THE Celtic fans who filled out Parkhead for the first time in 17 months tonight were entertained by footage of some of their great European goals of yesteryear on the giant screens during the build-up to kick-off.  

Strikes from Dixie Deans, Kenny Dalglish, Paul Wilson, Gerry Creaney, Jacki Dziekanowski, Georgios Samaras, John Hartson, Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson will have whetted the supporters’ appetite for what lay ahead.

The 3-0 win over Jablonec – which completed a 7-2 aggregate triumph and secured a place against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League play-off round – was nowhere near as momentous as many of the famous victories featured in the vintage clips.  

Nor are the goals which David Turnbull and James Forrest netted likely to be remembered and replayed in decades to come; the Glasgow giants have a long and proud history in continental competition and their players need to distinguish themselves against a far higher calibre of opponent to enter their folklore.

Still, this accomplished display, albeit against limited opposition, was definitely another positive step in the right direction for Ange Postecoglou’s side and suggested they could do well in Europe in the coming months and beyond.

Kyogo Furuhashi certainly looks more than capable of emulating his revered predecessors up front in future.

The Japanese striker failed to convert after Tom Rogic had played a defence-splitting through ball in the very first minute and he only had keeper Jan Hanus to beat.

The £4.6m acquisition was undeterred by the squandered opportunity. He slotted into the bottom left corner in the 14th minute after Forrest had cut inside from the right and supplied him.

The Celtic support rose as one to hail their new hero, who was on target no fewer than four times in his first two starts last week, only for assistant referee Jan Seidel to raise his flag for offside.

The 26-year-old went inches away from connecting with a Ryan Christie cross after Rogic, pulling all the strings for the hosts in his favoured playmaker role in a 4-1-4-1 formation, had played his team mate into space on the left wing.

There were no goals for him on this occasion. But the former Vissel Kobe forward possesses pace and enthusiasm in abundance as well no shortage of game intelligence. He showed an admirable willingness to track back and help win back possession too. They are all qualities which will serve him well at this level.

When Furuhashi was booked by referee Daniel Siebert for a foul on Jaroslav Zeleny in the middle of the park in added-on time at the end of the first-half it did not go down at all well.

Nobody in attendance bemoaned the absence of Odsonne Edouard, the French striker who looks set to depart before the summer transfer window closes at the end of this month, from the starting line-up.   

Turnbull produced a finish which Edouard would have been proud of in the 26th minute to break the deadlock.

Greg Taylor played a pass to his feet in the penalty box and he showed great composure to stroke it beyond Hanus with the outside of his right foot despite Vojtech Kubista bearing down on him.

Jablonec offered little in response. There are high hopes among the Celtic faithful that Joe Hart will solve their goalkeeping problem. But the experienced Englishman was untested in the opening 45 minutes.

David Houska managed to get an attempt on target six minutes before half-time. But it lacked power and Hart had little difficulty gathering. He denied Jan Krob and Milos Kratochvil brilliantly after the break. A second consecutive clean sheet will bolster his confidence in his new surroundings greatly.

Jakub Povazenec was allowed a free shot in the Celtic penalty box in the first minute of the second-half offering a reminder that this defence – and Taylor, Carl Starfelt, Stephen Welsh and Anthony Ralston once again formed the rearguard – remains a work in progress. Fortunately for them, the midfielder’s effort dipped over the crossbar.  

Turnbull was far more clinical 10 minutes later after Taylor had combined well with Callum McGregor to tee him up on the edge of the Jablonec area. As Zeleny rushed out to close him down, he rifled past Hanus.

Edouard came on for Furuhashi, who had suffered a slight knock bravely challenging for a Turnbull through ball, to a huge ovation in the 66th minute. He was involved in the third goal just six minutes after taking to the field.

He tried to chip the keeper after being slid in by Christie only for Hanus to get his fingertips to it. Forrest, though, slid in at pace and turned the loose ball over the line from a few yards out.  

Postecoglou immediately made a triple substitution. He took off Christie, Rogic and Turnbull and put on Ismaila Soro, Adam Montgomery and Albian Ajeti. Nir Bitton then took over from McGregor. The replacements saw out a comfortable win. Youngster Montgomery looked decent.

Liel Abada, the Israeli winger who has been a breath of fresh air for Celtic since completing his transfer from Maccabi Petah Tikva last month, was left out of the squad due to a minor injury.

The winger’s place was taken by Forrest. It was the only change to the Celtic team that had routed Dundee 6-0 in a Premiership match at the same venue on Sunday. There was no drop in performance level.  

With full houses back inside Parkhead once again due to the welcome relaxation of Covid-19 social distancing restrictions, no away team will relish a fixture in the East End of Glasgow this season.

Large sections of the main stand, which housed the substitutes and support staff of both sides, remained empty. Otherwise, just about every seat in the ground was taken. The noise they generated before play got underway could have been heard back in Jablonec nad Nisou. They had plenty to cheer.