EVERY DAY IS A COOL DAY

Joe's still learning at Celts - 20 years after ditching school to make squad at Shrews

- FRASER WILSON

TWENTY years ago this week Joe Hart sought special permission from his teachers at Meole Brace School to dodge class and go sit on the bench for his local football team.

Back then the 15-year-old goalkeeper felt like he'd scaled Everest in his footballing journey as he jumped on the Shrews' first-team bus for the 200-mile trek ahead of a 1-1 draw in England's League Two.

Little did he know.

Two decades, 75 England caps, two World Cups, seven major trophies and over 700 appearances at club and country level later - Hart could be forgiven for thinking he'd conquered it all.

But as he reflects on the day he skipped school for his first ever taste of pro football, the Celtic keeper insists he's still a serious student of the beautiful game.

And that is what keeps him young and hungry in the quest for even more success.

Reminded of the milestone ahead of the Hoops' trip to face St Johnstone tomorrow, a delighted Hart said: "That's a great stat great work! Exeter away, I had to come out of school for that. That's awesome. That's made me smile that. That's cool.

"Exeter is a long way from Shrewsbury. League Two at the time, with the majority of the games, if it was under three hours you would travel on the day, but with Exeter a really long way we went the day before.

"It was such an amazing experience.

"I rememeber I had to get special permission from the school. I wasn't training regularly with the first team but it was needs must down at League Two at the time.