“That was my only regret on the pitch at Celtic,” Leigh Griffiths

You’ll enjoy listening to Leigh Griffiths speaking on the 26 podcast about his life and his career. Two stand-outs from the former Celtic striker’s conversation are how his only regret on the pitch is not scoring against theRangers at Celtic Park and also talking about the two free-kicks he scored against England at Hampden in June 2017.

“My only regret is I never scored an Old Firm (sic) goal at Celtic Park. I scored two at Ibrox and one at Hampden. Never at Celtic Park. I had one glorious chance against (the)Rangers. It’s taken a bobble, literally the slightest bobble. I was about to smash it past the goalie, it’s taken a bobble and it’s went clean over the bar.

“The game was done but that was my only regret on the pitch at Celtic. Not scoring against (the)Rangers at Celtic Park.”

The former Celtic striker also spoke about getting his move through from Wolves to Celtic.

“I’ll never forget it. My agent called me and said ‘Celtic are interested. Would you go there?’ and I told him I’d walk back up the road to sign for them.

“Coming from Scotland, you know how massive Celtic is. They made two bids, Wolves knocked them back and wanted to keep me but Celtic were coming back with a final offer. My agent told me if I wanted the move, I’d have to tell my gaffer at Wolves that my heart was set on going.

“The Wolves owner called me up, told me i’d have to give up any bonuses I was due. No problem, done. I didn’t hesitate. Showered, changed, got up the road. I signed ten minutes before the deadline, it was that close. The smile on my face that day was massive,”  Leigh Griffiths said recalling the night he signed for the Hoops.

Griffiths, who now plays for Australian side Mandurah City also looked back on that memorable match against England when his two late goals looked to have turned defeat into a win only for Harry Kane to spoil the party in the closing seconds.

“It was mad. We were doing ok in the game. England had their superstars playing in the game. It was dogged. We weren’t getting a lot of the ball but defending well. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored and it took a wicked deflection by (Craigy Gordon).

“I still don’t understand why he does not have a hat on as the sun is beating down on his face. I think if he has a hat on and sees the ball he might get it. But the ball is in the back of the net and he is struggling already to try and block it.

“I see Chris Martin warm-up and strip off and I think ‘time’s up’ but we go with two up front. Time is ticking on. 87th minute and Ryan Fraser goes down. Got the free-kick. Placed it and the sun is in my eyes. I am thinking please hit the target. As soon as it is over the wall I start running. I know it is in. I am just waiting for the net to ripple to start celebrating.

“Muck up my celebration. I try to do a knee slide and the ground is so dry I bounce off my knee and end up doing a forward roll. I am just thinking ‘first goal for Scotland secured against England’.

“Stuart Armstrong – who I was with at Celtic – fancied the second one but I was like don’t even think about it. I put it down, the ref blows the whistle and as soon as it passes Harry Kane’s head I am off again.

“Scoring them was unreal. But if we had held on it would have been unreal. It honestly felt like a defeat when Harry Kane scored. A great finish at the back stick. Side foot, opens it up and boom, goal. I literally dropped to my knees.

“Afterwards I got invited to a wedding of my mates. It wasn’t until I walked in the place the place erupted. The boys said ‘you got a better reception than the bride and groom’.”

Meanwhile, check out Matt Corr speaking to the one and only Martin O’Neill on The Celtic Star Podcast…

Meanwhile, check out Matt Corr speaking to the one and only Martin O’Neill on The Celtic Star Podcast…