A Celtic superfan from Co Down has been turning heads in the United States with his football-inspired motor car.
Martin Smyth is the proud owner and driver of the Celtic Cruiser - a green and white striped convertible dedicated to the Scottish champions.
The 51-year-old from Downpatrick has been living in the States for 25 years, and has been seen rolling around Philadelphia and North Carolina, his former and current home, in the mesmerising motor.
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"Every time I go to the gas station, Americans think the car is something to do with St Patrick's Day," Martin told IrishStar.com. "I then explain the history of Celtic to them and what we've achieved - the quadruple treble, double nine in a row, and the first British team to win the European Cup. Within five minutes, they are Celtic fans.
"I put a bumper sticker that I got made saying 'Not Boston Celtic' on the car, too, because that's another point of confusion. I explain to people in North Carolina it's like someone with a Carolina Panthers car traveling around Ireland. No one in Ireland will have a clue what it's about, but everyone back home knows exactly.
The Celtic Cruiser at the Anglesea pub in Wildwood, New Jersey last year (Image: Celtic Cruiser via Facebook)
"So many people don't know me but they know the car. I get a lot of people taking photos and recording me at traffic lights. Sometimes I'll stop and give them a memento out of the trunk.
"My favorite thing is sharing the Cruiser with Celtic supporters all over the world."
The vehicle is a sight to behold, and with all its decoration, it is no wonder it has become a conversation starter among Martin's neighbors and peers. The exterior boasts a number plate - the number being '1888 CFC', of course - with 'You'll Never Walk Alone' written along the bottom and a tribute to the Lisbon Lions, the nickname given to the Celtic team that won the European Cup at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal on May 25, 1967.
The Lisbon Lions adorn the back of Martin's beloved motor (Image: Celtic Cruiser via Facebook)
Inside, followers will find a furry green steering wheel cover, which is sometimes swapped out for a simple Celtic sticker on the horn, a green, jewel-studded gear stick, Celtic scarves, and jerseys thrown across the surfaces, and memorable victory scores from years gone by including the most victorious of all, Celtic 2 Inter Milan 1.
The seats have also been personalized with four-leaf clovers, two of which are dedicated to Martin's children, Éamon, 14, and Erin 13, who, along with his wife, Janene, and his other daughter Shannel, 24, are "the only thing he loves more than Celtic".
Stickers, figurines, scarves, and other memorabilia are parked in the car dedicated to Celtic FC (Image: Celtic Cruiser via Facebook)
Describing how he got the Cruiser on the road, Martin said: "It all started in 2010 when I got a purple Sabre. I didn't want to drive a purple car, so I painted it green and put a big sticker of Celtic on the bonnet. People loved it.
"Day by day, I added more to it and spent more money on it, and named it the Lennymobile, after former Celtic player and manager, Neil Lennon, who is also from Northern Ireland.
"I met Lennon loads of times and he loved my car, but I never got him in it. The Green Brigade and Galashiels Celtic Supporters Club also commented on how much they liked it. The Lennymobile even got on Fox News in its prime.
"It lived for a good 10 years but it was an old car and it had so many things wrong with it. It wasn't sensible to keep putting money into it, plus I wanted something more classy. That's when I decided to do things a little differently.
"I bought the Celtic Cruiser, although I didn't know what to call it at first. I put it on social media for fans to come up with. It was a lady from Pennsylvania who suggested it, and I always drive on cruise control, so it made sense.
"The Cruiser is all about Celtic and their achievements and it's attracted so much attention."
Martin proudly holding a Celtic scarf next to the original motor, the Lennymobile (Image: Lennymobile via Facebook)
Believe it or not, despite being Hoops daft, Martin has only been to Glasgow's Celtic Park once, but what he's missed out on in home games, he's made up for tenfold in the trips and tours he's taken around America.
"I couldn't afford to go to Glasgow when I was younger, and it wasn't until I was in a Walmart in Pennsylvania that I met an American who liked Celtic. Within a day, the two of us had planned a trip to Parkhead for a charity match.
"In America, though, I've traveled the country to watch Celtic. I've been to Canada, Florida, and DC. I went to Seattle to watch the game against Liverpool in the Lennymobile. It was amazing seeing Neil Lennon walking down the street and no one but me knowing who he was. It would be like an American footballer walking through Glasgow.
"The Cruiser was also at the Celtic vs Real Madrid Game in Philadelphia in 2012 where it got swarmed in the car park by Celtic fans. It's been part of Philadelphia's St Patrick's Day Parade as well as events and concerts in New Jersey."
Having just been crowned back-to-back Champions of Scotland, Celtic are on a roll, and so is Martin's Cruiser.
Martin meeting Neil Lennon in 2013 (Image: Martin Smyth)
Among the many requests he receives for the vehicle, Martin admits the most popular one is to bring it to Ireland and Scotland for a special homecoming - or to name the next one after much-loved gaffer, Ange Postecoglou.
"We have had the perfect season," Martin smiled. "Anything we achieve as a new record, I'll add to the car.
"It's over $1,000 to ship the car home so I am considering it. I had an American girl contact me recently, in fact, whose boyfriend is from Glasgow. He wanted a photoshoot with the car. A lot of other people might want that, too.
"It's very possible that I'll name the next one after Ange, perhaps called the Angemobile. Ange always says 'We never stop', and I feel the same with the Cruiser, I'll never stop. Ange is a legend and he's not going anywhere.
"That's why I love Celtic - I can never lose them and they can never be taken away from me. They are a special club."
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