From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in the space of one whole week.
John Kennedy was already etched into Celtic history after becoming the club’s youngest player as a 16-year-old debutant under Kenny Dalglish in 2000.
But the 2003/04 season was the breakthrough for the Youth Academy graduate, particularly in the month of March 2004.
Starting in a 0-0 draw as Celtic knocked Barcelona out of the UEFA Cup at the Nou Camp, a 20-year-old Kennedy then started again a few days later as the Hoops defeated Rangers at Ibrox 2-1 on their way to lifting the league title.
His form earned him a call-up for the Scotland national team, and six days after downing Barcelona, and three days after winning in the derby, Kennedy made his international debut against Romania at Hampden.
🎙️ John Kennedy Podcast Exclusive 🚨
🗣️ “The doctor had never seen anything like it”
Hear in detail for the first time from our #CelticFC Assistant Manager about the injury that ended his career! 😮
Listen and watch in full below 🎧👇
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) October 17, 2023
However, it would end in agony, as Kennedy was stretchered off on his international debut after receiving a career-ending tackle and the current first-team assistant manager described the moment on the latest Official Celtic FC Podcast.
He said: “It was a tough one. I still remember the game itself very clearly. I remember the tackle and thinking at the time that something has happened here.
“You almost go into a state of shock when you get such a bad injury. Again, me being me, I remember saying to the physio to just get me up and they were tentative.
“I pulled myself up on to my feet and the first step I took my whole leg buckled.
“In that period it was the toughest as I went from making my debut, playing in Barcelona, playing at Ibrox and then all of a sudden everything was taken away from you, and you’re sitting literally in the hands of the doctors.
“It was such a horrific injury and everything in my knee other than my medial ligament had been obliterated and snapped to pieces.
“As I took the step on to the pitch it transpired that nothing was holding my knee together and my whole knee had just dislocated at that point and it was in pieces.
“I was advised to go to America, so we did that and the club were terrific in that respect to support me and give me the best possible chance.”
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