Top 20 Celtic Players Since Fergus McCann's Takeover

This week's Celtic View contains an interview with the club's largest shareholder, Dermot Desmond.

One of the main subjects of the interview is one Fergus McCann; a Scots-born Canadian who, essentially, saved Celtic.

In his book The Celtic Miscellany, ex-Celtic View editor Andrew Smith christens McCann "the father of the modern-day Celtic." It's hard to disagree.

Without the indomitable businessman's intervention—acquiring a 51 percent controlling stake, acting as a surety for the club's £7million debt and planning the construction of the 60,000 all-seater Celtic Park—the club would not just have been on the brink of bankruptcy, they would have plunged head-first into its murky depths.

Yet McCann never really gained meaningful levels of acknowledgement from the fans due to his "penny-pinching" and negative media portrayal—he was even jeered when unfurling the 1998 league title flag.

Nevertheless, the realisation that McCann is probably the most important figure, behind founder Brother Walfrid, in the club's off-field history has undoubtedly dawned on the Celtic fan base in recent years.

With the 20th anniversary of McCann's takeover and subsequent share issue, as well as the confirmation that he will be returning to Celtic Park in August—where he is likely to be once again unfurling a league winning flag—we take a look at the 20 best players to come to the club since McCann's intervention. 

Essentially, these are players the fans may very well never have had a chance to see if not for the man they called "the Bunnet."

Statistics taken from various sources including Soccerbase, Soccerway, TransferMarkt & 125 Years of Competitive Matches by David Potter and Marie Rowan.

As the criteria for inclusion is so general—in that some players who appeared after McCann saved Celtic were obviously already there—we have decided to restrict it to include only those players who arrived, or came through the youth system to the first team, after he took control in March 1994.

That means iconic players such as modern-day legend Paul McStay can't make the list, nor the likes of Tom Boyd, John Collins or Peter "the Pointer" Grant.

Important figures such as Phil O'Donnell, Packie Bonner and Andreas Thom also don't make it, while recent players such as Charlie Mulgrew, Victor Wanyama, Shaun Maloney and current captain Scott Brown miss out due largely to the superfluity of extremely talented players to have pulled on the hoops in their respective positions since McCann's arrival.

A special mention goes to defenders Johan Mjallby and Marc Rieper, who were particularly hard to leave out. The former, along with Joos Valgaeren and Bobo Balde, formed a solid back three for much of Martin O'Neill's successful tenure.

The latter, who is oft forgotten about in the story of Scottish football, had a memorable first season with Celtic where he demonstrated his uncontested class before succumbing to a foot injury and being forced to retire from the game.

Position: Striker

Appearances: 46

Goals: 39

The first of the McCann-christened "three amigos" to make the list, Jorge Cadete was a sensation in his solitary year at Celtic.

Cadete's Parkhead career was never going to be boring, especially after a notorious start in which his registration was found, after a long campaign by McCann, to have been held up by the SFA hierarchy (later resulting in the dismissal of chief executive Jim Farry).

With his consistent goalscoring record and the charisma to match, the fans would have been forgiven for thinking they had found a genuine hero to rally around.

Unfortunately, his relationship with the club hierarchy turned slightly sour, and he was transferred to Celta Vigo in 1997, having picked up no major honours in his time in Glasgow.

Position: Left-Back

Appearances: 142

Goals: 1

Honduras international Emilio Izaguirre was near-unplayable during his first season with Celtic.

His marauding runs down the left flank tore every team to shreds domestically, and he swept the post-season awards by winning the SPFA Players' Player, SPL Player and Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year.

An ankle injury suffered against Aberdeen at the start of the following season curtailed his involvement for some time. When he did return, he was a rather more timid figure and seemed hesitant to overlap with anything near the gusto he had done the year before.

Nevertheless, he eventually got over the apparent mental block and, given the left-back berth has been a historical "problem position" for the Hoops, Izaguirre deserves his place in the top 20.

He is now in his fourth season with the club. Having racked up three titles in a row, as well as two Scottish Cups, he has gotten back to his best this season and currently heads up the assists chart.

Position: Striker

Appearances: 37

Goals: 15

The second of the "three amigos" from the McCann era to appear here is the unique Paolo Di Canio.

He was at the club a little over a year, yet, rather predictably, it was an eventful one.

Whether scoring sublime goals, performing outrageous pieces of skill or being typically aggressive to the opposition, Di Canio was a sensation in his year at Celtic Park.

Like the other two amigos, Di Canio left the club following a contractual dispute with McCann.

Position: Striker

Appearances: 89

Goals: 56

For possessing such a big physique—he stands at 6'4"—Pierre van Hooijdonk was never just a target man.

A penchant for powerful free-kicks and an undeniable natural talent with the ball at his feet meant he quickly became a fans' favourite.

Contractual disputes meant his time in the Hoops ended under a cloud, but he left the supporters with more than a few fond memories—not least his role as one of, and the last to feature in this list, the "three amigos" during Tommy Burns' scintillating, yet ultimately disappointing, 1995/96 campaign.

