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Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Inside Celtic's gruelling pre-season training as 'reality' sets in for returning stars
The Hoops No.2 and first-team coach Gavin Strachan are back on the grass leading the team for pre-season training More than five weeks have passed since Celtic blew the Treble at Hampden. And while John Kennedy admits the gut-wrenching Scottish Cup Final defeat still stings, the Hoops No.2 insists the champions will use that lingering pain as fuel for the campaign ahead. The Double-winners returned to pre-season training on Friday as preparations began for a mammoth summer - with trips to Ireland, Portugal and Italy, plus seven friendlies crammed into the schedule. Then comes the small matter of a £40million winner-takes-all Champions League play-off at the end of August, as Celts look to dine at Europe's top table for a fourth year on the spin. Kennedy - a crucial part of the Parkhead backroom team for more than a decade - knows there's no time for a post- Hampden hangover as the title defence and Euro quest loom large. He said: "It's nice to see everybody's face again and getting back from the break. "It's been a fair break we've had, it's been a good break. We've had time to reset, relax, get refreshed again and the boys have come in in pretty good shape and excited for what's ahead. "The guys were terrific last year, I think the way it finished, it can take the shine off it a little bit. But once the dust settles and you reflect on how the season went, the guys were superb; they put everything into it. "Okay, we just came up short in the final but the way we performed in the league, the League Cup earlier in the season, the Champions League, we can look back on that with a lot of positives. "We can take a lot from that and be positive going into this season again. It's good to reflect on that, but at the same time, get a chance to switch off, let the legs recover, let the mind recover and come back in with the same hunger and desire to be successful again. "Because that's what the club demands, we know there's no let-up. We know from the off, there's no little break, the way it was back in the day. It's straight into the work and get going." Kennedy reckons the squad will have snapped out of holiday mode the moment they pitched up at Lennoxtown. He told Celtic TV: "The reality when they're driving in this morning and the tests and starting to get around their peers again, that's when it probably sets in. "For us, in terms of planning, a lot of stuff is done at the end of the season but this last week we've been dealing with the staff and going through the squads and just organising how this first couple of days looks, how we're looking going into next week and then how it looks when the international players return. "A lot of planning and organising goes in place but there's nothing better than when you get in the building and see the faces and get back out on the pitch again. "I enjoy it because I think the planning and organisation of things is vitally important for making sure things run smoothly and slickly and there are no hiccups along the way. "Coming in, we have a great staff here who are very skilled in what they do in their different areas. It's a very clear idea in terms of who's doing what. "There are a lot of battery of tests that we do with all of the players, just to check on a lot of things, which will then benchmark things as we go through the season. "We can always reflect back on that. It gives us an idea of where they're at on day one and then we can monitor that through the pre-season as the season goes on. "A lot of the planning and organisation is day one for us to be successful in terms of how we carry out the pre-season." Celtic swept aside Manchester City and Chelsea during last year's stunning US tour. And Kennedy hopes they can kick off this pre-season in a similar style when they face Queen's Park on Friday. He added: "For us, in terms of how we start, it's important. The messages from day one in terms of how we'll deliver it, how the manager will deliver it, guys like Callum McGregor, James Forrest, the guys who have been here before and know what it takes, to know that this period of the season we don't get back. "It's really important we get a lot of work in at this early stage. We'll have a lot of games this pre-season to get through as well. "There'll be that challenge in itself, which will be good. It'll set the squad up better. But we know the work we're putting in now will carry us all the way through. "It's really important we don't skip a day from the off. As I said, there's no break-in period anymore. We're straight into work with the tests and the training. We'll very quickly ramp the intensity up and load the players up. "We'll get as much work in as we possibly can between now and next Friday before the first game. "The guys who have been training this week will then go into that game and our international players will return next Friday. "Then we're pretty much in at camp the following week. It's a busy period, but as I said, it's a really important period for us. "In terms of results, you still want to perform and get the results. Early on, it's very much about the physical aspect. "As it goes in, we've worked with most of the guys already, it's very much returning to our game-model stuff, our intensities. "We make sure we get all the work out of them. We don't concentrate too much on the results, but in terms of how the players went through pre-season last year, performances and results, it naturally gives you and breeds a bit of confidence. "You want that to be part of the process. It's not absolutely vital that you go in and win all the games, but there's no harm in it either. Being at a club, it's always nice to win."
