Kelvin Wilson has shared the full story of how he left Celtic in 2013, saying Neil Lennon’s dressing room speech after a Champions League game surprised the whole team. The defender had been a key part of the side that famously beat Barcelona, but a year later, he was on his way back to Nottingham Forest.

Wilson’s final match came in a Champions League qualifier against Elfsborg. At the time, there were rumours he could leave, but he says Lennon had told him it wouldn’t happen. That changed just hours before kick-off.

The former centre-back, who played 76 games for Celtic, now says he only left because he needed to be near his family. Lennon, after some back and forth, agreed to let him go, but only after asking him to help the team get through the match in Sweden.

He said: (RecordSport),”That week, in the build-up to it, my agent rang me and said, ‘Kelv, Forest are interested in taking you back. Would you be interested now?

“I said I would be interested. So Neil pulled me because it was in the papers, and said, ‘You’re not going anywhere.’ I was like, ‘Okay, fair enough.’

“I spoke to him a few times throughout that week, and then we got to Elfsborg. It was the day of the game and I was in my hotel room. I got a knock at my door, I’ve opened it, and it’s Lenny.

“He’s come into my room and asked, ‘Right, do you want to go?’ And I was like, ‘It’s something that I’ve made clear to you that I’d be interested because I need to get back to my daughter.’

“He said, ‘Right, they’ve offered £2.5million and we’re willing to accept it. We’re not accepting it because we want you to go, we’re accepting it because you want to go. If you want to stay, I’ll get you a new deal and you can stay longer.’

“I told him it wasn’t about the money and he knew that. He just said, ‘Play tonight for me, get us through to the Champions League, and you’ll go with our blessing.’

“I didn’t think twice about playing and I was Man of the Match, so I think I played alright.

“I remember Lenny doing a speech in the changing room after, just letting all the players know that I was leaving. A lot of them were shocked and couldn’t believe it.”

Wilson’s story shows how personal life can play a big part in football moves. He didn’t leave for football reasons. It was a hard call, but it felt right to him.

Even knowing it was his last game, Wilson gave his all. He helped Celtic win that night and was named Man of the Match. Both sides handled the move with respect.

Lennon didn’t want him to go and offered him a new deal to stay. But in the end, both he and Wilson knew it was time to move on.

When Lennon told the team Wilson was leaving, most were shocked. But for Wilson, it was the end of a proud spell at the club. He came from Forest, played in big games, and left with his head held high.

More than ten years later, it’s a reminder of how much these moments matter, to the players, the managers, and those watching from the stands.