Joe Hart was emotional and full of gratitude as he sat down to give his final interview as a Celtic player on Friday.
The retiring goalkeeper, who plays at Celtic Park for the last time on Saturday, reflected on his three-year career in Glasgow and shared what this club has meant to him.
Hart has made over 150 appearances for the Bhoys since joining in the summer of 2021, over time becoming one of the most popular personalities with supporters.
He still has two matches to go before hanging up his gloves for good, including a massive Scottish Cup final against Rangers, so the ever-focused veteran is very much in the zone and has his eyes on the prize.
However, it’s clear in the 17-minute interview released by Celtic TV – embedded below – that the goalkeeper absolutely loves this football club and that the entire experience has affected him deeply.
Joe Hart lauds all of his Celtic heroes
From Callum McGregor to Scott Bain, Hart runs through all the people who have had a positive impact on his time at Celtic, leaving no one in any doubt that being a part of the dressing room leadership group is very important to him.
He’s asked about what he’ll say about Celtic to people in the future, giving an iconic quote about how the club is “a feeling” and that he could never put it into words.
Towards the end, the goalkeeper starts to get emotional as he thinks about the way his family have supported his Celtic journey and how they have also been welcomed into the club.
It’s a fantastic bit of content and something I would urge every Celtic fan to watch in its entirety. If it doesn’t pull at your heartstrings as a supporter of the Bhoys, not much else will.
What’s next for Joe Hart
Hart will now have the honour of carrying the Scottish Premiership trophy up The Celtic Way on Saturday ahead of facing the Buddies, before playing and taking his lap of honour.
He’s sure to get one of the biggest ovations the stadium has seen in recent years and it’s fully deserved.
As a born winner, he’ll be desperate for a fairy-tale ending to his career at Hampden next week, too.
Then, it appears, a media career awaits. Hart has already stated he doesn’t have much interest in coaching and reports this week indicate he will initially become a pundit with the BBC for their Euro 2024 coverage.
Hart is a media star and I have no doubt he’ll be talented at that too given his comfort in front of cameras. Every Celtic fan will be wishing him all the best with whatever he has planned.
