Vincent Angelini has said that he wants to return to Celtic one day, five years on from leaving for Watford.
One of many Celtic youngsters to move to the Premier League, the goalkeeper moved to the Hornets in 2021 before heading to Brentford and then Saudi Arabia.
He finally made his senior debut aged 22 last season, playing for FK Jerv in the Norwegian second division.
It’s fair to say that Angelini – the grandson of Celtic great Davie Hay – has taken an unconventional path since opting to leave the Hoops.
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Vincent Angelini on Celtic return dream
Reflecting on his upbringing, Angelini told The Herald: “I grew up Celtic daft.
“I started at the boys’ club section and I was an outfielder, but then I got switched to goalkeeper. I used to be a midfielder or a right-back but then as soon as I got to Celtic, they were like, ‘get your gloves on!
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“[My Grandad] used to take me every week to Barrowfield. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he would come and pick me up, and he says it’s like a whole new world now, it’s completely changed.
“He says when I come home, he’s going to take me over and show me, so I’m looking forward to that.
“At the Celtic Academy at first it was not so professional because we were still kids. You’re going to Barrowfield two, three times a week, you’re meeting up with the lads, you’re carrying on and having a laugh.
“When you hit the St. Ninian’s school program though that’s when it kicks in. I enjoyed my time at the St.
Ninian’s school program as well.
“It starts making you a bit more mature and then when you take the step out of your exams and go straight into professional football it’s a big shock and a big hit.
“They used to have pictures in the school of the players that had gone through the program and become a professional footballer for Celtic or made their debut. I used to always picture myself as one of them.
“Things worked out differently and I’ve gone through a different path, but it would have been a dream.
Celtic is in the blood, so I definitely want to go back one day.”
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The 2021-22 season: a season of youth exits for Celtic
Angelini was one of a number of young Celts to leave in the 2021-22 season, though funnily enough, Bosun Lawal made the same move in the opposite direction.
Fellow goalkeeper Rory Mahady, who had been linked with some of the biggest clubs in England, opted to join Leeds, where he still plays.
Norwegian defender Leo Hjelde also moved to Elland Road, despite training with the first team in the early weeks of Ange Postecoglou’s reign. He is now on loan at Sheffield United from Sunderland.
At the end of that season, Ben Gannon-Doak made his move to Liverpool, where he made ten appearances before joining Bournemouth for a fee rising to £25 million.
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