SPL CHAMPIONS 2011-12 Manager delighted to break down individual and collective barriers worthiest of winners Lennon savours moment as his team earn their dues for victory

Forget any talk of tainted or devalued titles. Neil Lennon's side have crossed the finishing line having won more games than any other club in the league, drawn fewer and lost fewer, scoring the most goals and conceding the least.

That is the very definition of champions, and the emphatic manner of their 6-0 victory at Kilmarnock, which ended their four-year wait to regain the mantle of best in the country, merely served to underline their bona fide credentials.

Lennon spoke humbly of validation, vindication, of the end of his probation period as manager, and of the right to step out from the shadows of such luminaries as Jock Stein, Billy McNeill, Davie Hay, Wim Jansen, Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan.

The last two men on that list acted as long-distance mentors to him through his first two years in charge. But none of his predecessors had to overcome what Lennon has to be able to claim: I am a cham- pionship-winning manager.

Which makes this achievement all the more praiseworthy, and leaves those who would attempt to use Rangers' self-inflicted problems as a reason to undermine it as dwelling somewhere south of petty and churlish.

The journey to the title has had as many highs and lows as it has had twists and turns. But now, from the summit of the SPL, Lennon can enjoy the view.

What he sees is the value of not having had anything handed to this squad on a plate, which, he believes will stand them in good stead to push on and climb even higher.

All of this from a starting point which was as low as the club has been for decades, following the horror 10 months spent under Tony Mowbray.

Lennon was charged with picking the club up by the bootstraps, giving it a severe shake, rebuilding the squad and their confidence and bringing the thunder back to Paradise.

Now, to understand where he might be able to go with this group of players, Lennon acknowledges how important it is to remember where they have been.

That includes some pretty dark places over the course of this journey, and he reflected: "Last season, while it was a huge disappointment to lose the league, it was a nice surprise for me (to get so close) because we had finished so far back the year before.

"Then, all of a sudden, we found a nice blend of youth and quality that has lit the place up for two years. Saturday epitomised the football they have played for the last two seasons.

"When they are like that, they are unplayable at this level – and they would give teams in England and Europe a helluva game on that performance."

It was certainly in marked contrast to the manner in which Celtic allowed the trophy to slip from their grasp at Inverness last May.

Lennon's job from that moment on was to convince them they were strong enough to see the job through, and he revealed he was always sure he had the necessary raw materials to do this.

"There was a belief and a hunger there to go one better," he said. "Everyone was saying, 'Oh, you had it in your hands', but, it wasn't to be, for whatever reason. But this year they made an emphatic return, and made sure there were no mistakes this time."

Not that Lennon has glossed over the early-season results and performances which put him and his players under intense scrutiny.

The October day they came in at half-time trailing Killie by three goals was the nadir, and the fightback after a stirring interval talk from the shell-shocked manager is classed as the turning point.

But Lennon believes the point taken from the 3-3 draw was only the first step on the long road to recovery.

"We beat Hibs in the League Cup quarter-final, but then drew 0-0 with them at home in the league," he said. "So, we were not completely out of the woods, even after the Kilmarnock game.

"I think winning at Motherwell was the trigger point for going on the run of winning games. I just felt you could see it in their performance that day. It was tough football when Motherwell were going well, and they were under immense pressure, as we all were.

"But they handled the game – particularly in the second half – very well, and I felt we were starting to look more like ourselves. We didn't play great football that day, but they had to fight, they had to be physical, they had to grind it out, and they did. After that, we never really looked back."

Ironically, it all came together back at Rugby Park, and against the side who had already denied Celtic their chance of a historic Treble by winning the League Cup Final three weeks earlier.

While the six goals were shared on Celtic's last visit to Killie, they were all scored by the visitors this time.

The inspirational Charlie Mulgrew got them going with the first of his two, Glenn Loovens choosing his moment to get on the scoresheet for the first time this season, Gary Hooper ending his mini-drought with a brace and Joe Ledley capping an excellent afternoon's work with his neatly-taken effort.

All of this against a keeper, Cammy Bell, who refused to let even one go past him when he last faced up to the Hoops, at Hampden.

It encapsulated perfectly what a fickle game this can be. However, nothing should detract from the worthiness of Celtic to be crowned champions, and the concern for the rest must be that, with an average age of just over 23, the best has yet to come from Lennon's hungry side.

"It's the greatest thing I have ever done," said the manager of his role in restoring the Hoops to top spot. "It's not easy winning games. Winning championships is even harder.

"But we've done it emphatic- ally, with good consistency and a bit of style which pleases me more than anything because it's befitting of the teams that have gone before."