National Geographic
3 days ago
- General
- National Geographic
These treasures changed everything we thought we knew about the Celts
A warrior people Two horsemen face off and another combatant bears a large shield on this fifth-century B.C. bronze belt clasp found at Vače, Slovenia (Natural History Museum, Vienna). During the Iron Age (circa 1200-500 B.C.), a large swath of non-Mediterranean Europe was occupied by a people who became known for their craftsmanship, religion, and warfare. Different groups, now known collectively as Celts, spoke languages belonging to the Celtic family and shared a common ideological framework reflected in a series of divinities they worshipped in religious festivities. The Romans built up a stereotype of the Celts and other enemies, like the Germanic peoples, as barbarians. They caricatured them as blond, white-skinned giants from the north with a primitive tendency for drunkenness and violence. This cliché helped condition how researchers regarded the Celts. But in recent decades, new readings of the classical sources and some fascinating archaeological discoveries have overturned the stereotype of the Celts as primitive. New findings show that the Celtic culture was in fact a complex and refined civilization with various art styles, architecture, religious customs, technology, and social structures. In terms of urban planning and metallurgy, there were similarities with the Greco-Roman world. And like many other ancient peoples, the Celts had a culture that was both influenced and influential. The vast territories of Celtica, where the Celts lived, stretched from Ireland to the Balkans and into the Iberian Peninsula. The different Celtic groups were highly fragmented politically, and it's virtually certain they didn't consider themselves a single people, although there were common features. In fact, some scholars have debated the continued use of the term Celt, believing it might be insufficient in describing the diversity among these groups, especially over different time periods. Gauls, Celtiberians, Britons, and many others were included in this classification. (Cults, curses, and magic: This surprising European city has ancient links to Halloween) However, all the Celtic societies were hierarchical, with a ruling aristocratic minority. Most of the working majority were dedicated to agriculture, but there were also artists and merchants. Celtic nobles distinguished themselves by their military prowess. At first, in the Hallstatt culture, considered the proto-Celtic era, these nobles were also set apart by their access to luxury goods of Mediterranean origin that they obtained through trade. This is evidenced by treasures discovered in the royal tombs of Hochdorf and Hohmichele, two Hallstatt settlements. During this period, an initial phase of urbanism developed with the appearance of settlements such as Heuneburg and Hohenasperg, which, with their protective walls, distinct neighborhoods, and public spaces, closely resembled cities. Marked by war These urban centers were abandoned during the fifth century B.C., with the transition from the Hallstatt to the La Tène culture. The shift is often attributed to a decline in natural resources, including salt production, a change in trading opportunities, and a wealth disparity among settlements. Celtic society took on a more rural character, with people dispersed among scattered farmsteads, each inhabited by a few families. Many early La Tène sites were near rivers. Magazine for all ages starting at $25/year At the same time, the Celtic aristocracy accentuated its warlike character. It was then that the Celts burst onto the scene in the written sources of the Greco-Roman world through their dazzling military expansion—often in conflicts against Rome. The most dramatic moments were the Sack of Rome by the Gauls (390 B.C.) and the attack on the famous Greek sanctuary of Delphi (279 B.C.). In addition to participating in such sacking expeditions, many Celtic warriors joined the Hellenistic armies of the time as mercenaries. An image of the Celts as ferocious barbarians was seared into the collective consciousness of the Greeks and Romans. During this period, the Celts were also engaged in full-scale migrations in which entire groups of families settled new territory. Celtic populations established themselves in areas of the Danube Valley, the northern Balkans, and even outside Europe, in the Anatolian Peninsula. There's clear evidence from this period to show that Celtic culture, like that in much of the ancient world, was based on honor and status. A key element was the establishment of relationships between a powerful individual, the patron, and an individual subordinate to him, the client. This unequal relationship implied obligations on both sides: While the patron granted his client protection and ceded land, the client pledged to obey the patron and serve in his army. These clientelistic networks allowed aristocrats to accumulate entourages of hundreds, even thousands, of followers. From the second century B.C. onward, the expansionist trend of the previous two centuries was reversed as the