Mohammed Sylla was a Martin O’Neill signing in the summer of 2001 and he was paraded alongside fellow new recruits John Hartson and Steve Guppy…
The Ivory Coast born Guinea international caught the attention of the Celtic boss after some impressive displays for fellow Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone.
‘Momo’ as he was known, was signed by St Johnstone the previous year, and they made a significant profit on the Guinean after banking £650,000 from Celtic for their star player’s signature.
Celtic supporters would recall him scoring a fantastic goal against Rangers, as he showed the ability he possessed, although rather worryingly he racked up an astonishing 16 yellow cards in his one and only season with the Perth side.
Momo was a pacy winger, blessed with natural ability, so he was naturally brought in for the right wing back role. However that was occupied by the faster and probably more talented Martin O’Neill favourite Didier Agathe, so if the Guinean wanted a regular slot, he would have to fight for it.
Unfortunately for Momo, he was unable to dislodge Didier Agathe in the right wing back role that season, and was restricted to just 15 appearances in all competitions and missed out on a title medal having made just nine appearances in the league.
He was also utilised in other positions, but still struggled to play more regularly in a side that was full of quality players.
Sylla would however fair much better in the following campaign as he made 31 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals, including a terrific strike in a Champions League play off clash with Basle at Celtic Park.
Ultimately we ended the season empty handed, but Momo did appear in several games during our memorable run to the UEFA Cup Final in Seville, most notably starting in the memorable 2-0 win at Anfield against Liverpool in the quarter final second leg.
The following campaign saw the club scoop a domestic double, with Momo making 24 appearances across all competitions, but again he was used sparingly, and never looked like nailing down a regular starting slot.
Season 2004/05 seen Momo fall further out the picture as he was restricted to just nine appearances across all competitions, and when new manager Gordon Strachan arrived, it came as no surprise that it signalled the end of the Guinean’s three year spell at the club as he upped sticks and joined Leicester City.
Momo would return to Scotland with Kilmarnock in 2007 as he enjoyed a short stint at Rugby Park, before hanging up his boots the same year at the age of just 30.
He wasn’t exactly a huge success in a Celtic shirt, but Mohammed Sylla was something of a ‘cult hero’ during a time of terrific success for the club.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
HAVE YOUR SAY – Join the Celtic conversation in our comments section below…
Quick Tip – Add Celticshorts.com as your ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the Celtic content you value the most. It takes just a few seconds and you’ll notice the difference straight away! – Click HERE….Hail Hail!
