THE likely departure of Georgios Samaras from Celtic Park has resembled a very long goodbye, but I reckon it is one in which both parties will be left with mainly positive memories.

Clearly from the big Greek's words earlier this week there is a warmth and depth of feeling towards the club that will endure with Georgios for the rest of his life - and that is a nice thing.

Overall, I believe the history books will reflect kindly on his six years at Parkhead, but I think the one thing he just failed to do was to deliver his best form consistently.

A record of 73 goals in 251 games underlines the fact that Samaras was not the most prolific of strikers, and I reckon that meant he was most effective cutting in from the left rather than playing centrally up top as the main striker.

But, on his day, he had pace, power and a directness that made him an absolute handful against the very best, as his towering performance against Barcelona in that famous Champions League victory in 2012 underlined.

If, as seems very likely, Celtic's final league game of the season against Dundee United at Parkhead on Sunday week is the last time Sami pulls on the Hoops, it will undoubtedly provide another memory, probably a tear-stained one, that he will never forget about his time here.

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