SCOTT McDONALD needed no introduction to the Celtic supporters when he agreed to join his boyhood idols in March 2007.
The lifelong fan, who was born in Australia to a Scottish family, fulfilled his dream of turning out for the club.
It's just as well really. McDonald had earned some sort of public enemy number one status in the eyes of some of the Celtic faithful after he grabbed all the headlines in the now infamous 'Helicopter Sunday' match at Fir Park.
McDonald's double for Motherwell in the last five minutes in Lanarkshire ended the Hoops' title hopes and gift-wrapped the title to Rangers in the process during the final game of season 2004-05.
However, the Aussie got his chance to atone for any sins held against him by the Celtic supporters in 2007. After a £350,000 switch to Rangers fell through in January, two months later Celtic boss Gordon Strachan swooped to take him to Paradise for £700,000.
McDonald is candid enough to admit that would have signed for Rangers had the Ibrox men stumped up enough cash. He was, after all, at the stage of his career where he wanted to move things on to the next level.
"Everybody knew at the time that I was a boyhood Celtic fan," he said. "We all know the background and Rangers did come in for me and I was sort of looking at that deal falling through and thinking where is my opportunity going to come from?
"When it came around (signing for Rangers), did I want the opportunity? Yes, I did. It would have put me on a different platform, competing in European football and opening the door to playing for my country.
"But everything happens for a reason and the move to Rangers did not materialise. Crazily, two months later I ended up signing for Celtic.
"I still had two years left of my deal at Motherwell and agreeing on a pre-contract in March was a bit odd but that's what's happened. Maurice Malpas wasn't happy but at the time I didn't really care less as I had signed for the club I supported as a boy growing up.
"As soon as Gordon Strachan called me up and asked if I was interested in playing for Celtic my immediate response was 'yes, where do I sign? Let's get the deal done'.
"It was a bit surreal when I got the call as I was on international duty for Australia in China. The call came through at 4 am.
"I had been waiting for it for about 10 days. I was told it could happen and I was walking on eggshells ever since. I convinced myself that the call wasn't going to happen but thankfully it did in the end.
"My phone was right next to me the whole time and it never left my sight. I was never going to miss that call. Gordon and I had a conversation and the rest is history."
McDonald was once more reunited with Strachan after he had been his boss during a two-year stint at Southampton from 2000 to 2002.
The Aussie made his debut in the Champions League qualifiers in the Luzhniki Stadium where he brilliant teed up Paul Hartley to secure a vital 1-1 draw away to Spartak Moscow in the third qualification round of the Champions League.
McDonald went on to ingratiate himself further with his new adoring public when he scored his first competitive goal in the return leg as the two sides fought out another 1-1 draw.
Celtic progressed on penalties and there were wonderful stills afterwards of Tommy Burns in almost suspended animation as he joined in the pile-on with the players.
McDonald said: "It was a slow start for me at Celtic as I got suspended in my last game for Motherwell so I had to wait until the Champions League qualifier to make my debut and I set up Paul Hartley for his goal in the 1-1 draw.
"I felt happy that I had helped my team achieve something in Europe and it was my first taste of European football so it meant a lot to me. That was an invaluable contribution to help get the away goal in a two-legged tie. I felt that I belonged here and that I could play at the top level.
"The manager backed me from the off, even though I missed a few games, and as soon as I was available I played in the first team. Kenny Miller leaving Celtic helped me out on that, there is no question.
"I didn't need asking twice if I could do a job for Celtic, I knew I could and I grasped the opportunity with both hands.
"Everybody remembers the scenes after the game when Tommy Burns jumped on the Celtic players. It is a wonderful snapshot.
"It was a massive thing for Celtic to get into the Champions League group stages and we only had that one tie to negotiate.
"That's why it is vital for the winners of this season's Scottish Premiership as they go straight into the group stages - you cannot underestimate how huge a prize that is.
"It means everything to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League tournament as it is the biggest club competition in the world but the finances that come from being involved are mind-blowing.
"The Champions League matches into the bargain are just fantastic. The chance to play against the best players in the world is amazing. I am very lucky I got to play at that level and with the team I support."
'Skippy', as he affectionately became known, established himself as a first-team starter and it wasn't long before he popped up with the goalscoring goods.
McDonald's Celtic career went from strength to strength with his season highlights including hat-tricks against Motherwell and Dundee United as well as a memorable last-gasp winner against Champions League holders AC Milan on an unforgettable evening at Paradise in October 2007.
The likes of Dida, Kaka, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Rino Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Nesta were all put to the sword that night in Glasgow's East End.
Celtic would reach the last 16 of the Champions League under Strachan for a second successive season although Barcelona would soon put paid to their lofty European ambitions with a 4-2 aggregate win.
McDonald took it all in his stride, though.
He said: "I was just riding this wave - it was the biggest one I'd ever seen. It was kind of like never-ending. I was never falling off it that season. You get on that run of invincibility and everything I touched was turning to gold and was working for me.
