Stiliyan Petrov, the former Celtic midfielder, has lauded the influence of Scott Sinclair on the Parkhead midfield this season.

The 27-year-old Englishman netted his 18th goal of the season during the weekend Scottish Cup win over St Mirren, a tally that eclipses Petrov’s season-best at Celtic by one goal.

In June last year as Petrov attempted to return to professional football after a four year battle with cancer he embarked on pre-season training with Aston Villa during which time Celtic and the Midlands club were embroiled in protracted negotiations to get Sinclair to Glasgow, It was to Petrov, inevitably, whom Sinclair turned as he sought the low-down on life at Celtic.

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“This summer when I was still looking to come back I did a pre-season with Aston Villa and obviously I was with Scott a lot,” explained Petrov. “We were away together and in hotels at the time when it was obvious that he was going to be moving on from Villa. There were a few clubs interested in taking him but as soon as Celtic’s interest was known, he had a load of questions for me.

“I told him right away that he would fit in at Celtic. It was a long wait for him to get the move because it took a while but I think his mind was set on Celtic early on. I told him that any player who signs for Celtic takes the club to their heart. You never leave Celtic. There is always a part of you that stays with the club because it is such an amazing experience to play for them.

“I don’t know if he believed me at the time when I told him that – but he does now. We text one another regularly and I know how much he is loving his football and loving the city. He has had a new lease of life and I am delighted to see just how well he has done. I never doubted it for a second because I could see what a great player he was. He has pace, he has vision, he has goals and he has a great attitude.”

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Different players but with similar energy, perhaps, Petrov was a typical box-to-box midfielder at Celtic while Sinclair has revelled on the flank this term. They could both share a similar accolade of being a select band of Hoops players who has been part of a domestic Treble winning campaign as Brendan Rodgers’ side effectively stand just two games away from that particular feat.

Comparisons, though, are notoriously odious and is difficult to compare the current Celtic team with that generation but what Petrov has seen is a common thread that runs through both squads.

“They want to win all the time and that is what we had,” he said. “When Martin came in he transformed us because he transformed the way we thought. That is what I see again this season at Celtic. There is a mentality that is different. It is about winning and winning a certain way and you have to applaud that.

“I would never compare players because it is not possible but you can say that the way they want to make a name for themselves is the same. There is a ruthlessness about this team and I think that is very similar to what we had.”

The detractors of the Scottish league has grown notably in size and stature since Petrov’s time of claiming a clean domestic sweep – and there were a few then – but the Bulgarian midfielder has echoed Martin O’Neill by maintaining that a strong Rangers strengthens Celtic, he nevertheless believes that Celtic deserve to take credit for the manner in which they have dominated the domestic landscape.

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This season has been reminiscent of a bingo caller’s hall at times as the long list of stats has been chronicled in the aftermath of subsequent Celtic wins. It currently stands at 34 unbeaten across all competition while a league run stretches to 22 successive victories.

And having been on both sides of the fence, Petrov was appreciative of the difficulties in establish such a passage of results.

“I am not sure it is a popular opinion or not, but I do think Celtic benefit from a strong Rangers. I think the whole of Scottish football does,” said Petrov. “But I have been at Celtic and I know what it is like to be on a run of games like this too,” he said. “I was part of the team who set a British record of winning 25 consecutive league games – and teams are desperate to beat you. Everyone wants to be the team to stop you.

“I think it is fair to say that we were up against stronger teams. Rangers were a strong team and we always had to look over our shoulder but at the same time the hardest thing you have to do in football is keep winning, keep winning.

“And in many ways when you are so far in front in the league and you know that you can afford to lose a game, then it says a lot about the philosophy and mentality of the team that they keep winning games. You cannot belittle that.”