territories of Celtic Europe began to fall one after the other, subdued by the aggressive Roman Republic. The collapse started with the Celts of Hispania; only Ireland and Scotland escaped a Roman takeover. But it would be a mistake to interpret this final phase of Celtic civilization as a period of decline. On the contrary, a last burst of urban development occurred, and dozens of fortified urban centers, called oppida, were built. Atop Mount Ipf, around 100 miles northwest of Munich in southern Germany, the local Celtic community built an oppidum, a fortified enclave that flourished at the beginning of the La Tène period, in the fifth century B.C. This photograph shows the modern reconstruction of its walls. BERTHOLD STEINHILBER/LAIF/CORDON PRESS This urban growth was based on a strong development of economic activities, such as agriculture, handicraft production, and trade. The population was likely also growing at this time. Ongoing discoveries of artifacts has painted a more informative picture for scholars about Celtic culture and practices outside of the classical sources. Given this rich history, it's fascinating to wonder what would have happened to the Celtic civilization if Roman expansion hadn't stopped it in its tracks. The Celtic art of warfare From the fifth century B.C. onward, the dominant Celtic culture that archaeologists call Hallstatt evolved into the more aristocratic warrior society known as La Tène, heavily influenced by Greek and Etruscan styles. The weaponry of the Celtic warriors became established in this period: a double-edged iron sword, iron-tipped spears, and an oval wooden shield. Aristocratic warriors of the period also carried defensive equipment, such as helmets and armor. The warrior sculpture known as the Prince of Glauberg wears armor similar to the Greek linothorax, made of hardened linen or leather. The Prince of Glauberg wearing a crown of leaves, a necklace, a cuirass, a ring, two bracelets, a shield, and a sword. The figure, carved in sandstone, stands over six feet tall and weighs more than 500 pounds. It was found next to a burial mound from the fifth century B.C. Museum of the Celtic World, Glauberg, Germany. Iron helmet found in the tomb of a third-century B.C. chief in the Romanian necropolis of Ciumești. It's 16.5 inches tall and topped by a bronze bird of prey with movable wings. National History Museum of Romania, Bucharest. Battersea shield made of bronze. It's decorated with appliqués and red enamel inlays. It measures 30.7 inches high. Third to first century B.C. British Museum, London. Bronze carnyx, a wind instrument. Topped with a stylized boar's head, it stands almost six feet high and was found at Tintignac, France. INRAP, Paris. In the third century B.C., the first chain mail was developed, a Celtic innovation that the Romans would copy. Influenced by Mediterranean cultures, Celtic fighters evolved from warrior bands into armies. Their orders were produced by the war horns, or carnyxes, whose sound was intended to subdue the enemy. For the Celts, warfare was a heavily ritualized activity, involving the performance of ceremonies before battle and often the ritual offering of some of the loot and sacrificing of captives after the combat was over. The horse in the Celtic world Although horses were valued as military and status symbols across Celtic societies, they were rarely part of agricultural work. The harnesses used in the Iron Age lacked a collar to spread weight to the horse's neck and shoulders; without such a collar, the animal's windpipe became compressed when pulling a plow and limited the weight it could drag. Untainted by rural toil and costly to maintain, horses became the animal par excellence of aristocrats. They played a prominent role in warfare, at first to pull light war chariots. Normally a pair of animals was used for each chariot, and in the fourth century B.C. full cavalry units appeared. A parade of horsemen on the side of the Gundestrup Cauldron, a ceremonial vessel composed of 13 silver plates from the first century B.C. to the first century A.D. National Museum of Denmark. Copper-alloy mount evoking a horse's head. It was found with other pieces of chariot tack at Melsonby, England. British Museum, London. BRITISH MUSEUM/SCALA, FLORENCE In time, the Celts would become renowned as horsemen throughout the ancient world, especially among the Romans, who often employed them as mercenaries to bolster their mounted forces. In the Celtic world, the value of the horse was not limited to the pragmatic: It also held religious significance. The Gauls recognized a horse divinity called Epona, whose cult spread throughout the Roman Empire. The Irish Celts had a war goddess called Macha, who was linked with horses. Sculptural reliefs, including those found at the Celtic sanctuaries of Roquepertuse and Nages in southern Gaul, depict the horse as a psychopomp, responsible for leading the souls of the deceased into the afterlife. Bronze model of a cart. Found in Spain, it carries a horseman accompanied by a dog, hunting a wild boar. Second-century B.C. National Museum of Archaeology, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. For