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Kris Commons admits his six trophy-laden years at Celtic have been beyond his wildest dreams after he bade an emotional farewell to the supporters at Parkhead on Sunday.
The former Scotland internationalist said goodbye to the fans as the invincibles lifted the Premiership trophy following the 2-0 victory over Hearts.
The 33-year-old will depart the Hoops when his contract expires this summer but insists he is leaving with memories to last a lifetime.
Commons admits a troublesome back injury was a factor in him failing to play a single minute for Brendan Rodgers’ side so far this season, with only Saturday’s Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen to come.
But the former Derby County player has already collected five top-flight winner’s medals, twice won the Scottish Cup and tasted success in the League Cup.
The attacking midfielder, who scored two goals for Hibs during a month-long loan stint at the turn of the year and has been linked with a return to Easter Road, also played in the unforgettable Champions League victory over Barcelona in 2012.
Despite being a bystander this term, Commons admits he has cherished every minute of his time with Celtic.
He said: “In the last 12 months I’ve been a Celtic fan and they’ve been an absolute joy to watch.
“I wish them all the world in the future, it was a very emotional day for me but I think what’s happening right now at Celtic, it’s never been better to be a part of it.
“It’s been frustrating and if I had been fit enough I would hope to have played some more football but the truth is I’ve had four back injections and that’s been a sticking point that I’ve actually not been fit enough to actually play.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed these last six years, it’s been absolutely beyond my wildest dreams, the emotions we’ve played through, the games we’ve played in and a massive thanks to everyone that welcomed me from day one and gave me the opportunity to play some sort of role.”
Despite playing his part in beating Barcelona at a deafening Parkhead, Commons insists the game that sticks out the most is 3-0 victory over Kazakh side Shakhter Karagandy in August 2013 after his opener sparked the comeback from a 2-0 first leg defeat and secured a Champions League group place.
He added: “It would be easy to pick out the Barcelona game when we beat them, that was probably the peak of the games we played at that time but scoring the goal that actually got us into the Champions League, the Shakhtar goal, as a team and for the manager (Neil Lennon) and everything that was happening that week, we were so determined to put it right.
“How it all unfolded, that was one of the most memorable games I’ve ever been involved in.”
Commons is hoping to move into a coaching career but insists he still plans to pull on the boots next season, with Hibs head coach Lennon desperate to take him back to Easter Road on a permanent deal.
Speaking to the BBC, Commons added: “If I’m able and fit enough, I want to carry on playing. I don’t think anyone wants to call it quits.
“I’m going to leave my options open. At the minute I’m feeling fit and fresh but I’m going to go away with the family for a long deserved break.
“I’m not really going to think about football or getting fit, I can actually try and enjoy my time with my family and make the next plan.
“I’ve pretty much decided that I’m going to be living in Glasgow from now on, I’ve got three beautiful children who are all Celtic daft and they’re not even getting out of bed without putting a Celtic strip on.
“I think I’m going to be in and involved for sometime to come.
“I’m hoping, now that I’ve passed my B-licence in my coaching, that I can go on to start passing on my expertise, my memories and certainly experiences about going forward to these young boys.”
