Michael Stewart has revealed that he almost became a Celtic player in the summer of 2007.
The former Manchester United midfielder has created plenty of attention this week but back in 2007 he had fallen foul of the John Collins regime at Hibs with limited options.
Stewart was speaking out during an Open Goal interview with Si Ferry in which it is very clear that living in Edinburgh is central to his life.
The midfielder had already been at Hearts when the door was closing on his days at Easter Road when former Celtic and Hibs scout John Park sounded him out about a move to Glasgow.
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Stewart said:
When I came back up the road from Manchester United it was all for just reasons away from football. It wasn’t too do with football, I just wanted to come home.
I wasn’t ready to leave at that point and you are limiting your options. Up the road, with the greatest respect, it wasn’t like I was going to be happy going to play at every club.
John Park had just gone to Celtic, Chris Killen had gone as well in that summer, he said look there could be a chance here as well but they need to move on Gravesen and Jarosik first. They need to move a lot of boys on but there might be a chance here.
Before anything came of that, Hearts had come back and said ‘do you want to come to Hearts?’ I felt like, you know what, it’s a concrete offer, I’m not moving then and I felt like I had unfinished business.”
Jarosik and Gravesen were two of the marquee signings of the Strachan era but despite their pedigree neither made a lasting impression during their time with the hoops.
Stewart spent three years back at Hearts but retired at the age of 30 following a short spell with Charlton Athletic.
