Aaron Donnelly has explained why he didn’t celebrate his goal for Dundee against Celtic in Tuesday night’s 3-3 draw at Dens Park.

The 21-year-old defender grabbed headlines after rising above Auston Trusty to head Dundee into a 3-2 lead late in the second half. But instead of wheeling away in jubilation, Donnelly raised his hands in what appeared to be a gesture of respect – leading many to speculate he might be a Celtic fan or harbour some connection to the club.
However, the Northern Irishman has put the rumours to bed, revealing the real reason for his muted reaction – he simply didn’t know how to celebrate.
Speaking about the incident, Donnelly explained to the Courier: “When I scored, I didn’t really know what to do, to be honest. It has been over two years since I last got a goal!
“The boys really just got around me, which was a great moment for myself and my family watching back home.”
While some were understanding of Donnelly’s apparent respect, others were less forgiving. Former player and pundit Kris Boyd joked on Sky Sports that he “saw Donnelly celebrate when Dundee equalised earlier in the match.” Tam McManus, meanwhile, described the non-celebration as “pathetic” on social media.
McManus had tweeted: “The lad Donnelly not celebrating because he is a Celtic fan? If so pretty pathetic IMO.”
Donnelly’s last goal came over two years ago during his time with Nottingham Forest in the PL2, making his header against Celtic a special moment.
Despite conceding a late penalty that allowed Celtic to escape with a point, Donnelly and his Dundee teammates earned plaudits for their display. The young defender will hope this goal marks the beginning of a more prolific spell in his career – and perhaps a chance to work on his goal celebrations for next time.