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Former Celts

Hooper back on the goal trail

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Five years after starring in the Champions League Gary Hooper looks to be rediscovering his scoring form.

In season 2012/13 Hooper was on his own without the injured Anthony Stokes as Celtic charged through their Champions League group as runners up to Barcelona.

It could be a while before Celtic pick up 10 points in the group stage again with Hopper netting home and away in the wins over Spartak Moscow.

By the end of that season it was time for the striker to leave the hoops with no-one expecting the struggle that would be involved in finding a replacement.

Half a dozen ‘strikers’ tried to fill his boots ranging from Teemu Pukki to John Guidetti but it took the arrival of Moussa Dembele and the home spun Leigh Griffiths to plug the goal gap.

While Celtic suffered so did Hooper with goals hard to find as Norwich were relegated.

When he left Carrow Road he did have 18 League goals to his name but that was spread over two and half years from 38 starts and 26 substitute appearances.

For £3m Hooper looked a great signing for Sheffield Wednesday but last season yielded just six goals in the Championship.

Recent weeks have brought a big upturn in Hooper’s fortunes, three goals in his last three matches has helped Sheffield Wednesday pick up seven points and climb into sixth place.

With former Celtic targets Jordan Rhodes and Steven Fletcher competing for a place Hooper faces a battle to hang onto a jersey but his goal and another from Ross Wallace earning a win over Brentford he should be assured of a starting place away to Cardiff on Saturday.

His Champions League days may be over but it seems that the former Celtic favourite is ready to rediscover the goal touch he had when he was in the hoops.

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