PLAYER PROFILE

Gary Caldwell

Position: Defence

Height: 5'11

Weight: 11st 10lbs

Date of Birth: 1982-04-12 Stirling

Gary Caldwell

Gary Caldwell's move to Celtic from Hibernian in 2006 was seen as a return home for a player who had turned out for Celtic Boys Club as a junior and been linked with a return to the Hoops ever since.

However, it was south of the border at Newcastle where Caldwell began his career, as a youth trainee. After several loan spells the club decided to let him go and signed for Hibernian in Edinburgh on a free transfer. At Hibs Caldwell's career took off as he began to display the dependability and leadership skills at the back which would lead Gordon Strachan to seek him out for the Celtic defence.

Caldwell played 88 times for Hibs and captained the side, winning his first Scotland cap while with them. After two successful seasons the lure of Celtic Park proved too strong and he signed a pre-contract agreement to with the Bhoys, news of which did not go down well with Hibs fans at the time.

Caldwell's character was what had impressed Gordon Strachan in the first place and he put the young defender straight into his team at the start of the 2006/07. He had a strong start to his Celtic career and then became the toast of all Scotland when he scored the only goal in Scotland's 1-0 victory over France in the European Championship Qualifier. However, a poor performance in Europe against Benfica followed by a knee injury saw Caldwell's first season hit a rough patch. Nevertheless he remains a key man for the future at Celtic.