Celtic’s Magic Man: Martin O’Neill

Scottish Football Stories

Celtic’s Magic Man: Martin O’Neill

Martin O’Neill is back in the Celtic dugout once again, so we took a look back at why he is regarded so highly at Parkhead.

Martin O'Neill is one of the names synonymous with Celtic football club and is possibly one of the most well-liked figures in the fanbase. After the disaster of John Barnes, where Celtic finished 21 points behind Rangers, O’Neill came in as manager in June 2000. In his first season, he beat Rangers 6-2, the biggest margin of victory over Rangers since the 1957 Scottish League Cup Final.

Henrik Larsson 6-2 vs rangers.webp

O’Neill also completed the infamous domestic treble, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished by Celtic since 1968-69. In 2002, he retained the league title, and the follow season, guided Celtic to their first European final since 1970, eventually losing to Jose Mourinho’s Porto in the final.

O’Neill still boasts the club’s highest managerial win rate of 75.5% and announced he would resign at the end of the 2004-05 season, to care for his wife, who had Lymphoma. O’Neill bowed out with yet another Scottish Cup win over Dundee United, cementing his legend status at Paradise.

martin o'neill.jpg

By many, he is regarded just as highly as the greats of Celtic football club like Josh Stein, Jimmy Johnstone, and Henrik Larsson. So, can the 73-year-old step up again for Celtic in a time of dire need after Wilfried Nancy's disasterclass?

Published 06 Jan 2026

Fin Crockart - Scottish Country Co-Ordinator at Football Park

Fin is a Scottish football media professional and digital strategist with a proven track record of building platforms from the ground up and delivering large-scale audience growth. Over the past number of years, he has played a central role in developing and scaling Football Park - Scotland (formerly Everything Scotland), generating over 250 million views across social platforms and establishing it as a trusted voice within the Scottish game. Through this growth, there has been opportunities for collaboration with leading organisations across sport and commercial sectors, including BBC, Irn-Bru, Betway and The Scotsman, among others.

Alongside his editorial and social media work, Fin has operated his own graphic design business, successfully marketing his services and securing contracts with professional institutions such as The University of Essex. As a writer, he has produced articles across a wide range of topics and landscapes within football, demonstrating versatility and strong editorial judgement. His work has attracted international attention, including being interviewed by Le Parisien during EURO 2024, highlighting his insight into Scottish football and its place within the wider European game.

Beyond digital media, Fin has volunteered in various capacities with multiple SPFL clubs, contributing across media, communications, and community-focused roles. He has also been involved in active schools programmes, supporting football and physical activity initiatives, reinforcing his commitment to the game at grassroots and developmental levels.

Today, Fin leads a team of passionate Scottish football fans, united by a shared ambition: to give Scottish football the consistent, informed, and high-quality coverage it deserves.

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