O'Neill: The Champions League was so special & that is what you want as a manager of this club

HOOPS BOSS CAN'T WAIT TO SAMPLE ANOTHER BIG NIGHT UNDER LIGHTS AT PARKHEAD

- MICHAEL GANNON

THERE was a time when Celtic Park was one of the most feared fortresses in Europe.

A time when the big guns from across the continent were left shaking in their boots and couldn't buy a win.

It was the house that Martin O'Neill built.

And the returning club legend would love to restore the place to former glories.

O'Neill made a colossal impact in his first spell in charge 25 years ago but it was making Celtic a genuine force in Europe again that stood above the lot.

In five seasons in charge, his Hoops lost just three times on home soil. One was in his first season against Bordeaux after extra time in the UEFA Cup, the other was the Champions League playoff second leg against Ajax the following campaign, when they still qualified for the group stages for the first time.

The only other occasion O'Neill left the place after a loss was against Barcelona in 2005.

In between times, they all came and went. Juventus, Porto, Liverpool, Lyon, Bayern Munich, Barca and AC Milan were on a long list of heavy hitters who couldn't get the better of the Northern Irishman's teams.