For much of this year Ibrox fans have wondered aloud over the impact that Lawrence Shankland would have on the SPFL title.
A Glasgow born fan of both clubs from Ibrox, the striker has found scoring in the SPFL Premiership fairly straightforward since returning from a brief and unsuccessful spell in Belgian football.
Most bears have looked down their nose at Shankland’s CV which reads like that of a journeyman with the downwards spiral halted by a spell at Ayr United in League One after his move from Queens Park to Aberdeen proved too much to cope with.
‘He’s noe Alfredo’ would be one reply with other unfavourable comparisons made to Antonio Colak and Fashion Sakala as successive managers at Ibrox overlooked a striker who had never disguised the fact that he is a bear.
Last summer £2-3m would probably have bought Shankland from Hearts, instead The Brains Behind Gerrard opted to throw away the best part of £15m on Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers and Danilo.
While Dessers has limped to 20 goals for the season without troubling Celtic, across the country Shankland surpassed that tally early in the new year including goals in three successive matches against the hoops.
A January transfer would surely provide Phil Clement’s side with the scoring edge that they lacked, strangely The Proper Football Manager signed Fabio Silva on loan then committed £4.5m to bring in Mohamed Diomande, initially on loan but with a summer obligation to buy.
When no business was completed in January most bears consoled themselves with the thought that Shanks could still damage Celtic while in a maroon jersey.
He obliged in March with the second goal in a 2-0 win that turned on the intervention of John Beaton, at Celtic Park today the Hearts striker could apply one further blow to the title hopes of the hoops- couldn’t he?
Today just wasn’t Shankland’s day, his employers were beaten, and he was unable to do a favour for the club that he’d rather be playing for.
After getting a shot on target in the first minute it was thin pickings for the Scotland star who has netted just once since his goal against Celtic in March.
In the fourth minute he was on the goalpost playing Kyogo Furuhashi onside for the opening goal of the game but that wasn’t his only assist.
In the 86th minute the match wasn’t quite ended despite Celtic’s second half domination.
Yet another Celtic corner was slung in towards goal, for reasons only he will know Shankland stuck up his hand under no real pressure with claims going in for a penalty from all around.
Kevin Clancy was sent to the pitchside monitor, when he returned Matt O’Riley was tasked with converting, he did so with style to complete Shankland’s Nightmare.
Once the summer transfer window opens the inevitable Shankland to Ibrox chat will resume, today’s performance isn’t likely to make it into the Showreel.
CLICK HERE for Shankland’s Ibrox price tag.
CLICK HERE for Celts in Santa Ponsa.
Some save there shankland 😂 pic.twitter.com/OKQefRZHzf
— Liam 🇮🇪 (@Liam196788) May 4, 2024
