• Celtic - The Early Years
• Celtic between the wars
• Becalmed before the storm
• The Glory Years
• The end of the Stein era
• A last flourish
• A club divided
• Return to glory
• Moving Forward to the next level

RETURN TO GLORY

The early years of the 1990s had been a miserable time for the club, jolted by poor performances on the field and major disruption in the boardroom.

But when Fergus McCann assumed overall control of the club in 1994, the club began to move in the right direction again.

Lou Macari was an early casualty of the new regime. McCann had never hidden his disapproval for the manager and Macari was sacked in June 1994. In his place the club turned to a man who could genuinely be said to have Celtic in his blood. Tommy Burns returned (at a cost of a £100,000 fine imposed by the Scottish Football League for alledged inducement) and began to build a new team worthy of the club's famous history.

A scouting network was set up to attract the best young players, while money was provided to strengthen the current squad. Burns quickly showed his eye for talent, adding Pierre van Hooijdonk and Andreas Thom to the team, while blooding young players with great prospects for the future, including Phil O'Donnell and Simon Donnelly. Burns also emphasised the importance of the club's fans and encouraged players to attend functions organised by supporters.

Off the field the new regime set out to make Celtic Park a stadium to match the team. In August 1995 the new North Stand was opened. This did mean the club had to play at Hampden for a season, but the improved facilities certainly seemed worth the sacrifice.

In January 1995 fans were able to buy shares in the club and they responded by buying nearly £14m worth, the most successful football flotation in Britain.

The feeling that the club was returning to its proper place in Scottish football was cemented by victory in the Scottish Cup final in 1995. Pierre van Hooijdonk scored the only goal of the game against Airdrie to clinch Celtic's 30th Scottish Cup victory and, perhaps more importantly, the club's first trophy in six years. It was a much needed win, easing the previous season's League Cup final defeat by Raith Rovers.

In season 1995/96 Celtic continued to improve and although no trophies were won the progress of the Club was considerable. The season ticket base rose to 29,500 and the team finished just 4 points below Rangers to end the season in second place. For the first time since 1988 Celtic were credible contestants in the league, developing an attractive flowing style football which attracted crowds in excess of 30,000 to every home match in season 1995/96.

As the 1996/97 season began, Tommy Burns further strengthened his squad with new signings Paulo Di Canio and Alan Stubbs and there was a growing expectation that the new Celtic would become as notable team as any who have graced Celtic Park in the last 108 years.

Despite finishing second in the league, only one victory against the eventual winners Rangers would have seen Celtic champs. As well as qualifying for the Europe, reaching the quarter finals of the Coca-Cola Cup and the Semi-finals of the Scottish Cup major rebuilding work on the football pitch was also underway.

The East Stand was opened, costing around £6m, taking the stadium capacity to 50,170 seating a record 40,000 season book holders.

The season will probably be more remembered for the off-field events which saw considerable changes. Including Manager Tommy Burns, Assistant Manager Billy Stark, Directors, Willie Haughey and Dominic Keane, Paul McStay, Peter Grant, Pat Bonner, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Brian O'Neill and Chris Hay all departing the club for various reasons.