Celtic started season 2004–05 looking to win the Scottish Premier League trophy and retain the Scottish Cup. They also competed in the Scottish League Cup and entered the Champions League at the group stage.

In the race for the SPL title, Celtic recorded a win over city rivals Rangers. However, as the season drew to a close, with Rangers closely following, the club extended their lead at the top of the SPL table to two points as they lined up for the final game of the season. A win at Motherwell was required to seal the title.

With two minutes remaining on the clock, Celtic were leading 1–0, a result which would have handed them the league. However, Motherwell's Scott McDonald (who later signed for Celtic) netted two last-minute goals. Rangers defeated Hibernian 1–0 at Easter Road, thereby winning the league championship title and leaving Celtic in second position. Celtic ended the season one week later with a 1–0 win over Dundee United in the Scottish Cup Final, which was marked by fans as Martin O'Neill's final match as manager.

On 25 May 2005, O'Neill announced he would resign as manager of Celtic at the end of 2004–05 season along with first team coach Steve Walford and assistant manager John Robertson. It was widely reported that O'Neill decided to take time out of football in order to care for his ailing wife, who was ill with lymphoma.

Competitions All results (home and away) list Celtic's goal tally first.

DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionCeltic scorers18 July 2004Craven Cottage Fulham2–0Friendly Hartson, Lennon (pen.)24 July 2004Qwest Field Chelsea2–4ChampionsWorld SeriesBeattie (2)27 July 2004Rentschler Field Liverpool1–5ChampionsWorld SeriesBeattie (pen.)29 July 2004Lincoln Financial Field Manchester United2–1ChampionsWorld SeriesSutton (pen.), Beattie1 August 2004SkyDome Roma0–1ChampionsWorld Series4 August 2004Celtic Park Newcastle United2–1Friendly Sylla, Camara8 August 2004Celtic ParkMotherwell2–0SPLMcNamara, Sutton10 August 2004Celtic Park Tottenham2–0Friendly Beattie, Camara14 August 2004Rugby ParkKilmarnock4–2SPLHartson (2), Thompson (2)22 August 2004Pittodrie StadiumInverness CT3–1SPLHartson (2), Petrov29 August 2004Celtic ParkRangers1–0SPLThompson11 September 2004Celtic ParkDundee3–0SPLCamara (2), Hartson14 September 2004Celtic Park Barcelona1–3UCLSutton19 September 2004Easter RoadHibernian2–2SPLCamara, Hartson21 September 2004Celtic ParkFalkirk8–1SLCSylla, Wallace (3), Lambert, McManus, McGeady25 September 2004Celtic ParkDunfermline Athletic3–0SPLCamara (2), Varga29 September 2004San Siro Milan1–3UCLVarga3 October 2004TannadiceDundee United3–0SPLSutton (2) (pen.), Petrov16 October 2004Celtic ParkHearts3–0SPLCamara, Juninho, Hartson20 October 2004Lokomotiv Stadium (Donetsk) Shakhtar Donetsk0–3UCL24 October 2004Almondvale StadiumLivingston4–2SPLPetrov, Camara, Hartson, Sutton27 October 2004Celtic ParkAberdeen2–3SPLHartson (2)30 October 2004Fir ParkMotherwell3–2SPLMcGeady, Thompson (pen.), Beattie2 November 2004Celtic Park Shakhtar Donetsk1–0UCLThompson6 November 2004Celtic ParkKilmarnock2–1SPLMcGeady, Thompson (pen.)10 November 2004Ibrox StadiumRangers1–2SLCHartson13 November 2004Celtic ParkInverness CT3–0SPLSutton, Hartson (2)20 November 2004Ibrox StadiumRangers0–2SPL24 November 2004Nou Camp Barcelona1–1UCLHartson28 November 2004Dens ParkDundee2–2SPLCamara, Hartson4 December 2004Celtic ParkHibernian2–1SPLHartson (2)7 December 2004Celtic Park Milan0–0UCL12 December 2004East End ParkDunfermline Athletic2–0SPLSutton, Petrov18 December 2004Celtic ParkDundee United1–0SPLSutton26 December 2004TynecastleHearts2–0SPLMcGeady, Petrov2 January 2005Celtic ParkLivingston2–1SPLHartson, Sutton9 January 2005Celtic ParkRangers2–1SCSutton, Hartson16 January 2005PittodrieAberdeen1–0SPLSutton22 January 2005Celtic ParkMotherwell2–0SPLSutton, Petrov30 January 2005Rugby ParkKilmarnock1–0SPLSutton (pen.)6 February 2005East End ParkDunfermline Athletic3–0SCHartson (2) Sutton20 February 2005Celtic ParkRangers0–2SPL27 February 2005Broadwood StadiumClyde5–0SCVarga (2), Thompson (pen.), Petrov, Bellamy2 March 2005Celtic ParkDundee3–0SPLPetrov, Balde (2)6 March 2005Easter RoadHibernian3–1SPLPetrov, Hartson, Bellamy12 March 2005Celtic ParkDunfermline Athletic6–0SPLHartson (2), McGeady, Petrov (2), Beattie16 March 2005Caledonian StadiumInverness CT2–0SPLBellamy, Thompson (pen.)19 March 2005TannadiceDundee United3–2SPLBellamy (3)2 April 2005Celtic ParkHearts0–2SPL10 April 2005Hampden ParkHearts2–1SCSutton, Bellamy13 April 2005Almondvale StadiumLivingston4–0SPLHartson (3) (pen.), Varga16 April 2005Celtic ParkAberdeen3–2SPLVarga, Hartson, Bellamy24 April 2005Ibrox StadiumRangers2–1SPLPetrov, Bellamy30 April 2005Celtic ParkHibernian1–3SPLBeattie8 May 2005Celtic ParkAberdeen2–0SPLHartson (2)15 May 2005TynecastleHearts2–1SPLThompson, Beattie22 May 2005Fir ParkMotherwell1–2SPLSutton28 May 2005Hampden ParkDundee United1–0SCThompson

Key: SPL = Scottish Premier League SC = Scottish Cup SLC = Scottish League Cup CLF - Champions League Group F CL = Champions League Match F = Friendly match

Squad

Player statistics

Appearances and goals

List of squad players, including number of appearances by competition

Team statistics League table

Technical staff

Transfers

In DatePlayerFromFee29 June 2004 Jacob Lensky Blackburn RoversFree30 July 2004 Henri Camara Wolverhampton Wanderers£1,500,000 (on loan)25 August 2004 Juninho MiddlesbroughFree23 December 2004 Kjartan Finnbogason KRUndisclosed23 December 2004 Teddy Bjarnason KRUndisclosed29 January 2005 Stéphane Henchoz Liverpool10Free1 February 2005 Craig Bellamy Newcastle United10Loan

Out DatePlayerToFee30 June 2004 Henrik Larsson BarcelonaFree1 July 2004 Liam Miller Manchester UnitedFree2 July 2004 Johan Mjällby LevanteFree21 July 2004 Jamie Smith ADO Den HaagFree10 November 2004 Bobby Petta Terminated contract Released8 January 2005 Kevin McBride MotherwellUndisclosed31 January 2005 Henri Camara SouthamptonEnd of loan6 April 2005 Juninho PalmeirasFree

Expenditure: £1,500,000 Income: £0 Total loss/gain: £1,500,000

See also List of Celtic F.C. seasons James McLeod was released due to long term injury, ongoing Sciatic nerve problem due to dislocating herniated disc.

References