Boyata buoyed by late Celtic victor

Stokes signed a new three-year contract in 2013 and could command a fee of around £1.5million.

But he defied the numerous sceptics by winning the Scottish Football Writers’ player of the year award after returning to football with Celtic last season. But I gave the guy my shirt – I don’t hold a grudge. Anthony was left out because we found others better, so he has to fight to get back into the team again.

The former B#9million signing, who cost Sunderland that sum when joining from Hearts, added: “Perhaps the easiest part of it was to come out and try to prove people wrong – the extra motivation to perform week in, week out”. I think they should consolidate; that should be their first objective when they come up from a new division – to stay in that division first and foremost.

Qarabag coach Gurban Gurbanov was philosophical in defeat and said: “I said before the game that we could lose by a goal so we will see how it is after the second match”.

“I’ve not played at Champions League level and that’s still something I would like to do”.

And, with crucial European Championship qualifying games on the horizon, Gordon will seek to nail down that slot ahead of David Marshall and Allan McGregor.

For now, though, Gordon is channeling all his positive energies into today’s Ladbrokes Premiership curtain-raiser against Ross County and Celtic’s tricky Champions League third-round, second-leg qualifier against Qarabag FK on Wednesday night. First of all we need a team over there. We are all vying for that same position.

The fact Gordon had gone upfield in an attempt to snatch a late equaliser for Hearts in the penultimate league game of the 2004/05 season at Tynecastle as Celtic were striving to win the Scottish title – and had not done so against their Old Firm rivals Rangers – resulted in all sorts of spurious allegations.

‘I can understand interest from England because he had a very good season last year and he will be even better this year as he’ll get a lot of matches played and more consistency.’.

Nadir Ciftci has missed a couple of chances, although Celtic have looked a better team when the two have played together.

“We scored a goal and so we go there with the advantage but we still know there are 90 minutes to be played and we know it will be really hard”.

“They have shown they could have the qualities to score against us, so we have to pose them some problems as well”.