Celtic quadruple treble hero Conor Hazard leaves club to sign for Plymouth Argyle

Celtic quadruple treble hero Conor Hazard has left the club to sign for Plymouth Argyle.

The Northern Ireland international goalkeeper has signed a three-year-deal for the English Championship side.

Hazard, who came through the youth system at the Hoops, was brought in for the 2020 Scottish Cup final when the Hoops sealed the historic feat.

After a 3-3 draw with Hearts, in the delayed final played at an empty Hampden due to Covid-19 restrictions, the game went to penalties and the youngster made the saves that helped Neil Lennon’s side lift the trophy.

However the 25-year-old only managed seven first-team appearances at the Scottish champions and spent last season on loan to Finnish side HJK Helsinki.

He has now left the club on a permanent basis for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £150k.

Plymouth Argyle confirmed the move on Tuesday with manager Steven Schumacher saying: “I am very pleased to have signed Conor. He comes to us from a huge football club, so we know he will have been taught superbly.

“He has international experience and all the fundamentals required to be a top goalkeeper.

“Conor will complement and challenge our current team of excellent goalkeepers, and we look forward to seeing him in action.”

Hazard was brought in from the cold during the calamitous 2020/21 season after a run of poor form from goalkeepers Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain as Celtic lost their only Premiership title in the last 12 years.

The Scottish Cup final, which was delayed from the previous season, was played in December as the Hoops became the first professional team in football to win four domestic trebles in a row.

Hazard became the unlikely hero when he saved two penalties in the shootout.

But the next season under Ange Postecoglou he was frozen out of first-team action after the club signed former England international Joe Hart.

He has four caps with the national team with his only full game coming in a 2-1 defeat to the USA IN 2021.

He also played 45 minutes in a 3-1 win over Luxembourg last year.

During his season in Finland he kept 14 clean-sheets and was first-choice keeper as HJK Helsinki were crowned champions.

Director of football at Plymouth Argyle, who won League one in England last season, said: “Conor had a brilliant year in Finland with HJK Helsinki where – like us – he became a champion last season. That is the kind of player we always strive to recruit; people with a champions mentality, which we will need in the season ahead.”