---
title: "Celtic: Fans hail John Hartson’s gracious response to Leigh Griffiths overtaking his goals tally"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-fans-hail-john-hartsons-gracious-response-to-leigh-griffiths-overtaking-his-goals-tally/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "SPFL News"
published: "2020-02-08T09:20:46Z"
modified: "2020-02-08T09:20:46Z"
---

# Celtic: Fans hail John Hartson’s gracious response to Leigh Griffiths overtaking his goals tally

**A number of Celtic fans have praised ex-Hoops striker John Hartson over his response to seeing his goals tally for the club being overtaken by Leigh Griffiths, with the [ex-Wales international](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/john-hartson/nationalmannschaft/spieler/3094/verein_id/3864) taking to Twitter (via [@JohnHartson10](https://twitter.com/JohnHartson10/status/1225736177216606209)) to congratulate the 29-year-old.**

https://twitter.com/JohnHartson10/status/1225736177216606209

Griffiths’ goal against Motherwell on Wednesday night was his [111th](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leigh-griffiths/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/45611/verein/371) for the Parkhead club and, as acknowledged by [@CelticFC](https://twitter.com/CelticFC/status/1225735080397754368) on Twitter, it took him one ahead of the [110](https://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2885) netted by Hartson, who spent five years with the Hoops between 2001 and 2006 (as per [fitbastats.com](https://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2885)). The two men have very similar scoring returns in a Celtic shirt – Hartson’s [110-goal haul came in 222 appearances](https://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2885) for the club, with the [Scotland striker](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leigh-griffiths/nationalmannschaft/spieler/45611/verein_id/3380) reaching [111 goals in 227 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leigh-griffiths/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/45611/verein/371) thus far for the Hoops.

Griffiths has been in prolific form in the early weeks of 2020, scoring in four of his six appearances since the mid-season break and starting every match that Celtic have played since the start of January. Prior to the winter break, he had scored just three times this season and started just once in the league in 2019/20. \[[via TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leigh-griffiths/leistungsdaten/spieler/45611)\]

These Celtic fans on Twitter lauded Hartson for his magnanimous response to Griffiths overtaking his Hoops goal record:

> Nice touch.
>
> — Brian G (@brigallacher80) [February 7, 2020](https://twitter.com/brigallacher80/status/1225740161348096000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Well said big man, but there will only ever be one Big Bad John Hartson
>
> — MERKY (@merky999\_mark) [February 7, 2020](https://twitter.com/merky999_mark/status/1225774263476641793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Very magnanimous of you Big man👏👏
>
> — Mick oh my days!!! (@micksa\_7) [February 7, 2020](https://twitter.com/micksa_7/status/1225738242403729408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Touch of class sir 👏 👏 🍀 🍀
>
> — Robert Catesby 🔥 🔥 (@Callybfawkes) [February 7, 2020](https://twitter.com/Callybfawkes/status/1225776930932371456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Great words of congratulations and encouragement from one club legend to another. HH Big John
>
> — Ciaran O Caorthanain (@OCaorthannain) [February 7, 2020](https://twitter.com/OCaorthannain/status/1225773614105948160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Gentleman 🍀🍀🍀
>
> — Sadie Kyle (@SadieKyle2) [February 7, 2020](https://twitter.com/SadieKyle2/status/1225776540702662656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***What did you make of Hartson’s response to Griffiths surpassing his 110-goal tally for Celtic? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!***