Former Celtic midfielder Shaun Maloney has admitted that felt that he let people down when he returned to Paradise. The winger, who broke through in 2001 under Martin O’Neill, left to join the Irishman at Aston Villa in January 2007 before returning in August 2008.
Speaking to Four Four Two, Maloney has admitted that he struggled to settle in after switching Glasgow for the Midlands but that he felt he let people down in his second spell at Celtic.
“I probably wasn’t ready to leave Celtic and found the first six months difficult. I spoke to Gordon and he urged me to give it a proper go – I’m happy I did, as we had a brilliant young side with the likes of Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young.
“I soon went back to Celtic, but had loads of injury issues and thought I was letting people down. In the end, I needed another fresh start.”
Having made his debut in a 3-0 win at Ibrox in April 2001, Maloney went on to become one of the club’s brightest talents in that era. It is probably accurate to say that his second spell wasn’t as successful as his first but he was still a valuable player during a period that he struggled with injuries.
Across two spells at Celtic, Maloney made 202 appearances, scoring 50 goals and assisting on four occasions. The Scotland Internationalist departed for Wigan Athletic, where he would win the FA Cup against all odds for The Latics. Now, he’s back managing the League One side.
