LUBO MORAVCIK will host his 50th birthday bash in Slovakia this weekend.

But as he sips a glass of champagne and takes a moment or two to pause and reflect, many of his thoughts will centre around the East End of Glasgow.

It was there, for Celtic, that he found the happiest and most fulfilling days of his playing career - the only regret being that he didn't find himself in Parkhead sooner than when he arrived in 1998 as a 33-year-old.

During that period, Rangers had splashed out in excess of £20m on players such as Andrei Kanchelskis, Gabriel Amato, Colin Hendry, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Arthur Numan. The unknown Moravcik, on the other hand, cost just £350,000 as Dr Jozef Venglos was well aware of the Slovakian's talents.

Venglos had has critics but he could not be faulted for his judgement on this one. Moravcik was special. He helped Celtic win the treble under Martin O'Neill in 2001 and retained the Championship in 2002. He also ticked a personal box by starting a Champions League game, the thrilling 4-3 win against Juventus in December, 2001.

Moravcik quit the Glasgow giants in 2002 but has kept a close eye on them. He hopes Ronny Deila's side get the chance to sample the Champions League this season as he feels the domestic game doesn't test them enough - to the point of it being tedious.

"I think turning 50 is a magic moment, a special occasion," Moravcik said. "I will be halfway towards 100. I don't expect to be here for another 50 years but you never know. Maybe! It will be a time to think about nice moments from the past and hope for some good times in the future.

"My favourite time, my most special time, was at Celtic. I spent more than three and a half years there and I couldn't have asked for more. People appreciated me and, maybe, some fans even loved me. They said I was a 'gift from God' but it was the opposite - Celtic was a gift from God to me.

"Celtic is unique. I left the club in 2002 but I haven't been forgotten. When I am on holiday in Spain, playing golf, the Celtic supporters approach me and ask for a photo or to talk about Celtic. It still amazes me.

"I was very lucky to play in an era both Celtic and Rangers were strong and the competition between the two was fierce. It is different now. I don't want this to sound insulting to Scottish football or to Celtic or to any other team but, without Rangers, it has been a little bit boring. Scottish football needs strong competition, Celtic needs to be tested every week.

"I hope the rivalry between both clubs is back soon. But Rangers is a long distance behind Celtic and it may take a long time to get back up there. In terms of Europe, I want Celtic through the Champions League qualifiers. They must not miss out again after what happened last season.

"The players need to be tested and so does Ronny Deila and the Celtic supporters. It will give everyone a big lift. I think they have players such as Scott Brown, Nir Bitton, Craig Gordon, Stefan Johansen, Virgil van Dijk and Stuart Armstrong are all capable of playing against the very best."

As soon as Champions League is mentioned, Moravcik thinks back to that night against Juventus 14 years ago. "As an 18-year-old I was playing in the third tier of Slovakian football," he recalled. "I didn't know the exact direction I was going to take. There were no guarantees I was going to make a living from professional football. At that stage, life wasn't clear.

"But I listened to my coaches and worked hard, made sure my left foot became as strong as my right foot. I got a bit of luck, and worked my way up to play for St Etienne, Bastia, Duisburg, Celtic and my country. I've realised many, many dreams.

"As a kid growing up I wanted to play in the World Cup for my country. I was then lucky to play in an Old Firm game. We beat Rangers 5-1 at Parkhead in 1998 under Dr Venglos. When the Champions League started in 1992 I wanted to play in it for a club. Celtic gave me that opportunity.

"The most memorable occasion was when I played against Juventus in the Champions League. We won 4-3. Martin O'Neill gave me my first start in that tournament. I made the most of the moment. I was subbed near the end and I will never forget the standing ovation I received from the Celtic supporters. I am very lucky.

"I was never a big goalscorer during my career. I scored some nice ones but there isn't really one that sticks out for me. It really is hard to choose. I enjoyed setting up my team-mates, whether it was with my right foot or my left foot. I know Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson appreciated it. That made me feel happy.

"We had great success under Martin. The club had had a difficult couple of years for different reasons but we had good players and he got the best out of us. He transformed Stiliyan Petrov and Johan Mjallby."

Moravcik turns 50 on Monday. Outwith the dressing-room, friendships he made in Scotland almost 17 years ago have lasted and some will fly over from here to join him this weekend. He said: "I will have a nice garden party for my friends. We will have a few drinks, just for the boys. I will also have a nice meal with my family.

"I'm enjoying life. I still play football twice a week and apart from having stiff muscles the next day, I feel good. I don't feel old and tired. Well, not yet! I've been working as an agent for the past five years and I have had a big deal. I have taken Thomas Vestenicky from FC Nitra to AS Roma. He is just 19, a striker, a proper No.9 and he is going to have a great career."