Ryan Christie might have been the only Celtic fan who wanted to flee the country before the climax of the club’s historic Invincibles season.

As Brendan Rodgers’ side turned up at the national stadium looking to make a little bit of history by going through the entire season unbeaten, Christie was looking for a ticket out rather than one in.

Having spent the latter stages of the season on a loan spell with Aberdeen, Christie was ineligible to play at Hampden in what would become an epic 90 minutes as Tom Rogic netted a dramatic last gasp winner as a bolt of lightning light up the Mount Florida skyline.

Christie, though, was sunning himself in a different kind of Florida.

“Not being able to play in the Scottish Cup final during my first loan spell was frustrating,” he admitted. “It was the last game of the season and it’s one that all players want to be involved in.

“That was unfortunate but I’d agreed when I signed the loan deal. You never really think about it and then the two teams meet in the final and you think, ‘Oh...’

“But it was a strange situation on the day.

“I actually went on holiday to Florida early - just to get away from the game. I had no clue about where I would be sitting, what suit I was meant to wear or anything. So I just thought, ‘I’m getting out of here’ and I went to the other side of the world.

“I watched it on TV and it felt really strange as I didn’t know who to support and what was going on. But hopefully there are more finals to come and I will get the chances.”

Having signed a new three-year-contract with Rodgers’ side, Christie has every reason to be optimistic. Having emerged from what was a turbulent start to the season Celtic look to be showing a fresh pair of heels as they seek to raise the bar a little.

Christie has come to the fore in recent games – his performance against Leipzig in the Europa League last week was his best display in a Celtic shirt – and the 23-year-old is inevitably keen to leave his stamp on the club.

As the success of recent seasons is stamped visibly on the consciousness of the club’s support with celebrations posters encircling the stadium and last season’s open top bus parade caught forever in an iconic snapshot, Christie wants his own moment in the sun.

“In the short term, I just want to kick on and keep my place in starting XI,” he said. “I want to keep making an impact when I can.

“Long term, I want to have a proper impact on this club winning silverware. When you are growing up as a kid, that’s what you want to do.

“You dream about winning trophies and Celtic is an incredible club to do that at. There is the chance to win trophies every year and to be part of that would be very special.

“You see the photos around the stadium of winning teams and I want to make my mark. The boys have been incredible in the last few season, creating history. Personally, I want to help that and bring more trophies to the club. It’s a great period for the club and it’s exciting to be part of it.

“It is a little bit difficult when you are at another club and you see the success Celtic had. To be fair, I loved my time at Aberdeen so it wasn’t too bad looking on and feeling like I was missing out. I was enjoying my football a lot up there and that has helped me come back as a better player. But missing the finals definitely gives me the added boost to come back and play this time.”

If there was point when Christie’s patience at Celtic was tested, he could count on the advice of his Dad to talk him through it. Christie senior spent two seasons at the club in the late ‘80s but never made a first-team appearance for Celtic before he returned to the Highlands to make his name in Inverness.

“My dad was freaking out [when I signed the new contract],” smiled Christie. “He’s only just stopped doing laps of the living room. He was very happy. He is a proud dad and he is a big Celtic fan too.

“I probably don’t know enough about my dad’s Celtic career. It’s quite strange the way our careers have followed the same path. I think he was a bit homesick and it was a very good Celtic squad and he couldn’t work his way into the team and he got a bit frustrated with it all. But he went back up north and had a great career.

“It makes him proud to see me doing well at Celtic. I’m so fortunate to have someone in my close family who knows the game and its pitfalls. I’m incredibly fortunate to have my dad by my side. He even helped me with this contract.

“He’s the first one I call after every game, good bad or indifferent. He will always tell it to me straight - which sometimes can be bad. There have been difficult times. At the start of the season when I wasn’t playing and couldn’t find my way into the team he still thought my chance would come. He kept telling me to make sure I was ready when that chance came.”