Date: 16/5/2004
Venue: Celtic Park
Match: Celtic v Dundee United, Scottish Premier League
Occasion: The last league game of the 2003/04 season. With the title in the bag and a Scottish Cup final around the corner this should have been a quiet conclusion to another succesful SPL campaign. But this was no ordinary match. This was Henrik Larsson's final competive appearance in the Hoops at Paradise.
Result: Celtic 2 Dundee United 1
Attendance: 58,635
Celtic Team: Marshall, Balde, Varga, McNamara, Agathe, Lennon, Petrov, Pearson, Thompson (Wallace 88), Larsson, Sutton. Subs not used:- McGovern, Lambert, Beattie, Mjallby.
In The Big Wide World: In the months and weeks prior to the match the US military is accused of prisoner abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, a smoking ban is installed in all workplaces, pubs, bars and restaurants in the Republic of Ireland, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic are among 1o new member states of the EU, South Africa is awarded the 2010 FIFA World Cup
A Bit of Culture: Released at UK cinemas this month is 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'. The Cannes Film Festival is held this month with Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 winning the Palme d'Or.
Top of the UK single chart this week was Frankee with F.U.R.B (F U Right Back) while other hits in May included Morrisey's 'Irish Blood, English Heart' and 'Air Hostess' by Busted.
Who Was There: Graeme87
Henrik arrived in the summer of 1997 following the departures of Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Paolo Di Canio and Jorge Cadette. What did you know about the player and what were your expectations?
I was absolutely gutted with the departure of the trio of Van Hooijdonk, Cadete and Di Canio. The 96/97 season was the year I first got my season ticket and even at a young age I was watching a brand of football which while deeply flawed was as exciting as any I have seen at Celtic Park. When Henrik arrived, I think my youthful reaction was “there is the guy with the dreadlocks, who plays for Sweden”. Henrik was instantly recognisable face but I was unaware of what kind of ability he possessed. I remember that summer so vividly and the frenzied anticipation of attempting to stop 10 in a row. I remember my uncle being really disappointed with the signings overall that summer. Luckily it didn’t turn out too bad.
His nightmare debut at Hibs is now an integral part of the Henke legend. What do you recall about his contribution to that defeat at Easter Road and what was the fans' reaction?
I am not sure if his debut has been hyped up in terms of his mistake to add to his legacy. I do remember taking stick from Rangers supporting friends after the defeat and the subsequent loss to Dunfermline at Celtic Park. I remember watching the game in a friends house and if I remember correctly I think he came off the bench. I can still see the pass now in my head, which set up the Chic Charnley winner. It was an auspicious start to say the least.
I think the moment that made me realise we had a player was the mercurial header at McDiarmid Park against St Johnstone to give us our first win of the season in the league and the start of an impressive run of form.
Henrik's performances and goals ensured that debut mistake was quickly forgiven. What is your personal favourite Henke moment from his time at Parkhead?
This is an almost impossible question, but I think I my favourite all time Henrik moment was his performance in the 2001 CIS Cup final. The team was decimated with injury and fringe players like Healy and Crainey got their chance.
Larsson was on fire and with Sutton’s early second half dismissal he played up – front himself for the rest of the game. I don’t think there is a better feeling than watching a football player at the peak of his powers. After the season he had been having the excitement around him had built to fever pitch and the way he continually came up with the goods, especially in the final was remarkable.
The first two goals themselves were not spectacular, a spin half – volley in the box and a deflected lob but it was the way he rounded it off with the most composed finish when he had almost 30 yards to travel after robbing Dindeleux of the ball. The dragback and finish cemented him as an absolute superstar. Larsson put in a virtuoso performance to capture the first trophy of the O’Neill era. On that day Larsson confirmed himself as the best striker in Britain at that time.
His time at Parkhead wasn't all plain sailing though and in the autumn of 1999 he would suffer a leg break in Lyon that was so horrific some thought his career could be ended. What were the fears and feelings of the Celtic support at this time?
That night was just abysmal. I remember racing home from football training to watch the game. The tackle looked innocuous but the aftermath was terrible. I think it was Lubo who was giving his best Lineker style impressions to signal to the bench that something was off. The replays just confirmed it. If I’m being honest I can remember next to nothing about the game, I think there was an impression that we played well and were unlucky to lose.
I think the fans new we were in trouble and up to that point we had been treated to some really incisive, free flowing football. The season that we went on to have just proves how much he was he was missed.
So after seven years in Paradise the time had finally come for Henrik to bid farewell. Can you remember much about the build-up to this game?
I can remember that there was a massive amount of anticipation to the game from Celtic fans I had spoken to. I may be wrong but I think the media maybe underestimated the impact the day would have on the majority of Celtic fans who would never see Larsson play again.
The feeling of nerves never left me that week. It was also a great day to pay tribute to the fantastic league campaign which was season 03/04 The season as a whole had been about righting the wrongs of the previous gut wrenching campaign. The consistency and determination to see the job through was unbelievable.
