Celtic demolish 40-year-old record with 24th consecutive league win
Chris Sutton and Stanislav Varga both celebrated with doubles as Celtic stretched their run to an incredible 24 games to beat the Greenock side's milestone in 1963/64 and maintain their 13-point lead over Rangers in the championship race.
Joint-player-manager Gerry Britton gave Partick a consolation, but the result all but killed off hopes of catching Aberdeen and fighting off relegation to the First Division.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill believed his side's name would remain in the record books for some time to come.
"I'm delighted to have broken the record and I'm sure it will stand for a few years because it is a big achievement.
"We are definitely a good 13 points better than a normal season and that is unbelievable credit to the team."
Thistle player-boss Derek Whyte added: "It didn't work for us.
"I thought we respected them too much. We stood back and admired Celtic and if you let good players do that they will destroy you."
Celtic midfielder Alan Thompson has insisted that winning another title will mean more to him that being part of a record-breaking team. He insisted that the exceptional statistic was not as important as adding another championship medal to his collection.
"Records are nice when they come along," said Thompson, "but they are not what you set out to achieve you set out to win leagues. That was our aim at the start of the season and what we are striving for now. I think the full squad deserves credit.
"People have come in and done jobs and we have thoroughly deserved our lead. Hopefully, we can keep it."
Thompson had been widely tipped for a call-up to the England squad for last week's friendly in Portugal but, in the end, was not named. It is understood, however, that the left-footer is still in Sven-Goran Eriksson's thoughts. He said: "I was disappointed. I thought I had half a sniff, but it didn't happen. It is up to me to get on with it now.
"It's up to him if he watches me on Thursday, it's not my decision. I just want to get on with my football at Celtic.
"It is a great club to play for and, if the England thing doesn't come, I will put my disappointment behind me and get on with the job here."
Scotland had been keen to recruit him by using new FIFA rules, but Thompson ruled out such a move. "I have already said that, if I had any Scottish blood in me it would have made the decision easier, but, because I haven't, it makes it very difficult to say yes."
Arthur, Billy Gibson, Ian Ross, Madaschi, Murray, Milne, McBride (Cadete 65), Mitchell (Andy Gibson 53), Rowson, Britton (Bonnes 78), Grady.
Douglas, Kennedy, Varga, Balde, McNamara, Petrov, Lennon (Lambert 84), Pearson (Maloney 75), Thompson, Larsson, Sutton (Sylla 83).
K Clark (Scotland).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
