By Joe McHugh
Maybe it’s an age thing or even a generation thing but it’s always great to catch up with former players, players who were part of scenery around Celtic for a while but who suddenly disappear off the radar.
STEWART KERR VIDEO INTERVIEW (taken after losing the first Masters game to Dundee United)
Stewart Kerr is one of those mid-nineties sorta players, along with Simon Donnelly, Malky Mackay, Phil O’Donnell and Jackie McNamara they were all reasonably local, could relate to the supporters and were approachable about the job that they loved.
The Masters football event is becoming a sort of Friends Reunited diary date with Kerr making his Celtic debut this season and playing no small part in winning the trophy.
Playing in the tournament can be quite an eye-opener after watching on telly, especially for a goalkeeper with the crossbar at seven feet high and players blasting in shots from ten yards or less that you are expected to stop by whatever means.
UNFULFILLED
Kerr has a short and unfulfilled career but from the interview I had with him he’s far from downhearted about the way things turned out realising early on that a back injury was never going to allow him to fulfill his potential.
Perhaps making his debut for the red-carded Gordon Marshall should have acted as a warning for Kerr but after getting his chance unexpectedly in November 1996 he went on to hold on to the his place for the remainder of the season.
At the end of that season Tommy Burns was dismissed and a regular summer season of appointing Celtic managers took place with Wim Jansen, Jo Venglos and John Barnes appointed before Martin O’Neill brought some stability to the job.
KHARINE
One of Jansen’s first signings was Jonathan Gould who quickly established himself as first choice with Kerr as a reliable deputy, well certainly more reliable than Dimitrei Kharine who was one of Barnes more forgettable, and expensive signings.
Kerr finally moved on from Celtic in August 2001 to Wigan Athletic for £700,000 reflecting the potential that he carried as a Scotland under-21 keeper and five years experience in the Celtic squad.
Sadly back injuries caught up with him forcing his retirement a year after joining Wigan with just eight appearances to his name.
These days Kerr is back in Scotland working as Aidrie’s goalkeeping coach and keeping in touch with former Celtic team-mates, replacing Packie Bonner in the recent Tommy Burns Tribute Match.
