After weeks of waiting,today Celtic Football Club gave Neil Lennon an early Birthday present by appointing him as the club's new manager.

The support had backed the choice of Neil Lennon even after the Ross County shambles in the Scottish Cup semi-final and now all the waiting is over and the Lennon era begins.

The Celtic family have again,Come Together to give the manager all their loving in the hope that he will feel fine as he takes up this new challenge.

Neil Lennon walked into Celtic Park today in his suit and Celtic club tie and by this morning just after 11 o' clock,Celtic Chairman John Reid was saying the words that Neil Lennon could only have dreamt about,"It is with great pleasure that I welcome Neil to the permanent position of Celtic manager.Neil has Celtic in his blood,he knows the club inside out and is someone who has all the qualities to achieve great things."

Before Neil even gets the chance to settle into his manager's office,he will know that many questions will be asked by press and most importantly the Celtic fans about not only his backroom team and signing targets but the new managers plans to try and claim the SPL title back from last seasons winners Old Firm rivals Rangers.

Neil will know that Walter Smith has stated that this will be his last year in charge at Rangers and with the Ibrox club near to a take over and new funds that will be available from that,this may will be a massive season for the club.

Indeed this could be one of the best SPL title races for many a year and the riches that will go with Champions League qualification at the end of the season will be massive and therefore the players will be expected to give 110% for the club to not only stop Rangers claiming 3-in-a row but to secure Champions League qualification,the players who come in will know the task ahead of them.

Neil Lennon is a winner and he will want to bring winners to this football club.

His every move will be watched by the press and the people who matter all around the world,the Celtic supporters.

If Neil wanted to play the press today he could have said when quizzed by the press on his back-room team,that he wanted to bring in the following,

Jesse McCartney,Steve Harrison and Freddie Starr so that he could get some HELP from his friends and give us a dream team of Lennon,McCartney,Harrison and Starr and maybe that they could work Eight Days a Week to get this Long and Winding Road to the SPL title.

He is one of them and has spent the last 10 years at the football club he loves and this is the reason that Neil Lennon will be a success at Celtic.

He has been at the club through the good times and the bad times both on and off the field,dealing with death threats,sectarian beatings,red cards,losing titles and the UEFA Cup final in his time at the club but he has also won things at this club and knows what it feels like to lift that SPL title as captain of the club and he will want that winning mentality in the minds of each and every one of his team and indeed everyone who pulls on the hoops as indeed the fans do also.

Neil has come along way since June 25th 1971 and the Long and winding road that has lead him to the Celtic manager's job.

Starting his career with Manchester City in 1987 but he only made one appearance before joining Crewe in 1990 on a free transfer.In 1994 he helped the club win promotion to the Second Division and in the same year he won his first cap for Northern Ireland.

In February 1996 he joins Leicester and in doing so teams up with manager Martin O'Neill,a man who would have a huge influence on his career.

He helps the club win promotion to the Premier League after a Play-Off win over Crystal Palace also wins League Cup winners medal after win over Middlesbrough.
Also on the losing side in League Cup v Tottenham but helps the club win the trophy again after victory over Tranmere.

The club is rocked in the summer of 2000 when manager Martin O'Neill leaves the club to take up the reigns at Celtic and it would not be long before his mid-field general would follow him North.

His move to Celtic did not go down well with some Northern Ireland fans and he was booed by a section of their support during a defeat by Norway,this left Neil to think over his future at International level.

Things go well at club level with Celtic winning the treble and the team has a real look of winners with the exceptional Henrik Larsson in it,Neil knew he had made the right choice and felt this club could go places.

He wasn't wrong 5,titles,Scottish and League Cup's and the captain's armband all came Lennon's way as did some fantastic European nights including the win over Manchester United that would see the club qualify for the Champions League knockout stages for the first time but with the highs also came the lows.

Losing the UEFA Cup final after extra-time to Porto then losing the title on the last day of the season by a single goal to rivals Rangers.

Being red carded after defeat against Rangers for foul and abusive language towards ref Stuart Dougal,banned for three matches.

Losing the league on last day again to Rangers after 2-1 defeat at Motherwell

Unhappy at being subbed in his last match,the Scottish Cup final v Dunfermline,he storms down the tunnel,later joins Nottingham Forest in one year deal.

After his time at the Ciy Ground he moved to Wycombe Wanderers before returning to Celtic as a coach and then put in charge of the reserves when Tony Mowbray was appointed manager of the club.

After Mowbray was sacked by the club, Lennon was appointed caretaker manager of the club and apart from the Ross County defeat,Neil got the best out of the Celtic squad in the remaining matches as they finished the season-Runners Up!

Second is not good to this club and in the last two season's that is where they have finished,Neil Lennon has to change that!

He stated today that he wanted Celtic Park to be "rocking " again and wants the passion and noise back again at the club and wants his players to go to "war "next season"

Players will come and players will go and eventually Neil Lennon will have his Celtic side in place both on and off the field.

They have to hit the ground running or Rangers may canter away with this league once again!

Neil Lennon has a reputation as a winner,that reputation is now on the line,is this the best move for Celtic Football Club or just another failed gamble only time will tell but in the meantime,best of luck Neil,you just may need it but You'll Never Walk Alone!

And hopefully after your Hard Days Night the good Lord will Let it Be and the title will be heading back to Celtic Park and you'll feel fine!

But what do the Celtic fans think? Is Neil the right appointment?
Even Rangers fans-do you think you have a real challenge ahead next season?
Let me know,any comments welcome....but not foul ones!

Enjoy the World Cup everybody and if any other Celtic news breaks,I'll try my best to bring it to you.