Didier Agathe facts for kids

Didier Fernand Agathe (born 16 August 1975) is a French football manager and former professional footballer. He is best known for his time playing for Celtic. He most recently managed Chester-le-Street United.

Didier Agathe started his football journey in France with Montpellier HSC. Later, he moved to Scotland, playing for Raith Rovers and then Hibernian. His strong performances led to a big move to Celtic. At Celtic, he had the most successful part of his career, winning three championships. He was also part of the team that reached the 2003 UEFA Cup Final. In 2020, he was the manager of Northern League Division Two team Durham City.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting Out in France

Didier Agathe was discovered in his home country, Réunion, by a scout from the French top league club Montpellier HSC in 1992. Even though other clubs were interested, he chose Montpellier because it was in the south of France.

His time in France was tough due to health problems and injuries. Soon after he arrived, he had an emergency with his appendix. After that, he suffered many injuries. Doctors later found he had no cartilage in his right knee, which is important for smooth joint movement. During his time in France, he was loaned to Olympique Alès. He played 29 games there and scored four goals.

Moving to Scotland: Raith Rovers

When his contract with Montpellier ended in 1999, Agathe went to England. He wanted to find a new club to continue his professional football career. He had a good try-out with Stockport County. However, the move did not happen because he did not pass the medical check-up.

Then, he met an agent named Willie McKay. McKay convinced Agathe to try finding a club in Scotland. He took Agathe to Kirkcaldy, where Raith Rovers needed a striker. They had lost their first four games of the season. Even though Agathe had never played as a forward in a real game, he told the Raith Rovers manager, John McVeigh, that he had. He scored two goals in a practice game against the first team. A few days later, he played against Airdrie as a trial player and scored three goals. That season, he played over 30 games for Raith and scored seven goals.

Playing for Hibernian

After his deal at Raith Rovers finished in the summer of 2000, Didier Agathe received an offer for a short-term contract. This was with Scottish Premier League club Hibernian. In his first game against Hearts, he missed an easy goal.

However, he made up for it in his next two matches. He scored two goals in each game against Dundee United and Dundee in back-to-back weeks. In the game against Dundee, he scored an amazing solo goal. He ran from the halfway line, got past four Dundee players, and then shot the ball past the goalkeeper, Rab Douglas.

Joining Celtic: A Career Highlight

Didier Agathe's great form at Hibs caught the attention of Celtic manager Martin O'Neill. When his short-term contract ended, Celtic signed him. Celtic knew about his knee condition from his medical check-up. But O'Neill was not worried and signed Agathe for only £27,000.

Agathe played his first game for Celtic on 14 October 2000. It was a home league game against St Mirren. O'Neill played Agathe wide on the right side. Agathe played incredibly well in Celtic's 2–0 win. His speed and skill caused many problems for the St Mirren defence. O'Neill was very excited about Agathe's first game. He said, "He was absolutely brilliant, fantastic even. I did not think he would last more than 60 minutes but he has so much strength and pace."

Agathe kept his place in the team, playing as a right wingback. He scored his first goal for Celtic in December 2000 against Dundee. It was a header in the last minute that gave his team a 2–1 win. That season, he helped Celtic win a domestic treble. This means they won the League, the Scottish Cup, and the Scottish League Cup. Agathe helped set up Jackie McNamara's first goal in their 3–0 win over Hibs in the Scottish Cup Final. However, he could not play in the 2000–01 Scottish League Cup final because he had already played for Hibernian in that competition.

O'Neill continued to use Agathe as either a right back or right wingback. He was a regular player in the team. The club won three championships and reached the 2003 UEFA Cup Final. Because of his good performances in European games, he was even linked with moves to big clubs like Juventus and Valencia during the 2001–02 season. In February 2004, the Scotland manager Berti Vogts showed interest in picking Agathe for the national team.

Agathe played very little during the 2005–06 season under the new manager, Gordon Strachan. He was linked with a loan move to Leeds United, and then had a trial at Middlesbrough. In February 2006, he was released from his contract, meaning he could leave the club for free.

Short Spell at Aston Villa

Didier Agathe had a trial with Premier League team Blackburn Rovers before the 2006–07 season. However, manager Mark Hughes let him leave because he could not promise him enough playing time. Agathe then started training with Aston Villa. This club was managed by his former Celtic boss, Martin O'Neill.

He agreed to a short-term contract and played his first game for Villa at home against Tottenham Hotspur. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. On 11 January 2007, Agathe left Aston Villa. They decided not to extend his short-term contract. Agathe played a total of six games for Villa, all as a substitute, and did not start any matches.

Returning Home: JS Saint-Pierroise

After leaving Aston Villa, Didier Agathe signed for JS Saint-Pierroise. This club is in his homeland of Réunion.

Agathe has also started an academy for young footballers in Réunion. This academy helps young players develop their skills. In August 2010, three players from his academy – Heeking Jerome, Mathis Yohan, and Jeremy Judith – signed for Stirling Albion.

On 8 September 2013, Agathe played for a "Celtic XI" team. This was during a charity match organized by Celtic FC for Stiliyan Petrov.

Managerial Career

In April 2020, Didier Agathe became the manager of Durham City. This is an English team in the Northern Football League Division Two. At that time, the football season was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The club was at the bottom of their division.

During the summer, Agathe made many changes to the team. He brought in new players, including some from Dutch football academies. Agathe left the club in October 2020. The team had only earned one point from their first nine games of the season. However, the club owner, Olivier Bernard, said that the results were not the reason Agathe left.

Film Appearance

Didier Agathe, who played over 100 league games for Celtic, also appeared in a movie. He played a Rangers striker in the Robert Duvall film, A Shot at Glory.

Career Statistics

Source:

Honours and Achievements

Celtic

• Scottish Premier League:
  • 2000–01
  • 2001–02
  • 2003–04
• Scottish Cup:
  • 2000–01
  • 2003–04
  • 2004–05
• Scottish League Cup:
  • 2000–01
• UEFA Cup runner-up:
  • 2002–03