| Name | Martin O’Neill |
| Club | Celtic FC |
| Nationality | Northern Ireland |
| Age | 74 (born Sat, 1 Mar 1952) |
Data: SportMonks · updated 4 Sept 2026
Martin O’Neill at Celtic
Martin O’Neill took charge of Celtic in 2000 and quickly turned the club into a dominant force in Scottish football. His side won a domestic treble in his very first season in charge. Meanwhile, Celtic reached the 2003 UEFA Cup final, a rare run in Celtic’s European history. O’Neill built that team around discipline and momentum rather than individual stars.
Career Before Celtic
O’Neill began as a player with Distillery before Nottingham Forest signed him. He later turned out for Norwich City, Manchester City and Notts County. He also won senior caps for Northern Ireland during his playing career. As a manager, he first took charge of Wycombe Wanderers, then Norwich City and Leicester City. Leicester City won two League Cups under his management. Indeed, that success convinced Celtic to appoint him in 2000.
Career History Overview
The table below sets out O’Neill’s playing and managerial career. It highlights the range of clubs across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland where O’Neill worked.
| Club | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Distillery | Player | Northern Ireland |
| Nottingham Forest | Player | England |
| Norwich City | Player | England |
| Manchester City | Player | England |
| Notts County | Player | England |
| Wycombe Wanderers | Manager | England |
| Norwich City | Manager | England |
| Leicester City | Manager | England |
| Celtic | Manager | Scotland |
| Aston Villa | Manager | England |
Major Honours Won
O’Neill won three Scottish Premier League titles with Celtic. Similarly, he lifted the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup multiple times during his tenure. He also guided Celtic to the 2003 UEFA Cup final, though the team lost to Porto. Finally, these honours mark Celtic as one of Scotland’s most successful clubs under his management.
