GARY HOOPER was an inspired £2.4million signing by Neil Lennon from Scunthorpe in July 2010.
The chunky Englishman scored 63 goals in 95 league games and won his first honour in the 3-0 Scottish Cup Final triumph over Motherwell in May 2011.
He also picked up two league titles and another Scottish Cup medal before Norwich City boss Alex Neill, the former Hamilton Accies gaffer, paid £5million to take him to Carrow Road in July 2013.
The goals dried up in East Anglia and the 35-year-old frontman moved to Sheffield Wednesday in a £2.5million switch in January 2016. He was released two years later.
WALLOP…Gary Hooper thumps in an unstoppable drive for Celtic’s final goal in a 3-0 win over Rangers at Parkhead in April 2012.
Hooper had a spell Down Under at Wellington Phoenix before moving to the Indian Super League.
He also had a five-month stint in Cyprus at Omonia Nicosia when Lennon was boss, but left to join UAE club Gulf United in February 2023.
The once-prolific hitman moved to English fifth-tier outfit Barnet eight months later, but scored only twice in 14 appearances. He didn’t figure after the turn of the year and was released at the start of this month.
* TOMORROW: Don’t miss the adventures of another former Celt in CQN’s EXCLUSIVE series.