Celtic have had some outstanding goalkeepers over the years who have built the foundation for trophy-laden success at Parkhead.
Fraser Forster is the perfect embodiment of everything you would want a Celtic stopper to be, and his iconic displays in Glasgow live long in the memory of every supporter.
In two spells that spanned five years collectively, the former England international made 238 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, keeping 118 clean sheets in the process [Transfermarkt].
His finest exploits came in Celtic’s two Champions League Group G fixtures against Barcelona in 2012/13, where the 36-year-old defied logic by making save after save across both matches, earning himself the nickname ‘La Gran Muralla’ (The Great Wall) for his imperious performances.
Of course, he also featured in 1256 minutes of Scottish Premiership action without conceding a single goal, a record that stands alone til this day.
Fans will also recall his one-man rescue mission in the 2019 Scottish League Cup final against Rangers, as Forster dragged an underperforming Celtic side to trophy glory at Hampden in the midst of an onslaught from our city rivals, keeping them out at all costs.
Now at Tottenham Hotspur, the Hexham-born man will go down in history as one of the greatest goalkeepers to ever grace the hallowed Parkhead turf.
Fraser Forster on what he loved so much about his time at Celtic
Despite not playing for Celtic since 2020, Forster holds a deep affinity with the club, and it would be impossible for him not to, seeing as he is regarded as a god-like figure by many supporters.
Speaking on Fozcast – The Ben Foster podcast with former Manchester United stopper Ben Foster, our ex-goalkeeper has opened up on why he views his time at Parkhead as a special period of his career.
He explained: “Honestly, what a club, an amazing club! Fans were amazing, just everything about it; I just loved it. I was fortunate I got to go there so early in my career, but yeah, I loved my first time there. I obviously got to go back for a season later in my career, and I really loved it.
“Just such a special club, it means the world to the fans to have the competition with Rangers being in Glasgow. It’s just a huge club; the following is huge.”
Foster then compared Newcastle United’s passionate fanbase to Celtic’s support, to which Forster indicated there is no comparison, as he said: “Probably and then some! It’s amazing, I think, until you go and you’re part of it, and you see what it means to people and what a huge club it is. People down south don’t appreciate it, but honestly, it means the world to them.
“On a Saturday, it’s the biggest thing for them; it’s just a massive club. Literally, wherever you go in the world, people will come up to you and be like, ‘I’m a Celtic fan’. I’m so privileged and honoured I played for that club.”
Celtic’s goalkeeper situation needs to be addressed
Joe Hart will retire from professional football at the end of this campaign, leaving a void to be filled by a new presence between the sticks at Parkhead.
Several individuals have been linked to the Bhoys in the last few months, such as Caoimhin Kelleher, Asmir Begovic, Anthony Patterson and Michael Zetterer.
With just over a year left on his existing contract at Tottenham, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Forster could also enter the conversation at some point in the summer, though I am merely speculating, it must be said.
Celtic plucked Hart from the North Londoners in 2022. Could there be a scenario where a similar agreement could be reached with one of our former heroes? Only time will tell on that front.