What Matt O’Riley was told about Brighton fans after describing the ‘so mad’ Celtic support

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Playing for Celtic is a tough job that only players like Matt O’Riley can attest to.

The young Dane was at Celtic Park for two and a half years and swept up not only every domestic honour going but Matt O’Riley also won every Celtic Player of The Year Award that was available last season.

O’Riley’s sparkling form at Celtic earned him his £25m Brighton move.

After making his Premier League debut for Brighton and scoring the winner against Man City, the 23-year-old midfielder has told the Brighton supporters what was ‘so mad’ about the Celtic fans.

Matt O’Riley explains why playing in front of the Celtic supporters was ‘perfect’

The Demark midfielder enjoyed a special bond with the Celtic fans and when O’Riley left for Brighton the outpouring of respect from the Parkhead support was genuinely emotional.

And when asked if he was able to block out the passion of the fans on the pitch, O’Riley told The Official Brighton & Hove Albion Podcast [26m 55s], “Of course, but I was also aware that whatever I did on the pitch contributes to so many fans’ happiness.

“Because they’re so mad up there to the point where I know when they’re at their daily jobs, they’re having a bad time with their Rangers pals the whole week, if the result’s not good.

“I think for me as a player, in terms of preparation to go somewhere else, it’s perfect, just because the demand is so high.”

Why Matt O’Riley ‘really enjoyed’ playing in front of the Celtic support

After hearing that, the podcast presenter said, “You’ll find Albion fans a bit gentler in their demands, I think. I mean, they want to win, but they don’t have that expectation built up over decades, that they deserve to win.”

To which O’Riley replied, “I really enjoyed the pressure of it though.

“The responsibility you need to be able to test your limits every single week to be like, okay, we’ve got to do it again, we’ve got to be even better, we’ve got to do it again and again and again. If you don’t, then they’ll let you know about it, the fans.

“It’s only because they care so much. So in that sense, that’s why you don’t take it personally, they just care about their team doing well”

Every Celtic fan will wish young Matt every success for his future at Brighton. O’Riley gave everything to play for Celtic and the respect he showed the club and the fans will never be forgotten.

His performances on the pitch earned O’Riley a special place in the Celtic fans’ hearts and after hearing him talk them up to the Brighton support, the Danish midfielder will be held in even higher regard by the Hoops support.