Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart may be at the very end of his professional football career but he sounds as happy as he has ever been in the job.
He’s been a superb presence in the Bhoys goal of late and on Saturday made several key stops in each half to frustrate Hearts on the way to a 3-0 Celtic victory.
The shot-stopper looks determined to retire this summer with two more medals around his neck in the league and cup.
Nobody really knew what to expect when he arrived at Celtic in 2022 – he likely didn’t either. But it’s fair to say he’s become immensely popular with supporters.
It’s a two-way relationship. Hart is never shy in expressing his admiration for fans and over the weekend re-iterated how special that unity is at this stage of the season.
Joe Hart on the Celtic fans
Speaking after the win against Hearts, Hart said [The Herald]: “I really enjoyed that on Saturday. The pitch was magnificent, the atmosphere, oh my God.
“That doesn’t come easily and it’s not a fluke. It’s down to hard work and the fans realising that we are in a battle and we’re putting it all on the line.
“We really appreciate them, and it was an amazing atmosphere to play in, but it can only be that if we perform and show we are putting everything on the line.
“We’re part of something, we’re together and united and we’ve got a common goal. You can’t underestimate that feeling.”
A consistent message from the Celtic dressing room
Hart isn’t the only Celtic figure to speak about this subject, this week. Brendan Rodgers has been keen to emphasise the ‘power’ of the support and how their relationship with the team impacts performances on the pitch.
Rodgers is clearly keen to get this message ingrained into the players – use the fans to your advantage and foster a connection with them that can build momentum.
That will be more important than ever over the next four games as the Bhoys look to finish the season off on a massive high.