Sinking Celts took Lyndon to new level
Lyndon L Dykes admits one goal g against Celtic put his career c into overdrive.
Little over a year ago Dykes D notched the second goal g in Livingston’s firstever e top-f light win over Celtic, C leading boss Gary Holt H to ponder whether he could c be the answer to Scotland’s S search for No.9.
The Aussie-born striker was w also wanted by the Socceroos, S who were first to t contact him over his international in future.
However after talks with Steve S Clarke, Dykes knew where w his future lay and he h is now gearing up for Euro E 2020.
He said: “The assistant manager m of Australia was watching w that Celtic game and a I met him the next day.
“We spoke about that process p and he wanted me to go with Australia.
“After that goal it all blew b up a little bit.
“That kicked our season on at Livi, we took a lot of confidence from that. I took a lot of confidence.
“I was just thinking about Australia, and then Steve Clarke got in touch with me and that’s when I had a decision to make.
“I thought about it for a long time but just felt I had to give back to a country that gave me my chance in my professional career.
“I just wanted to get involved and knew we had something special. That’s why I picked Scotland.”
Dykes’ international career may only be seven games old but he has already helped get the country to a major finals.
He battled up against c ent r e - h a l f S t e f an Mitrovic for 83 minutes as Clarke’s men beat Serbia to reach Euro 2020.
Being subbed off before Luka Jovic’s injury-time equal iser meant that Dykes had to watch the penalty shoot-out from the sidelines.
While nervous about the outcome, the striker insisted the team could feel the will of the Tartan Army behind them as David Marshall saved from Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Dykes said: “When we got to penalties, we were all confident. We had the penalties against Israel before that and we al l backed ourselves.
“Everyone knows what a penalty shoot-out can be like and luckily the boys were fantastic and big man Marsh was even better.
“All of the squad were one that night and that’s the reason we got through it. When Marsh saved the penalty, there was that moment where he stopped and asked the referee if it was okay. We were already running down celebrating.
“In the celebrations afterwards you could see what it meant to everyone.
“There a few a tears and a lot of happy faces.”