THE diminutive, flame-haired Scot and the barrel-chested, bald-headed Brummie make up one of football's odd couples. Gordon Strachan, though, has kept Garry Pendrey by his side throughout the last decade of his working life.

For a born-and-bred Bluenose - Birmingham City rather than Rangers, admittedly - Pendrey has settled easily into the background as Celtic's assistant manager. Behind-the-scenes roles are, it would seem, what he feels most comfortable in performing. One spell in the limelight as manager at his beloved St Andrews proved a depressing experience and Pendrey has shunned the media throughout his association with Strachan in Coventry, Southampton and Glasgow.

This subterranean profile has made the 56-year-old something of a mystery.

Those close to him, though, talk consistently of his honesty, loyalty and ability to lift players with a flash of well-timed humour. Despite his appearance suggesting a fearsome sergeant major-type, players at Pendrey's former clubs insist it was his softer approach that buffed the rough edges of some Strachan tirades.

Celtic supporters were, of course, given the worst possible introduction to their partnership with the 5-0 loss to Artmedia Bratislava in a Champions League qualifier.

Progress has, however, been clearly evident since that disastrous debut and victory over Hearts today would lift them into uncharted territory.

Topping the league table wasn't part of the job requirements at either Highfield Road or St Mary's Stadium.

Ron Atkinson was the unlikely matchmaker for their alliance. When Atkinson took over Coventry City in 1995, he invited Pendrey to join as coach and added Strachan as a player-assistant manager.

Eighteen months later, Strachan took full control and Pendrey became, to all effects, his No.2.

"I signed Garry for West Bromwich Albion back in 1979, when we had a very good side, " Atkinson told The Herald. "It was after his long spell with Birmingham, where, I think, he became their youngest-ever captain.

"We got on very well and kept in touch. When the opportunity presented itself, I took him to Coventry as part of the coaching staff. Gordon kept him on board and Garry's been his right-hand buddy ever since.

"He likes to be totally immersed in football and people like him are invaluable. Gordon will never have to look over his shoulder and worry what he's up to. Garry supports him 100-per cent."

The "long spell" Atkinson refers to was, in fact, 360 appearances for Birmingham, mainly in defence, and spread between 1966 and 1979:

enough for 12th place in the club's all-time records. Despite not being blessed with great natural ability, he was a firm supporters' favourite. Pendrey was, after all, one of their own, something evident in his all-consuming poundings of Aston Villa players.

He helped the club win promotion to the first division in 1972 and then enjoyed seven seasons of top flight football alongside team-mates such as Trevor Francis, Kenny Burns and Jimmy Calderwood. Francis tells a wonderful tale of a riotous party at his house, when he and Pendrey joined Jeff Lynne and Jasper Carrot to sing in the New Year.

After his spell with Atkinson at West Brom, Pendrey wound down his playing days with Torquay United and Bristol Rovers. His first step into coaching came with Walsall but, in 1987, he moved swiftly into management with Birmingham.

It was a classic mistake of heart leading head. St Andrews was now a far more turbulent place than in Pendrey's heyday and one fraught by boardroom problems. He could not revert the decline and Birmingham were relegated to the third division for the first time.

Pendrey was sacked in 1989, to be replaced by Dave Mackay. He later quipped that he had been sent an axe by one fan with a note requesting he use it.

Statistically, Pendrey is one of the worst-performing managers in Birmingham's history, but Atkinson insisted that he faced an impossible task.

"Some people think that Garry was too close to Birmingham, too much of a fan. That may have been the case but Birmingham was also a very, very strange football club around that time. It was maybe too soon for him in his career."

When Strachan was recently ill, it was Tommy Burns who hosted the media at Parkhead, while Denis Rofe stepped in during similar circumstances at Southampton.

Was it the disappointment of his managerial fate at Birmingham that soured him against publicity?

"I don't think so, " said Atkinson. "He has never sought the limelight or that other side of the game. He's always happier just to have a glass of beer with the lads and talk football."

Pendrey also worked for Wolves before Atkinson intervened to bring him to Coventry. His time there with Strachan is not, though, remembered fondly by Coventry supporters after relegation from the Premiership. Apparently, Pendrey earned the nickname of BBC - Bibs, Balls and Cones - from some of the less satisfied players.

Bryan Richardson was chairman of Coventry throughout that spell and has remained friends with both Strachan and Pendrey. He firmly believes they have the right combination to succeed at Celtic.

"Garry has a great sense of humour and is very infectious, " said Richardson. "When Gordon took over as manager, they became a very strong pair. The more they got to know each other, the more they realised they were good for each other. I speak to Gordon every week and there was never any question about Garry going to Celtic."

Strachan left Coventry by mutual consent in September 2001 but soon surfaced at Southampton, taking Pendrey with him. A record high Premiership finish and an appearance in the 2003 FA Cup final made life on England's south coast far more rewarding than it had been in the Midlands.

Pendrey may not have given interviews but, even so, the local hacks fondly remember him for facing down a peeved bouncer and granting them entry to the club's post-final party.

"Pendo was great, " said Claus Lundekvam, Southampton's Norwegian defender, who was a Celtic target during the summer. "He would take the early part of training and help out the manager in a lot of ways. I loved Strach's humour, but Pendo was another who liked to take the p***.

"He could also go and put his arm around a player to cheer him up if the manager had given a bollocking. That's why they are a good partnership."

When Strachan took his sabbatical from football in February 2004, Pendrey soon followed in departing Southampton. Strachan spent his time travelling the world to learn new coaching techniques, but what did his sidekick do during the absence?

"In a funny sort of way, Garry did pretty much the same thing, " said Richardson. "I go to games all over the place and, very often, I would see Garry. He was was still very much keeping his eye on the game."

A similar situation now confronts John Robertson and Steve Walford, Martin O'Neill's trusted lieutenants, as the former Celtic manager concentrates on caring for his ill wife.

The two groups bonded well as a hand-over of power was plotted at Parkhead last May but matching the achievements of their predecessors remains an awesome task for Strachan and Pendrey. Today could provide a first small step along that road for these well-travelled companions.