Alan Thompson, scourge of the Rangers

If you’ve been on Celtic Quick News since the beginning you’ll know how high a regard I hold Alan Thompson.  In 2004 I called him the most influential Celtic midfielder since the Lisbon Lions.  His goal won us our first Champions League points, he scored the only goal of our two-legged Uefa Cup tie against Barcelona in 2004, he has scored two thirds of our competitive goals on German soil and his deliveries for Larsson, Hartson and Sutton were legendary.  His free kicks and corners always threatened.

He also punished Rangers more than any other midfield player in the last 40 years, scoring seven goals against them.

We have had many more skilful midfielders, but no one since the Lions came closed to making the impact of Alan Thompson in the games it really mattered.

We wish him well.