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Welsh international forward John Hartson was a high-profile signing for Celtic when he joined the club in the summer of 2001 from Coventry City. The transfer fee was £6m, which was big money for the Hoops to spend.
Hartson would have known that he was going to have to play well to maintain a first-team spot for the Hoops, as he had competition from the pairing of Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson.
It took Hartson a while to get going for the Bhoys, but he scored his first goals for the club in a 5-1 win over Dundee United, netting a hat-trick.
He ended the season as a title winner with the Bhoys, and also scored the first of many goals against Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final, which the Hoops lost so won’t be discussed here.
Hartson’s second season with the club, 2002/03 was a momentous one for the Bhoys as Celtic reached the UEFA Cup Final against Porto. Hartson more than played his part in helping the club get the final. His goal in Spain against Celta Vigo was vital in helping the Hoops win that tie on away goals.
There was also his goal at Anfield in the second leg against Liverpool. Scoring perhaps the best goal of his Celtic career, the forward hammered an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net.
Sadly, Hartson didn’t feature in the final in Seville, as he missed the game due to a back injury. Perhaps if he had been available the Hoops would have won the game, as Hartson’s presence would certainly have unsettled the Porto defence.
Hartson also scored two winning goals against Rangers that season, as his good form in the Glasgow derby continued.
Hartson started season 2003/04 with yet another winner against Rangers, as the Hoops ended up cruising to a league and cup double in Henrik Larsson’s final season at the club. Sadly, for Hartson, another back issue meant that he missed the end of the season.
With Larsson not at the club, Hartson had more responsibilities as a player, and he thrived on that. Indeed, in season 2004/05, he was jointly named with Rangers’ Fernando Ricksen as Scotland’s player of the year by his fellow professionals.
That is testament to how well Hartson performed for the Bhoys in Martin O’Neill’s last season as Hoops boss.
Season 2005/06 would be Hartson’s last at Celtic, and he signed off in style. His goal against Hearts secured the league title on an exciting night at Celtic Park.
It was a fitting way for the player to sign off, winning his third title with the Hoops, to go with two Scottish Cups and a League Cup.
YouTube: John Hartson Celtic Goals
Hartson departed the Hoops to join West Brom in 2006, and retired from the game in 2008. He is now a regular pundit on Celtic games.
Hartson was a key man for Celtic in one of the most successful periods in the club’s history. He scored many memorable goals and has to go down as one of the Hoops’ most important players of the 2000s.
