Name: Martin O’Neill

Age: 73

D.O.B: 11th March 1952

Height: 5ft 10in

Place of Birth: Kilrea, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Martin O’Neill’s early playing career

Before he was a tactical mastermind on the touchline, Martin O’Neill was a sophisticated and industrious midfielder.

His journey began in Northern Ireland with Distillery, where he famously scored against Barcelona in the European Cup Winners’ Cup at just 19 years old.

This early flash of brilliance caught the eye of legendary scout Peter Taylor, leading to a move to Nottingham Forest in 1971.

It was under the tutelage of Brian Clough that O’Neill truly developed. A vital cog in the Forest machine that rose from the Second Division to become champions of England, O’Neill provided the tactical discipline and creative spark required at the highest level.

O’Neill’s crowning achievement was helping Nottingham Forest secure back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980.

He also represented Northern Ireland 64 times, famously captaining his country during their historic run to the quarter-finals of the 1982 World Cup, where they defeated hosts Spain.

After successful stints at Norwich City, Manchester City, and Notts County, O’Neill retired as one of the most decorated players of his generation.

Martin O’Neill’s early coaching career

O’Neill’s managerial journey began far from the glamour of the Champions League.

In 1990, he took over at non-league Wycombe Wanderers, where he instantly transformed the club.

He led them into the Football League for the first time in their history in 1993, followed by an immediate second promotion to the third tier.

By the time O’Neill arrived at Celtic in 2000, he was already one of the most respected managers in Britain, having secured two League Cups and four consecutive top-ten Premier League finishes with Leicester City.

This apprenticeship provided the steel and tactical flexibility that would eventually bring the Treble back to Glasgow.

Martin O’Neill becomes manager of Celtic

When Martin O’Neill walked through the gates of Celtic Park on June 1, 2000, he inherited a club in the shadow of a dominant Rangers.

What followed was a five-year period of unprecedented modernisation and domestic dominance that redefined the club’s identity for the 21st century.

O’Neill’s impact was instantaneous. By recruiting “hard-edged” winners like Chris Sutton and Neil Lennon to support the genius of Henrik Larsson, he orchestrated a staggering 36-point swing to snatch the title back from Ibrox.

By the time O’Neill stepped down in 2005, he had secured three league titles, three Scottish Cups, and a League Cup. With a win rate of 75.5%, he remains statistically one of the greatest managers in the history of the Scottish game, setting the gold standard for every manager who has followed him.

O’Neill returned to Celtic in 2025 in an interim basis to take over from Brendan Rodgers and then again in Janaury 2026 after the club sacked Wilfried Nancy.