Joe Hart has opened up on his three years at Celtic, insisting he "didn't want to play for anyone else" after his stint in Glasgow.
The former England international was signed by Ange Postecoglou in 2021 from Tottenham Hotspur. At a crossroads in his career, the goalkeeper became a modern-day hero at the club, winning seven major honours for Celtic, including three Scottish Premiership titles.
Celtic will always be special to Joe Hart 🫶 pic.twitter.com/fxP7utbiS6
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 7, 2026
“There's no shoulda-woulda-couldas with Celtic. That place just felt right. Everything about it," he told BBC Sport in a Q&A. "To get the opportunity to go first and foremost, when football was about to turn its back on me, was one of the best last lifelines that I ever was given.
"I thought I had life left in me. I really did think I had life left in me, and I knew that it was a difficult place to go to prove myself, you know, because Celtic demands excellence, and from what they could see, I was on the bench at Spurs, and they didn't necessarily want me to even be on the bench anymore.
"So, for whatever my career was, that was my current situation. So I had a lot to prove, and I knew that. And I knew this football club wasn't daft. And the way the relationship grew, I honestly couldn't have asked for more.
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"I didn't want to play for anyone else."
On his retirement, Hart continued, "I had life left in me. I was 37. There's no doubt I was physically capable of carrying on, but I didn't want to play for anyone else after that amazing opportunity that I was given.
To have that last home game and the Green Brigade's farewell that was given to me after half-time when I walked out, I swear, I never... I still feel it now.
"So, I think I've said it enough about what it means to me, so, forever grateful.”
