All the best Greg. You wore the shirt with pride – and we noticed | OneFootball

Well, that’s another chapter closed in the story of Celtic’s modern era, and perhaps one of the more quietly satisfying ones.

Daizen Maeda and Greg Taylor celebrate during the Premier Sports Cup Final victory over theRangers at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

Greg Taylor – going by those airport pictures we saw yesterday- after six committed years in the Hoops, departs Celtic Park for a new challenge with PAOK in Greece.

And if there’s any justice in football – and occasionally there is – he’ll go with the warm wishes of a support who have learned to value not just the headline grabbers, but the grafters who build the foundation for success.

Taylor arrived from Kilmarnock in 2019, not exactly to fanfare, and not with the reputation of being the long-term solution at left back. Truth be told, he was widely expected to play back-up, a steady squad option. Instead, he dug in, fought off competition season after season – from Bolingoli to Laxalt, Valle to Bernabei – and by the time Ange Postecoglou rolled into town, Taylor had not only held onto his place but evolved.

Greg Taylor. Hearts v Celtic, 23 November 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Ange-ball demanded more from full backs than perhaps any system in Celtic’s recent memory, and Taylor answered that call. Inverted, tucked in beside Callum McGregor, stepping into midfield with intelligence and bravery – the Kilmarnock kid adapted like a seasoned pro.

He might not have had the pace of Tierney or the stardust of a Lustig, but Greg had something else – footballing brains, positional discipline, and a heart as big as the stadium he played in.

Let’s be honest. The Champions League often highlighted the margins. There, Taylor’s limitations were laid bare – not through lack of effort, but sheer physical and technical disparity at that level. Yet at domestic level, especially in Ange’s title-winning relentlessness, Taylor was utterly dependable.

Greg Taylor. Hearts v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Tynecastle. 23 November 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

His link-up play, his pressing, his reading of the game – they were crucial in those physically demanding seasons under Ange. And what’s he leaving with? Just the modest haul of eleven major trophies, something most full backs could only dream of. But more than silverware, he leaves with respect. A player who never hid, never shirked, never let the jersey weigh too heavy.

The fact is Taylor was likely signed to be the back-up to Kieran Tierney’s replacement. He leaves with Tierney returning as the only player who has been able to replace Greg, and my word we’ve tried a few. And he saw off the lot of them.

Greg Taylor of Celtic FC during the UEFA Champions League match between Borussia Dortmund and Celtic FC at the Signal Iduna Park on October. 01, 2024. Photo ANP Sport, Bart Stoutjesdijk

PAOK now becomes his new home, and at 27, it’s a move that makes sense – a different league, a fresh environment, a deserved new chapter. And for us, another of our modern servants bows out – not a cult hero in the traditional sense, but something perhaps more admirable. A professional who rose beyond expectation, gave his all, and left Celtic better than he found it.

Don’t be surprised if, next season, we all miss having Greg Taylor to call on.

All the best Greg. You wore the shirt with pride – and we noticed.

Niall J