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Neil Lennon

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Neil Lennon
Personal information
Full name Neil Francis Lennon[1]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Celtic (manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1990 Manchester City 1 (0)
1990–1996 Crewe Alexandra 147 (15)
1996–2000 Leicester City 170 (6)
2000–2007 Celtic 214 (3)
2007–2008 Nottingham Forest 18 (0)
2008 Wycombe Wanderers 9 (0)
Total 561 (26)
International career
Northern Ireland U21 2 (0)
Northern Ireland U23 2 (0)
Northern Ireland B 1 (0)
1994–2002 Northern Ireland 40 (2)
Managerial career
2010– Celtic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Neil Francis Lennon (born 25 June 1971)[2] is a former footballer from Northern Ireland. He is the current manager[3] and former captain of Celtic.[4]

Early life

Lennon was born in Lurgan, County Armagh[5] and attended St Michael's Grammar School in the town.[6] As a youngster he played gaelic football for the school and was also selected for the Armagh minor team.[7] He grew up supporting Celtic[8] and played football for the local Lurgan Celtic youth team.[9]

Club career

Lennon joined Manchester City as a trainee in 1987, before playing for Crewe Alexandra and Leicester City, before moving to Celtic in December 2000.[10] Lennon became Celtic captain in 2005.

When his former club Leicester sacked Craig Levein, Lennon was linked with a return to the Midlands side in a player-manager role. He went on record saying he was flattered but wanted to captain Celtic to the Scottish Premier League title.[11]

Although he was also linked with a possible move to Crystal Palace in a player/coach role in the summer of 2006,[12] on 23 June 2006, Celtic announced he had signed a new one-year contract. Sunderland manager Roy Keane made an attempt to sign Lennon prior to the closure of the August 2006 transfer window, but his approach for the player was rejected by Celtic. On 25 April 2007, Lennon announced he would be leaving Celtic, and in his last game for the club on 26 May 2007, he captained the team to victory in the Scottish Cup Final against Dunfermline Athletic. Celtic's 1–0 win clinched the League and Cup Double.[13]

Lennon joined Nottingham Forest on a one-year contract with an option for a second year on 12 June 2007.[14] He made his debut captaining the side in a 0–0 draw at home to Bournemouth. He missed a week's training with Forest because of family reasons in Scotland and lost his place in the team as a consequence.[15]

Lennon joined Wycombe Wanderers on 31 January 2008,[16] leaving on 3 April to take up a coaching role with Celtic.[17]

International career

Lennon was capped 40 times by Northern Ireland,[5] scoring two goals. He also captained the team.

Lennon decided to retire from international football in August 2002 upon receiving a death threat before a Northern Ireland match against Cyprus. The threats came after his alleged claim that he wanted to play for a team representing a United Ireland.[18] The threat was allegedly made by the Loyalist Volunteer Force, although the organisation later denied this.[19][20]

International goals

Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first

Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 5 October 1996 Belfast, Northern Ireland  Armenia 1–0 1–1 1998 World Cup qualification[21][22]
2 18 October 1998 Belfast, Northern Ireland  Moldova 2–2 2–2 UEFA Euro 2000 qualification[23][24]

Management and coaching career

Lennon was linked with the vacant manager's job at Hibernian after the resignation of John Collins,[25] but the job was given to Mixu Paatelainen. Lennon's first coaching appointment was as first team coach with Celtic in 2008.[26] After the appointment of Tony Mowbray as Celtic manager, Lennon took charge of the Celtic reserve team.[27]

Following Mowbray's departure from Celtic on 25 March 2010, Lennon was appointed caretaker manager for the remainder of the 2009–10 season.[28] He appointed former team-mate Johan Mjällby as his assistant. Celtic won all of their remaining league games under Lennon, including wins over Kilmarnock,[29] Hibernian,[30] and Rangers, but they lost 2–0 to Scottish First Division side Ross County in the Scottish Cup.[31]

Lennon was appointed manager of Celtic on a full time basis on 9 June 2010.[32] On 28 July, in Lennon's first competitive game as full time manager, Celtic lost 3–0 away to S.C. Braga in the UEFA Champions League.[33]