the Celts, hunting was not only a means of acquiring food but also an eminently aristocratic activity. It was often practiced on horseback and could be dangerous. Hunting thus represented excellent training for war as well as a chance for participants to show off. The most common quarry was wild boar, an animal that for the Celts symbolized both war and hospitality. Red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer were also hunted, in addition to foxes and wolves. Classical authors reported that trained hunting dogs were involved: According to the geographer Strabo, hunting dogs bred in Britain were exported to Rome. Jewelry in life and the afterlife As in most societies, the Celtic aristocracy used the ownership and display of jewelry to proclaim and advance their privileged position in the hierarchy. Among the Celts, the custom of burying the deceased with grave goods was widespread, and ornaments occupied a preferential place. Archaeologists have found a large number of luxury items, both personal jewelry and ornaments for horse harnesses, inside burials. These pieces were appreciated for their materials—precious metals including silver and gold—and for the excellence of the craftsmanship. One piece of jewelry most associated with the Celts is the torque. This type of necklace, which can take many different forms, was worn by other peoples as well, such as the Thracians and Scythians. Back of the bronze Desborough Mirror (13.8 inches long), decorated with continuous curvilinear forms drawn using a compass. British Museum, London. BRITISH MUSEUM/SCALA, FLORENCE Gold torque or necklace made of twisted wires, with solid ring-shaped finials decorated with reliefs. It was discovered in Snettisham, England. British Museum, London. The Roman army gave torques to reward their soldiers, although in this case they were not worn around the neck, but on the armor. The torque was a symbol of authority and prestige and was worn by members of the nobility. It also appears in representations of divinities. A clear example of this appears on the famous Gundestrup Cauldron, where the horned god Cernunnos tames a snake in one hand, while holding a torque in the other. Other types of grave goods typically found in aristocratic Celtic burials were phalerae (decorative disks for horses' harnesses), fibulae (pins for fastening clothes), and mirrors. Banqueting played a fundamental part in Celtic life; it enabled aristocratic guests and their followers to socialize, and aristocratic hosts to flaunt their wealth. The position occupied by participants and the amount of meat they received were determined by their social status. The banquet reinforced hierarchies while confirming and strengthening existing relationships. In return for the generosity of the hosts, the bards (poet-singers) would laud their virtues. Drinking horn decorated with embossed gold leaf and finished with a ram's head found in the Kleinaspergle burial mound. Fifth century B.C. Clay dish painted and incised with geometric motifs. From a burial mound in Gomadingen (Germany). Württemberg State Museum, Stuttgart. Irish literary sources explain that the banqueters faced each other in duels of eloquence in which they defended their respective merits. The champion received the best cut of the cooked animal, which was usually a pig. The Story of Mac Da Thó's Pig, a ninth-century Irish tale, is likely influenced by this older Celtic tradition. It describes a banquet between the men of Ulster and Connacht, who are competing for a prize, a colossal pig that has been fattened for seven years. Like the pig, the banquet contest is larger than life, involving a huge cast and spreading across large areas of Ireland. A banquet also had a clear symbolic meaning in Celtic beliefs: The inclusion of banquetware among grave goods reflects the idea that through funeral rites, the deceased was led to a supreme banquet in the company of heroes and gods. Druids, gods, and severed heads Throughout Europe, Celtic culture was expressed in worship of common gods. The name of the god Lugh or Lugus occurs across the Celtic world; he was of special importance in Irish mythology, and is commemorated in the names of the French city of Lyon and the Spanish city of Lugo. In other cases, equivalent divinities had different names, such as the Gallic god Sucellus and the Irish god Dagda, which were both connected with agriculture and forests. The religion of the Celts was polytheistic and centered on rituals. Classical sources refer to a priestly class in some territories of Celtic Europe, including Gaul and Britannia. These were the famous Druids, an intellectual elite that acted as a repository of tradition and as a a mediator between men and gods. Unluckily for historians, they distrusted written texts and relied on transmitting their knowledge orally. (Why do we know so little about the Druids?) Laminated bronze figure representing a warrior deity found in the area of Saint-Maur-en-Chaussée. First century, Museum of the Oise, Beauvais, France. The god Taranis wields a thunderbolt in his right hand and holds a wheel in his left. Bronze figurine. National Museum of Archaeology, Saint- Germain-en-Laye, France. Two-headed male sculpture, discovered in the Celtic sanctuary of Roquepertuse. Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology, Marseille, France. Archaeologists have located a large number of sites that were originally Druid sanctuaries, such as Gournay-sur-Aronde (France), Emain Macha (Northern Ireland), and Libenice (Czech Republic), piecing together the rituals that took place there from the archaeological finds. These rituals involved sacrificing animals (and in some cases, humans) and exhibiting spoils, such as weapons or severed heads. The decapitation of enemies and the exhibition of skulls are rituals attested to in many places in Celtic Europe. Divinity of Bouray-sur-Juine with eyes inlaid with white and blue enamel was found in its namesake village in France. First to second centuries B.C. National Museum of Archaeology, Saint- Germain-en-Laye, France. One of the most controversial questions related to the Celtic priestly class, the Druids, is whether or not they believed in reincarnation and the doctrine of the transmigration of souls, as some classical authors claimed. Irish and Welsh mythology seems to suggest that the Celts of these territories didn't believe in reincarnation, though they did believe in the immortality of souls. First-century Roman historian Valerius Maximus notes that some Celts, so certain they will see each other again after death, arrange to repay debts in the world to come. This story appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of National Geographic History magazine.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Hamza Igamane's Rangers transfer value debated as £6m Celtic man triggers stick or twist dilemma
The stakes are high and it's Game On for our top team as they race through the burning issues Can Rangers new era end Celtic dominance? | How much for Hamza? | Can Celts trust Trusty? - Game On Hamza Igamane appears to be edging towards the Ibrox exit door - but just how much is the Rangers sensation worth? The Moroccan striker's stock has exploded after an eye-catching debut campaign in Scotland. Unearthed last summer from AS Far Rabat for a bargain £1.7million, Gers could rake in one of their biggest transfer sales for the 22-year-old as Lille target a big-money swoop. If you listen to supporters online, then the Light Blues should be holding out for £15-20m. But is that realistic? Record Sport's chief chinwagers, Graeme Young and Ryan McDonald, dissected the in-demand frontman's soaring value in this week's episode of Game On - available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The future of Celtic stopper Auston Trusty also comes under the spotlight, while the lads discuss whether Hearts will ever be able to break the Old Firm's grim 40-year duopoly. There's all this and more as we pore over all the big issues in Scottish sport and beyond - in handy bite-sized chunks. You can watch the full podcast in the player above, or listen here. How much is Hamza Igamane really worth? RM: I think anything upwards of £15million would be great business for Rangers. What did they sign him for? Around £1.7m? That would be an incredible markup. I think this rebuild is going to be a slow process, so if you can get that amount of money in during the first window, then you've got to take it. There are no untouchables in that Rangers squad just now. GY: Not even Nico Raskin? RM: No. He's got two years left on his contract. If he doesn't sign a new contract, then Rangers need to cash in. Look what happened with Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, John Lundstram and even Borna Barisic. Rangers have got shrewd owners in place now. They need to follow Celtic's act by cashing in when the time is right. GY: I've got to give a shout out to Record Sport's columnist Tam McManus because he went studs up and suggested that Igamane doesn't really do it for him. I can just use what Tam said! Do you think he's a player where you can make a six minute, streets won't forget, highlights reel? Does he do it in complete games and is this actually really good business for Rangers' new owners straight away? RM: I think he had a purple patch, didn't he? I remember that hat-trick at Easter Road. He was in phenomenal form at that point. He did fall out of the team under Barry Ferguson, especially towards the end. I'm not sure the reasons for that. He was played out of position at times as well and clearly has bundles of potential. On the basis of what he's shown in his first season when he has played, I think you've got to take the £15m. And if they can sneak in a sell-on fee, which you've seen Celtic profit from, then even better business for Rangers. GY: The one thing I've been really impressed with Igamane is not even his goals. You know when he takes the ball into his feet, takes it up the line, wins throw ins. He's a proper talent. I think the next manager who looks after him is going to have a proper job to bring it out every week. But if you do, like you say, the sell-on fee could be really important for them as well. Should Celtic stick