Mark Wilson signals an end to his injury-hit Celtic career

Published on Friday 18 December 2009 13:26

MARK Wilson has reluctantly admitted his Celtic career, which has been beset by injuries since his move to his boyhood heroes in January 2006, is all but over.

• Mark Wilson struggled to make an impact at Celtic Park

Former Dundee United right-back Wilson was given a rare start in the Hoops' thrilling Europa League clash against Rapid Vienna at the Ernst Happel Stadium last night, which ended in a 3-3 draw after the visitors fought back from a three-goal deficit.

However, it was Paul Caddis who deputised for regular right-back Andreas Hinkel, with Wilson on the other side of the pitch in place of Danny Fox.

With a heavy heart, Wilson revealed that after talks with Parkhead manager Tony Mowbray, he may join several fringe players in the Celtic squad who could leave the club when the transfer window opens.

"Obviously, I love the club and first and foremost I would like to stay for years but at the end of the day I'm not playing and it looks like I have to look elsewhere," he said.

"I'm 25 now and at the stage of my career where I want to be playing.

"I have missed a lot of games through injury and, now that I'm fit, it's frustrating to find myself frozen out of the team.

"And because of the under-21 rule, I'm not even getting on the bench, so on a match day I'm in the house and that's not really where I want to be.

"You know the manager, he is perfectly honest.

"He doesn't mess you about and I think he has made it clear to a lot of players that he wouldn't stand in their way if something came up.

"He gives you encouragement but he has said that Andreas has the shirt and that's that and I need to accept that.

"But, as I say, it's difficult come a match day when you are not involved.

"I could still be here. The best situation is that I'm in the team and playing well but that looks a bit far off now.

"I will need to keep working away and see what happens come January."

Wilson may have had second thoughts about being one of seven changes to Celtic's side for the dead rubber against Rapid on a freezing Austrian night.

The visitors were stunned to find themselves three goals down with 19 minutes played, although a stirring comeback with the help of a Marc-Antoine Fortune double and an injury-time leveller through Paul McGowan rescued a point and secured third place in Group C.

"It was good to be back playing, although it would have been nice to play my correct position," said former Scotland Under-21 international Wilson.

"It wasn't great at the beginning though and we feared the worst.

"It was three of the easiest goals that you would probably see (conceded) but all credit to the boys, we stuck in there and got some goals and, at the end, we probably should have got more."