FORMER St Johnstone boss Steve Lomas insists Celtic should have taken a punt on Zander Clark in a bad to solve their goalkeeping crisis.

The Hoops struggled to find a consistent number one last term and many put the loss of the Scottish Premiership title last season down to their goalie issues.

Craig Gordon was allowed to leave for Hearts while Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain battled it out for the starting jersey.

Barkas cost £4.5million, but he failed to show any consistency in between the sticks. 

Joe Hart has come in this season and improved things, but Lomas reckons Celtic should have looked closer to home in the face of McDiarmid Park stopper Clark.

He told Football Scotland: "You look at Celtic at the minute. It's been good for St Johnstone that they've been able to keep Zander but if he keeps performing as he has been I think it's only a matter of time.

"There's no doubt Zander is better than what's at Celtic, in my opinion, from what I've saw, keeping an eye on it.

"I've kept an eye on his career and what he's been doing and I think if he keeps going and doing what he's done for the past 16-18 months, he's been right up there as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premiership.

"He's got to keep his head down and if he keeps performing the way he has been it's only a matter of time until he's involved.

"He's coming into his prime years, from 29-33/34, the next five years.

"That's why I'm surprised there's maybe not been someone taking a sniff on him.

"At the end of the day I don't want to wish him away from St Johnstone, they're in another semi-final.

"But if you're looking at his performances, his age, in his prime, for me he's one of the best all-round keepers and you'd think it would only be a matter of time."