or twist with Auston Trusty? GY: Auston Trusty is probably the most polarising player within himself to play for Celtic in recent memory. John Mjalby esque European level performances. Elite level player in some games like Atlanta away and Bayern Munich at home. But he's struggled mightily dealing with the more physical style of player that you come up against in Scotland. Industrial strikers, we'll call them. That's part of Scottish football you have to do both. Would you cash in on him to open up the potential to find a real partner for CCV? Fans don't believe Liam Scales is that guy. RM: For me, he reminds me very much of Kelvin Wilson, who I actually just interviewed earlier this week. Kelvin took a season to find his feet, he was in and out and had a couple of injuries. The second season, he really established himself. It took one performance for him to say, 'this is the turning point, I'm now a Celtic player'. He became a mainstay in the famous Champions League last 16 run. I think with Auston Trusty, if no offers come in, I think he's worth a second season. You can't write off a £6m signing. He's a USA international, he gets on well with Cameron Carter-Vickers. He's proven at Champions League level, but the rough nature of Scottish football... I remember that Dundee and there were a few lip-reading experts who decoded what Brendan Rodgers said about him on the touchline! GY: 'Weak as powder?' RM: I think that's one way to say it! He has a lot to prove. I think he'll know that as well. Unless Celtic can recoup their money this season, I would stick with him. I do think Celtic will bring in defensive reinforcements. CCV is clearly the first-choice at centre-back, but they do need to find a solid number one. GY: When you factor in Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke are both likely to leave. I think we've argued the case that Trusty has a lot more ability and performed at an elite level. But the issue is you can't trust him domestically. Just talking about finding bargains, they really need to find that partner for Carter-Vickers and maybe that will happen over the summer."
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Nicolas Kuhn to RB Leipzig transfer latest as Celtic reject bid for striker
Reports in Germany had suggested that the Bundesliga giants were in 'advanced talks' to land Kuhn German giants RB Leipzig have yet to firm up their interest in Nicolas Kuhn. The Bundesliga cracks have the 21-goal winger on their transfer wishlist this summer. Reports in Germany had suggested Leipzig had been in "advanced talks" with Celtic over a deal. But Record Sport understands there has been no official bid tabled for the 25-year-old attacker. Celts are in no rush to sell Kuhn and are in a strong bargaining position, with the ex-Rapid Vienna star under contract until 2029. The Hoops Double-winner is on the radar of several European clubs, with Italian Serie A side Como the latest to be linked. However, Kuhn is expected to report back to Lennoxtown for pre-season training and as things stand, remains a key part of Brendan Rodgers' plans. Meanwhile, Celts have turfed out a £500,000 bid from Bolton for Irish striker Johnny Kenny. Kenny, 22, spent a prolific spell on loan with Shamrock Rovers last season before returning to Parkhead in January. He spent the second half of the campaign on the fringes behind Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah, but did net his first goal for the club in a 5-1 rout at Pittodrie. The frontman has admirers down south and it's believed the Trotters launched a bid to prize him to EFL League One. But the opening offer was swiftly rejected by Parkhead chiefs. It remains to be seen whether Wanderers will come back with an improved proposal. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp, where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
I agreed my Celtic transfer exit hours before a Champions League clash — the gaffer's speech stunned my teammates
The defender knew he was leaving the club but didn't think twice about playing to help Celts reach the next round It's matchday in Sweden and Kelvin Wilson is unwinding in his hotel room ahead of a crucial Champions League qualifier against Elfsborg. The defender is gearing up for a nervy night when there's a knock at the door - and in walks Neil Lennon, the last person Wilson expected to see. All sorts of thoughts are racing through the stopper's head. He feared he might've been in the Celtic manager's bad books - but it turned out to be the opposite. The Englishman was entering his third season at Parkhead after leaving boyhood club Nottingham Forest. He'd won back-to-back titles, lifted the Scottish Cup, and played a key role in the famous run to the Champions League last 16. On the park, it couldn't have been going much better. But off it, Wilson felt a world away from his loved ones. With his wife and newborn daughter still down south, he was missing out on the most important years of his child's life. Lennon - who had played alongside Wilson at Forest before bringing him to Glasgow - understood better than most. And that's why, in the summer of 2013, the