"The AC Milan goal was incredible and they were the holders of the trophy when Celtic beat them. It was an iconic night as it was the first time in the club's history that we had beaten them.
"It is up there with football nights and experiences in my life. People still talk about it. You only need to thrust that teamsheet in front of anybody to show just how good that AC Milan team were. Kaka beat Cristiano Ronaldo to the Ballon d'or in 2007.
"Ironically AC Milan had beaten Celtic in the last 16 the previous season when Kaka scored a brilliant solo goal. It was good to get them back and do a number on them.
"It kick-started our season. We got through to the last 16 of the Champions League for the second successive campaign which was another fantastic feat, although a Barcelona side consisting of Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry did for us."
McDonald battered 31 goals in all competitions that season. He played a prominent role in back-to-back wins against Rangers in April that culminated in Strachan's men winning the title on a Thursday evening at Tannadice after embarking on a final seven game-winning run.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink popped up in the last minute to rescue victory from the jaws of a draw in the first encounter as Celtic triumphed 2-1 at home. McDonald missed a late penalty and he thought he had blown their chances of claiming the crown.
Nine days later, he scored a double as Rangers were beaten 3-2 at the same venue.
McDonald said: "There was huge pressure on those two Rangers games. We had lost to Rangers and Motherwell just prior to those games and we slipped six points behind Rangers who also had two games in hand at that stage. We were down and out, to all intents and purposes.
"Regardless of how good a run we could go on, we knew we had to beat them in those two matches. Things started happening for us and they started to drop points. We could see light at the end of the tunnel but we still had to reel off seven wins on the spin to win the league. That is no mean feat.
"Two of those seven games were against Rangers and the others were against teams in the top six. In the first game, I missed a penalty against Rangers and I thought 'here we go again'.
"Everybody was going to have the daggers out for me and there was a five-minute period where I was shitting myself that I was going to be the fall guy for blowing the title. My world was ending before me.
"Thankfully Jan scored the last-minute goal to give us a 2-1 win and we got a crucial three points. The feeling we took from that and going into the second game was phenomenal.
"Gordon kept everything calm for the build-up to the second Rangers game. There was a lot of emotion both on and off the park and you have to keep calm in those situations.
"The boys were confident of winning the game and beating Rangers a second time gave us that edge and we knew that if we won the remaining games we would be champions and we were home and hosed.
"Sadly, we then lost Tommy Burns. The final game of the season was on a Thursday night. It was crazy.
"The whole team travelled up to Dundee, staying in Carnoustie, and I never slept for two days as we wanted the game done and dusted and to win it. Thankfully we did that."
McDonald may not believe in the supernatural but even he knows that there was a stronger spirit, the hand of football fate, guiding Celtic towards the 2007-08 flag.
McDonald said: "Call it fate, call it what you like but there was something driving that Celtic team towards the title after Tommy died. It was just so special. It was a fitting way to end the season.
"It was an emotional time and Gordon Strachan loved Tommy and a lot of the players had grown up in the youth sides with him. It was a tough period but you couldn't have scripted a more fitting end to the campaign.
"That's all Tommy wanted - for us to win the league. It will go down in the Celtic history books as the 'Tommy Burns title' as the players and management team won it for Tommy.
"It was an amazing time and I have got some wonderful memories from that night and I still remember it like it was yesterday. You always will when you are successful.
"The whole family flew over from Australia and made sure they were there at Tannadice for that match so they were all part of the experience.
"People say things like it was a dream come true a bit too much these days but to be an exiled Celtic supporter in Australia and to come over and win the championship with your boyhood club really was that for me and my family.
"I never expected to put on the jersey despite supporting the club from thousands of miles away. I visited Celtic Park as a 12-year old and watched games and I have photos of myself alongside the likes of Simon Donnelly, Phil O'Donnell and Jackie McNamara. It is surreal."
The following season in 2008-09 Walter Smith's Rangers would wrestle the title back off Celtic. However, there were still a couple of highs for McDonald to enjoy as he scored the two goals that he labels as the best of his career... for vastly different reasons.
A beautifully-executed lob over Ben Foster helped earn a 1-1 draw against Manchester United during a Champions League game in November before a sensational winner at Ibrox gives Celtic a 1-0 win over the Light Blues in December.
Despite the title setback, and even though he only managed 19 goals in 47 appearances, McDonald insists his overall game improved that season and that he became a much better player.
McDonald said: "I think the goal against Manchester United is the best goal I have scored in my career - I love it. Sentimentally, the winner at Ibrox against Rangers is also up there.
"In terms of technique, it is probably a toss-up between those two strikes. I know what one a lot of people will pick, for obvious reasons.
"I managed to do a lot for Celtic in a short space of time at the club and I scored a lot of good and important goals. I scored fewer goals n my second season but I became a better player. I felt my game was more complete that season.
"People talk about me not having a strike partner because Giorgios Samaras and Jan were injured a lot that season. They were in and out of the team so it's weird to say this but I probably played better that year.
