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Trevor Carson and the Celtic transfer pain he laughs about now as St Mirren goalkeeper explains move that never was

The Paisley No.1 never did strike it rich at Parkhead but at least he reckons he now knows the true value of happiness after battling back from a seven-month lay-off to rescue his career.

Had football’s sliding doors gone the other way for Trevor Carson, the St Mirren keeper might today be sitting on a trophy treasure trove and a fortune to match at Celtic Park.


The Paisley No.1 never did strike it rich at Parkhead but at least he reckons he now knows the true value of happiness after battling back from a seven-month lay-off to rescue his career. It’s now five years since the former Motherwell goalie came close to joining Brendan Rodgers’ all-conquering Hoops. The move collapsed when then Fir Park gaffer Stephen Robinson – now his boss at the Buddies – pulled the plug. But despite missing out on his major Parkhead pay day, the Northern Ireland international can see the funny side.


Carson said: “It was Robbo who stopped me going to Celtic and we still joke about it now. He winds me up, saying, ‘It wasn’t the right move for you!’. I’m like, ‘Aye, tell my bank balance that!’. We can laugh about it now but it was a tough time for me personally. At one point the deal was done but it fell through because of something stupid like Motherwell were after the boy Freddie Woodman. However, halfway up the road Aberdeen called him because Joe Lewis had been injured, which left Motherwell with no goalie.


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“It was a tough time but I don’t sit here and think about what might have happened. I made a joke in the press the week after it fell through that my partner and I played a game of ‘Let’s See What We Could Have Bought’.

“But you’d torture yourself if you sat and thought about things. Maybe three or four weeks after that there was an Old Firm and Scott Bain had got in the team by then. You sit at home thinking it could have been you but what’s made for you won’t pass you. That’s my mum’s old saying and everything happens for a reason.”


The cruel twists of fate weren’t done with Carson yet and a year later he feared his career could be in jeopardy after developing deep vein thrombosis.

Thankfully for the 34-year-old, he was able to kick start his career at Dundee United and now Saints. But it’s that brush with destiny that convinced him moments like today’s trip to Celtic are to be savoured.

Carson said: “I went 18 months without playing. My first game back was a friendly at Gretna for Motherwell in pre-season. I felt miles off it. Gradually you start getting your confidence back. I wouldn’t say I sat imagining playing at Celtic Park or that drove me to get back. But there were finals I played in and wish I’d taken it in more.”

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There was sad news for Saints this week with the death of Paisley legend Billy Thomson at 64. Carson said: “It would be great to get a clean sheet this weekend for him. He was a great guy.”

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