Exclusive:Celtic cult hero details moment which sparked Parkhead love affair and goal that brokered Guardiola meeting

The 29-year-old winger spoke exclusively to The Scotsman about his time in Glasgow, where he became a firm fan favourite during his two-and-a-half seasons at the club, playing a key role in their 2016/17 invincible treble season and winning a total of seven trophies with Celtic.

Joining the club on a loan deal from Manchester City in January 2016, his exceptional close control, low centre of gravity and ability to drift past full-backs with ease endeared him to the Celtic support almost instantly and saw him dubbed ‘mini-Messi’ by sections of the support at the age of just 18.

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“My brother and I had Celtic shirts as kids,” said Roberts. “I still have a picture of it, me wearing the green and white. Originally, I was meant to go somewhere the summer before. But they liked what they saw of me in pre-season, so they kept me there for six months. I played in a League Cup game against Sunderland, but I was just training really. It got to January, and I needed to go out on loan. Celtic were really close with City and would send players over there to play.

“They had a lot of good players, but it was an opportunity to play games. I didn’t know what to expect. It was a year before Rangers came back, so we were scrapping with Aberdeen and the like. But they had the lure of the Champions League. I loved my time at Celtic. I had affection for Celtic as a club anyway, but to get the appreciation that I did from the fans was amazing. They are fans who like to get off their seat and see great football. They obviously like to win as well - and we did a lot of that during my time there! I played some of my best football. They always stuck by me.”

Now playing for Birmingham City in the EFL Championship, Roberts had been brought to the club by Ronny Deila in the 2016 winter transfer window, originally on an 18-month deal, but the Norwegian was replaced by Brendan Rodgers that following summer. Roberts recalls the disappointing moment he was left out of Rodgers’ first starting XI and the conversation that followed, which placed him on course for success with Celtic.

“I had signed for Ronny Deila the season beforehand”, recalls Roberts. “I was there before Brendan came in, and his first game was a Champions League qualifier against Lincoln Red Imps in Gibraltar, and I didn't play. We played on the Astro, and we lost 1-0. There was uproar. People were fuming. The home leg, we came back and he played me. We won and I scored, and he came over to me and said ‘you're not bad, are you?’. It was his way of saying that he didn't really know what to think, but once he played me in games he saw I could do well. Brendan was great.

“To hear that was a big plus. I did well the previous year, but when a manager of his pedigree comes in and he doesn't really quite know what you're about, but then he takes to you, you have a manager that believes in you, and young players. It was huge. I learnt a great deal from him, he was an excellent manager. Chris Davies [current Birmingham manager] was his assistant, and it made it easier to come here [Birmingham]. We had a connection for ten years, I was young then and he was great with me. You can see how much he has learned as a coach since. Brendan and Chris were a great duo.”

Approaching the first anniversary of his signing at Celtic, little could have prepared him for a moment which will remain etched in the memory of the Parkhead faithful. Drawn against his parent club in the Champions League group stage, Manchester City, Roberts found himself in the bizarre situation of being named in the starting line-up against Pep Guardiola's side as they visited the Etihad Stadium in December 2016.

Able to feature due to a UEFA ruling which allowed loan players to be pitted against the club that owned them, the ball found its way to Roberts just outside of the area. After dribbling beyond Gael Clichy and finding himself within shooting range, the England youth international blasted a left-footed drive beyond Willy Caballero to give Celtic a shock lead after just four minutes.

While Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho - who played for Celtic last season - levelled the scores just minutes later, Rodgers’ side clung on to a valuable point, with Roberts placed into the unusual situation of being congratulated by both managers at the final whistle.

“It was a strange feeling,” recalls Roberts. “I remember when the draw came out, and we had City. It was crazy, but that was the rule. I didn't play the home game, which we drew. We went back to the Etihad, and I started and scored. Honestly, I couldn't believe it. What a feeling. Not many people knew me at City; I hadn't really kicked a ball.

“If I had been there ten years playing week in, week out, maybe it would have been different. But there was no reason I wouldn't have celebrated it. I celebrate every goal we scored, especially my first goal in the Champions League! It was a big moment; I had no doubt I would celebrate. But it was a strange situation to be part of.

“I remember afterwards, Pep came over to me and told me to keep going, that it was a good goal, and I had played well. I was meant to be back with City the following summer. I hadn't even met him at that point. I'd signed an 18-month loan deal at Celtic in January, and he didn't move to City until the summer. So I was at Celtic when he came in, and I hadn't met him. I didn't speak to him again until I went back the next season. But it was nice to hear him say what he did, and good to see him after the game.

“He is the greatest manager of all time. I just thought, 'wow, let's kick on for the rest of the season', let's go flying in pre-season when I get back. That was the aim, but it didn't end up that way. I wanted to win everything with Celtic, then go back with trophies.”