I texted my father when Scott Brown won a bounce-up with Joey Barton.

That afternoon, Sunday, September 10, 2016, Celtic had a point to prove. Not only was this Brendan Rodgers' first experience of the Glasgow derby – the former Liverpool manager having been paraded in front of 10,000 fans on the same Celtic Park pitch several weeks earlier – it was also Rangers' first taste of the fixture upon their return to Scottish football's top-flight.

The last time the two sides met was at Hampden Park in April that year, when Mark Warburton's men overcame the Scottish champions in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup. Albeit on penalties, the best team won that afternoon much to the chagrin of the green half of the national stadium. Myself included.

And so when the sides met for the first time in league competition for over four years, every single contest counted. The score? Celtic won 5-1. Possession? 57% in the home side's favour. Shots on goal? 20 vs 9. Outspoken mouths clamped? Probably a few, but most definitely Joey Barton's.

After weeks of trolling in press conferences and on social media, he couldn't even win a bounce-up, for goodness' sake. 

Read more:

Securing the services of Rodgers was a statement move from the Celtic board that summer, but it required action on the pitch to be seen as a success. That win gave impetus to the team who'd eventually capture the unprecedented 'Invincibles' treble, extending an unbeaten domestic run into the following season totalling 69 games.

Seven from seven trophies and just one loss to Rangers in 13 matches during his first spell in the Parkhead dugout, and it was clear that success went hand-in-hand with Rodgers and his time served in Glasgow's east end.

Despite the occasional rocky patch last season, Celtic – once more under the guidance of Rodgers – ultimately finished top of the Scottish Premiership eight points clear of Rangers.

They clinched a traditional league and cup double, defeating their rivals four times over the course of the 2023/24 campaign; drawing just once in a thrilling 3-3 encounter at Ibrox that they probably should have won, given they were 2-0 up at half-time.

The 2020/21 season aside, the last few weeks of last season felt like any other year in Scotland over the last 10+ years: with Celtic on top, and with Celtic fans revelling outside of Celtic Park before wandering down to the unofficial street parties that grind Merchant City to a halt every May.

I texted my father when Todd Cantwell submitted his transfer request this month.

Cantwell, like his spiritual predecessor Barton, has made more headlines off the pitch than on it since arriving in Glasgow last January, and it seems all but certain he'll depart during this transfer window.

TikTok Todd as he's become (un)affectionately known, the 26-year-old has often seemed more interested in trolling fans on social media than performing on the pitch, and when he and Callum McGregor locked horns in the latter half of last season, there was an air of Brown vs Barton about every encounter.

Like his own spiritual predecessor, McGregor came out on top every time.

Who knows what lies ahead for the upcoming season, but there's a growing sense of confidence about this Celtic side that I don't think we've seen under Rodgers since the opening stretch of 2016/17.

If that derby win was a springboard for Celtic's success during that period, then it feels like last season as a whole could do the same for the one ahead.

Is history now repeating itself? I hope so. And I hope to fire off more petty texts to my old man in due course.