It was the night Neil Lennon said he would never top – Wednesday, November 7, 2012. A date ringfenced in Celtic Champions League history. The night the thunder really returned to Parkhead. 

The night Celtic upset all the odds and humbled mighty Barcelona, the seemingly unbeatable European champions.

Even four years on almost to the month the result still seems incredible – Celtic 2 Barcelona 1.

Read more: Stuart Armstrong urges Hoops to stand up and be counted against Barca

The Spanish matadors arrived full of swagger and at the height of their powers under Tito Vilanova. Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi were arguably three out of the four best players on planet football.

But no one could have forecast the outcome. Goals from Victor Wanyama and the then 19-year-old Tony Watt produced a result that sent shockwaves round Europe.

But what became of the 13 players who played their part in one of the biggest results in Celtic’s recent history.  Sport Times looks at how things panned out for Lennon’s class of 2012 – the graduates, the under-achievers and the drop-outs.

Fraser Forster

Collosus of a keeper whose heroics on the night kept Barca at Bay. His performance showed why Celtic shelled out £2.2million to Newcastle for his services just months earlier after having been on loan at Parkhead for two seasons. 

Read more: Stuart Armstrong urges Hoops to stand up and be counted against Barca

The Hoops cashed in on the Englishman when he joined Southampton in August 2014 for a reported £10m. 

Since then he has gone from the outer fringes of the set-up to battling Joe Hart for the No.1 jersey. Career was derailed slightly when he suffered a serious knee injury last season. But is now back between the sticks at Southampton and rebuilding his reputation as one of the finest keepers in the Premier League.

Adam Matthews

A natural athlete, he was pitched in at left-back despite being right-footed to thwart the threat of the pacy Pedro. Part of the title-winning squads under Neil Lennon. But loss of form and injury saw him fall out of the first team picture.

Was eventually sold to Sunderland on a four-year deal in the July 2015 transfer window for £2m. Suffered a bad ankle injury that season which sidelined him for six weeks on Wearside and then struggled to win back his place. Currently on loan to Bristol City.

Efe Ambrose

The ultimate Marmite footballer. His defensive gaffes have become the stuff of legend. Jury has long been out on his abilities with fans and pundits alike giving him a torrid time. 

Ronny Deila, though, largely stuck by him after Neil Lennon’s departure from Celtic. Brendan Rodgers, however, has shunted him into the sidelines. In August Celtic accepted a bid of £300,000 for Ambrose from Standard Liege, but the deal fell through after he opted to stay at Celtic Park.

Kelvin Wilson

Barcelona game should have been the springboard for the centre-back to cement a long-term place in the Celtic defence. 

But his Parkhead career quickly faded as his form shaded. Never seemed to stamp any personality on the side.

In August 2013, Celtic announced that Wilson would be heading back to Nottingham Forest. Since then his career has gone into reverse. 
Months after heading back south he underwent back surgery and was sidelined for seven months. 

Racked up 46 games for Forest before singing a one-year deal with Rotherham in August.

Charlie Mulgrew

Midfield linchpin who was mainstay of the Parkhead engine room and a Scotland regular. Won five titles, two League Cups and two Scottish Cups in Glasgow’s east end.  But his time at Celtic, where he played more than 100 games, petered out in disappointing fashion. 

Let the clock run down on his contract at the end of last season obviously hoping for either a new deal at Celtic or a big-money move to a top English club. Neither happened. Signed for Blackburn in August on transfer deadline day, inking a three-year deal. But has struggled since to make any kind of serious impact with the Championship side. 

Mikael Lustig

The soul survivor from that side’s starting line-up still playing for the first team under Brendan Rodgers, his third Celtic boss after Lennon and Deila. So he must be doing something right. 

Represented Sweden at Euro 2012 and Euro 2016, a sign of his consistency and pedigree for Celtic.

Kris Commons

Puppet master who pulled the strings for Celtic in midfield during Neil Lennon’s tenure. But best known now for his infamous Molde meltdown when he raged at Ronny Deila after being substituted in a Champions League match just over a year ago. 

Since then has been shunted to the margins. Deila’s exit and the arrival of Brendan Rodgers might have been the chance for a clean slate but the Irishman has also kept the Scottish international in the shadows. Hasn’t started one game this season. Inevitable parting of the ways in January when his contract ends.

