I STILL remember the build-up to our Treble-clinching Scottish Cup final victory in 2003; out on the Sunday night, then Monday night and Tuesday night, too. I’m sure Celtic’s preparations will have been a bit different this week as they look to complete their own domestic clean sweep.

By the third night out in a rowsome of the foreign guys in the Rangers team like Stefan Klos and Lorenzo Amoruso were starting to get a bit worried by the fact we were out partying when we still had the cup final to come. I think it was just the sheer relief of it all. 

We only clinched the title that Sunday in what became a final-day shoot-out over Celtic, and the celebrations were a release of all that stress and tension that had been building up for months. 

Read more: 'Rangers faced Bayern Munich with patchwork team in 1967 cup final'

Luckily on a scorching hot day at Hampden, big Amo popped up with the winning goal against Dundee as we ended a great season in style.
It’s expected to be warm weather again tomorrow as Celtic go for their first Treble for 16 years but those are perhaps the only factors in common with 2003.

They, of course, wrapped up the title weeks ago, the only pressure hanging over them ahead of Sunday’s final league game centring on whether they could go through the whole campaign undefeated. 
And they did that convincingly.

There may be some people who will say that Celtic have faced no real domestic competition this season,but to highlight that would be to unfairly detract from what has been a phenomenal achievement by Brendan Rodgers and his players. 

To retain the levels of focus and commitment required to not slip up at any point is hugely impressive. Even in the games where they were in a bit of bother – away to Motherwell andSt Johnstone especially – they dug deep to find a way to win both games.

Now it is Aberdeen who face the unenviable task of trying to trip Celtic up right on the finishing line. 

Derek McInnes is one of the shrewdest managers in the Scottish game but even he must be wondering just how you beat a side that doesn’t know what it means to lose.

Read more: 'Rangers faced Bayern Munich with patchwork team in 1967 cup final'

Does he decide to have a go right from the start, keep Adam Rooney, Jonny Hayes, Niall McGinn and Kenny McLean high up the pitch and try to gain an early lead? That might work as they have the attacking players who can do that and get them that advantage. But it could also leave Aberdeen exposed at the back. 

I don’t think their defence is good enough to shut Celtic out, so it’s whether they can restrict them to just the one goal and try to stay in the game as long as they can, maybe look to nick something themselves when chances crop up.

Aberdeen performed well in the latter stages of the recent league game between the sides at Pittodrie but they were three goals down by that point, so I don’t think they can take too many plaudits from that. Celtic had the match won before Aberdeen even started playing. They can’t afford to do that at Hampden tomorrow.

They were criticised for trying to play a containing game in the League Cup final, as that didn’t work either. They didn’t offer much going forward, were criticised by their supporters for not really having a go, and still lost 3-0.

So it might be about trying to strike the balance between being pragmatic while not being afraid to commit men forward at the appropriate times. And against this Celtic team, who look capable of scoring with every attack, that won’t be easy. Aberdeen need to try stay in contention for as long as possible, frustrate Celtic as much as they can and hope to nick a goal.

Read more: 'Rangers faced Bayern Munich with patchwork team in 1967 cup final'

Aberdeen have done brilliantly just to reach both finals this season so I don’t think another defeat, as long as it doesn’t get embarrassing, will detract from those achievements. But they won’t go into the game with that mindset. They’ll be confident within their camp that they can cause an upset and they’ll be desperate to go there and win it for their supporters.

What a fillip it would be for Aberdeen moving forward if they could become the first domestic side to beat Celtic this season, while lifting the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1990. 

But they will need all their players operating at the top of their game – and for Celtic to have four or five below their usual standards – for that to happen.

Celtic, though, will be overwhelming favourites and I expect them to win the final. And that would give them some platform heading into next season. I don’t think they will go undefeated again but it wouldn’t surprise me were they to sweep the lot once more. 

A double-Treble would be unprecedented but this is what Rodgers’ side are capable of.