WHATEVER HAPPENED TO…WILLO FLOOD?

The Republic of Ireland midfielder, 23 years old at the time, moved to the Hoops in January 2009 following a cut-price £200,000 switch from Cardiff City.

Flood had attracted the attention of Gordon Strachan during an impressive loan spell at Dundee United.

However, his career stalled in Glasgow and he made a mere nine first-team appearances before leaving a year later.

Ironically, he rejoined Strachan at Middlesbrough after the manager had departed Parkhead before the disastrous 10-month reign of Tony Mowbray.

Years later, asked when he realised things were not working out at the Hoops, Flood answered: “Straight away. After two months.

“It’s an unbelievable club, I loved it. But I just wasn’t playing games and if I didn’t play games I never enjoyed it.

“On a Saturday, when you don’t get that 90 minutes and you’re sitting on the bench getting a few minutes, that’s when I thought: ‘Oh f*** this, man, this is not me’.

“That’s one thing I’ve always done in my career. When I never played enough game-time I wanted out.

“I don’t understand why boys stay at clubs for four years. Obviously, the money and all that, but just go out on loan and play games.”

Flood was on the brink of a loan return to Tannadice before the move broke down at the last minute, but he did quit the Hoops in January 2010 when Strachan, who had departed Glasgow the previous summer, came calling for a second time.

HOLD ON…Willo Flood in action for Dundee United against Celtic as he challenges fans’ favourite Shunsuke Nakamura for possession.

Flood recalled: “Strachan rang me. He was in the job down there for about two weeks. I thought there’s a chance he might take me.

“I remember he was talking to Barry Robson and Gary Caldwell and he rang me up and said: ‘Listen, Willo, I’d take you at Middlesbrough. Would you want to come?’“Straight away I said: ‘All day’.”

Neil Lennon, who took over from Mowbray in March that year, was in charge of the reserves at the time and had been giving Flood regular game-time.

The Dublin-born middle-of-the-park performer, now 39 and working as an agent, added: “That’s when I said to Lenny: ‘I’m going in January, but let me play a few reserve games for you’ and over that few weeks Lenny was brilliant with me.”

Flood was at Boro for 18 months before being snapped up by former club Dundee United on a free transfer. Two years later, he switched to Aberdeen.

He brought down the curtain on his career with a third stint at Tannadice on July 2016 before retiring two years later.

* TOMORROW: Don’t miss the adventures of another former Celt in CQN’s EXCLUSIVE series.