Charm Fascination Charisma

Georgios Samaras tells how the magic of Celtic and Paradise drew him in.

- Mark Henderson

GEORGIOS Samaras drove up to Glasgow from Manchester with his Dad 10 years ago and he expected it to be a short road trip. Celtic wanted to sign him on loan from Manchester City but his instinct was to stay with his parent club. All that changed when he got his first glimpse of Paradise. 

As he walked along the edge of pitch and gazed around the empty stands, he could sense something special in the air. It was the moment he decided to become a Bhoy, the moment when he made the best decision of his life. 

Helped by a stunning debut goal in a Scottish Cup win over Kilmarnock and the warm welcome he received in the dressing room, Samaras instantly felt at home at Celtic.

Over the coming months, he made a crucial contribution as Gordon Strachan’s side clawed back a significant points’ deficit to seal the title in dramatic style on the last day of the season. 

In the summer, Samaras didn’t require much persuasion in making his move to Celtic permanent. He went on to make over 250 appearances over the next six years, scoring 74 goals and enjoying significant silverware success. 

Currently plying his trade in the Turkish second tier at Samsunspor, the 32-year-old is simply enjoying the fact he can still play the game he loves after a debilitating back injury which sidelined him for over a year. And he was delighted to go down memory lane with the View and reflect on his journey to Paradise.

Does it feel like 10 years since you moved to Celtic?