Jan Aage Fjortoft has opened up on how Celtic legend, David Hay, helped to mould his career when he was just a fresh-faced teenager.
The Norway legend was at Lillestrom when Hay took over in 1989 and during his time at the club, Fjortoft scored an incredible 20 goals in 37 appearances as he, and Hay, took the Norwegian club to the league title.
And Fjortoft credited the former Celtic for helping to develop his game at that time and shaped him into an international striker.
Fjortoft said [World Football Index], “Arriving at Lillestrom at the time that I did worked out well for everyone as I joined the team as they were on the up. We finished 2nd in my first season before the arrival of a Scotsman in David Hay who significantly changed my career.
“David was a legend at Celtic football club and when arrived at the club, he helped take my game to the next level for my club which then enabled me to become a regular with the national team too.
“He taught me how to keep the game simple and how to utilise myself to the best of the team by keeping the ball effectively as a number nine in addition to scoring goals for the team too.
“We went even better as a team under David Hay as he took us to the league championship in 1989 which I was proud to be a part of even though I only played half of the season as I moved on to Rapid Vienna midway through the season.
“I earned a medal by playing enough games and I was proud to have contributed to that success during my time there.”
Hay was one of Celtic’s most successful players in the seventies. He won five titles in a row between 1970 to 1974 and also picked up two Scottish Cups, a league cup and the Glasgow Cup.
He was also part of the Celtic team that appeared in the 1970 European Cup Final against Feyenoord that the Bhoys went on to lose 2-1 to Wim Jansen’s Feyenoord.
Hay also managed Celtic and led us to a Scottish Cup in 1985 and to that famous league title in 1986 where Hearts choked in the final day to Dundee and we defeated St Mirren 5-0.
It is little wonder Fjortoft became the player he was after learning from a man with so much experience in the game.
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