He picked up a Scottish Cup winners' medal in 1995, just a few months after arriving. Typically, the big Dutchman scored the winning goal in the final.

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Appearances: 304

Goals: 3

Despite his on-field position, nobody could ever accuse Neil Lennon's Celtic career of being uninteresting.

The current first-team manager has gone through it all while at the club: winning a treble, lifting numerous other trophies as captain, European highs and European lows, suffering from depression, being forced to retire from international football due to death threats and again receiving such threats as manager.

Yet he remains with Celtic and is fast becoming one of the more important figures in the club's history.

During his seven years with the Hoops, Lennon picked up five league titles, four Scottish Cups and two League Cups.

Position: Striker

Appearances: 127

Goals: 64

Strangely enough, before Scott McDonald moved to Celtic, he essentially cost them the league title.

The Australian's late double salvo gave Motherwell victory over the Hoops on the final day of season 2004/05 and handed Rangers the league in the process.

Nevertheless, the fans eventually got over that and McDonald became the focal point of the team for three seasons.

His high point was probably scoring the last-minute winner against Milan in the Champions League in October 2007, but he was especially prolific domestically where he hit 51 goals in just 88 matches.

He left the Glasgow side in the mid-season transfer window of 2009/10 to join Middlesbrough with a league title and League Cup wins under his belt but was not adequately replaced until the arrival of Gary Hooper that summer.

Position: Left Midfielder

Appearances: 227

Goals: 51

Alan Thompson was extremely one-footed; but what a foot it was.

His left boot was the catalyst for many goals scored by the team during his stay, while his knack for the spectacular was apparent for all to see.

His form for Celtic was such that he was called up for the England squad in 2004—making him the first player currently at the club to have been handed that honour.

He, like his long-time team-mate Neil Lennon, returned to the club after retirement. Thompson served as first-team coach for two years before departing once more in 2012.

During his seven-year spell at Celtic Park, the Englishman lifted three league titles, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups.

Position: Striker

Appearances: 137

Goals: 82

It is hard to know where to place Gary Hooper in this list.

On the one hand, he is undoubtedly one of the most natural finishers to pull on the hoops. On the other, he was never really a standout player in Europe during his time with the club.

His on-field relationship with Anthony Stokes was, at times, sublime to witness—not least the 9-0 defeat of Aberdeen in which both players hit hat-tricks.

He showed good enough form to be constantly backed to break into the England set up—something he didn't manage due to injury.

After an outstanding goalscoring return, Hooper departed Celtic for Norwich City in the summer of 2013 having picked up two league titles and two Scottish Cups, as well as a host of admirers in the process. 

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Appearances: 275

Goals: 19

Paul Lambert came to Celtic a European Cup winner who had marked Zinedine Zidane in the final as his Juventus side crashed to a 3-1 defeat to the Scot's Borussia Dortmund.

He won the league in his first season in Glasgow—as part of the team who stopped Rangers winning 10 titles in a row—and didn't look back from there.

An eight-year spell in the Hoops ended in 2005. As part of the club, Lambert held the captaincy, reached a second European final in 2003, won four league titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups.

Position: Defender

Appearances: 347

Goals: 15

Jackie McNamara was a criminally underrated player, even by many of Celtic fans themselves.

Capable at full-back on either flank and in midfield, he came into his own during Martin O'Neill's tenure.

Despite initially not having the guarantee of a regular starting spot under the Irishman, McNamara won his place back in the team and become a pivotal character in the squad.

Versatile, technically adept and with a work rate to match, the son of a former Celt went on to captain the team and lift several honours during his decade-long service, including the league title on four occasions, the Scottish Cup on three and the League Cup three times.

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Appearances: 138

Goals: 56

An argument could easily be made to place Kris Commons either higher or lower on this list.

What can't be questioned is his inclusion in the top 20, however.

The ex-Scotland international has been incredible since his arrival in January 2011 for a paltry £300,000.

His European performances can be suspect, which is the largest criticism his time at the club will endure long after he has retired.

Yet his contribution domestically so far during his time is unmatched—56 goals and 44 assists in a little over three years leaves little room for debate.

So far in his Celtic career, he has accumulated two league titles and two Scottish Cup wins.

Position: Striker

Appearances: 199

Goals: 86

A record £6m signing for Celtic upon the arrival of Martin O'Neill in 2000, Chris Sutton settled rather more quickly than domestic rivals Rangers would have liked.

A winning goal on his debut against Dundee United—where he started alongside Henrik Larsson, who later named him his best-ever strike partner—were followed up by two goals and an influential display in the watershed 6-2 beating of Rangers in August 2000.

The ideal foil for Larsson in attack, Sutton could also play in defence and behind the strikers when O'Neill asked it of him.

His time at Celtic was undeniably the most fruitful of his career. He left with three league titles, three Scottish Cups and a League Cup medal to his name.

Position: Goalkeeper

Appearances: 184

Any goalkeeper with the nickname "the Great Wall" must be formidable.

Strangely, however, it is not Fraser Forster's considerable 6'7" frame which makes him so effective between the sticks.

