Last time Paul Slane saw Neil Lennon, the former Celtic youngster ended up doing a runner

Paul Slane ran away and hid from Neil Lennon after squandering his Celtic pay-off with a spree of a lads’ trip to Amsterdam.

The former Hoops and Clyde winger might have stopped kicking a ball.

But he retains his affection for Celtic and says he would love to go back and work for the club.

So he will have a keen eye on today’s William Hill Scottish Cup tie at Broadwood when his two former clubs go head-to-head.

“I still speak to first-team players and I have asked some of the boys if they could ever get me a job, as a kit-man or doing anything at all, really,” said Slane.

“When I signed for them back in 2010, I was in the reserves and Neil Lennon was my manager.

“He was an icon. To this day, I have never come across somebody with such an aura or personality.

“You hear Ryan Giggs saying it about Sir Alex Ferguson. It is fear – but also a respect as well.

“When he walked into the room, everybody would be quiet.

“The way he spoke to me when I had all my trouble with injuries was a massive help. He was amazing for me.

“He was brilliant at the end, too.

“He actually said to me the day I left that I was too good for the reserves. But not good enough for the first-team.

“He said I needed to go and play. It was good to hear that rather than someone feeding me a line.

“Unfortunately, I did some stupid things and the next time I saw him after that, I ran away.

“I wasn’t hiding because I was scared. It was more embarrassment.

“But Neil is someone I would love to go and speak to again. He is someone I still have huge respect for.”

A full house is expected at Broadwood today. And come May, Paul will be playing to a sell-out crowd himself when he will expose his newly-learned guitar skills to a 12,000 sell-out Glasgow crowd.

Now retired from playing, the 28-year-old will appear at The Hydro with fellow ex-professionals Simon Ferry and Kevin Kyle in an Open Goal podcast event.

“We have done a few shows and it is funny – I feel more comfortable on stage than anywhere,” said Slane.

“I think I’m a born entertainer! I am so excited. It’s going to be one of the most-amazing nights. I actually think about it every single day, in a good way.

“I can’t wait to get out there.

“I believe I am going to be playing the guitar. When we announced we were playing The Hydro, I’d never picked up a guitar in my life.

“However, there’s something in me, I want a standing ovation. If I just sit there and talk, I won’t get it.

“How can I get more attention than Si and Kev? So I thought: ‘I need to play the guitar’.

“I’ve been learning every day. It’s been a struggle, I’ve the type of brain that can’t do two things at once. So I just need to practise and, hopefully, I can do a wee song about a few people when I am out there.”

Paul Slane was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is the proud sponsor of the Scottish Cup.