Craig Beattie spent four years in Celtic’s senior setup after being released by Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers.
Former Rangers youth Craig Beattie has revealed to Open Goal that his disdain for Celtic ultimately led to his move to Parkhead.
The 35-year-old striker was released by boyhood club Rangers as a schoolboy, before crossing the Old Firm divide to join bitter rivals Celtic.
The transfer came about after Beattie – on a trial at Coventry – impressed against the Hoops in a youth cup final, scoring twice.
And the seven-time Scotland international claims that his desire to hurt the Parkhead club that day actually convinced them to sign him.
“I was playing in the Rangers youth team. Top scorer for two years running, doing really well. Then I was taken in and told that I wasn’t getting a contract by John Brown and John McGregor. Absolutely fine,” he told Open Goal.
“We got the to final of a tournament [at City], playing against Celtic. So I’m thinking, ‘I hate these so and sos!’ The worst kept secret in Scottish football, certainly involving me… I was a Rangers fan growing up!
“That actually got me my move to Celtic. I was so up for the game, beat them 2-0 in the final of this tournament, scored the two goals. So I’ve gone from Saturday morning trying to stick it up that Celtic team because I didn’t really like them much to sitting in the room with Martin O’Neill and my mum and dad signing a three-year deal!”
Beattie won five major honours at Paradise – including three Premiership titles – but left Celtic in 2007 to join West Brom, helping them to Premier League promotion in his first season.
He only managed to score once in seven top-flight appearances for the Baggies.
The former marksman returned to Scotland in 2012 and helped Hearts to a Scottish Cup title, coming on in the final 14 minutes of a 5-1 demolition of Hibernian at Hampden Park.
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