"I had more experience, especially in Europe, and I felt that I improved and got better as a player every season."
Celtic did manage to plunder silverware - by beating Rangers 2-0 in the League Cup final at Hampden in March after a nerve-racking 11-10 penalty shoot-out victory in the semi-final whereby McDonald was put on the spot twice.
"That was a special moment," McDonald said. "The semi-final against Dundee United was fraught as it went to penalties and I stepped up first and scored and I thought that was my job done.
"That is something you don't see too often. Nobody missed a penalty and we ended up going all the way around to the start again. Even Artur Boruc took a penalty and put his into the postage stamp top corner. It was one of the best penalties as it was so nonchalant.
"Willo Flood missed and I knew I had to score mine to win so it all worked out in the end.
"The league campaign was a disappointment as it was a role reversal from the season before as Celtic were seven points clear at Christmas and we were reeled in. We blew it.
"The second last game of that season we drew 0-0 away to Hibs and that was the biggest blow for me as we knew then we'd lost the title."
Celtic then suffered a major blow as Strachan walked away from the club in the summer of 2009 and was replaced by former Hoops defender Tony Mowbray.
McDonald did not know then that six months later he would be reunited with his former boss at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough after Strachan shelled out £3.5million for his services.
The Australian left Parkhead after two-and-a-half seasons having scored 64 goals in 117 appearances.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and he readily admits that he should have stayed on and joined the exclusive club of players who have notched 100 goals.
However, McDonald revealed that the writing was on the wall after an early chat with Mowbray which did not augur well for the future.
McDonald said: "I look back and selfishly think that I should have stayed and scored 100 goals for the club. I also wanted to win more trophies and be successful.
"Had I stayed at Celtic both of those things would have 100 per cent happened, I feel. But at that moment in time, it didn't quite materialise that way.
"Gordon supported me as a manager and he gave me confidence. When that is the case you are always going to feel confident in the man at the helm and the way he wanted to play was always an attacking style of play with two wingers and two centre forwards, getting on the front foot as quickly as possible. I absolutely loved it.
"Tony Mowbray came in after Gordon had left and there were a couple of weird conversations we had which set us off on the wrong foot.
"It wasn't just me, there were a few others who felt the same. I don't think Tony came in with his eyes open at that point.
"We are talking 11 years ago now - were there things he could have done better? Yes, 100 per cent there are.
"Could I have done anything differently? Yes, I could probably have stayed around and waited for him to go.
"The writing was on the wall (for him) before I had even left because of the number of points we were behind Rangers. The players weren't buying in but he felt that he could come in and change the whole world instantly.
"This was a team that had won three titles out of four under Gordon, although they had lost the last one.
"With a different manager, you have to take things slowly. You cannot change everyone overnight.
"It wasn't about the style of play, as that was fine. It was more the man-management style that didn't agree with the players at that point.
"For example, Tony once asked me what I was good at. I didn't understand the question as I thought it was a trick one. Then you kind of half-answer it and he tells me what I'm not good at.
"I thought 'where do we go from here?' That is not me having a dig at Tony - it is exactly how it went.
"Did we like each other at one point? No, we didn't. Did we finally get to know each other and respect each other better? Yes, we did because he said he thought I was a good player but I didn't feel that at the time.
"If any player doesn't feel that the manager rates them then what are they going to do? How are you going to feel if that is the case? It is a difficult situation for both parties.
"There are a lot of things I actually took away from Tony as a coach in terms of his style and what he does in his training sessions - they are very, very good. Soe of the stuff he did was ahead of the game at that point.
"It is not all negative and miserable about Tony. I just think the timing, and where the Celtic players were at in our heads... it was all different. It was a shame.
"Tony had spent a lot of money on another striker (Marc- Antoine Fortune) and it was always about trying to find a way to get that particular player into the team and therefore games when you were trying to get me out.
"That's football and it happens in all clubs but you just perform to the best of your ability. It makes you work harder. It's not like there was hatred or anything.
"Then when your old manager gets another job and you get told that you are being offered to other parties by a manager who you think doesn't want you, your head gets turned straight away.
"I am not the only story like that in football clubs. It happens. I'm at peace with it now but probably for a long time, I regretted it (leaving). It is what it is and Celtic went on to do great things after that period.
"I loved playing for them, my time at the club was special to me. Whenever I go back to Scotland the Celtic fans are always fantastic with me.
"Everyone is hospitable and respectful and I still get along with everyone very well. The supporters always stop me and thank me for your services and ask how I am.
"The loveliest feeling in the world is being part of the Celtic family. There is no better feeling than that as a footballer. That is really special to me.
"I can't wait to welcome Celtic to Australia in November, it is going to be a wonderful memory for the likes of myself and my family to see my team playing in my own backyard."
Scott McDonald might reside 10,500 miles away, but he will never be out of sight or out of mind as he carries the club in his heart. He remains a part of the Celtic family... forever.
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