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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Joe Donnelly

Joe Hart gives emotional farewell in Celtic TV interview

Ahead of his last ever game at Celtic Park, Joe Hart has held his final interview with Celtic TV that doubles as an emotional farewell and introspective reflection on his esteemed career.

With over 150 appearances under Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, the 37-year-old is set to hang up his gloves at the end of the season, making Saturday's visit from St Mirren the penultimate game of his career.

After that, the veteran goalkeeper will wrap up his time between the sticks with the Scottish Cup Final 2024 at Hampden on May 25.

"It's in my heart this place and I can't even put into words how proud I am to have played and represented it, and be welcomed," said Hart in the candid Celtic TV interview. "My family, a young family, an impressionable family, the way that they've been made to feel is really, really special. I'll be forever grateful and forever a supporter.

"I don't want to sell this place, I don't have to. You either want to come and experience it and feel it and realise why people say the things they do. Or if you don't, that's fine. Live your own life, do your own thing, have your own feelings.

"I didn't want anything from football, I just wanted to play. In spades. I've never asked for anything, I've just wanted to play at the highest level I possibly can, give my all, be a teammate, help my teammates, make the supporters of the clubs I've played for feel comfortable that they've got the right man in goal.

"My career isn't perfect, I've not always made people feel that way, but it's not through lack of effort."



With six trophies under his belt in Glasgow's East End, and the prospect of a seventh should things go to plan at Hampden, many would consider Hart the right man in goal for Brendan Rodgers' side.

With recent accolades in mind, the one-time England internationalist struggles to nail down one single highlight since joining Celtic in the summer of 2021, instead fondly reflecting on it all. He said: "[Highlights?] All of it. I don't even think there's a lowlight. Even the tough moments, even the moments where we lost.

"We lost my first Rangers game away, we lost to Livi away, we've had moments this season where we were put under pressure, and I love those moments because it's the camaraderie it brings and the tipping points on which way you're going to go.

"And every single time we've gone the right way and worked hard under two incredible managers.

Hart's interview in full can be viewed via the official Celtic YouTube channel.

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