DAVE KING has played down the significance of Celtic’s title wins — insisting they are ‘meaningless’ without Rangers.
Earlier this month the Hoops clinched five-in-a-row.
But Ibrox supremo King reckons that only amounts to ONE-in-a-row because Gers weren’t in the league.
He said: “The rivalry of the Old Firm has been intense for over a century as each team has vied to dominate the other one.
“The legendary nine-in-a-row teams are testimony to what this means to each club’s history and to the respective fans, even though many were not even living at the time of Celtic’s nine-in-a-row success.
“The nine-in-a-row concept is meaningless unless both clubs are competing against each other.
“Even though Celtic have won the last five titles it is still only one-in-a-row in terms of our rivalry — and that is what truly counts for both sets of supporters.
“I interact with enough Celtic supporters on my visits to Glasgow to know how much they have missed competing with Rangers.
“Celtic fans have missed that competition as much as we have.”
All that is set to change next season after Gers secured a triumphant return to the top-flight after four years away.
King, back in Glasgow for today’s Scottish Cup Final against Hibs, insists Gers’ re-emergence is a welcome boost for the whole of Scottish football. Neil Lennon won the first of his Premiership titles when Gers were in the top flight in 2011/12, then won two more as Ally McCoist’s side toiled in Leagues One and Two.