Soccer: Plenty of incentives for Celtic

Celtic are on course to smash two records as well as lifting the Scottish Premier League title in the quickest time in 26 years.

They are set to rack up the highest points total ever for a Scottish side - and could even join an elite number of British sides who have topped the ton.

Martin O’Neill’s all-conquering side go into tomorrow’s home title clincher with St Mirren on 85 points from 32 games.

A win against the Paisley side, who have not won away all season, will see the trophy won in front of 60,000 ecstatic fans.

But it will also set the Hoops up for a record-breaking joust on Saturday April 21, the next time they are in league action.

Their opponents in the first game after the now-redundant league split are still to be confirmed. But if Celtic win - and provided the Buddies have already been despatched tomorrow - it will take them to 91 points.

That is one more than Rangers managed last season, which was one more than the previous record held by Hibernian in the First Division in 1998-99.

Celtic can go on to amass 103 points if they win all their remaining six games, one of which is a trip to Ibrox on Saturday April 29.

They could lose that one as heavily as they did in November, when they went down 5-1, and still make it to the ton.

This will be only the seventh season that 100 points has been possible north of the border.

From 1994, when three points for a win was brought in, 108 points were up for grabs. This season, which stretches over 38 games, gives a maximum potential of 114 points.

Four English sides have topped the ton, but not at the highest level.

Sunderland hold the record with 105 points from their 1998-99 First Division campaign, while in the Second Division that year Kevin Keegan’s Fulham finished on 101.

The other two century-makers are Swindon (102, Fourth Division 1985-86) and York (101, Fourth Division 1983-84).

If Celtic win the title tomorrow it will be the quickest wrapping up of a title race since Rangers won on March 29 in 1975.