THE LAST TIME Daizen Maeda was at Parkhead for a derby encounter, the Japanese ace was lauded to the heavens by a joyous support.
The jet-heeled frontman had just claimed a double – including an unforgettable overhead-kick – and Martin O’Neill’s men had just lifted three crucial points in a 3-1 triumph that went a long way to the team winning a fifth successive title six days later.
The victory over the Ibrox club was on the Sunday afternoon of May 10 and Maeda will return today before the visit of Derek McInnes’ outfit to say a proper farewell to the Celtic support just before kick-off.
The fans’ favourite, of course, ended four and a half years in the east end of Glasgow when left the Hoops in the summer in a £10million switch to newly-promoted Ipswich Town.
In a genuine touch of class, Maeda has asked Celtic for the opportunity to thank the fans personally for all the support he and his family received during his time in Scotland.
PARADISE…Daizen Maeda celebrates his fifth successive title at Celtic.
He will do so on the pitch 10 minutes prior to the midday kick-off, according to the Celtic website.
Maeda also netted on his previous occasion in Paradise when his hit the second goal in the 3-1 Flag Day decider against Hearts.
A week later, he brought down the curtain on his Celtic career with the opening goal in the 3-1 Scottish Cup Final success over Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline at Hampden.
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