 1998 but history tells you it didn't. I don't think it will ever happen again.
"It takes a lot for a club to be as successful for so many years especially when you have a rivalry as big as it is in Glasgow. It's going to be difficult. I am not saying it will never happen but it will be very hard to achieve that.
"It was hard for me as a Danish footballer to understand the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers. They were two big clubs and I followed the Old Firm games and all that but I have still had problems explaining to people in Denmark about the size of Celtic and Rangers. I'm at pains to describe to my Danish friends what this fixture means to both sets of supporters."
Sadly Rieper's three-year stay in Paradise was blighted by injury which forced him to quit the game.
He suffered a toe injury in October 1998 which he never fully recovered from and did not make another professional appearance for Celtic before having to announce his retirement in July 2000.
Rieper said: "I was fortunate enough that I never had an injury before my toe started playing up. It was a shame that it happened but I will always remember my time at Celtic because it was so special."
A star both on and off the pitch.
As a centre-back, Marc Rieper was a class act in a Celtic jersey. His Celtic career may have been short and sweet but it was laced with silverware.
Naturally Celtic swept to League Cup final glory in 1997 without losing a goal and that was in large part down to Rieper's commanding presence at the back of the pack.
It is little wonder that when it comes to choosing an all-time XI that this Great Dane features prominently in many supporters selections.
His place in the hearts and minds of the faithful was cemented a long time ago.
Marc Rieper will be forever remembered as one of the Celtic men who stopped the ten.
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