Personal life

In September 2008, it was reported that Lennon was the victim of an assault whilst in the West End of Glasgow.[34] His attackers were subsequently charged, found guilty and jailed for two years each on 16 January 2009.[35]

Lennon has also spoken frankly about having battled depression since 2000.[36]

Honours

File:Elliott lifs cup.JPG
Lennon (bottom right) enjoying Leicester's League Cup victory on 27 February 2000
Leicester City
Celtic

Managerial statistics

As of 30 August 2010
Team Nat From To Record
P W D L GF GA Win %
Celtic  Scotland 25 March 2010 Present[40] 24 20 0 4 45 14 083.33
Total 24 20 0 4 45 14 083.33

References

  1. ^ Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946-2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 367. ISBN 1852916656.
  2. ^ Neil Lennon Football-Heroes
  3. ^ Celtic appoint Neil Lennon as manager Celtic FC, 9 June 2010
  4. ^ Tony Mowbray leaves Celtic Celtic FC, 25 March 2010
  5. ^ a b "Profile: Neil Lennon". BBC Sport. 22 August 2002. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  6. ^ St Michael's Mercy Mission to Mukuru St Michael's Grammar School, 24 May 2001
  7. ^ Neil Lennon tips Armagh BBC Sport, 18 May 2001
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Lennon the man to lead Celtic's revival Belfast Telegraph, 9 June 2010
  9. ^ Neil Lennon has the drive to be great manager and proved it when he overcame crippling spine injury, says mentor Daily Record, 1 June 2010
  10. ^ "Lennon seals Celtic move". BBC Sport. 9 December 2000. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  11. ^ "Crystal Palace open Lennon talks". BBC Sport. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 20 June 2006.
  12. ^ "Celtic 1-0 Dunfermline Athletic". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 26 May 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  13. ^ "Lennon signs for the Reds". BBC Sport. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  14. ^ "Neil Lennon's Official Blog". MonTheHoops CSC. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  15. ^ "Veteran Lennon signs for Wycombe". BBC Sport. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
  16. ^ Bean, Graham (26 March 2010). "In from cold, forgotten man Neil Lennon is back on centre stage". The Scotsman. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  17. ^ "Lennon delighted with reception". ESPNsoccernet. 25 March 2001. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  18. ^ "Who really threatened to kill Neil Lennon?; Making death threats | Sunday Herald". Find Articles. 25 August 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  19. ^ "Driven out by hate". BBC News. 22 August 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  20. ^ 1996 MATCHES EUROPE (October) Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
  21. ^ HELD IN AN ARM LOCK; More woe for Bryan's boys! N IRELAND 1 ARMENIA 1 Sunday Mirror, 6 October 1996 (archived)
  22. ^ (Northern) Ireland - International Results 1990-1999 - Details Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
  23. ^ Dowie sparks recovery but slip-ups are costly Birmingham Post, 19 November 1998 (archived)
  24. ^ "Easter Road job interests Lennon". BBC Sport. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2007.
  25. ^ "Exclusive: Lenny comes home". Celtic FC. 3 April 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  26. ^ Arthurlie's Celtic clash called-off Paisley Daily Express, 5 January 2010
  27. ^ "Celtic part company with manager Tony Mowbray". BBC Sport. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  28. ^ "Celtic 3-1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
  29. ^ Martin Conaghan (4 April 2010). "Hibernian 0 - 1 Celtic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  30. ^ "Neil Lennon slams the lack of Celtic hunger and desire". BBC Sport. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  31. ^ Celtic appoint Neil Lennon as their new manager The Times, 9 June 2010
  32. ^ "Braga 3 - 0 Celtic". BBC Sport. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  33. ^ "Celtic's Lennon hurt in assault". BBC News. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
  34. ^ "'Brutal' Lennon attackers jailed". BBC News. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  35. ^ Lennon's 'pride' over depression The Herald, 24 February 2007
  36. ^ Rangers win Old Firm final BBC Sport, 4 May 2002
  37. ^ Rangers retain CIS Cup BBC Sport, 16 March 2003
  38. ^ Porto end Celtic's Uefa dream BBC Sport, 21 May 2003
  39. ^ First Team Fixtures Celtic FC
Sporting positions
Preceded by Celtic captain
2005–2007 		Succeeded by
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