Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney thinks that a league title this season could top the Invincible campaign.
The Hoops have struggled right from the start, with supporters unhappy with the team's form. A bad beginning resulted in Brendan Rodgers resigning from his role as head coach, replaced by Martin O'Neill, who steadied the ship. Wilfried Nancy took over for 33 days before being sacked from the job, with O'Neill coming back in the role until the end of the season.
Now, the manager has managed to put Celtic firmly back in the title race. A win in our game in hand would mean that the Celts are only three points away from the top spot, with a game against Hearts still to come after the split.
And Tierney thinks that Celtic managing to pull this back would top the 2016/17 campaign. Speaking before the Kilmarnock game, he said:
"For me, it would be the top. I think everybody can see that it’s not been plain sailing, so if we come through that and if we do win a title, then for me it would be the best.
Obviously, when I won my first title, it was amazing, and the first treble is brilliant as well, but I think this one would be the hardest-fought one. This one, you know it’s going to go to the end."
Tierney also spoke about how important it is for unity among the fans ahead of this intense run-in:
"I think for all we’ve been through this season, the team has never been more together, and I think that shows great character and that we’re not giving up the fight.
There was a banner on Wednesday night that we’ll fight until the end, and I think that’s the message that every supporter would give the players if they could speak to them.
I have known [the ultras] for years, going to the games and that when I was younger, that’s kind of what I love to do when I went, try and create an atmosphere as well.
I would love the atmosphere to be the best it can be because the run-in’s going to be tough and you know yourself how the atmosphere can be at Celtic Park and how much it can help us, so yeah, I would look forward to [the Green Brigade coming back]. It means a lot, and you see them when they go to the games, they make noise.
All the kids that go in, you see how much it makes their day and their weeks. When I got asked to do it, of course I would do it because it’s great and I’m looking forward to working with them closer in these next few years."
Can Celtic win the league?
This is an intense fixture period for the Celts, but supporters are still hopeful that O'Neill's side can go on and win the title.
Hearts have been in fine form, but Celtic are fighting their way back in. With Rangers dropping points to Motherwell thanks to a late Stephen Welsh goal, the Hoops now have the perfect opportunity to win their game in hand against Aberdeen and put themselves firmly in second place.
With matches against Rangers and Hearts still to come, we could even take the top spot with some games to go. If the league leaders drop points before we play them, that puts Celtic in an even better position.
The players are hopeful, so it's time for everyone to get behind them. Let's hope that the Green Brigade ban can be lifted so that the stadium can be jumping once again.