At first glance, last Sunday’s Old Firm clash was business as usual. Ibrox was packed to the gunnels, and a thunderous atmosphere pervaded the ninety minutes of unrelenting tribalism, mayhem and – naturally enough – enough controversy to provide the required antidote to the banality served up elsewhere in the SPL.
However, this particular match was anything but routine. In fact, it was an odd occasion, for a variety of reasons.
For example, the consensus of opinion was that, in truth, the outcome of the match was utterly inconsequential. The league race, after all, is effectively done and dusted, so for once the Glasgow rivals, normally steeped in a toxic mix of deadly rivalry and no little hatred, would play out a contest where nothing was at stake.
Of course as the match unfolded, it transpired that the opposite was far more the case. In the build up to the game itself, Celtic boss Neil Lennon had carried the air of a man quite relaxed about the prospect of winning the league on the turf of his club’s old rivals.
Lennon had insisted that, in the event of claiming the necessary win, there would be no gloating from him or his players – the Celtic fans, you suspect, wouldn’t have shared that particular viewpoint – and, in any case, his preference would be to win the title courtesy of a match in front of the Celtic fans, at Parkhead.
Despite these conciliatory words, it would be of little surprise to many when, from the first whistle at Ibrox, Lennon cut a more animated figure than ever, patrolling his technical area with venom in his eyes, most of which was directed towards the referee, Calum Murray.
Murray had flashed a red card following an innocuous-looking tackle by Celtic right-back Cha Du-Ri midway through the first half. An apoplectic Lennon continued to rage until the interval, during which Murray invited the Celtic boss to watch the second half from the stand.
Meanwhile, Rangers manager Ally McCoist had tried to convince us that he was not interested in preventing Celtic from winning the league on Ibrox turf. No, that hadn’t crossed McCoist’s mind one iota – he simply wanted to do well for the beleaguered Rangers fans.
Once again, actions spoke volumes during the match itself, with McCoist’s emotionally charged reaction to each Rangers goal reminding us of exactly how he felt about the win. Clearly Old Firm managers possess the ability to practice diplomacy with a verve that would make a politician blush.
Another surprise had been the pre-match odds of a Celtic win. Now, it can be acknowledged that Celtic are on the verge of claiming the league title by a country mile, and Rangers’ recent run of home form (three league defeats on the bounce) has been wretched, but for Celtic to be labelled as virtual certainties did little to understand both the desire of the Rangers players to put one over their rivals, far less comprehend the fragilities of Celtic which have resurfaced a little of late.
Ultimately, the greatest oddity was experienced at the final whistle, when fans of both sides indulged in raucous celebrations. Whilst Celtic fans will surely be disappointed with the 3-2 defeat, they will take considerable solace and joy in knowing that the league-winning party has simply been delayed.
As for Rangers fans, it would frankly be churlish to deny them their day in the sun, given the torment they have endured of late. Temporary respite it may have been for them, but milking any win against Celtic is in their blood after all, and this would be no different.
In some respects, this match served as a timely reminder of what would be lost to Scottish football were Rangers to emerge from administration the weaker for the experience. The feeling persists that even the most devoted Celtic fan would – once the gloating had subsided, of course – miss these occasions dreadfully.
Love them or loathe them (and there are plenty belonging to both camps north of the border), the game would suffer hugely without these Old Firm clashes. Meanwhile, the history books will shortly record Celtic as this season’s SPL champions, and that certain knowledge just might help Neil Lennon rest easy for a short while at least.