His biggest weakness is still his relatively tame presence at crosses and when commanding his area, but his excellent reflexes and growing penchant for the big occasion earned him an England call-up and—surely, following his record-breaking clean-sheet run—a World Cup place.

The transformation from mistake-addled loanee to England squad regular and Champions League standout has been mesmerising.

It's also been successful. So far he has collected two league titles and two Scottish Cups.

Position: Goalkeeper

Appearances: 220

Cult hero. That's probably the description most widely given to characterise Artur Boruc's time at Celtic. 

However, for a period of time, "the Holy Goalie" had everything: style, personality, ability, consistency. Everything needed in a world-class player, he had.

FIFPro even shortlisted him for their World XI in 2008—rating him next to legends of the game such as Gianluigi Buffon, Iker Casillas, Edwin van der Sar and Petr Cech.

Complacency seemed to become an issue for him as he stayed put in Glasgow, with off-field controversies and on-field errors becoming ammo for his critics. 

Nevertheless, during his stay, he showed more than enough to cement his place in the top 10—he could even score penalties as well as save them!

Position: Striker

Appearances: 201

Goals: 109

John Hartson cost Celtic around £6m from Coventry City in 2001, having been on the radar of Rangers and turned down by the Ibrox club because of a supposedly bad knee—something he said in his autobiography seemed like a publicity stunt.

Rangers' loss was Celtic's gain. The Welshman went on to score more than 100 goals for the club and scored in some memorable victories—such as this strike against Liverpool in the UEFA Cup in 2003.

He also performed more than admirably when tasked with leading the frontline post-Henrik Larsson—scoring 30 goals the first season the club had to live without the legendary Swede.

Like most of the main players from Martin O'Neill's time at the helm, Hartson left Celtic with a plethora of medals: three league titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup.

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Appearances: 311

Goals: 64

Inauspicious beginnings at Celtic for Stiliyan "Stan" Petrov did not hint at what was to come.

Despite suffering from homesickness, being played at right-back and working on a friend's burger van to learn English, Petrov showed remarkable mental fortitude to seize the chance Kenny Dalglish gave him his preferred central midfield role.

He grew into probably the best box-to-box midfielder of the SPL age, demonstrating scoring prowess, a proclivity for spectacular long-range strikes and a growing maturity which would later lead him to captain Aston Villa for years.

Yet it is a measure of how much the fans thought of him as a person as much as a player that the trophies he won (and there were many—four league titles, three Scottish Cups and three League Cups) meant nothing next to showing their support as he battled leukaemia. 

Position: Winger

Appearances: 251

Goals: 37

For all his flaws, Aiden McGeady remains one of the finest Celtic players since McCann's intervention.

A youth-team graduate and thus, some might argue, held to a higher standard than imported players, the Scots-born Irish international spent almost 10 years of his life with the club.

He was inconsistent—wingers often are—yet when he caught fire, he lit up the Scottish game.

His flamboyant style of play meant he was oft-criticised for being selfish with the ball, yet his assists totals in most of the seasons he played belied the accuracy of that assertion.

Fundamentally, there have been few players in the past 20 years who can match McGeady in terms of pure skill and natural talent.

He departed the club after seven seasons for Spartak Moscow with a host of trophies (four league titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups) and individual accolades; his highlight season being 2007/08 campaign where he picked up both the Players' Player and Young Player of the Year awards.

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Appearances: 166

Goals: 33

In 2007, while playing for Celtic, Shunsuke Nakamura picked up both the Players' Player and Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year awards, scored the league-winning goal in the last minute of a match and was nominated for the Ballon d'Or.

He was the most innovative and imaginative player Celtic had acquired since Lubomir Moravcik, and despite often being shunted out wide at the expense of his favoured attacking midfield role, he relished the creative responsibility.

Other highlights of his time at Celtic Park included several more match-winning free-kicks (such as two against Manchester United in the Champions League) and winning three titles in a row between 2006 and 2008. 

Add to that two Scottish Cups and a League Cup, and Nakamura cannot be considered anything but a modern-day great. 

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Appearances: 129

Goals: 35

In truth, it was a hard decision to place Lubo above Nakamura.

It may be the fact he arrived seemingly in the twilight of his career, at the age of 33, and without much aplomb outside of Jozef Venglos, yet emerged as one of the brightest and most exciting players to grace the Scottish game.

Despite the fact Venglos was questioned by the press and the fans initially, the Slovakian proved his worth on the pitch and was eventually christened "a gift from God" by the support.

It is testament to his talent and creativity that to this day many of his ex-team mates have been unable to confirm which foot was actually his strongest.

Position: Striker

Appearances: 315

Goals: 242

It was never realistically going to be anyone else.

Henrik Larsson isn't just the best player to don the Hoops since Fergus McCann—he's the best player to have played in Scotland during that time as well.

In addition to his outstanding goalscoring record, the Swede was renowned for his guile, influence and creativity on the pitch.

During his seven seasons at Celtic, he picked up four league titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups as well as a host of individual awards, including the European Golden Boot in 2001.