Despite the championship already being in the bag, Henke's departure meant this relatively meaningless game was a must see. Can you describe the atmosphere as you approached Celtic Park?
I remember it being an absolutely beautiful day in May. The feeling entering the bus park was definitely one of anticipation. To see the greatest Celtic player of recent memory end his paradise playing career was an exciting prospect. I don’t remember of too much special memorabilia being available but the atmosphere inside the ground was very much of appreciation of Henrik.
I think like anything you can never really appreciate the significance of something in the moment itself. I remember watching him go through his pre match warm up as vigorously as he always did. The excitement was definitely building.
The sun is shining and Celtic Park is full to the rafters. Can you describe the scene as Henrik emerges from the tunnel for his final competitive game in the Hoops?
The atmosphere was amazing, as it almost always was through O’Neill’s first four seasons. The Larsson songs were in full flow straight from kick off. I remember thinking to myself just at kick – off that this was it at Celtic Park. It was a bizarre scenario and one I have discussed ad nauseam with friends that even though there was the Scottish Cup final to come, that this was it, this was Larsson’s day and his chance to say goodbye to the fans.
So the game is underway. What do you remember about the first-half?
The feeling for most of the game was one of frustration. Your were willing the ball to go in and in the heat of the moment you didn’t think it would come. Larsson in his tenure had never been more selfish in front of goal and you see he was trying so hard to score in that game. One chance I remember in particular the ball was coming down to him and instead of waiting a second for it to sit nicely for him he sclaffed it over the bar. I had never seen the pressure get to him like this before.
After the break the game progresses with United keeper Paul Gallagher in great form. With the minutes ticking away did you think Henrik might be deprived of the fairytale finish he so deserved?
I definitely did think for a long time that it might not be his day and make no mistake there would have been a slight anti climatic feel if he hadn’t sealed his Parkhead swansong with a goal. There was at least 5 or 6 chances that went begging before the first magical moment arrived. In hindsight I didn’t need to worry, maybe one day Superman might not save the day, maybe one day Stephen Fry might get a quiz question wrong, but there was no chance Henrik Larsson was going to let down his fans.
With just nine minutes left, Celtic get a free-kick outwide. Alan Thomson delivers a great ball into the box and up leaps Henrik and there is only one outcome. Can you describe the moment the ball nestles in the net?
The moment the ball went in the net was one of the greatest feelings I have ever had. The unbridled relief of 60’00 supporters in harmony was amazing. Larsson wheeled away in delight as I hugged everyone in sight. It was such an amazing feeling as this great footballer got the ending he so richly deserved to the most remarkable Celtic career. The icing on the cake was hearing the Magnificent 7 bellow around Celtic Park, it still gives me shivers thinking about it to this day.
In typical Larsson fashion he's not finished yet and after a ball from Agathe Henrik nets his 39th goal of the season. How did Celtic Park react?
This was the cherry on top!. The feeling when the second goal went in was one of joy. This is where he broke down in tears and when I see it today on TV I still get a lump in my throat. The party mood just went up another level as we knew Larsson had got what he came for. In saying that I am sure I heard a few shouts for a hat trick. I was mentally drained after that goal but the sing song continued until final whistle.
A consolation goal for Dundee United from the penalty spot failed to spoil the party. What was it like in the stands and on the pitch at the final whislle?
It didn’t spoil my party as I only realised it was 2 -1 when I got home. When I seen Mark Wilson’s penalty on TV that night the you could see the fans were still in Larsson mode and had barely recognised that the penalty was even taking place. It did very little to dampen the spirits.
There are few players as renowned for their coolness and composure as Larsson. Yet here he was in front of 60,000 football fans in floods of tears. What did it feel like to see the great man so emotional?
This is the bit that got me. Grown men around me who were with their children crying their eyes out. The emotional outpour from Larsson, the fans and his fellow players was remarkable. The saying I have never seen anything like it was never more apt than in this situation. A fantastic football player who had an amazing rapport with the support was reduced to tears in one of the most poignant moments I have ever seen. I think the face he was Mr Cool made it even more remarkable. Celtic definitely missed a trick in not reaching an agreement with Kleenex before the match. The singing went on long after Larsson and the team had left the pitch. A great send off for a Celtic hero.
In these times as footballer as mercenary the relationship between Celtic and Henrik was very special. How do you think he will be remembered in 20 years time?
I wasn’t lucky enough to see Jimmy Johnstone or Kenny Dalglish,. I did however manage to see one of the finest strikers of his generation ply his trade for Celtic in the prime of his career, for that I will be eternally grateful. I still cannot believe we managed to hold onto him or he very well could have been someone else’s legend. Words cannot do justice to talents that Larsson had.
He really was everything that he was made out to be. He was a cult hero and a superstar rolled into one. A fantastic man who just happened to be a great striker as well. He will be remembered as the best Celtic player outside of Jimmy Johnstone to pull on the hoops and the benchmark of what a great Celtic player should be to players that follow in the coming years.