Irishman eventually gave Wilson his blessing to return to the City Ground. But only on one condition. In an exclusive interview with Record Sport, Wilson recalled: "That week, in the build-up to it, my agent rang me and said, 'Kelv, Forest are interested in taking you back. Would you be interested now?' "I said I would be interested. So Neil pulled me because it was in the papers, and said, 'You're not going anywhere.' I was like, 'Okay, fair enough.' "I spoke to him a few times throughout that week, and then we got to Elfsborg. It was the day of the game and I was in my hotel room. I got a knock at my door, I've opened it, and it's Lenny. "He's come into my room and asked, 'Right, do you want to go?' And I was like, 'It's something that I've made clear to you that I'd be interested because I need to get back to my daughter.' "He said, 'Right, they've offered £2.5million and we're willing to accept it. We're not accepting it because we want you to go, we're accepting it because you want to go. If you want to stay, I'll get you a new deal and you can stay longer.' "I told him it wasn't about the money and he knew that. He just said, 'Play tonight for me, get us through to the Champions League, and you'll go with our blessing.' "I didn't think twice about playing and I was Man of the Match, so I think I played alright. "I remember Lenny doing a speech in the changing room after, just letting all the players know that I was leaving. A lot of them were shocked and couldn't believe it." It was a fitting way to sign off his Hoops career - going out on a high. But while Wilson left as a mainstay at the back, his debut season in Glasgow was anything but smooth sailing. His first taste of an Old Firm derby ended in disaster as Celts crashed to a 4-2 defeat at Ibrox. Wilson was at fault for one of the goals, and he didn't hide from it. He admitted: "It was just a massive shock to the system. "I think I was maybe a little bit overwhelmed by it, because I didn't perform to my standards at all. "I didn't have the best first six months, and I think that was the game that knocked my confidence a little bit and brought me down to earth." An injury ruled him out for weeks, and he soon found himself behind Daniel Majstorovic, Charlie Mulgrew, Glen Loovens and Thomas Rogne in the pecking order. By the end of that first campaign, many had written him off - everyone except Lennon. A quick-fire return to England with Leicester City was on the table. But Wilson revealed: "I think Nigel Pearson rang me one evening and said, 'We're really interested in you.' "I spoke to Neil, and he was adamant, 'No, not a chance.' His man management there just made me feel like, 'Wow, he still rates me as a player even though I've not done it in the first year.' "Then we went to Philadelphia to play Real Madrid. I had a good game and I remember him in the changing rooms after just saying, 'You've played unbelievably against the world's best, you've set your standards.' "And that was it. That just set me up for that season." Wilson knew he had a point to prove - and the centre-back showed his mettle with a colossal display against Helsingborg in the Champions League play-offs, a night he views as the turning point of his Celtic career. "I remember I had a great game", he said. "The final whistle went, we qualified and one of their players came up to me. "He couldn't speak much English, but he said, 'What a player.' And he was pointing his finger at me. I think that just rocked me then. "It was literally that point. I was just going into every game knowing that I was going to play well, league and Europe." Then came the crowning moment - THAT glory night against Barcelona. The 39-year-old, who played every minute of Celtic's 2012/13 European run, still pinches himself thinking back. He smiled: "I remember warming up and I said to Kris Commons, 'I've got a feeling we're going to win today.' "I just felt strong, quick, energetic. I was just thinking, 'If everyone else feels like I feel today, there's no chance they're going to beat us.' "It was a special night. I remember all the banners they made and walking out to them. "It's a moment that I'll treasure forever and it's definitely, without a doubt, the highlight of my career." Wilson's time at Celtic Park was short but sweet. By his own admission, it ended too soon. But at the end of the day, family always comes first. He added: "I don't regret anything in my career. If there's something that I would've changed, yes, looking back, I do wish I had longer at Celtic, without a doubt. "If personal circumstances were different, without a doubt, that would've been the case. But you've got to give and take a little bit. "I did have a daughter, and that's more important than football and having the time that I've had with her. "It's probably a little bit of a bittersweet thing. I wish I had stayed a little bit longer and had a bit more success. "I'm a Forest fan, so for me to say Celtic's the best club I've been at is a big statement. It's just a fantastic, unbelievable club. I'm so glad that I was able to be a part of it." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
