Kirk Broadfoot reveals Celtic transfer near miss before Rangers swooped after St Mirren block

Kirk Broadfoot has revealed he almost signed for Celtic before going on to win trophies with Rangers.

The defender joined his boyhood club in 2007 and impressing in defence for St Mirren. With his deal in Paisley months from expiring, Broadfoot penned a pre-contract agreement to sign for the Gers the following summer. The seeds were sewn at Ibrox after Broadfoot had a stormer against them for the Buddies a week before the end of the January transfer window.

Paul Le Guen was manager at the time and Broadfoot thought his chances of a move to Govan had been dashed. However, Walter Smith returned for a second spell to replace the Frenchman and was still keen to do the deal. The move went through on 1 July 2007 and Broadfoot was key part of the squad that went all the way to the 2008 UEFA Cup final. The Gers lost to Zenit St Petersburg in the Manchester final.

But Broadfoot, now with Broomhill Open Goal, admitted that it could have all been very different had Gordon Strachan got his way before Rangers came calling. "No word of a lie, I almost went to Celtic,” he told the Open Goal podcast.

"Gordon Strachan tried to sign me but he wanted me in for a week's trial first to see me and St Mirren wouldn't allow it. I was devastated, I'm not going to lie. I just thought 'go to Celtic, huge club.' Even though I was a Rangers fan because at that point Rangers weren't wanting me."

"Then we played Rangers the week before the end of the transfer window in a pre-season game and I had a worldie. And they said they were interested and don't do anything now, we'll sign you in January.

"Then Le Guen got the sack and I was like 'Oh f***, it's done' but Walter came in and said he wanted to sign me. Pre-contract signed in the summer."

REA