Chris Sutton was a marvellous player. He was bought in 2000 for a large price and he was a “statement” player in that this was Celtic with new Manager Martin O’Neill telling the world that they now meant business and that days of poverty and under-achievement were over.
Sutton already had the credentials of having played with Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea.
The next few years were good ones for Celtic, and Sutton clearly enjoyed all this. He was not only a great goalscorer, he was a good player as well with passing and tackling abilities with even the ability and willingness to play in defence in emergencies.
Even though he had no known Celtic connections in the past, he immediately became beloved of the Celtic faithful who recognised him as one of their own, in the football sense. It also helped that he played alongside with and teamed up brilliantly with Henrik Larsson.
His Celtic career began to fizzle out when O’Neill left, but what a glorious five years it had been! He went back to England and even dabbled in management, but it was as a pundit on TV that he began to excel with his wide knowledge of the game and his ability to talk pungently and accurately while winding up other pundits as well!
One of the many men who was not born a Celt, but has become one.
David Potter
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