On July 1st 2010, Charlie Mulgrew gleefully returned to boyhood hero's Celtic four years and four clubs on, as manager Neil Lennon's first signing. Today Mulgrew has made himself an intrinsic part of the Celtic team and a favourite with the home support. However, it could have been so different for Charlie, who in 2006 left Celtic Park for England, deemed surplus to requirements and found himself a journeyman cut adrift south of the boarder.
Mulgrew joined Wolverhampton Wonderers during pre-season in 2006 as a part exchange that saw fellow left-back Lee Naylor go the other way to join Celtic. Following a brief spell on loan at Dundee United, nineteen year-old Charlie must have been convinced his years at Parkhead were behind him. Injury set-backs meant that Mulgrew made only six first-team appearances in the English Championship and was subsequently farmed out to Southend a division down to regain his fitness. Playing eighteen games for The Seasiders, it appeared young Charlie might have found his level.
His solid performances for Southend United alerted a number of clubs in League One, and it appeared as though ambitious Swindon Town had won the race to secure his signature. With a fee of £150,000 was agreed, Mulgrew seemed all but signed up to join The Robins, had it not been for a chance meeting with Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee in one of the Ballater hotels in July 2008. McGhee persuaded Charlie back to Scotland, and joined a host of resourceful signings at Pittodrie that summer.
Mulgrew's time at Aberdeen was nothing if not successful. Quickly establishing himself as a free-kick specialist, he scored on his second league appearance for the club and would go on to become a vital component to an over-achieving Aberdeen side for the next two years. However, despite manager Mark McGhee's valiant attempts at keeping his star asset, Charlie's contract was at an end and was soon to become a free agent. It was to be another chance meeting at a hotel that would take Mulgrew to his next destination – home to Celtic.
Following a match with St Johnstone, Mulgrew ran into former teammate and at the time caretaker manager of Celtic Neil Lennon while the team stayed overnight at one of the hotels in Perthshire. Lennon was gunning for the permanent position at the helm with The Bhoys and spoke with Charlie about re-signing for the team that let him go four years prior. Mulgrew jumped at the chance and is now enjoying the best spell of his career, playing in front of an adoring Celtic support, who see the boy from Kirkintilloch as firmly one of their own. The highlight of his first season back in the iconic green and white hoops – scoring a scintillating free-kick against Motherwell to clinch the 2011 Scottish Cup final.
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