THE ONLY thing quicker than Daizen Maeda’s turn of pace on his debut was his opening goal.

Just three minutes into his Celtic career, the Japan international had already tasted what it’s like to enjoy the adulation of around 60,000 faithful supporters.

More than his goal, though, the 24-year-old harried and pressed as if his life depended on it – eventually clocking 33 pressures in his first 74 minutes of hooped action.

With Reo Hatate putting on a virtual clinic on how to run a game of football in your first appearance at a new club into the bargain, it got us thinking: who else has made an instant impression after joining midway through the season? 

Here, we remember 10 other January signing debutants and the games in which they made their bows (disclaimer: not all debuts actually took place in the month of January)...

Gary Mackay-Steven

v Partick Thistle (Feb 11 2015)

Save for the likes of Barry Robson, who scored with his first touch in a Celtic jersey, there can’t be many who have got up and running as quickly as Mackay-Steven did. By the time the match clock ticked over into 0:39 (yes, you read that right) the winger had already set up John Guidetti for a spurned chance and found the net himself. He shone for the rest of the match and was given an ovation when subbed off with seven minutes left of the 3-0 win.

Stuart Armstrong

v Partick Thistle (Feb 11 2015)

Same game, same outcome. The midfielder had made the move from Dundee United to Celtic at the same time as Mackay-Steven and was only 20 minutes or so slower in opening his account. Like his good friend, Armstrong made a strong impression at Firhill that night and could even have had an assist to go with his goal.

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Timothy Weah

v Airdrieonians (Jan 19 2019)

The American shared his debut with fellow loanee Oliver Burke. The latter beat him to a starting berth but it was Weah who grabbed the headlines by injecting a bit of extra life into the 3-0 Scottish Cup fifth-round win with a smooth finish after latching onto a Dedryck Boyata pass.

Jeremy Toljan

v St Johnstone (Feb 3 2019)

After signing on a six-month loan deal from Borussia Dortmund, Toljan was pitched into the action at McDiarmid Park in a half-time switch for the injured Mikael Lustig. It was 0-0 when he entered the fray but he immediately proved a more mobile option than the Swedish cult hero and set up Oliver Burke for a chance before generally combining well with James Forrest on the right as Celtic emerged 2-0 winners.

Charly Musonda

v Hearts (Jan 30 2018)

Wearing number 67 and bright green boots, the young Belgian jinked and jived his way through the Jambos in his half-hour appearance of this 3-1 win. His backheel to set Kristoffer Ajer free down the right and a dinked pass to Scott Sinclair hinted at an entertaining green-and-white highlight reel to come. It didn’t, of course, but his debut was still good.

Rami Gershon

v Caley Thistle (Feb 9 2013)

A goal and an otherwise decent performance in a makeshift Celtic side due to the looming Juventus last-16 tie counts as a very solid bow. The big Israeli rose to score the second of the Hoops’ three goals against the Highlanders from Dylan McGeouch’s cross.

Tom Rogic

v Caley Thistle (Feb 9 2013)

The Australian was handed his debut in the same 3-1 win as Gershon and made his presence felt with what would become a ‘typical’ Rogic move: cruising beyond a couple of defenders and cutting the ball back for a team-mate. On this occasion Kris Commons was the willing recipient, ensuring Rogic ended his Hoops bow with an assist. He also went close to finding the net himself at one point.

Patrick Roberts

v Motherwell (Feb 5 2016)

Just four days after checking in at Parkhead Roberts scored and set up three in his first run-out in a Celtic jersey – it just happened to be for the Under-20s. OK, that’s cheating and doesn’t really count. The young winger also grabbed an assist with a solid display on his ‘second’ debut after rejoining the club on loan again near the start of the 2017-18 season though.

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Jonjoe Kenny

v Kilmarnock (Feb 2 2021)

His overall time in the hoops might have been forgettable but the Everton loanee did get off to a very good start with a man-of-the-match outing at Rugby Park that included nine interceptions in a 4-0 win.

Scott Bain

v Rangers (March 11 2018)

After learning on the morning of the match that he would be between the sticks at Ibrox, Bain conceded just three minutes in. While Josh Windass’s opener was not his fault, coupled with the occasion it could well have rattled him. To his credit, Bain performed well and Celtic ran out 3-2 winners thanks to goals from Tom Rogic, Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard with the keeper pulling off two big saves in the process. What’s the goalie doing indeed.