In January 2011 Kris Commons was brought to Celtic Park from Derby County by his former teammate Neil Lennon for just £300k. I remember being told by a good friend of mine, who supports The Rangers, telling me how good a player we had signed. I wasn’t so sure as he was hardly prolific for Derby and to be honest I didn’t know much about him other than he was predominantly left footed and a bit greedy.

Kris had a real impact in his first five months scoring on his debut against Aberdeen in League Cup Semi Final at Hampden Park. Kris continued this form and went on to score 14 goals in 21 matches. By the end of his first season I had realised that at £300k we had got ourselves a real bargain.

He has a real eye for goal and is just three goals short of the one hundred mark for Celtic. Kris scored many big goals in all competitions including in the Champions League. A particular goal that sticks in the mind is his penalty that took us into the last 16 of Champions League. He also scored a stunning opening goal against Shakhtar Karagandy at Celtic Park to help get us into the Champions League group stages.

Kris became a real fan favourite with the Celtic support when he stepped up to be our talisman after Gary Hooper left. If Kris wasn’t scoring then it felt that no one was! He carried the team in his best season scoring 32 goals and winning the PFA Scotland and Scottish Writers Association Player of the Year Awards.

The midfielder has been frozen out the Celtic team by Brendan Rodgers and I can only guess why. He seems to be a difficult character, he fell out with Neil Lennon early in his Celtic career and he was very vocal against Ronny Deila and his management team. This came to a head when he was caught on camera screaming at John Collins after being subbed in Europe.

A lot of Celtic fans wouldn’t have had him in a Celtic strip again after the incident however Ronny was weak and under pressure to win the league and he played the next week. Brendan is a different animal altogether and told Kris when he arrived that he wasn’t in his plans. Kris hasn’t made the bench all season and even found himself on loan at Championship form team Hibs for a short period this January.

We are currently three points from our 6th League title in a row. Kris has played a big part in those six titles and it is clear that this will be the last season that Kris will wear the green and white of Celtic.

I personally hope he gets the chance to say goodbye. I also hope he is remembered for his five League Championship medals, one League Cup and two Scottish Cup medals and not for falling out with two of the three managers he has played under at Paradise.

Thanks for the memories Kris. Hopefully we get to say cheerio.

Let us know your favourite Kris Commons goal in the comments below.

Hail Hail

Give me at follow @chatceltic

15 COMMENTS

  1. Chris is the best midfield player we have had for a long time, his vision to hit the defence splitting pass, his 97 goals is incredible. He once scored a great goal against the Gers, but most of his goals were brilliant. He never got a chance with Brendan which surprises me as Brendan knows a good player. Bobby Murdoch never ran like a hair all over the park. but like Chris his passing was fantastic.

    Very sad for him as I think he deserves much better for the brilliant service he gave the club.

  2. I want to see him get the chance to say goodbye, don’t want to be critical but would be a poor show if it didn’t happen. Loved his goals against Rangers and Sevco.

  3. Very sad to see kris go he was an inspiration for Celtic & under Ronnie delia’s he was 1 of the better players & he just didn’t get the chance hail hail kris commons you were simply the best ???? xxx

  4. CHRIS has been a joy to watch his goals in Europe and in the league have been spectacular, please Brendan give him a game so we can Say goodbye ,Chris if it dosnt happen all the best from Edmonton CSC Canada.

  5. Great article. Couldn’t agree more. To alll those Ronnie apologists, he turned a 32 goal midfielder and player of the year into a sub, preferring to use a stream of on loan fuds. Ronnie was out of his depth. I loved the way Kris and his wife embraced the Celtic family and was disgusted by his treatment under Ronnie. If we are talking about fitness then Ronnie was not fit for purpose. European nights with half the stadium closed? Sums up his tenure.
    Very disappointed that he is not rated by Brendan. Been to so many games this season particularly at home when we have laboured to break down teams. Often felt that Kris could have made a difference with his touch of class. Can’t understand why Kris is overlooked but have to respect the opinion of Brendan as team doing well. However I would be very disappointed if Kris was not provided with a proper platform to say goodbye. He deserves no less.

  6. sorry on his game a great player but not had a good game for a couple of seasons now. the future is the players currently playing.

  7. Yes i agree both Kris and Lisa have become part of the Celtic Family forever cant thank them enough Kris for all the pleasure and joy he gave us and Lisa for everything she was involved in helping many causes best of luck and good fortune wherever u go whatever club u end up with will be extremely lucky wish again it was Celtic mo chara ???

  8. His goal against shaktar karagandy was fabulous. We needed sum1 to get us going that night n Kris done exactly that. Me n my dad were there, best night I’ve had at celtic park!! ????? Thanks for the memories Kris ? Hail Hail ???

  9. I often backed Kris to score the first goal in the match and over a season kept me ahead at the bookies, will miss his great passing game and his unstoppable penalties. Give him a chance to say farewell BR and all the best for the future Kris. Hail Hail.

  10. He went to Hibs and set up a goal in his first game that levelled them for a draw. He did the same in his 3rd game, then scored the winner, as he did in his 5th. Hibs took 11 from 15 in his 5 outings with them. Hardly the mark of a man who lacks fitness or professionalism, especially given that he’d had no game time for 8½ months.
    I think he fell victim to the preference for “big, strong, athletic”, which we can see creeping in with Brendan’s signings. The trouble with that is the opposition soon see the limitations of such players and learn to deal with them.
    Kris is the same age now as was Lubo when he joined us. Let’s hope he finds a new lease of life wherever he goes.

  11. Loved his goals against the zombies. The goal against Karagandi in the 1st half was a peach of a strike aswell. Would love it if Brendan gave him one last appearance at Celtic Park in the last game of the season so we can give him a proper send off. All the best Kris. HAIL HAIL ?

  12. Way better than bitton who thinks hes great and can walk about in games mayb not liked by rodgers as he passes the ball forward not back as he instructs players to do stiffiling tallent such as our young left back

  13. So many great goals but like so many great players before him, his story with us will have a sad ending.
    Decent guy and stood up against roaring Ronnie-bag.
    l’d pick the second goal vs sevco at hampden cos it sticks out for me, the cherry on top of the cake-walk that game was, shut them right up!
    On a personal note, he has shown my autistic step-son, Jordon, a steward at Celtic Park, exceptional care & kindness and he did not flinch when l approached him for a selfie, with me wearing a Mexican wresting mask, just laughed and obliged.
    An unforgettable class act. Good luck to him.

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