We had Shay and even Brad, but ended up with Gordon Marshall…

The nineties as we know wasn’t the best time to be a Celtic supporter, mainly the early to mid part of that decade. Part of our problem on the field back then was our lack of a decent goalkeeper. A position that, very much like central defence, we badly lacked in quality.

A photo doing the rounds a few years ago and one you probably noticed which was of the goalkeeping staff at Celtic Park, one which was taken from around the mid nineties.

It featured Pat Bonner, Gordon Marshall, Stewart Kerr, Shay Given and Brad Friedel. Two of those keepers never even featured for the first team.

Pat Bonner was a steady performer for us but nothing more, he was also at the end of his career. Gordon Marshall was a disaster. I hate slagging off our players, but he was. How he lasted so long at the club is a mystery.

Stewart Kerr was a decent keeper and should have been integrated into the first team long before he eventually was.

Shay Given was one that was allowed to slip through the net, and why? Shay as we know had a more than decent career with clubs like Newcastle and Man City and was Ireland’s number one for many a year. He was top class. He didn’t even get a first team game at Celtic and that is bizarre. He is a player we must surely heavily regret leaving. Oh what might have been.

Brad Friedel of course went on to be a top class goalie down south also with clubs such as Liverpool ,Blackburn Aston Villa, and Spurs. Although in the case of the American it was red tape regarding a work permit that scuppered any hope of a move to Scotland. He did of course get snapped up down south not long after, so if only the club persevered a little longer who knows?

In the end it wasn’t to be, but to think we could have and should have had Shay Given or Brad Friedel between the sticks, but had to make do with an ageing Pat Bonner and Gordon Marshall was a sore one to take.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

Come and join The Celtic Star live at the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park during the International break…

John Hartson will be just one of many special guests at a huge and unique Celtic Star event to be held in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park on Thursday, 19 October 2023. Tables for 10 at £180 or individual tickets priced just £20 for this special evening can be purchased now via Celtic Star Books.

Meanwhile here’s Matt Corr talking about his latest Celtic Star book on The Celtic Exchange Podcast…

Majic, Stan and the King of Japan is out in Friday 20 October and is available to order now HERE.

The Celtic Star presents a night with John Hartson, Stephen McManus and Tommy Callaghan at the Kerrydale on Thursday 19 October…Plus two more special guests to be added today!

There’s no Celtic action for a few weeks due the latest international break, but you can still come along to Celtic Park on Thursday 19 October – on the anniversary of Hampden in the Sun, Celtic 7 Rangers 1…to join The Celtic Star team live in the Kerrydale with special guests John Hartson, Stephen McManus and Tommy Callaghan as we launch Matt Corr’s new book ‘Majic, Stan and the King of Japan’ which tells the story of Gordon Strachan’s first season at Celtic and we’ll have the trophies Celtic won that season there too!

There’s live music from the wonderful Boolavogue and many more Celtic guests coming along which we’ll start to announce tomorrow. Tickets are selling fast so get yours now, just click on the image below and we’ll see you in the Kerrydale. It’s going to be some night and a great Celtic fix during the international break!