Joe Ledley
Unsung hero of many a Celtic game during his three years in Paradise after his 2010 move from Cardiff. 

Made a total of 106 appearances before moving to Crystal Palace in January 2014 for an undisclosed fee minutes before the window shut. But that was only the start of an exciting new chapter. 

Has gone on to become one of the most admired midfielders in the English top flight. Made headlines thid year when he suffered a broken leg weeks before the European Championships in France. 

Incredibly, he made anear-miraculous recovery to play a key role in Wales’ fantastic journey to the semi-finals before being knocked out by Portugal. The footballer’s footballer.

Victor Wanyama

Built like a rock but boy could he play. A fact underlined by the £23million shelled out by Southampton and then Spurs for his services. Not bad when you consider Celtic paid £900k to bring him to Scotland from Belgian outfit Beerschot AC.

Moved to St Mary’s in July 2013 for a fee said to be £12.5m, giving Celtic an unbelievable profit. Swapped Southampton for the big smoke by joining Tottenham in June. Captain of Kenya since 2013.

Miku
Minor cast member but still gets a curtain call for being part of the Barca Bhoys. Pitched up at Parkhead in August, 2012, on loan from Getafe. But only clocked up 14 appearances.

Collected a title medal and a Scottish Cup winner’s gong before being quietly shipped back to his parent club. In 2013, he joined Qatar Stars League side Al-Gharafa Sports Club. Returned to Spain last February signing with Rayo Vallecano.

Georgios Samaras

With his long-flowing hair and smouldering good looks, he looked like a Greek god. Spent six years at Celtic having arrived on a six-month loan deal from Mancheser City in January 2008. 

Departed Parkhead at the end of 2014 having clocked up more than 170 games and with medals from four title wins, two Scottish Cup triumphs and two League Cup wins in his bag. Joined West Brom on a two-year Bosman but it turned out to be the move from hell and he was  sent out on loan to Saudi Al-Hilal for the second part of the 2015 season having made just eight appearances at the Hawthorns before exiting. 

After a spell in the football wilderness, he signed for Rayko OKC in the North American Soccer League, where he continues to play. Can proudly boast a World Cup stamp on his CV…he represented his country at the 2014 competition in Brazil. 

Substitutes

Tony Watt

The night a shooting star was born. Came on as a sub for Lustig and minutes later wrote himself into Celtic folklore with a memorable late goal. It should have been the catalyst for Watt, then weeks short of his 20th birthday, to become a true Celtic hero. 

But his career stalled on the launchpad. A week after he signed a new deal tying him to Celtic until 2016. The expected goals rush, however, didn’t happen. In fact, he failed to find the net again that season. Unable to force his way into Lennon’s first team, he was farmed out to Belgian side Lierse. 

But a series of bust-ups soon followed with manager Stanley Menzo branding him lazy and unfit. Watt officially quit Celtic in March 2014 and continued his Belgian odyssey with Standard Liege. 

By January 2015, though, he was on the move to Charlton but soon found himself on loan to Cardiff then Blackburn. Still on Charlton’s books but currently plays for Hearts as he bids to yet again revive his career.

Beram Kayal

Cameo appearance on the night. The Israeli international signed off from Celtic in the 2013 January transfer window to join Brighton after three and a half years at Parkhead. A tenacious midfielder, Kayal was a fairly consistant pick under Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon but his appearances tailed off with Ronny Deila’s arrival.

Paddy McCourt

Unused sub. Cult hero whose mesmeric dribbling skills had echoes of Jinky. But the odd Maradona moment didn’t mean consistency. Flitted in and out of the team. Left Celtic in 2013 for Barnsley before further stops at Brighton and Luton. Currently back in Ireland with Glenavon.

Dylan McGeouch

Unused substitute. Spent half of the 2013-14 season on loan to Coventry and the first half of the next season on loan to Hibs. The Easter Road side were impressed enough to make the move permanent. By a strange quirk of footballing fate, has now been reunited with Lennon.

John Herron

Unused sub. A product of the youth ranks, he never made the first-team breakthrough. Signed on loan for Cowdenbeath in January 2015 and was freed by Celtic when that period expired. Rocked up at Blackpool in June 2015. Currently on loan to Dunfermline.

Marcus Fraser

Unused substitute. Teamed up with Herron on loan to Cowdenbeath before being released by Celtic in January 2015. Now at Ross County.