Nir Bitton was honoured on his return to FC Ashdod with a framed shirt and his old number 4 on the back during Maccabi Tel Aviv's visit to his first club.
The Israel international departed his homeland nearly a decade ago for a crack at Europe with Celtic. That transfer turned into a trophy-laden nine year stint at the club where he lifted 18 major honours. He arrived in Glasgow as a young 21-year-old midfielder and left as a 30-year-old man after his departure in the summer.
The holding midfielder left Ashdod in his homeland for an undisclosed fee to join then boss Neil Lennon and the rest is history. Following his exit from Parkhead he returned to Israel and was given a ceremony of appreciation by his first club. A video shows Bitton being presented with a framed jersey with the No4 before the clip shows him in action as a youngster for the club.
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They wrote on Instagram: "A moment before the start of the game against Maccabi Tel Aviv, the club held a ceremony of appreciation for Nir Bitton who returned for the first time in a decade to an official game in B.A., the stadium where he began his glorious career.
"During the ceremony, team captain Tom Ben Zaken, presented Beaton with the club's name a framed shirt with the number 4 on the back - the number with him performed 122 appearances in our red and yellow uniforms before moving to Europe."
Speaking earlier this year after departing Celtic, he said: “I never thought this day would come but now it’s come it’s a really sad day for me.
“This is all I know, this club, I’ve been here for nine years as a foreigner, I came here as a young boy.
“If you told me when I signed here that I would stay for nine years and win 18 trophies and make more than 270 appearances I would have bit your hand.
“It’s just a great achievement for me and my family and I’m just glad I had the opportunity to play for this amazing club, be part of this decade of the club and I’m very sad to leave.
“This club gave me a lot, it transformed me into the person and player I am today.
“I’m just glad I had the opportunity to play for this club and have these memories, win as many trophies as I won and make memories for life that will stay with me forever.”
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