Celtic attempted to interfere withc’ signing of David Templeton. When Hearts faced financial difficulties, Templeton was offered to Rangers as they transitioned to the Third Division, ultimately leading to his move across the M8.
Templeton shared his experience in an interview with Open Goal, recounting how he was at the Rangers training ground to meet Ally McCoist when he received a call informing him of Celtic’s interest in signing him. He mentioned that Celtic also attempted to sell him and Ryan McGowan to Rangers while they were at Murray Park. McGowan later rejected the move and went to China for a lucrative contract.
Despite Celtic’s interest, they didn’t pursue Templeton, possibly due to concerns about his injury history. Celtic likely aimed to orchestrate a deal for Templeton on a free transfer, given their downsizing at the time. It’s estimated that Rangers paid £700k for Templeton, whereas Celtic could have waited a year to acquire him for free.
Unfortunately, injuries affected Templeton’s time at Rangers, leading to his retirement from professional football in November 2021. He currently plays for Drumchapel United.
