Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon signs three-year contract extension until

Gordon is a goalkeeper of Premier League class at the peak of his power, and will be called upon to again prove his worth if Celtic are to qualify for the Champions League group stage.

‘I think a lot of people, myself included, questioned Fraser Forster when he first arrived at Celtic, ‘ Bonner revealed.

Lisbon Lion John Clark will unfurl the flag marking that achievement before the match against Ross County as a new league campaign gets under way and this time the former Stromsgodset boss will have earned the applause.

“This year I have been a part of it and that is the difference”.

“They have to beat Celtic this year, because they lost the four games against them (last season), if they are going to put up that challenge and they have strengthened”.

“It is going to be tough [this season] but I think we are a better football team than we were at the same time last year – hopefully that will give us more points”. Sure, there were question marks last year over whether Craig Gordon was capable of reaching the standards that prompted Sunderland to pay that sum to recruit from Hearts several years earlier, but if it was a twin transaction loaded with risk, then it is one that has paid off handsomely. I know he’s enjoying his football and I’m sure Celtic are looking after him well with his new contract.

A 1-0 first leg victory over Qarabag in the third qualifying round has given them a decent platform from which to approach the second leg in Azerbaijan but Bonner warned it is far from over yet. Every so often, however, and if you look hard enough in the right places, one of those freebies turns out to be worth its weight in gold.

“We saw it last night (against Qarabag) where they brought on Kris Commons, Leigh Griffiths and James Forrest, those types of players who never started, so they have got the squad to handle it all”.

“So I am looking forward to the game”.