Two former Celtic players, David Turnbull and Shane Duffy, were spotted among the travelling Hoops support at Villa Park last night, watching their old club in action against Aston Villa in the Champions League.
Rather than taking up hospitality seats, the pair opted to sit alongside the fans, joining ex-Celtic striker John Hartson in the away end.
It was an exciting night in the Midlands as Celtic, already assured of a place in the Champions League knockout playoffs, put in a spirited performance despite a 4-2 defeat. The Hoops found themselves 2-0 down inside the opening four minutes, but Adam Idah’s stunning first-half brace hauled Brendan Rodgers’ side level before Villa regained control in the second half.
2 former celts In the away end last night pic.twitter.com/4KJy7Qjps2
— Leo🍀 🇵🇸 (@leothetim88) January 30, 2025
Turnbull, who left Celtic for Cardiff City in January 2024, spent over three years at the club, making over 120 appearances and lifting multiple domestic honours. The midfielder was a key figure under Ange Postecoglou but struggled for consistent starts last season under Rodgers, leading to his move to the Championship. Meanwhile, Duffy had a challenging spell at Celtic on loan from Brighton during the 2020/21 campaign, arriving as a high-profile signing but struggling in a difficult season for the club.
Despite the defeat, Celtic’s place in the knockout playoffs was already secured, with the result confirming a 21st-place finish in the Champions League table. The Hoops now face the prospect of a massive tie against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, with the draw set for Friday at 11 am. The two-legged clash will take place on February 11th or 12th, offering Celtic another shot at European progression.
