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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Matthew Lindsay

Celtic and Scotland left back Greg Taylor on the text message he has never deleted

CELTIC defender Greg Taylor has expressed hope he can cap the most eventful summer of his life by playing for Scotland at the Euro 2024 finals in Germany.

Taylor got married to his long-term partner Laura in Ibiza last month after helping the Parkhead club to complete a Premiership and Scottish Cup double.

But the left back promptly joined up with the national squad to prepare for the friendlies against Gibraltar and Finland and he has, after surviving the final cut, travelled to Garmisch-Partenkirchen with them.

The 13-times capped 26-year-old did not get on the park at Euro 2020 and he would dearly love to feature in the Group A games against Germany, Switzerland and Hungary in the coming days.

"I had my wedding planned for two years so we knew the date,” he told uefa.com. “Then when I knew the Euro squad was a possibility I had to have a conversation with the manager who was very understanding.

"So we won the Scottish Cup final on a Saturday, headed to Ibiza to get married and then came back the next day after to join up with the Scotland squad. So it's been a pretty hectic but unbelievable summer so far.

(Image: PA) “I told Laura that Munich was going to be the honeymoon destination and she understands that something like the Euros are so important to be a part of and you have to take that opportunity with both hands."

Taylor revealed that he kept the message that he received when he was called up for the Scotland squad for the Euro 2020 finals because he was so honoured to be selected.

The ex-Kilmarnock man did not feature against the Czech Republic, England and Croatia and he does not just want to make up numbers this time around. 

"It was May 19, 2021, that text came through,” he said. “I remember the moment. I still have the text and it was such an honour to go to a major tournament with my country.

"To go to a major tournament once with your country is probably more than any young boy can dream of. So to do it twice is amazing.

“I didn't feature in the last tournament, so I'd love to play some minutes this time. If that doesn't come I can always say I went to two major tournaments with my country."

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