THE last time Aberdeen visited Parkhead they put three goals past Fraser Forster, a feat subsequently beyond Barcelona, Ajax and everyone else who has passed through the ground.
The man who can now refer to himself as an England goalkeeper - but is too modest to do so - can legitimately put the experience down to a bad day at the office. Celtic won even when they conceded those three goals on March 16, prevailing 4-3. The scoreline can be seen as no more than a blemish on the greatest 12 months of Forster's career so far.
Neil Lennon yesterday described Forster's first England cap last week as "one of the best things I've been involved in as a manager". Lennon's primary satisfaction came from the fact Forster has become an England internationalist while at Celtic, rather than having been signed as one.
Lennon believes the fact England would select a player who is on the books of the SPFL Premiership champions will encourage other targets to come to Celtic if they were swithering about signing. "It's great for the club and great for the player," he said. "I'm sure he would have had doubts about whether his England career would materialise while he was playing here. But he's shown that can be possible. There are so many good aspects to this.
"It is deserved as he's been phenomenal. He's a brilliant goalkeeper who is improving all the time. I hope what's happened will help me in the future. If you look at the Champions League and the exposure we're getting and the reputation we're getting, particularly, under the lights at Celtic Park, that's a big carrot now for us to attract players. Looking at the squad as a whole I think we've improved a hell of a lot of the players here."
When the squad reassembled after international duty, Forster was predictably on the receiving end of some good-natured abuse from his team-mates, a predictable consequence of now being an England player.
Scott Brown led the mockery. "Broonie was quick to slaughter me so it was back to reality," Forster said. "Everyone's been really positive, whether it's been from Celtic or people I haven't spoken to in a while. I think everyone's just been delighted for me. The manager [Roy Hodgson] told me I'd been picked off the back of what I'd done with Celtic and urged me to go out and play the same way I do here. He was very positive and complimentary. It was all very straightforward. Playing for England is something I'd been aiming to do for quite a while and it was nice to get that first cap, something special, something I'll remember for the rest of my life."
Forster's aim now is to maintain his form for Celtic in the hope he will be selected again for England's next friendly against Denmark in March.
Forster and Lennon sounds like a music hall act. A folk duo, maybe. Yesterday they were a mutual appreciation society. "I'm massively grateful to the gaffer for everything he's done for me," Forster said. "He was always very positive about me, he showed a lot of faith in me, bringing me in as a very young keeper and putting me in the team. Celtic's a brilliant club and it's good to be a part of it.
"The manager has been brilliant to me ever since I walked in the door, he made me feel really welcome. He has also shown what a good manager he is. The achievement of last year, getting us to the last 16 of the Champions League, people wouldn't have believed at the start of that season that we'd do that. We've won numerous cups and competitions and if people look at the gaffer's record and they'll see how good he is.
"Looking back, it is amazing. I was third choice at Newcastle but now I've played for Celtic, won trophies, played in the Champions League and now for England. I think we've all worked hard. People at Celtic have put a lot of time into me: Woodsy [goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods], Bill Styles the fitness coach. Celtic has been brilliant for me and brilliant for a lot of the lads." Aberdeen return to Parkhead today with Celtic hoping to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership, which currently sits at five points over second-placed Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Lennon has not changed his belief that Aberdeen are most likely to finish second at the end of the season because of the strength and depth of their squad. As for his own resources, James Forrest is unlikely to feature today but may return for the AC Milan game on Tuesday. Only Steven Mouyokolo and Adam Matthews are long-term casualties.
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