Gary Mackay-Steven has certainly had an up-and-down career so far.
Celtic winger Gary Mackay-Steven has admitted to the Daily Mail that his journey to signing for the Bhoys in January was a ‘strange’ one after an intriguing career so far.
The 24-year-old wide man left Dundee United to join Celtic in January, and has impressed so far, scoring four goals in just 14 appearances for the club.
Now a Scottish Premiership title winner, it’s been a superb second half to the season for Mackay-Steven – and whilst many of his Bhoys team-mates will be in celebratory mode, Mackay-Steven has instead reflected on what he calls a ‘strange journey’ to Celtic Park.
After coming through with Ross County, Mackay-Steven was plucked from Scotland and snapped up by Liverpool in 2007, with many holding high hopes for him during his time on Merseyside.
Yet after an injury-hit two year spell with the Reds, Mackay-Steven left for Fulham, and having again struggled to make an impact in English football, it was back off to Scotland – but with third tier side Airdrie United.
From Anfield to Airdrie is something of a fall from grace, but Mackay-Steven bounced back, playing just a number of months for Airdrie United before joining Dundee United in the summer of 2011.
Now with Scotland’s biggest club, Mackay-Steven has been up, down and back up again – and told the Daily Mail that whilst it has been a strange journey to Celtic Park, he couldn’t possibly have said no to joining Ronny Deila’s men in January.
“It’s been a strange journey for me to get here,” said Mackay-Steven. “But it’s such a big club and there is so much to achieve here. I’ve got to roll with it and keep a smile on my face.”
“When I knew there was definite interest from Celtic, this was the only place I wanted to come. The draw of Celtic as a whole is so big, it’s a massive club, something I have realised now. I know I made the right decision,” he added.
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