Ireland goalkeeper David Forde has confirmed he would be “thrilled”’ to join Celtic when his Millwall contract expires at the end of the season.

The big Galway man kept another clean sheet for Ireland in last week’s scoreless friendly draw with Poland in Poznan.

Forde has been linked with a move to Parkhead if Neil Lennon loses England goalkeeper Fraser Forster in the summer.

“To be linked with a club like Celtic is amazing. It is very flattering. I grew up supporting Celtic and just being associated them has given me a lift,” Forde said.

“Knowing what Celtic means, as a club and globally, it’s a great, great club. To be part of that would be special all right. Packie Bonner was one of my heroes for Celtic and Ireland. What a goalkeeper he was, an absolute legend.

“To get the chance to follow in his footsteps, to even get close, would be fantastic. At the moment I’m not aware of any interest from them or any other club.

“I’ve got a big decision to make. It’s a very important stage of my career. I’m playing for my country and that’s been fantastic.

“I’m enjoying good form at the moment and things are going tremendously well. It’s a case of waiting and seeing what happens over the coming weeks and months.

“I’m under contract to Millwall and until anything changes I’ll continue to be focused on doing my best for them.”

Celtic boss Lennon, meanwhile, praised his team’s spirit as they scored twice in added time to beat Aberdeen 3-1 in the Scottish League on Saturday, ahead of Tuesday’s big Champions League tie with AC Milan in Glasgow.

Substitute Derk Boerrigter and Kris Commons scored the stoppage time goals after former Celt Niall McGinn had cancelled out Kris Commons’ opener.

Lennon said afterwards, “You need patience at times. It is not always going to be free-flowing football. I know from my own days under Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan that you get games like that.

“There is many a time we won in the last minute of games at home and this team has the same ingredients and I am delighted with that.

“Teams come here and be hard to break down and the onus is on us to find a way to break them down and we are doing it. The character of the team is fantastic. The quality could be better but it will be better as the season goes on.

“We are unbeaten in 13 league games which is a brilliant start to the season so I have no criticism of the team at all.”