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The strangest Celtic XI’s- featuring Flood, Crosas and Carey

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Graham Carey’s appearance for Plymouth against Liverpool in midweek brought memories trickling back of his one and only Celtic appearance.

With Europa League glory done and dusted before the final group match the trip to Vienna could hardly have been less appealing.

Many fans that made it to the match described it as one of the coldest ever with flurries of snow throughout, a rock hard surface and Celtic back in their ‘Dortmund style’ away kit making heavy weather of the orange ball.

As if that wasn’t bad enough the record books were being consulted as the hoops found themselves 3-0 down after 20 minutes.

Fortunately, or Marco Fortunately, Celtic pulled a goal back in the 24th minute through the French misfit and steadied the ship before the interval.

Rapid seemed to have lost their early sparkle with Fortune pulling another back in the 78th minute before Paul McGowan, with his only goal for Celtic, equalised in the final minute.

It was a moral victory of sorts and a virtually a last hurrah for an XI that never surfaced again while Andreas Hinkel, Gary Caldwell, Barry Robson and Scott McDonald sat frozen on the bench.

ARTUR BORUC

The Holy Goalie was on the slide from his Champions League heights but still far far better than Lucasz Zaluska.

Boruc looked well hacked off at some of the early defending that he witnessed but kept his concentration as the visitors edged their way back into the game.

This was to be his last European appearance for Celtic, the following summer he was on his way to Fiorentina.

PAUL CADDIS

His card was marked earlier in the season when Mark Wilson came in from nowhere to take his place in a controversial defeat at Ibrox, apparently he didn’t have the physique for Mowbray which is ironic since he has gone on to be a Championship regular at Birmingham City.

Ten starts and 14 substitite appearances summed up his Celtic career but from the highly rated 2006 double winning youth team alongside Darren O’Dea he has carved out the most successful career.

GLENN LOOVENS

A mystery signing under Gordon Strachan who instantly sang the praises of Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus as soon as Loovens joined up.

He didn’t fare much better under Tony Mowbray but seemed to have something in his game that impressed Neil Lennon.

Loovens was a goalscorer when the SPL title was clinched at Rugby Park but moved on for a season in Spain with Real Zaragoza and is now playing regularly at Sheffield Wednesday.

STEPHEN MCMANUS

Mowbray’s arrival meant the end of McManus’ Celtic career, although they were later reunited at Middlesbrough.

The club captain was injured when Mowbray replaced Gordon Strachan as Celtic boss then sent on loan to Middlesbrough during his brief reign.

It was a spectacular descent for McManus but he left Celtic with a pile of medals and memories.

MARK WILSON

Was going through a long strange period in his Celtic career, struggling to capture the form or fitness that had been a feature of his time at Dundee United.

Under Neil Lennon he was to have a golden season in 2010/11 scoring the only goal of the game in a fiery Scottish Cup replay against Rangers (IL) then setting up Stephen Craigan for the decisive goal in the final win over Motherwell.

LANDRY N’GUEMO

One of the great mysteries of the Mowbray reign, fortunately he was only brought in on loan and returned to Nancy at the end of the season.

Being compared to Neil Lennon or Paul Lambert would have been cruel but there was little in N’Guemo’s game to suggest that he was the defensive midfielder Mowbray required.

Further moves in France to Bordeuax and St Etienne confirmed his standing in the game- useful but never Celtic quality.

WILLO FLOOD

What a strange year the Dubliner endured at Celtic Park.

Joining up after losing a dramatic penalty shoot out perhaps was an omen but he enjoyed a promising debut against Rangers (IL) although that was at the expense of Aiden McGeady.

He could have hung around picking up the wages but rejoined Strachan at Middlesbrough before coming back to enjoy another two spells with Dundee United.

MARC CROSAS

What could possibly go wrong with signing a groovy former Barcelona and Lyon midfielder?

Crosas enjoyed Glasgow, loved Celtic but never quite made it under Gordon Strachan, Tony Mowbray or Neil Lennon.

The first Celtic player to discover twitter he remains popular online even if we are unlikely to shed too many tears over a midfield of N’Guemo, Flood and Crosas…

NIALL MCGINN

Was given his chance by Tony Mowbray and was probably the biggest success of his time in charge of Celtic.

A more central role seems more to his liking than that of a traditional winger.

He has been a big factor in Aberdeen’s recent revival but after being pictured cheering on Celtic in a match at Kilmarnock relations with Derek McInnes have gone frosty.

MARCO FORTUNE

The big signing of the Mowbray reign but Celtic don’t really do non-scoring strikers.

£3m was a serious investment but he was always going to need a Scott McDonald to play in the penalty box and plunder the goals.

Neil Lennon retained Fortune but his final appearance was in the 4-0 defeat from Utrecht with a swift return to West Brom.

PAUL MCGOWAN

Scored his only Celtic goal in Vienna and flirted with a first team place for around 18 months before joining St Mirren.

A man-of-the-match in the 2013 League Cup Final win over Hearts showed his potential but off the field problems have curtailed his career.

Paul Hartley seems to be getting a turn out of Gowser at Dundee having been converted into a midfielder after being a prolific youth team striker.

GRAHAM CAREY

Replaced Nial McGinn to enjoy a 13 minute Celtic first team career.

There were high expectations for the Dublin when he joined Celtic as a youth but an early injury hampered his progress.

He enjoyed spells with St Mirren and Ross County before joining up with Derek Adams at Plymouth where he seems to be a fans favourite.

CHRIS KILLEN

Came from the category that if he can score goals for Hibs he must be able to do better at Celtic. In this match he was an 89th minute replacement for Fortune.

The New Zealander joined at the same time as Scott McDonald but other than both being on the scoresheet against Gretna their paths rarely crossed.

He did finish the season playing for New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup Finals but his Celtic days are best forgotten.

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