Five Obscure Celtic Signings You Probably Forgot About
From forgotten goalkeepers to ill-fated strikers, delve into the brief and often overlooked tenures of five obscure players who once donned the Hoops.
Celtic Football Club boasts a rich history, filled with iconic players and unforgettable moments. But for every Henrik Larsson or Kenny Dalglish, there are a handful of players who quietly slipped through the Parkhead doors, made little to no impact at all, and then just as quietly departed into the night never to be seen again.
Here are five obscure Celtic signings you likely don't remember:
Kevin Pilkington
Signed: March 1998 - loan from Man United
Left: May 1998
Goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington had a remarkably brief stint at Celtic, arriving in March 1998 on loan from Man United and departing just two months later in May 1998. He was brought in as emergency cover for Jonathon Gould due to injuries to Stewart Kerr and the cup-tied Andy McCondichie - who had played against Rangers while on loan at Hamilton Academical.
Despite being on the senior squad list, Pilkington's only appearance was a substitute spot in an end-of-season friendly against Sporting Lisbon. He never featured in a competitive first-team match for the Hoops.
After leaving Celtic, Pilkington's career saw him move from Manchester United to Port Vale, then Wigan Athletic, and Mansfield Town. He later played for Notts County before ending his professional career at Cambridge United.
Tony Warner
Signed: November 1998 - loan from Liverpool
Left: January 1999
Liverpool-born goalkeeper Tony Warner, had a short but impactful loan spell at Celtic in November 1998. He arrived at Parkhead as emergency cover due to an injury crisis, seeking valuable first-team experience away from the Liverpool reserves.
Despite playing just three games, Warner's time at Celtic included a highly memorable home debut: the iconic 5-1 league victory over Rangers on November 21, 1998. While not heavily involved in the game, he put in a solid performance as Celtic, hammered their rivals, thanks to a double each from Henrik Larsson and Lubomir Moravcik. His first game was a 2-1 loss to St Johnstone, and signed off with a 2-0 victory and clean sheet against Motherwell. He returned to Liverpool in January.
Warner never made a competitive first-team appearance for Liverpool, serving as a goalkeeping substitute. He went on play with clubs like Millwall, Cardiff, and Fulham, even earning an international cap for Trinidad and Tobago in 2006.
The 5-1 Old Firm derby win remains the most high-profile match of his playing career.
Lassad Nouioui
Signed: September 2012
Left: June 2013
Tunisian international striker Lassad Nouioui joined Celtic as one of three foreign signings at the close of the 2012 summer transfer window. Initially overshadowed by loan signing Miku, but with Gary Hooper in prolific form, the emergence of Tony Watt, and the resurgence of Georgios Samaras, Lassad found himself quickly dropping down the pecking order.
Despite a few starts, a consistent run in the team eluded Lassad, largely due to the form of his fellow forwards along with persistent injuries. When he did play, he often struggled to make an impact, seemingly anonymous for much of the time. He managed a total of three goals for Celtic, two of which came against Hearts in separate matches. His final appearance was in a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory where Celtic recovered from being 3-1 down, snatching the win with a dramatic overhead kick from Samaras, to which Lassad contributed with an assist.
Lassad's time at Celtic ended after just one season when he was released a year early from his contract. Following his departure, he went on to play in Portugal, Tunisia, and Japan before eventually returning to Spain.
In April 2018, while training with Toledo, Lassad Nouioui tragically suffered a cardiac arrest. After being in a coma for 10 days, he thankfully made a full recovery. However, he was forced to retire from football at the age of 32 on medical grounds, bringing an unfortunate end to his playing career.
Badr El Kaddouri
Signed: August 2011 - loan from Dinamo Kyiv
Left: January 2012
Moroccan left-back Badr El Kaddouri joined Celtic on a six-month loan from Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv in August 2011, brought in to cover for the injured Emilio Izaguirre - with an option to buy at the end of the loan deal.
His debut against Motherwell was a comfortable 4-0 win where he was largely untested. However, his second match, a Glasgow derby against Rangers on September 18, 2011, proved to be memorable for all the wrong reasons. El Kaddouri scored his first Celtic goal with a speculative long-range shot that somehow squirmed through Rangers' goalkeeper Allan McGregor's legs, putting the Hoops 2-1 up. Despite the goal, Celtic went on to lose 4-2, and El Kaddouri himself had a tough time, reportedly being run ragged by Rangers attackers and substituted in the second half.
That match seemed to severely dent confidence in him, and opportunities quickly became scarce. He played just six league games and one cup game in total, failing to truly impress. His involvement in the disappointing 3-3 draw against Kilmarnock in October 2011, where Celtic were 3-0 down at halftime, further hampered his chances. With the emergence of Joe Ledley and Charlie Mulgrew as preferred options at left-back, El Kaddouri found himself out of favour and was even overlooked for UEFA Cup/Europa League group matches.
As Celtic hit a rich vein of form in December 2011, El Kaddouri became a forgotten figure. His loan was not renewed, and he quietly departed with few noticing. After playing in Morocco’s three African Cup of Nations matches in January 2012 his career subsequently stalled upon his return to Dynamo Kyiv and his playing career came to an end.
Fernando De Ornelas
Signed: March 2000
Left: June 2000
Acquired on a free transfer from Crystal Palace in 2000, Fernando De Ornelas arrived at Celtic under the Barnes/Dalglish management team. The Venezuelan winger, whose agent was none other than Arsenal legend Ian Wright, was initially one of many trialists that season. He had previously been playing in Hong Kong before offering his services to cash-strapped Crystal Palace on an expenses only deal!
After impressing in a friendly against Bayern Munich, De Ornelas moved to Celtic. He made just two substitute appearances later that season after securing his registration and work permit by claiming Portuguese nationality. He never played a full 90 minutes for Celtic during what was a chaotic and shambolic period at the club.
De Ornelas would leave Celtic just three months later, returning to Venezuela before a brief stint with QPR and numerous short spells in Portugal, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Norway, and back to Venezuela. He is now a Pastor in a Norwegian Pentecostal church.
Do you remember any more obscure signings that Celtic have made over the years? Comment below to let me know.