Real name	Reginald Blinker
Height	5.08
Weight	10.11
Date of birth	04-06-1969
Place of birth	Surinam
Position	Midfielder
Nationality	Netherlands

Regi Blinker is a name which provokes mixed emotions among Celtic fans.

The Surinam-born Dutchman - and £4.5m - were (in)famously 'traded' in a part-exchange deal with Sheffield Wednesday which saw crowd favourite Paolo Di Canio leave Glasgow and head to Hillsborough in August 1997. It was always going to be difficult for the dreadlocked winger to replace the mad but majestic Italian and in many ways he was always going to find life hard at Parkhead as he was viewed by some fans as a sign of the club's lack of ambition.

With Celtic desperatley trying to stop Rangers' seemingly unstoppable march to the dreaded tenth succesive championship, Blinker made a slow start to his career in the Hoops and even got himself sent off for elbowing an opponent during a dismal home defeat to Motherwell.
But he reacted well to that set back and from that point on made a noted if unspectacular contribution to the cause as the Bhoys lifted the Coca-Cola Cup (League Cup) and much more importantly the title, as they prevented their Old Firm rivals from bettering the 9-in-a-row league successes of Jock Stein's Celtic.

At times brilliant, but more often anonymous Blinker's Celtic career was never to return to such heights as he all too often put in displays which showed glimpses of real talent whci were overshaddowed by a distinct lack of courage. Inconsistant and ineffective he hit a low when he conceded a needless penalty in Celtic's shameful Scottish Cup exit to Inverness Caley in February 2000.

From that moment on his departure from the club was inevitable and after 12 goals in 57 appearances he headed home to Holland in a free transfer to RBC Roosendaal.

For all his faults it is perhaps a little cruel that in football ryhming slang the term Blinker has come to mean 'stinker' - (ie having a rubbish game).

Pictures
[Picture Gallery]