Brendan Rodgers tells Celtic stars 'do it for Joe Hart' as he demands double to sign off career

Brendan Rodgers has challenged Celtic to win the Premiership and Scottish Cup double for Joe Hart to sign off his career.

The former England goalkeeper announced in February that he would be hanging up his gloves at the end of this season - and now has just six games remaining of his professional career. The 37-year-old will be between the sticks for the final five games of the title run-in - with Rangers trailing the Hoops by three points - before the former Man City and Tottenham star makes his final professional appearance in the Scottish Cup final on May 25 against Philippe Clement's side.

And Rodgers has now thrown down the gauntlet to the Celtic squad to help Hart add two more medals top his collection before the shot-stopper hangs up his gloves. Speaking to Celtic TV, the Irishman said: "He's been an absolutely brilliant player in his career. If you go back to when he was at Shrewsbury as a young player and now fast forward, all his life, the commitment, the sacrifices he has made have all been for the team.

"He's very much a team player. Seeing how he has supported his team-mates this season, he's absolutely brilliant. Of course we want to do it for the club, but for Joe finishing off this would be a wonderful sign-off for him."

Rodgers was at Parkhead on Sunday as Celtic staged 'An Evening With Joe Hart' and the manager revealed that the Englishman was blown away by the reception he received from supporters. He went on: "If you're a player that doesn't really know what this club is about and you come into it, you hear all the talk around Celtic being a real family club and the passion of the supporters and the care they give to people.

"That (Sunday's event) is an example of it. If they did that at the Hydro (in Glasgow) it would probably have sold out as well. But for the club to arrange that for Joe, for the tickets to sell out in one day, and for him to feel that affection, that is what players and people miss when they leave Celtic because it just does not happen in the majority of clubs, that feeling. He was just so appreciative of that from speaking to him during and after the event."