SHOCKING NEWS;Brendan Rodgers announces the return of Joe hart few minutes ago

Joe Hart on retiring from Celtic at the age of 37 after third successive Scottish Premiership title win: “I want to finish strong, in a special place, in a special club… I felt like this was the right moment”

Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart insisted now is the right time to retire from football despite calls from the Sky Sports pundits to reconsider his decision to bow out.

The 37-year-old played his last league game in Celtic’s 3-2 win over St Mirren before lifting the Scottish Premiership trophy alongside captain Scott McGregor, and he will now likely feature in the final match of his career against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final next weekend.

The former England goalkeeper has played more in his three seasons at Celtic Park than in the previous five combined, but after his penultimate game he told Sky Sports he had wanted to retire on a high – with the chance to lift a second trophy in a week next Saturday the potential perfect send-off.

“I got to a point, I had a very good 20s, my football was really good but then I struggled a bit in terms of my place,” he said. “Then I got this opportunity then which I couldn’t turn down.

“But I didn’t know how it was going to play out, I wanted to commit for the three years and give everything. I got to a point in my life where I was potentially on the way out and got another opportunity. I don’t want to push that luck, I want to finish strong, in a special place, in a special club.

“That’s just me – it’s my time to move aside and let someone else have some fun. It’s definitely not physical, I feel fine.

“But I felt like this was the right moment. I felt really uncomfortable knowing but not telling the manager or the lads. I wanted to say it, and for everyone to understand that I was doing it and make sure I worked hard and was at my peak when I finished.”