For years, all anyone heard from Rangers and their supporters was talk of “winning 55″—even though the debate over the club’s history following liquidation continues.
From private number plates to tattoos and social media usernames, the obsession was everywhere, it was all quite strange.
Now, with Celtic officially surpassing Rangers in total trophies won, the Hoops are also closing in on their own 55th league title. But according to Celtic legend Peter Grant, there won’t be any fanfare over the number—because at Celtic, success is simply expected.
When asked if Celtic’s 55th title would be extra sweet, Grant played it down, insisting that the club has never been about counting numbers—only winning the next one. He told RecordSport:
“What makes it sweeter for me is the fact that we never count them. We never put a figure to them. At Celtic, you’re supposed to win every one. I couldn’t tell you how many Celtic have won because it was only about winning the next one. That was always the case with Celtic. That’s maybe the difference and probably why Celtic have been so successful. It’s all about what you do now, it’s not about yesteryear, they are great for the history books.
“But the pressure that goes with Celtic is you’ve got to go and do it again. You’ve got to constantly win trophies and cups. I think that’s why Celtic never ever talked about 53, 54 or 55. It doesn’t matter. It’s about winning the next one. Everyone else can tell you what number it is. That’s what we were built on. It was about being successful all the time, not just putting a figure to it.”
Of course, while Celtic fans might not dwell on it, plenty will enjoy the irony of watching Rangers fans squirm when the Hoops hit 55—especially those with personalised plates and tattoos marking their own version of the number.
I imagine the Facebook marketplace will have an influx of car reggies for sale, and tattoo shops will receive a few extra bookings, all while Celtic fans are out celebrating in the Merchant City for the fourth year in a row before focus returns to next season.
