“I’ve always wanted to JOIN Celtic. I would’ve jumped at an offer” – Rangers star player reveals he was close to joining Celtic TWICE, explains his experience.

Former Rangers striker Billy Dodds recently revealed that he came close to signing for Celtic on two occasions during his playing career. In a candid interview with the Scottish Sunday Mail, Dodds discussed how Celtic expressed interest in him during critical moments in his career. While he ultimately ended up signing for Rangers, Dodds admitted that he would have jumped at the opportunity to play for Celtic if the circumstances had aligned.

Dodds, who had a long and successful career in Scottish football, is well-known for his time with Dundee, Aberdeen, and Dundee United before moving to Rangers in 1999. However, before his move to Ibrox, Dodds was on the radar of Celtic, who were searching for a striker to fill the void left by the injured Henrik Larsson.

According to Dodds, Celtic’s interest in him was serious, especially when Larsson suffered a long-term injury. At the time, John Barnes, the Celtic manager, was weighing his options between signing Dodds or former Arsenal striker Ian Wright. In the end, Celtic opted to sign Wright, leaving Dodds to continue his career elsewhere.

“As a wee boy, your dream is to play at a big club and play for Scotland,” Dodds said in the interview. “My boyhood heroes were Rangers, but I nearly signed for Celtic twice. They had Larsson out injured, and it came down to either me or Ian Wright — and they plumped for him.”

The decision to sign Wright instead of Dodds didn’t go as planned for Celtic. Wright, who was nearing the end of his illustrious career, struggled to make an impact at Celtic Park. He made only ten appearances for the club, and his brief stint in Glasgow was a far cry from the prolific form he had shown during his time at Arsenal.

Dodds explained that the second time Celtic showed interest in him, he was again close to making the move, but circumstances once more worked against the transfer. Rangers, who had just lost star striker Michael Mols to a serious injury, swooped in and signed Dodds before Celtic could finalize their offer.

“It was weird how it all worked out,” Dodds recalled. “There was another time when Celtic were showing interest in signing me. If they’d gone through with it, I’d have jumped at the chance. But as soon as Mols got injured, Rangers made their move. It came out of the blue.”

For Dodds, the move to Rangers was a significant moment in his career. Not only did it provide him with financial security, but it also allowed him to play for one of Scotland’s biggest clubs. While Dodds had grown up as a Rangers supporter, he admitted that the opportunity to play for Celtic would have been equally appealing at that stage of his career.

“It was my last chance to get financial security and my last chance to play for a huge club, so I was desperate for it to happen,” Dodds said, reflecting on the importance of the move to Rangers. “As you can imagine, it was a big decision for me.”

Dodds went on to have a successful spell at Rangers, contributing to the team’s success in the Scottish Premier League. However, his comments about almost joining Celtic offer a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes dynamics of Scottish football at the time. The rivalry between Celtic and Rangers is one of the fiercest in world football, and the idea of a player with Dodds’ background coming close to crossing the divide adds an intriguing layer to his career story.

Celtic’s decision to sign Wright over Dodds is also an interesting piece of the club’s history. After Larsson’s injury, Celtic were in desperate need of a striker who could step in and deliver goals. Wright, who was a proven goal scorer at the highest level, seemed like a logical choice. However, his time at Celtic was underwhelming, and he left the club after making only a handful of appearances.

Dodds, on the other hand, went on to enjoy a successful career, even if he never had the chance to wear the green and white hoops of Celtic. His comments suggest that, had things worked out differently, he would have embraced the opportunity to play for Celtic, despite his ties to Rangers.

In the years following his playing career, Dodds has remained involved in football, transitioning into coaching and punditry. He has managed Inverness Caledonian Thistle and is a regular contributor to BBC’s football coverage. His insights into Scottish football, both past and present, have made him a respected voice in the game.

Dodds’ near-move to Celtic is a reminder of how close footballing careers can come to taking drastically different paths. For Celtic, the decision to sign Ian Wright instead of Dodds was a gamble that didn’t pay off. Wright’s short stint at the club is often remembered as a missed opportunity, especially considering the impact Larsson had when he returned from injury.

As for Dodds, his story highlights the unpredictable nature of football transfers. One injury or decision can alter the course of a player’s career, and in his case, the injury to Michael Mols at Rangers paved the way for him to make the move to Ibrox, where he would finish his career at the top level.

In retrospect, it’s interesting to imagine what might have been if Dodds had joined Celtic. Would he have been able to fill the void left by Larsson during his injury? Could he have made a significant impact at Parkhead? These are questions that will remain unanswered, but they add an intriguing “what if” scenario to the history of the Old Firm rivalry.

Despite his near-miss with Celtic, Dodds is fondly remembered by Rangers fans for his contributions during his time at the club. His story is a testament to the twists and turns that can define a footballer’s career, and his reflections on almost joining Celtic offer a unique insight into the transfer dealings of one of Scotland’s most storied clubs.

In the end, Billy Dodds’ career path took him to Rangers, where he played a key role in the club’s successes. However, his near-move to Celtic remains an intriguing “what could have been” moment in Scottish football history.