WITH A 40 GOAL SEASON AT CELTIC DAIZEN MAEDA WOULD BECOME A LEGEND
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Club legend is a term fans of many clubs, and I even include Celtic in this, band about far too easily these days.
However, if Daizen Maeda does manage to hit 40 goals this season, he becomes part of that conversation, at least.
In all of Celtic’s history only 8 players thus far have managed 40 or more goals in a season.
For context, arguably two of Celtic’s greatest ever players, Henrik Larsson and Jimmy McGrory managed to do it 3 times apiece.
Jimmy McGrory holds the all-time club record with 57 goals in a single season. Not bad for a “left winger” that John Barnes has never heard of!
Daizen Maeda Seeks to Join Celtic Elite
Also part of this elite band of Celtic strikers are Leigh Griffiths who managed 40 goals in season 2015-16, Brian McClair who hit 41 in season 1986-87, Charlie Nicholas with 48 in season 1982-83 and Kenny Dalglish who bagged 41 goals in 1972-73.
Bobby Lennox followed up his European Cup win in 1967 with 41 goals in the following 67-68 season, and let’s not forget the late, great Joe McBride. He scored 43 in season 1965-66.
McBride also had a prolific first half to the following season, and may well have challenged Jimmy McGrory’s all-time record had he not picked up a season-ending knee injury around Christmas time.
There is something about Daizen Maeda’s tally this season that seems unique though.
Somehow, I think if Daizen does hit the 40, its possibly an even more remarkable achievement than some of these great names considering that he wasn’t even playing as a center forward until January.
So, what does Daizen have to do to make it to 40 goals this season?
At the weekend, Maeda reached 30 goals for the season. There are 7 league games left. There’s also a Scottish Cup semi-final and, if all goes well, a Cup final too.
That’s 9 games in which he needs to score 10 goals.
Daizen has scored at least one goal in each of his last 6 games. His recent scoring ratio suggests this is going to be close.
Whether he does it or not, this is still an amazing return for someone who, until very recently, most Celtic fans probably saw as a winger rather than a striker.
To be honest, I think even to hit 30 goals is an impressive feat these days. Celtic play a different type of football to the way we played in the early 2000s when someone like Henrik Larsson would score the majority of our goals.
It’s cliché to say so, but in Celtic’s case I think it’s true that we now have goals coming from all over the park.
The reason why no single player has hit 40 goals in the past 10 seasons is because, in all honesty Celtic didn’t need them to.
Several players have hit double figures each season. Our overall goal total hasn’t really changed, the goals have just been spread out among more players.
Whatever happens, There's one thing we need most right now from Celtic, Daizen Maeda tied down to a new deal as soon as possible. Imagine how many he could score next year if we give him an entire season in the striker’s role.