Celtic’s thrashing of Aberdeen at Parkhead saw a huge milestone for young midfielder Jude Bonnar, who made his senior debut for the club.
The 19-year-old academy graduate was introduced in the closing stages of the 5-1 win, with Brendan Rodgers handing him his first taste of first-team football in a special moment under the lights.
It’s not something that Brendan Rodgers does lightly, so it’s quite a big deal.
Rodgers was full of praise for the young midfielder post-match, recognising his hard work behind the scenes with Celtic’s B team. [RecordSport]
“Great for young Jude Bonnar to get his first appearance. He’s working very, very hard with the second team. He’s got a good profile and fits how we want to play. So that is a nice little taster for him.”
Bonnar slotted in comfortably after coming on, keeping possession well and not putting a foot wrong as Celtic saw out the game in style.
While this was only a brief cameo, it could be the first of many opportunities for the promising youngster. With Celtic firmly in control of the league, Rodgers may continue integrating academy talents into the squad in the coming weeks.
Daniel Kelly, who was also battling for a midfield position, got a decent share of minutes last year until it became clear he wasn’t signing a new deal.
Bonnar will now look to build on this moment and push for more first-team involvement before the end of the season.
