---
title: "Celtic: Fans react as James McCarthy expresses desire to play for club"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-fans-react-as-james-mccarthy-expresses-desire-to-play-for-club/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Gavin Kelly"
section: "SPFL News"
published: "2019-10-23T18:30:24Z"
modified: "2019-10-23T18:30:24Z"
---

# Celtic: Fans react as James McCarthy expresses desire to play for club

**Crystal Palace midfielder, James McCarthy, has revealed in an interview with [The Daily Record](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/james-mccarthy-reveals-celtic-wish-20662141) that he longs to pull on the famous green and white hoops of Celtic before he hangs up his boots.**

\[freshpress-poll id=”253040″\]

The former Hamilton player is a lifelong Bhoys fan and has fond memories of sampling games against Rangers when he was younger:

“I’ve always been a Celtic fan; all my family are Celtic fans. From when I was born, I’ve had the Celtic strips. Obviously as a kid, you’re always watching. We’d go and watch the games. My brothers used to take me”.

“I went to quite a lot of them (games against Rangers). I was younger, maybe eight or nine. I’d always be at the game. It’s an amazing atmosphere, an incredible atmosphere and one that you really enjoy”.

McCarthy signed for [Palace this summer](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49273293) having found himself out of favour at Everton, and it is the [third time he has found himself in the same midfield](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7338101/Crystal-Palace-cringeworthy-Friends-Reunited-video-announce-signing-James-McCarthy.html) as Scotland international James McArthur – a commentator’s nightmare.

McCarthy has had a solid Premier League career with over [200 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/leistungsdaten/spieler/45333) and, with nearly [100](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/leistungsdaten/spieler/45333)Scottish Premiership games also under his belt, he should have no problems returning to Scotland.

These Celtic fans took to Twitter to suggest that McCarthy had missed the boat.

> He had his chance
>
> — Marina Rutherford (@marina\_r85) [October 21, 2019](https://twitter.com/marina_r85/status/1186196375136014336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> You’d need to pay us for that to happen.
>
> — James Anthony (@Jimsthename77) [October 21, 2019](https://twitter.com/Jimsthename77/status/1186270631408607233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Thought he had retired .
>
> — CHARLIE MURDOCH 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧 (@murdoch\_charles) [October 21, 2019](https://twitter.com/murdoch_charles/status/1186211901811896320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> McCarthy is 7 years late.
>
> — jDB (@jDB34772262) [October 21, 2019](https://twitter.com/jDB34772262/status/1186193138962055168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> We should have signed him in summer. He would be the ideal replacement for Broony when he hangs up the boots.\
> Or a great partner for him the now. Too late now tho. Palace wont take 8m for him
>
> — Davie Kirwan (@KirwanDavie) [October 21, 2019](https://twitter.com/KirwanDavie/status/1186253496691167232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Yes🍀
>
> — Dom Schiavone🍀 (@Shiv1888) [October 21, 2019](https://twitter.com/Shiv1888/status/1186215787427704833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)