Championships are not about instant gratification. That's for cup finals. Winning a title is a feeling that lives with you in the longer term, something you can continue to savour in the days ahead.

It's in front of Celtic now. All of their players have been seeking some finality for weeks and the opportunity arrives at Rugby Park tomorrow. They have 90 minutes to win the championship. That provides far more of an incentive than they've felt in a long time and I fully expect them to go out and do it.

Kilmarnock will try their best, and let's not take anything away from Jim Jefferies and his team who have had another fantastic season.

But when it comes down to it, I think it will be that finality, that long-awaited opportunity, that will push Celtic over the line.

They won't give a monkey's about the dropped points to Rangers, Falkirk, Dundee United, and all the other little stumbles they've had. It won't mean a thing once they're home and dry. If you look at the history books, it doesn't tell you how a team did it. Just that they did.

The three title wins I had with Rangers were all in very different circumstances but there is no doubt in my mind as to which was the most special. The first one is always the best and it will be same for the clutch of Celtic players cast in that position this year.

In 1987, we went up to Pittodrie and drew 1-1, but that was enough because Celtic had lost at home to Falkirk. It was a complete surprise and the fact we didn't actually win against Aberdeen did not detract in any way from the wild celebrations afterwards.

It will always be my favourite, a memory that still makes me smile, because I had never had that feeling before. There is a special taste that comes with winning a championship and this year will always be a precious memory for the Celtic players who haven't won it before.

For those who have been through it all in the past, it will be another celebration. But I do think players can become a bit blase. Winning my third title with Rangers in 1990 was great, don't get me wrong, but it's not the same as that initial flush of success.

Also, I think the fact that Celtic haven't been pushed at all this year dilutes it a bit for them. In my first year at Rangers we were neck-and-neck with Celtic and it went to the penultimate game. There was tension, excitement, hope and expectation; everything that makes football such a thrilling sport. It becomes all the more sweet if you cross the line just ahead of your greatest rivals.

The Celtic players will say that it's great to win the championship, no matter what Rangers do. But it would be much sweeter for them if they had just pipped Rangers. That would add an extra edge to it all.

It's not their fault they have not been challenged and that's why I have sympathy with Gordon Strachan and his players for some of the criticism put in their direction recently. It was almost inevitable that they would go through a lacklustre spell if there was nothing for them to drive against. There has been little fear for Celtic to contend with.

It happens to teams all over Europe. Look at Lyon in France or even Inter Milan, who lost 3-1 to Roma in midweek.

All these teams have been so far ahead in their respective leagues that it's embarrassing. Everyone takes their foot off the gas.

No matter how hard you push yourself psychologically, it is extremely difficult to avoid. If the other teams keep losing and failing to offer a challenge, then you think "Oh, if we don't do it this week then we'll do it next week".

As a professional, you want to be pushed. You're pushed by your manager and yourself, but you also want that from the opposition. That has not been there for Celtic this term.

That's not to say that Kilmarnock will be a walkover. Far from it, because no team wants an opponent to win the title on their ground.

We faced that situation with Motherwell in 2005 and our lads were fired up because they didn't want Celtic lifting the trophy at Fir Park. In the end, famously, they didn't.

I can sympathise with Kilmarnock, but also know how much of a frustration it has been for Celtic that they haven't quite got there yet.

They will, though, and they still have a cup final to look forward to. There is a chance to make it a double and that would be a huge achievement in any season.