Site Staff 
Celtic Park has witnessed many legendary performances between the sticks, but few periods have been as defining as the Artur Borus and Fraser Forster era. From 2005 to 2010 Boruc and from 2010 to 2014 Forster, these two goalkeepers combined for nearly a decade of world-class shot-stopping, commanding presence in the penalty box, and crucial saves.
Yet despite significant investment and numerous trials, Celtic have struggled to find a goalkeeper who can match that consistency and excellence. This continuous search would make one think that finding a proper keeper is like hitting a jackpot on Google Pay casinos. But things are a little different when you get into details.
Thus, this article will make an attempt to explain why the Hoops have struggled to find a no.1 that would replicate Boruc-Forster, but not before remembering the duo’s era-defining spells.
The Golden Standard
Artur Boruc joined the Hoops in 2005 on an initial loan but immediately established himself as one of Europe’s most exciting goalkeepers. The Poland international instantly became a fan favourite thanks to his acrobatic saves, fiery temperament, and ability to rise to the occasion in Old Firm derbies. Eventually, his constant high-level performances, including in Champions League matches made him a subject of interest from the top leagues, and he departed for Fiorentina in 2010.
At Celtic, the Polish shot-stopper made 212 appearances and kept 83 clean sheets. He conceded a total of 190 goals, less than one goal per game.
When Boruc left for Fiorentina, many feared that Celtic would struggle to replace such a talismanic figure. But enter Fraser Foster, whose towering height and exceptional shot-stopping ability proved to be the perfect successor. Forster’s record-breaking run of clean sheets in 2013/14, which included 13 consecutive league matches without conceding, remains one of the most impressive goalkeeping achievements in Scottish football history. The Englishman defended the Celtic shirt in 236 matches, keeping 118 clean sheets and conceding a total of 185 goals – mind-boggling numbers.
Like Boruc before him, he attracted a lot of interest from outside of Scotland, and ended up joining Southampton in the Premier League in 2014.
The Search for Successors
Since Forster’s departure to Southampton, Celtic have cycled through numerous goalkeepers, each carrying the weight of expectations to fill those big gloves. Craig Gordon was the answer for the next six seasons, as he returned from his English journey to join Celtic on a free transfer in 2014. The Scotsman had great numbers too (242 appearances, 121 clean sheets, 193 goals conceded), but he lacked the game-changing ability of his predecessors. Unlike before, the goalkeeper was not winning matches for the Hoops.
Then followed the short stint of Vasilios Barkas, who arrived for a hefty price tag from the Greek league in 2020. He ended up struggling with the intensity and physicality of Scottish football, making just 24 total appearances, keeping 11 clean sheets and conceding 23 goals.
Joe Hart’s arrival in 2021 represented another attempt to find that missing piece, with the club now changing their recruitment policy towards goalkeepers. From then, it has been about signing goalkeepers with top-level experience in the late stages of their career. Hart brought pedigree and experience – and undoubtedly had his share of excellent performances – but he lacked the consistency to reach the heights that defined the Boruc-Forster era. In 153 matches, the Englishman kept 64 clean sheets and conceded 145 goals.
Nowadays, Kasper Schmeichel is the one guarding the goal at Celtic Park. Many compliments can be paid to the Denmark international, but he will certainly not become an era-defining goalkeeper, at the very least because of his age.
The Changing Landscape and Forward Outlook
Celtic’s struggles with replacing Boruc-Forster reflect the dramatically changed football landscape. The goalkeeper market has become inflated as clubs recognize the importance of the position, and proven yet attainable goalkeepers have become prohibitively expensive or quickly claimed by top-league clubs. Additionally, modern football demands new qualities from keepers – distribution, sweeping ability, and ball-playing skills have become as crucial as traditional shot-stopping, creating complex recruitment challenges for finding someone who excels in all areas while handling Celtic’s unique pressures.
Looking forward, if Celtic want another era-defining goalkeeper, then the answer cannot be shot-stoppers past their prime. What made Boruc and Forster so great was that they were at their peak of their abilities during their stays at Celtic Park. Gordon, Hart and Schmeichel had already played their best years before signing for the Hoops.
Instead, the answer should be boldly trusting younger goalkeepers either from home or from undiscovered leagues, putting enough time and resources into scouting. Yes, sometimes you will end up with Barkas, but with careful research, there is always a good chance to strike gold.
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