Fraser Forster reveals why he decided to return to Celtic

Yesterday Celtic confirmed that they had managed to sign Fraser Forster on loan from Southampton for the rest of the season. Now Forster has revealed why he decided to return to the club he had left five years ago.

Fraser Forster was one of the players to put on a pair of gloves for Celtic in this century before he decided to move to Premier League side, Southampton, for a reported £10 million. After a successful few seasons in England, he became surplus to requirements and was third choice behind Angus Gunn and Alex McCarthy.

Now he is back at Celtic Park where he first caught the attention of football fans around the world. It is ironical that he is back on loan as that is how his first stint at Celtic began as well back in 2010.

Coming through the youth ranks at Newcastle United, Forster never managed to make an appearance for the Magpies. And after unsuccessful loan stints at Stockport County and Bristol Rovers, he finally managed to find his footing at Norwich City in the 2009/10 season when he made 42 appearances for the Canaries.

It is the following season that he went to Celtic on loan for the first time and quickly became the first choice between the sticks at Parkhead. He spent the next two seasons on loan there, making a combined 91 appearances in the process before he moved to the Glasgow club on a permanent basis in 2012 for a fee in the region of £2 million.

Over the next two seasons at he made more than a 100 appearances for the Hoops and earned himself an international call-up from the England national team. After four wildly successful seasons at Celtic, he decided to move back to his native England in 2014.

But after seeing his career stagnate on the Southampton over the last two seasons, he has decided to return to Celtic Park where he is still held in high regard judging by yesterday’s reception. And now Forster has revealed in no uncertain terms that manager Neil Lennon played a huge factor in his decision.

Speaking to the media about his return, Forster said:

"“We have got a great connection. Obviously we have been through a lot of things, we have had some fantastic results together and achieved a lot of things together.“I absolutely love playing for him and working for him. He really instills that belief within me.“We have always got on really well and he has always brought out the best in me.”"

Although it is clear that the Celtic fans were also a reason for his return as he has hailed them perhaps the best in Europe.

"“It’s a massive club but the fans are on a different level. The atmosphere on Thursday night was non-stop. I just think the fans are fantastic, they make the club.“European nights, what the atmosphere is like, I don’t think anywhere in Europe matches it.”"

It is clear that Forster truly loves the club and the fans love him. Let’s just hope that his second stint at the club is as successful as his first.