Some Preston North End supporters have been buzzing after signing Celtic winger Scott Sinclair.
Sinky departed Parkhead after becoming the club’s top scorer during the treble-treble campaign with 60 goals. Unfortunately, opportunities have been limited for him this season as he’s made only seven appearances for the Hoops this term.
The likes of Mikey Johnston, Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Lewis Morgan have all played more than Sinclair. Considering the fact that the Englishman is now 30, first-team football is essential for him.
And just as some Celtic supporters will be upset with the move, some fans of Sinclair’s new club are delighted. Here’s a look at their reaction on Twitter to his signing:
https://twitter.com/DanielBall1991/status/1215032594523467776
https://twitter.com/EddPNE/status/1215031086687895558
https://twitter.com/prestonupdates_/status/1215033150679736321
The right deal for everyone
There will be plenty in the Celtic support saddened by Sinclair’s departure. After all, when you look back at his stunning Player of the Year campaign of 2016/17, it’s easy to see why. He leaves the club with so many memories and 10 trophies under his belt too.
However, at the same time, it’s important not to forget the decline of Scotty over the last couple of years. Despite racking up goal tallies of 18 and 17 in the following two years, his all-round performances were dropping in standards.
It’s got the point where he was, correctly, third-choice behind Johnston and Elyounoussi. Whether he should’ve been behind Morgan in the pecking order is extremely doubtful. Even so, he wasn’t going to get the game-time he needs for the age he is. Combine that with the fact he only managed to score twice under Neil Lennon in 19 outings, the stats are there to back his decline up.
He also moves on at a time when his contract is in its closing stages. Giving him a new one always looked out of the question given his role in the squad. For the sake of his career, the move to Preston was the best thing that could’ve happened to him.
Some will likely feel he deserved a greater send-off than being flogged out in January. However, Celtic have no room for sentiment at the moment. Our margin for error is minimal, and it’s not as if letting Sinclair leave is a bad decision.
Hopefully, Scotty rips it up in the Championship and helps spearhead Alex Neil’s promotion push. It’s certainly a sad goodbye, but it most definitely wasn’t the wrong move.
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