BRENDAN Rodgers admitted he could never have imagined making British football history with Celtic after guiding the team to a run of 63 games unbeaten domestically yesterday.
The Parkhead club surpassed their own 100-year record of 62 games with a rousing 4-0 victory over St Johnstone to break new ground under the Northern Irishman.
It is a run which stretches all the way back to May 2016 and adds to a domestic treble already earned by Rodgers, who declared it a "very special day" as his team reached that milestone.
“On behalf of everyone at the club and as the manager, I just said ‘thank you’ to the players," he said “For everyone involved, Celtic supporters and all the staff, it was a really special day.
“We have broken a century-old British record that was held by Celtic – and that is no mean feat in modern sport and football especially. The players have had to face everything – going behind in games and playing in big semi-finals and finals.
“We have been tired in games, they have played on different surfaces. Everything has been thrown at them. But they have set a mentality and standard every day in training and really taken that on to the pitch. It was a proud day for everyone involved at Celtic."
He added: “Could I imagine us going 63 unbeaten games at the start? Not really. It was something I never really thought about – it was always the next game. That’s my motto as football is a very difficult game to forecast.
“But today was my 400th game as a manager and I’ve learned to just focus on my next game. That’s what we do. The players are in that mindset as well but you could never have said coming in here that we would do this.
“Going back to that team Willie Maley had, people of my age will be aware of guys like Patsy Gallacher. That was a great team with great players, who achieved so much.
“For us to go beyond them and make it 63 games unbeaten is a special feeling. I could never have imagined that."
Goals from Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele, a Steven Anderson own goal and a late strike from Olivier Ntcham kept the run going and Celtic top of the SPFL Premiership.
“Our quality came through," Rodgers said. “The three points was important as going into the first international break, we weren’t first. We were second and I didn’t like looking at the table for two weeks. It was important that we won and it was important to play with a speed and intensity in the game. I congratulated them on that and achieving what they have done."
For St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright, it was another tough day at the coal face.
This was St Johnstone's sixth game without a win and comes on the back of rumours linking the Northern Irishman to the vacant post at Dundee United. Dismissing the link, he was clear he had work still to do in Perth.
"I can't be too critical of the players I thought they gave everything," said Wright. "We have to put it in perspective how good they are and how much quality they have in their squad. They made it a real tough afternoon.
"We still have 15 points so you try and be positive.
"The only people that can help them are me, the staff and the rest of the players. We're in a technical run, we've had them before but I believe the squad is good enough."
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