GARY Mackay-Steven took just 38 seconds to show the Celtic fans what he can do for his new club but he could break the fastest goal record for the season which is held by Stuart Armstrong.
Along with fellow new signing, who also made a scoring debut last night, Mackay-Steven is delighted to have started to re-pay the faith shown in him by Celtic manager Ronny Delia. He said after the game at Firhill:
‘I’m obviously delighted to have made my debut, first and foremost, and to score straight away settled some nerves. It was a great day all round for me.
‘I have been here just over a week and I was itching to just play my first game. I was ineligible at the weekend and I didn’t like watching from the stands, I just wanted to be out there with the boys.
‘It came tonight and it was a great experience for me, the boys helped me through it. It (the goal) was a bit of blur. You just want to get your first touch right to settle into the game but to score so early was great for me and the team overall played very well and we were well worth the three points.’
It seems that the two new signings have been subjected to some good natured banter in the increasingly happy Celtic dressing room, since their arrival from Dundee United. Gary explained…
‘It’s funny as we have been getting a bit of stick at the club for doing everything together. We are good pals and it was only right he should score as well tonight. I was really happy for him, and he played very well, too. It was great for us.
The winger has been impressed by his early impressions of Celtic and the standard of player at the club.
‘If you get the nod, the standard of player here is so high that you need to take your chance and convince the manager that you can cut it at this level and hopefully we did that tonight. There are so many quality players at the club and it’s just great for the manager to keep everyone on their toes.’
Gary’s goal last night was the second fastest in the league this season. Ironically enough the fastest goal was scored by Stuart Armstrong for Dundee United in the Tayside Derby against Dundee.
