WHEN Aaron Donnelly scored to put Dundee 3-2 up against runaways league leaders Celtic, everyone in dark blue went berserk inside Dens Park.
Except for the goal scorer himself, that is.
Aaron Donnelly heads past Kasper Schmeichel to make it 3-2[/caption]
The player has offered an explanation himself – but many fans aren’t buying it[/caption]
Donnelly’s 78th minute strike would have claimed all three points for the Tony Docherty’s side but for the stoppage time spot kick converted by Arne Engels.
The 3-3 draw was entertaining enough without the added subplot regarding Donnelly’s muted celebrations.
It’s been speculated widely on social media that Donnelly is a Celtic fan, having supported the Hoops form when he was a boy.
And in a similar sort of vein to Andy Halliday who didn’t celebrate against boyhood heroes Rangers (though it’s worth noting, he did actually play for the Ibroc club), Donnelly refused to join in wit hthe fun in the wake of his goal.
It’s led to many fans concluding the Donnelly simply didn’t want to celebrate against his favourite team.
Especially when previous footage showed him celebrating a TACKLE against Rangers last week.
Donnelly himself told Sky Sports: “I was kind of taken aback by what actually happened, there was a bit of a scuffle before and the ref pulled me and my marker aside and once it went in, I really didn’t know what to do.”
His actions have divided Scottish football fans and pundits on social media.
Former Hibs and Dundee star Tam McManus chimed in, as he said: “The lad Donnelly not celebrating because he is a Celtic fan? If so pretty pathetic IMO.”
While this Rangers fan said: “Aaron Donnelly. What a redneck.”
The majority of Dundee fans on social media were unperturbed by Donnelly’s lack of a celebration, insisting that they didn’t mind so long as he gave 100 per cent for the team.
As this fan said: “By the way, Donnelly can celebrate/not celebrate all he wants. Do not care. Love that boy.”
And another said: “So Donnelly didn’t celebrate his goal last night, who gives a f***? He gave 100% against Rangers and Celtic, lad’s been a man mountain at the back, that’s all we should care about.”
Needless to say, Celtic supporters were lapping the whole thing up.
As one fan said: “I’ll say the same here that I said with Halliday, teams don’t pay you to celebrate, they pay you to play football and score, that’s what both Halliday and Donnelly did.
“I’d focus on questioning your own team on the park as oppose to someone else’s when you’re so far behind.”
Indeed, even a Rangers supporter echoed those sentiments.
They wrote: “What am I missing? Like who cares if he didn’t celebrate scoring against Celtic. Our club is an absolute shambles and people are worrying about this!”
Donnelly’s explosive reaction after winning a tackle against Rangers[/caption]
It was a far different picture when he scored against Celtic[/caption]
🤯 Dundee take the lead!
Aaron Donnelly puts them 3-2 ahead against Celtic! Watch the closing stages on Sky Sports NOW ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VjIjo9ComS
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) January 14, 2025
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