Top 100 Appearances for Celtic

If Jota stays fit and until the end of his contract he will reach top 40 on the list possibly top 30

 

So does this mean officially these players don’t have those competitive appearances now?

 

If going by Celtic own website and to tv then no
It would mean I would have to go through the book again for every player on the list that played in Glasgow cup before 1990 and remove those appearances from their total and that includes big Cesar.
Actually out of the list only 14 players wouldn’t change the appearances but all others would have to be changed and some might not even be on the list.
Might give myself something to do and check all the records and do a separate list with Glasgow cup removed.

Just for Cesar alone removes 20 appearances but he would still be top of the list

 

What’s the reason for it not being classed as an official tournament anymore? Is there any other equivalent cups/tournaments that that has happened with? Seems strange to just have it wiped officially like you say if the club and media are reporting so

 

I think because it changed to allow reserve teams to compete instead of first team players

 

Prior to 1989 it was competed for by the senior teams, which is why up until that point I believe that they count. Doesn't mean that a full strength team was always put out, however, but the clubs were eligible to do so.

Since then however, it became an U/age competition, initially for U/19s and later U/17s. It has changed again in recent years, with it still being U/age for Celtic & Sevco (U/21 = 2 first team are potentially available but rarely used), but the senior teams from Clyde, Partick & Queen's Park are eligible (+ trialists).

So the only time a first team player might feature is like if they've had a long, long lay off from injury might get a run out just to help get a game into their legs. Pretty sure I remember Christopher Julien playing one of these a few years ago after he had that long, long layoff, but it doesnt count as a senior appearance. They fact that the other 3 clubs are allowe d the use of trialists also kind of highlights the status of the competition.

Even at its height, it was mostly a way to squeeze in another Celtic v R****** game (or 2) per season at a time when they would only play twice a season in the league, and once that changed, there are seasons when the Cup was not even played out to it's conclusion - ie, might play some games and then be abandoned, etc.

 

Alec McNair's tally of 718 in an era where there was no League Cup, no European football and the Scottish Cup was suspended for the duration of the WWI, is a case in point. And also all starts for all of that either, as there was no subs.

Then again, he was a part of the first team for 21 seasons to accumulate so many appearances, and by the end of his career was playing alongside some team mates that were not even born when he debuted!

 

Alec McNairs tally of 718 would be reduced by 135 games to 583

 

How can you take away games that he didn't play because they didn't exist? There was no European football or League Cup and the Scottish Cup was suspended for the duration of WWI, so not entirely sure how 718 taking away games that did not exist brings the tally to 583?

And the Glasgow Cup in those days was a senior competition that expecially at a time when the League only saw each tem play each other twice, once each home and away, which by definition meant 2 Glasgow derbies per season, was a way to, in all practically, ensure there were more than those 2 plus the much less certain possible or reliable Scottish Cup tie.

So if anything it should be 718 plus however many theoretical European, League Cup and Scottish Cup games that were there for later generations of players.

 

I know all that and agree with you, Taz but on wiki only League, SC and LC were counted hence the 583 but I will not be changing the total from what’s already there. So 718 is the total I will stick with