‘It’s never goodbye,” Paddy Roberts keeps the door open

PADDY ROBERTS speaking ahead of his final weekend as a Manchester City player on loan at Celtic, doesn’t give the impression that he is desperate to get down the road.

His love affair with Celtic is genuine and if things were different he’d be delighted to stay at the 7IAR champions and enjoy playing his football in the green and white Hoops.

Celtic paid a substantial loan fee to City for the second loan deal and obviously paid the players Premier League wages – for Roberts though he’d already signed a contract to earn that type of cash at the newly crowned Premier League Champions.

So it’s never been about the money for Paddy Roberts. But after tomorrow’s Scott Brown Testimonial he’ll be heading down the road to Manchester.

“I’ll go back in the summer and see where it takes me. There have been no real conversations. There is nothing to be said, they won the league astonishingly.

“We’ve won the league here and have the cup final to come. No real conversations at the moment but there will be one when I go back. I have aims in my head I can climb Mount Everest but I don’t know if I’m going to do it or not.

“I’ll have dreams and objectives where I want to be. But it’s about me putting it into place. Hopefully my career will pan out the way I want it to. I just enjoy playing football. Wherever I play I just enjoy it. It doesn’t faze me. In the summer I’ll go back and see what happens.”

City presumably want to sell him this summer, after deciding at the last minute to pull out of a permanent sale to Celtic.

Leicester, West Ham and a few other Premier League sides – mostly destined for the lower half of the league – are queuing up to buy Paddy if the speculation is accurate.

Maybe it’s just been too rich for Celtic to contemplate?

“I want to leave on a high and get the trophy — for myself, the boys, the fans and the club,” Paddy said.

“If we do it it’ll probably be one of the most important aspects of my career. I’ve hopefully got a long way ahead of me.

“But being here will be one of the highlights. It’s been a huge honour and I’ve been proud to play here.

“Would I ever return again? I’ve always said you never know what might happen in football. It’s never goodbye.

“I’ll always be a fan and will always come to games, even if I’m not playing here.

“I could end up back here in a few years and, if so, then great.”

Injury problems have meant that thus has mostly been a season to forget for Paddy, so frustrating as he wanted to shine once again in the Hoops.

“You can’t choose when you get injured so you stay positive and try to stay fit, which I’ve done so far.

“Unfortunately it’s not panned out the way I’d hoped but I’ve enjoyed pulling on the shirt.”

Have you got one of these? Beautiful Sunday should be celebrated all summer long…

The latest podcast is out today- it’s part 2 of the brilliant interview with Celtic’s SLO John Paul Taylor where he selects the games and the soundtracks of his own personal Celtic journey. Loved his memories of the 4-2 game in the first part of his interview. Here’s the latest instalment from the UK’s Football podcast of the year…

Listen to “John Paul Taylor with A Celtic State of Mind (Part 2/3)” on Spreaker.

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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