GEORGIOS SAMARAS joined Celtic on loan from Manchester City in January 2008 just two years after the English club had paid £6million to lure him from Dutch outfit Heerenveen.
Gordon Strachan was impressed enough by the Greek striker’s performances to make the move permanent six months later in a £2.5million deal.
Samaras possessed the ability to excite and exasperate and became a cult hero with the Parkhead support.
The lithe, strong-running frontman certainly made an impact with the Hoops and scored 74 goals in 249 appearances in all competitions while picking up seven honours, including four titles.
The enigmatic marksman, who won 81 caps for his country, scored on his final game for Celtic in a 3-1 victory over Dundee United at Parkhead on May 11 2014.
EAR WE GO…a triumphant Georgios Samaras holds aloft the League Cup after Celtic’s 2-0 victory over Rangers at Hampden in March 15 2009.
The Hoops decided against renewing his contract and he was snapped up as a free agent in the summer on a two-year deal by top-flight side West Brom.
Unfortunately, Samaras could not replicate his Celtic form at the Midlands club and failed to score a solitary goal in his eight appearances.
On February 5 2015, he joined Al-Hilal on loan for the rest of the season, with an option to sign him permanently at the end of his temporary spell. However, the player didn’t settle in Saudi Arabia and, after quitting West Brom, he went on his soccer travels.
Samaras played out his latter years in the USA, Spain and Turkey before retiring in 2018.
After returning to his homeland, he remained in football as a media pundit while also accepting a vice-president role at OFI Crete.
Now 41, Samaras has taken over as chief executive of Cosmos Football Agency and is also a TV presenter and analyst.
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