Simon Donnelly. AKA Sid, an unsung Celtic hero | OneFootball

Simon Donnelly is a familiar name amongst the Celtic supporters for his contributions in the Hoops in the mid-nineties, with younger supporters better acquainted with Simon through his regular work on Celtic TV and other media outlets…

28 September 1996:Simon Donnelly  of Celtic running after the ball during a Scottish Premier match. Photo: Allsport

Sid as he was known made his debut for the club in 1994 under Lou Macari and went on to be a first team regular over the next few years.

When Simon first burst onto the scene he was highly regarded but unfairly dubbed as the new Kenny Dalglish by Lou Macari. A burden that should never be placed upon a promising youngsters shoulders as the pressure of playing the striker role for Celtic is bad enough without being compared to one of the greatest players to have graced the game.

30 September 1997: Bjorn Kvarme of Liverpool (right) clears the ball under the close scrutiny of Simon Donnelly of Celtic during the UEFA Cup first round second leg match at Anfield. Photo: Shaun Botterill /Allsport

Simon scored a few goals in an otherwise drab campaign and put in a tremendous shift as a lone striker at Ibrox as we earned a 1-1 draw in the infamous lock out game and impressed as he terrorised an experienced Rangers backline.

He ended the season on a high note as he caught the eye against Man United in Mark Hughes testimonial scoring twice in a 3-1 win at the theatre of dreams against Alex Ferguson’s double winning side.

30 OCT 1994: SIMON DONNELLY OF CELTIC IS LIFTED UP BY THE SHIRT BY NEW RANGERS PLAYER ALAN MCLAREN AS THE FIGHT FOR THE BALL IN THEIR SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH Photo: Chris Cole/ALLSPORT

The following campaign saw Tommy Burns take the reins and Simon’s Celtic career didn’t look like taking off as he failed to hit the heights of his breakthrough campaign, and visibly struggled as he failed to score in 24 appearances although he did end the season with a Scottish Cup winners medal as he played 70 minutes in the 1-0 win over Airdrie.

Tommy Burns was still an admirer of the young Simon and decided to use his talent to greater effect by moving him out right in a more wide attacking role, and it worked wonders as he combined well with new signing Jackie McNamara and despite finishing the Season empty handed the side played an exiting brand of football with Simon one of the main factors scoring 10 goals in 46 appearances.

The next season saw his partnership with Jackie McNamara on the right hand flank interrupted by the signing of the dynamic Paolo Di Canio who was seen as the main man and understandably so, rendering Sid’s first team chances limited although he still featured heavily in the squad making 36 appearances and scoring five goals as the side fell short in the silverware department once more.

Simon Donnelly Glasgow Celtic FC 24 October 1998. Photo Mary Evans Allstar Graham Whitby Boot

The next season was an all important one and it seen the arrival of Wim Jansen who replaced the sacked Tommy Burns and with the departure of big names like Paolo DI Canio and Jorge Cadete, Simon was handed a vital role up front with new signing Henrik Larsson as the club aimed to stop the dreaded ten.

Darren Jackson also signed whilst a few months into the campaign seen the arrival of Harald Brattbakk, but Simon played a starring role and was seen as very much a permanent fixture in the side by Jansen and he thrived by helping the club to their first title in ten years with a league cup thrown in for good measure.

It was a great season for Simon, his best in a Celtic shirt as he scored 16 goals in 44 appearances, some of them very significant ones, like his superb strike at Rugby park that secured all three points in what proved to be a ever so vital three points. His penalty over Liverpool in the UEFA cup was also a very memorable moment.

Simon was so close to being remembered as the man who scored the goal that won the title and stopped the dreaded ten at East End park against Dunfermline only to see a late equaliser delay our celebrations for another agonising week. Something that bothered Sid then and most likely still does.

A year later he would leave for a new challenge as he signed for Sheffield Wednesday along with team mate Phil O’Donnell, but left having made his mark at the club making a total of 195 appearances scoring 41 goals and winning every domestic honour in the process.

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