DAVID FERNANDEZ was a surprise £1million signing for Martin O’Neill in the summer of 2002.
The Spanish striker agreed a four-year deal at Celtic after his form at Livingston had made him a contender for the SPFA Player of the Year award.
Fernandez, who initially emerged at his local team Deportivo de La Coruna when John Tochack was manager in 1995, had loan spells at Sevilla and CD Toledo before being released by his parent club in 2000.
SCARF ACE…new Bhoy David Fernandez arrives at Celtic in 2002.
He joined up with Steve Archibald that summer when the former Barcelona and Scotland international forward was negotiating a deal to take control of cash-stricken First Division side Airdrie.
However, it was an ill-fated bid and Fernandez and the other Spanish imports had to be released in March 2001.
Goalkeeper Javier Sanchez Broto was among those to leave and both he and the frontman joined Livi as they went on to clinch promotion to the top flight.
Hoops boss O’Neill brought the Spaniards to Parkhead, but Fernandez struggled to establish himself in a frontline that boasted Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson.
He scored just one goal – in an 8-1 romp against FK Sūduva in the UEFA Cup in October 2002 – and he spent most of his time on the substitutes’ bench. He was among the stand-by squad as Celtic lost 3-2 after extra-time to Porto in the showpiece showdown in Seville on May 21 2003.
ON THE BALL…David Fernandez in one of his 19 appearances for Celtic.
Fernandez was loaned back to Livi, where Celtic great Davie Hay was now in charge, for the 2003/04 season and he played a pivotal role in the West Lothian team’s surprise 2-0 League Cup Final victory over Hibs.
The player returned to Celtic, but, after only a total of 19 appearances, was released in August 2005 and moved to Dundee United on a three-year deal.
However, his stay at Tannadice was curtailed to one season before joining Kilmarnock.
Following a serious injury, he struggled for game-time at Rugby Park and left to return to Spain in May 2010.
He trained with the amateurs at his original club Deportivo before hanging up his boots at the age of 34.
* TOMORROW: Don’t miss the adventures of another former Celt in CQN’s EXCLUSIVE series.
