The 16th of May 2004 Celtic Park, the last game of the league season, and the last competitive home game in a Celtic shirt for Henrik Larsson. The best Celtic player in a generation. The King of Kings.
Dundee United were the visitors in a game that had nothing riding on it for the two sides on paper, but for the Celtic supporters and players, both were wanting a victory and a goal for the farewell hero. It was a must.
Celtic Park was packed to the rafters to pay tribute to the Superstar Swede in his last ever competitive appearance in a Celtic shirt at Paradise. He had given us seven wonderful years and so many memories and today was the day we would last see him pull on those famous hoops at Celtic Park, it was going to be an emotional day whatever the outcome.
The game flew by and it was a typical end of season affair, and despite his and his teammates best efforts, Henrik couldn’t find the net. As the game entered the last ten minutes it looked as if it would end in a goalless stalemate.
Then on the 83rd minute Alan Thompson swung a free kick into the box and as Henrik had done regularly in his seven years at the club he got his head to it and placed it perfectly in the back of the net. It was a trademark Henrik goal. The net nestled and Henrik celebrated as much as he did when he hit the two of his goals in the Uefa cup final in seville the previous year. It meant so much to him to say goodbye with a goal.
Three minutes later and with the crowd still singing his name, Henrik got in front of the Dundee United defence and instinctively met a Didier Agathe cross with his right foot and expertly put the ball in the back of the net once more. The net nestled again and Henrik celebrated with the crowd as he scored his 240th goal for the club and his last ever at Celtic park as a Celtic player. It was an emotional moment for Henrik, his teammates, the coaching staff and of course the supporters.
When the final whistle went it dawned on Henrik it was his last ever appearance at Paradise. The supporters sung his name and the normally laid back cool Swede shed a tear or two, even his teammates looked a bit teary, they needn’t worry though, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
The best Celtic player in a generation and one of the best ever players in the clubs illustrious history was saying goodbye. We have never seen a player like him since, and maybe never will. Those who were lucky enough to witness Celtic in the Hoops will tell you so, there isn’t a player like the King of Kings and most likely never will be. Henrik larsson, Celtic legend.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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