THE APPRENTICE

O'Neill took Lennon under his wing..now they go toe-to-toe

- RYAN McDONALD

IT'S the kind of storyline only football could throw up.

Thirty years after Martin O'Neill took a punt on a stocky, snarling midfielder called Neil Lennon at Leicester City (below), the old master and his most trusted lieutenant are set for a blockbuster reunion - in opposite dugouts.

From the East Midlands to the east end of Glasgow, it's been some journey for the Northern Irish pair, who have an unbreakable bond that's stood the test of time.

Now they will go headto-head at Hampden next month with silverware on the line.

The Scottish Cup final could yet prove to be O'Neill's final game in management after a glittering career spanning more than 1,000 matches.

And it just had to be fellow Parkhead legend Lennon standing in the way of a fairytale ending.