Barry Robson: It will be great to get back to Celtic Park again | OneFootball

Barry Robson wishes he had joined Celtic a couple of years earlier than he did, and having arrived at Paradise, he never wanted to leave.

He did so after two-and-a-half years with the Hoops, having made 55 appearances and scoring seven goals, and helping the club win the league title in 2008 and the League Cup the following season.

The highlights of that period of his career remain as fond and fresh as they were at the time, and the former midfielder is looking forward to returning to Paradise later this month for the Celtic FC Foundation’s Legends Charity Match on Sunday, May 26 (KO: 2pm).

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Robson might not possess the fitness he once had as a box-to-box midfielder – ‘I hope they’re not expecting me to play 90 minutes!’ he said – but he still possesses a competitive edge that will come to the fore once he steps over that white line.

“I’m just worried that the red mist will set in again once I’m out there, and then I start thinking I’m 25 again and I’m charging all over the pitch again,” he joked

For the former Celt, the chance to meet up with some former team-mates is an appealing one, while the prospect of playing in front of supporters who always appreciated his efforts for the cause is something he’s looking forward to.

Speaking to the official Celtic website, Barry Robson said: “Celtic Park is always a place you miss when you leave as a player.

“You miss the demands of the club, the pressure and everything that goes with it – the big Champions League nights, derby games.

“I’m looking forward to coming back to see the fans because the Celtic fans were always brilliant with me. I’ve always had a really good relationship with them, so it’ll be good to see them again.

“Apart from missing the club – the games and the pressure – one of the things I miss is my team-mates. They make everything when you’re there.

“It’s the memories you look back on and we were actually a very successful team.

"We got to the last 16 of the Champions League and won leagues and cups, so to share those experiences with that group of players was great, so it’ll be good to meet up again with the likes of Broony, Big Jan, Artur and Mick.

“Celtic is more than a club and when you’ve played there or been lucky enough to meet the people and be there, you realise it’s more than a football club – I always say that to people.

“You could go and play for big clubs in England but they’re not as big as Celtic – it’s not the same pressure, I’m telling you that now. There are not many clubs in the world that have got that demand.”

Barry Robson might have left Celtic back in 2010, but he has been reminded over the years, not only of the size of the club but also how much his contribution continues to be appreciated by Celtic supporters.

And he will certainly be aware of that appreciation when he pulls on the green and white Hoops again on Sunday, May 26 as the Celtic Legends team take on Borussia Dortmund.

“I was visiting my sister in Baku in Azerbaijan, because my brother-in-law works in the oil industry out there,” he explained, “and I ended up going to a Celtic function in Baku.

“They heard I was coming over so I was invited to go this event with all these Celtic fans – I think there were about 150 people there. It was brilliant.

“I was also in Jamaica on holiday and I was on the Bob Marley tour, and I was walking in this little forest.

“I got a tap on the shoulder, and it was a couple asking if they could get a photo with me – they were Celtic fans, in the middle of a forest in Jamaica.

“So wherever I go now, I still get remembered, and if I go down to Glasgow, the amount of people who’ll come up to me now is ridiculous, and the Celtic fans have been great with me.

“So it will be good to get back to Celtic Park and see the boys and see everybody.”

TICKET PRICES

The Legends Charity Match promises to be a fantastic occasion for all the family and tickets are on general sale now, priced at:

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY

A range of Matchday Hospitality packages are available for the Legends Charity Match at Celtic Park, starting at just £30 per person.

You can register your interest in these packages here or check celticfc.com regularly for the latest updates.

SUPPORTING CELTIC FC FOUNDATION

Funds raised through the match will focus on feeding people in need of support, to reflect the heritage of the club and respond to the current cost of living crisis, which is overwhelming so many families and individuals.

This will include continuation and development of Celtic FC Foundation’s Paradise Pit Stop project at Celtic Park. In addition, we will look to secure new locations for food provision with local partners in Inverclyde and Lanarkshire, plus London and Ireland to complement our current delivery of key projects in those areas.

With Scott Brown set to captain the side, we’re delighted to confirm that a donation will also be made to Dundee Cancer Centre at Ninewells Hospital, in memory of his sister Fiona, who sadly passed away in 2008 aged just 21

Fixtures

Celtic Legends Vs. Borussia Dortmund Legends - Sun, May 26th 2024, 14:00