A Scotland player joined Celtic after club icon John Hartson disproved its skeptics.

Gary Caldwell, a Scotland international, owes his Celtic career to John Hartson.

When he faced the former Arsenal striker in 2004, the Hibs center defender was just starting to establish himself in Scotland. During his five seasons at Parkhead, Hartson was so impressed by what he seen that he referred to Caldwell as the best defender in Scotland. Gordon Strachan emphasized the value of following the Welsh striker’s guidance in an interview with The Sun. Before the Bhoys came knocking, Caldwell had been sent out on loan numerous times after never being given an opportunity at Newcastle United. READ MORE: In the face of Celtic and Udinese interest, Lennon Miller gave Motherwell friend transfer advise

“[Caldwell] signed for nothing from Hibs. People were scratching their heads and asking why we’d bought him. The truth behind is that I’d asked John Hartson who the hardest center-back in the league was. When we signed him, football was changing, and Gary was one of the first real ball-playing center backs.” Before retiring from football in 2015, Caldwell managed Wigan, Chesterfield, Partick Thistle, and now Exeter City. He was even voted International Footballer of the Year by the Scottish Football Writers’ Association.

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