NEIL Lennon remembers how his first taste of football at St Andrew’s nearly proved to be his last.

Back in April 1988, Lennon – then a fresh-faced 16-year-old – made his professional debut in England for Manchester City against Birmingham City.

The first few minutes of the game, he recalled, were a bit of a blur.

“I remember from the kick-off, I was at right back, I got the ball under my feet and was about to knock it down the line,” he said. “Birmingham had this big centre forward from Scotland, Andy Kennedy, who I have since bumped into a couple of times in Glasgow; he went through me like a knife through butter.

“It was like 'welcome to football, son.' I hobbled around for two or three minutes and Neil McNab came up to me and said: 'Hey wee man, stop feeling sorry for yourself, get on with it.’ “It was a real baptism of fire but we ended up winning the game 3-0. It was a meteoric thing for me as I only arrived from Ireland in the November and by the following April I was in the first team.

“Happy memories of that place and I am hoping for more of the same.”

Wanderers will take a sell-out away support to Birmingham today and Lennon will be drumming into the players the importance of making their trip worthwhile.

“By all accounts there will be a big following and the players will be made aware that they have to play for them before anyone else.

“The supporters expect – as is their right – and we have to respect that.”