Scott Bain has opened up on the chaotic deadline-day move that took him to Celtic, revealing he actually put himself forward for the transfer after seeing the Hoops linked with Trevor Carson.
At the time, Bain had been on loan at Hibs from Dundee. Celtic were looking for another goalkeeper, Carson was in the frame, and Bain spotted the story on Sky Sports News.
Speaking on Open Goal, Bain said: “I’ll talk about before that day. I seen that you had Big Trev on, Trevor Carson.
“I seen it on Sky Sports News that they were going to sign him, so I just texted my agent. I said, ‘I’ll come.’
“He said, ‘I didn’t think you could come because you’ve been at two clubs.’ But I hadn’t played for Hibs at the time.
“I think they were hung up on the fee, so it was taking a wee bit of time. So that’s when I texted my agent and said, ‘Tell (Stevie) Woodsy I’ll come,’ just as a brass neck.”
The deal then turned into one of those transfer deadline stories where nobody really knows what is happening until the paperwork is done.
Bain said: “Then Woodsy phoned me. I think they were still a bit between the two. The next day, it was on, it was off. I was on my phone all day.
“But at Hibs we had a game against Motherwell at home, so I’m at pre-match and I’ve not got a clue what’s going on for the game. My phone’s going, I’m answering the phone. It’s off, it’s on.”
Neil Lennon, who was Hibs boss at the time, then gave Bain the green light to make the move.
He said: “Then Lenny actually called me into his office just before we were waiting to get ready. I’ve got my Hibs trackie on. So I go into his office and he basically says, ‘I wouldn’t have let you go, but it’s Celtic. I think that you go. You’ll love it there.’
“At the time they needed a midfielder in. He was like, ‘I’m going to let you go.’ I was like, ‘Brilliant.’ That was just like an off-the-cuff chance of going.”
Bain then made his way to Celtic Park without even changing out of his Hibs gear.
He said: “Jumped in the car, met my agent on the motorway, still got my Hibs trackie on. I never went to the house to change.
“And I’m coming from Dundee, where if someone’s going for Dundee, no one’s bothered. So I’m thinking no one’s going to be there. I’ll just walk up.
“Anyway, get out of the car and they start flashing, and I’ve got my Hibs gilet on, ready to go.”
The move was made even more complicated by the number of clubs and players involved. Bain had to return to Dundee on paper before heading to Celtic, Simon Murray went from Hibs to Dundee, and Scott Allan returned to Celtic before moving to Hibs.
Bain explained: “But the funny thing about that deal was it was quite complicated. I had to go back to Dundee as a loan player, Simon Murray went from Hibs to Dundee, Scotty Allan had to go back to Celtic and then to Hibs.
“So it was like a three-way move. That deal actually never got completed till quarter to twelve, quarter to eleven, quarter to twelve at night. I can’t remember what the cut-off point was.”
Asked if he was worried the move might collapse, Bain admitted the timing was tight.
He said: “A wee bit, but if I had went home and got changed, that might not have even happened. It might have went over the time and that might never have happened.
“I was actually going to sign for Falkirk in my Celtic trackie, but I thought I’d better not, just to keep it going.”
Reflecting on the move, he said: “I was pretty nervous on the drive through to Celtic Park with signing, thinking, ‘Is this a jump too much?’
“I went from Dundee to Hibs, which I thought I would have done, but you start thinking these things in the car.
“Thankfully, I had seven and a half years there and I loved it. The last year was a bit tough, but I loved every minute of it.”
It is a brilliant behind-the-scenes transfer story, and one that shows how quickly a Celtic move can come together. Bain saw an opening, backed himself, and ended up with years of trophies and European nights at Parkhead.
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