SEVEN years ago today, Neil Lennon returned to the Celtic dug-out in the wake of Brendan Rodgers’ hasty exit for Leicester City.

By a stroke of fortune, the Hoops legend had just quit his managerial post at Hibs the previous month and did not take too much persuasion to once again accept the challenge of leading the Parkhead side.

Ironically, Lennon’s first game in his interim capacity saw a return to Edinburgh where a late goal from Odsonne Edouard gave the visitors a crucial 2-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle.

In his previous stint, the Irishman had delivered three titles before leaving in the summer of 2014 to make way for the arrival of Norwegian Ronny Deila.

SILVER SMILE…Neil Lennon with the ninth successive league title.

Back in late February 2019, Lennon was tasked with keeping the club on track for an eighth successive crown.

There wasn’t much time for the former team captain, who collected five winners’ medals in the reigns of Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan, to draw breath before he was pitched into action.

Twenty-four hours after taking the job, Lennon led the team to the capital for a crucial Premiership encounter against Craig Levein’s...