O’Neill, himself a one-time Canaries player and manager, is back at Parkhead for the rest of the season after Wilfried Nancy’s ill-fated 33 day stint. Fotheringham still has his own managerial ambitions but had no hesitation to become one of O’Neill’s assistants again, alongside Shaun Maloney, following an interim spell in Glasgow earlier this season.
The 42-year-old, who made 76 appearances for the Canaries in a two-year period, previously had a six-month spell as boss of Huddersfield, and last season was part of Alan Sheehan’s backroom team at Championship rivals Swansea.
O’Neill replaced Frenchman Nancy after his disastrous tenure saw the Bhoys lose the Scottish League Cup final to St Mirren, and suffer a 3-1 home defeat to Old Firm rivals Rangers on Saturday.
“Working alongside the gaffer is something we would have accepted instantly. Our respect for him is enormous. His record speaks for itself,” said Fotheringham. “To stand beside him at Celtic is a real privilege. Celtic means everything to us.
“My wife and three sons are incredibly supportive, and they are all Celtic-mad.
“My boys are in the St Johnstone academy and are making their own way in the game. They tell me they cannot wait for my next opportunity as a head coach because they believe I will do well.
“I am proud of them for supporting me as I live my dream, and proud of the young men they are becoming.
“Football is a huge part of our lives and will remain so. As a family, it’s given us so much, and we’re all incredibly passionate about it and ensuring that we can be the best possible versions of ourselves.”
Fotheringham was touted with the City job in the Scottish media prior to Philippe Clement’s appointment in November 2025, and has recent Championship experience at Swansea as an assistant coach.
“When I took on the interim assistant position we were four points from relegation,” he said, interviewed recently by World Football Index. “From there, we drew away at Leeds in the first match and then recorded five or six wins in a row with five clean sheets, which was a club record.
“We won away at Sunderland, who are now performing very well in the Premier League, and had players such as Enzo Le Fee and Jobe Bellingham, who is now at Borussia Dortmund.
“In light of our spell in charge, Alan was then offered the Swansea job on a permanent basis in the summer of 2025 on the back of our strong finish to the season.
“It is always about making an impact and leaving a positive impression. I want to create special memories with the players I work with. I feel passionate about this Celtic group.
“Shaun and I are young coaches who have stepped outside the Celtic environment to work under high-profile managers. We wanted to test ourselves, learn, and gather valuable experience.
“We have both managed in the English Championship, which is one of the toughest leagues in Europe, at clubs that were struggling. We proved we could adapt, stabilise a team, and work under intense pressure.”
Martin O’Neill is back at Celtic for his second spell as caretaker boss this season (Image: PA)
O’Neill left Celtic level on points with Premiership leaders Hearts with a game in hand and nine ahead of Rangers, but now trail Hearts by six points.
“We know that we’re in a fight,” O’Neill told Celtic TV. “We’re in a big, big fight. We’re going to try and win the league. It’ll not be easy. It never is, regardless. You set out way back at the end of July, beginning of August time, started off trying to win.
“But now we’re halfway through the season, and we’ve a fight in our hands, a big, big fight. And so we have to be up for the challenge. It is tough.
“It is a mad, crazy football world. I’m obviously very, very pleased, privileged to be back again at the football club.
“Before, Brendan (Rodgers) had resigned and therefore there was that small opportunity to come back to the football club.
“But in circumstances as this here, with Wilfried leaving the club, that just seems a wee bit strange just at this moment.
“I’d been there before as a young manager as well, coming into a strange, strange environment, coming into something here that you think that you know about. I grew up knowing about Celtic football club, but way back in 2000, when I arrived, I really did not realise just how big the football club was and what it meant to people as well.
“He will be successful again and he’ll have learned an awful lot.”