Old rivalries burned just as fiercely as ever on Sunday night at Braehead Arena, where Celtic produced a stunning turnaround to defeat Rangers 5-4 in the final of the revived Tennent's Sixes, a tournament featuring retired players from across Scotland's 12 Premiership clubs.
The victory carried extra sweetness given what had happened just a day earlier. In Saturday's group stage, Rangers had thrashed their Glasgow rivals 7-1, a result that left the Celtic camp stinging. Despite the format being a six-a-side exhibition tournament bringing back former stars rather than current first-team players, the competitive fire between the two clubs showed no sign of dimming.
The SPFL's decision to resurrect the tournament, which originally ran from 1984 to 1993 featuring active first-team squads, clearly struck a chord with those involved. Both the performances and the emotions afterward resembled a genuine title decider rather than a veterans' showcase.
Celtic's Charlie Mulgrew was at the center of the post-match drama, admitting he let his emotions get the better of him in the celebrations. The former defender bypassed a handshake offer from Rangers captain Andy Halliday, instead turning to salute the celebrating Celtic supporters, and was seen having a heated exchange with Rangers manager Barry Ferguson.
Speaking to Premier Sports once he had settled down somewhat, the 40-year-old Mulgrew explained the intensity of the occasion. "A lot of adrenaline was flowing, a few nasty tackles," he said. "I mean, I know it was the Tennent's Sixes, but you get caught up in the moment. You don't like to get beat from Rangers, our closest rivals, 7-1, so that hurt."
Mulgrew revealed that the squad used the sting of Saturday's defeat as motivation, regrouping that evening before the final. "We had a few beers, a wee chat, a wee night out, so we managed to turn it around. We got a few things ironed out, although I was a wee bit rough in the morning," he admitted.
Reflecting on the significance of the win, he added: "It feels like I've won an actual, real cup. It's mental. I got a bit carried away at the end there but it builds up. There was a lot of emotion in that. Sometimes that's what happens, it spills over."
Mulgrew also described a flashpoint during the final itself, admitting he was needled after being nutmegged more than once by Rangers' Martyn Waghorn. "I got nutmegged a couple of times by Waghorn, and exchanged words with him, then that was me, I was just fired up and fired into a few tackles. In the end, because we had that spirit, we won," he said.
On the Rangers side, the mood was considerably darker. Footage circulating on social media appeared to show defender Kirk Broadfoot delivering a pointed critique of goalkeeper Lee Robinson during a tense post-match inquest in the dressing room.
For Celtic, the celebrations extended beyond the players to the coaching staff. Manager Tom Boyd acknowledged he had been frustrated with his team following Saturday's heavy loss, saying the eventual triumph in the final "feels like winning the league."
His assistant Simon Donnelly echoed the sentiment, conceding that the group-stage defeat had left everyone connected with Celtic feeling embarrassed. Speaking to Celtic Player after the final whistle, Donnelly summed up the enduring intensity of the rivalry: "It's against Rangers, so it's as if it's a Scottish Cup final there. That's the feeling. You could play Rangers at tiddlywinks and you'd still want to win."
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.