Old boy is a new Bhoy

And the departures keep on coming. To say it's been in the pipeline for a while would be a massive understatement - but Fraser Forster has finally left the club on a permanent basis, joining Celtic, the team for whom he's played on loan for the past two seasons, for a fee in the region of £2m.

The 'keeper declared: "I want to win things as a team and improve as an individual and I think I will be able to do that at Celtic." Well, Fraser, with Rangers facing up to the prospect of liquidation and life in the fourth tier of Scottish football, the traditional two-horse race will now be a one-horse procession. A succession of championship winners' medals looks certain, but the move is hardly suggestive of a player with a huge amount of ambition, as big a club Celtic feel they are.

Forster's been voicing a thinly-veiled desire to leave Tyneside for some time now; nevertheless, allowing an undeniably talented youngster to go doesn't square with our general policy, even if we've received reasonable compensation for him. With Steve Harper not getting any younger and Rob Elliott yet to convince, might we now be in the market for serious competition for Tim Krul? The general recruitment drive has stalled for a while but needs to get back into gear soon.

Keep on the move?

No surprise to learn that Celtic are eager to convert Fraser Forster's loan move into a permanent deal this month - and I'd expect Jabba and the Silver Fox to agree (on the condition that the fee's acceptable). While it would be a shame to see the promising young 'keeper leave, he's made himself at home in Glasgow and some of his quotes have suggested he already sees himself as a Celtic player, somewhat estranged from his parent club, with whom he doesn't see much of a future.

That would leave us needing a new stopper, with Steve Harper not getting any younger, Rob Elliot yet to convince and Ole Soderberg seemingly not rated by the Silver Fox. Filling that gap could wait until the summer, though - there are more pressing needs at present.

Idle hands

Contrasting fortunes for our two loan 'keepers at the weekend. While Fraser Forster sat twiddling his thumbs as his outfield team-mates blasted five past his opposite number in the St Mirren goal, Ole Soderberg did likewise, though only because he didn't even feature in the squad for League One strugglers Chesterfield, who remain rooted to the foot of the table after the 1-0 defeat to Sheffield Utd.

Meanwhile, making his debut for the Steel City's other outfit was James Tavernier, having swapped Brunton Park for Hillsborough. The defender helped his new side to a clean sheet as they ambled to victory over Leyton Orient. Up the M1 Nile Ranger was also making his first appearance for temporary employers - though by the time he came off the Barnsley bench the Tykes already had the 2-1 lead over Leeds that won them the game.

A loan spell: "better than doing nothing"

With Steve Harper on loan at Brighton - "better than doing nothing", he's said - what of our other loan 'keepers?

It's been a bumpy ride of late for Fraser Forster, with Celtic enjoying Europa League football but languishing ten points behind arch rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premier League. The Bhoys lost to Hearts before Forster conceded three first-half to lowly Kilmarnock - though his teammates fought back to force a draw thanks in large part to two goals from ex-Mackem lump Anthony Stokes, once barred from the Dark Place's Glass Spider club by Royston Keane.

Meanwhile, Ole Soderberg is currently on a month's loan at Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Darlington. The game against Newport County on 1st October - a 2-0 win for his side - may have been the young Swede's first-team debut, and he may only have played five more times since, but it seems he already feels justified in criticising his colleagues. Three wins in those six appearances - including a rollercoaster 4-3 against Stockport - haven't been enough to save Mark Cooper's job, though, the manager given the boot by chairman Raj Singh after the weekend defeat at Braintree.

And lastly to a loan defender, James Tavernier, whose bad mistake contributed to Carlisle's 4-0 thumping at league leaders Charlton on Saturday. The Cumbrians weren't down for long, though, a quick three-goal blitz last night putting the Addicks' promotion rivals Sheffield Wednesday to the sword. The clean sheets seem to have dried up somewhat, but the experience can only be good for Tavernier.