The Northern Irishman spoke about his difficult year in an interview with Real Radio's phone-in host Peter Martin, which will be aired on Monday evening.

Lennon was at the centre of a high-profile court case earlier this year, which saw two men, Trevor Muirhead and Neil McKenzie, jailed for five years for conspiring to assault him by sending parcel bombs to Celtic Park and the club's training ground in Lennoxtown, East Dumbartonshire.

During the trial Lennon told the court he was left "very disturbed" after learning he was a target, along with other prominent fans of the club.

Lennon's close friend, Paul McBride QC, who was also a target, died suddenly while on a trip to Pakistan in March, days before he was to give evidence at the trial.

The Celtic manager and former player, who was a pall bearer at Mr McBride's funeral in Glasgow, said losing his friend coupled with the stress of the court case made for a "tough spell".

He said: "I had a real difficult time when Paul McBride passed away. And there was a spell where, on the Monday it was Paul's funeral and then on the Tuesday I had to go and give evidence in the court case and that was a real tough, tough spell.

"At times you think: is it worth it? You know, all these things that happen to you."

When asked by Mr Martin if he had any moments when he thought about "chucking it all in", Lennon replied: "Yeah. I mean at the end of the day, your personal safety is in jeopardy or you feel it's in jeopardy.

"I was always well briefed by the police and the intelligence officers, so that gave me a lot of comfort through those times but you're just thinking: is it worth living here?

"You know, I love Glasgow. I love the environment. It's been my home for a long, long time. But there is an element to it that lets the city down, you know, lets the country down and the sooner we can eradicate that ... but it's got to come from the home.

"It's got to come from the families and it's all right pointing the finger at schools and this, that and the other, (but) you know as parents we have a responsibility to bring your kids up in the right way."

The former Scunthorpe striker grabbed a first-half hat-trick, one coming from the spot, as Neil Lennon's men demolished the much-changed visiting side.

Hooper struck twice more after the break, his fifth from a Georgios Samaras cross with three minutes remaining, taking his tally for to the season to 29 and joining Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd in players who have scored five goals in an SPL game.

The romp confirmed Celtic's supremacy this season with Neil Lennon's men finishing on 93 points, one more than last season when it finished second.

Old Firm rival Rangers defeated St Johnstone 4-0, Sone Aluko claiming a second-half hat-trick as the Gers cruised to victory.

And, on the day the football came to an end for now, the Glasgow giant will be hoping for a positive new beginning off the field after its administrator accepted an offer from Charles Green's consortium for the purchase of the club.

Lee McCulloch set the ball rolling at McDiarmid Park before Aluko netted three second-half goals, with the host failing to find the win that would claim a Europa League spot.

Stephen Craigan's final appearance for Motherwell ended in defeat as Dundee United claimed a 2-0 victory at Fir Park.

The Motherwell captain announced his retirement earlier in the week but he could not end on a high as goals from Johnny Russell and Jon Daly secured a comfortable victory for United.

Russell opened the scoring in the eighth minute after Darren Randolph had twice denied Stuart Armstrong and the midfielder turned provider with 10 minutes to go as he laid the ball to Daly to stroke home from close range.

Lennon told the Evening Times: "Efrain hasn't figured that much this season, even during his loan time at Zaragoza, and it might be best for him to move on and try to further his career elsewhere."

Celtic will be presented with the SPL trophy in its final fixture of the season, when Hearts will look to wrap up fifth place ahead of St Johnstone before turning its attentions to its own quest for silverware.

First-team coach Gary Locke told Hearts TV: "They've had a fantastic season. We know how difficult it's going to be.

"We've got to go through there and try to be well organised.

"The boys and the management staff all know what's at stake. If we get a point then we'll finish in fifth place and qualify for Europe. That's what we're looking for.

"Hopefully if we can get a result at Celtic Park that will get us into Europe. That was certainly our aim at the start of the season."

With the William Hill Scottish Cup final against Hibernian following six days later, Hearts boss Paulo Sergio has already hinted at making changes at Parkhead after taking a two-point lead over Saints with victory at Tynecastle last week.

Hearts have a superior goal difference and could therefore finish fifth with a draw at Celtic, even if the Saints beat Rangers.

Lennon earned his accolade after taking the side on a 17-match winning run during the course of the season, which saw Celtic claim the SPL title.

Mulgrew's award is his fifth of the campaign after winning votes from Celtic fans and players, his fellow professionals at PFA Scotland and the Scottish Football Writers Association.

Forrest also increased his tally of gongs after being named young player of the year by Celtic fans, as well as claiming awards from PFA Scotland and the Scottish Football Writers.

SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "The Clydesdale Bank Premier League Awards showcases the very best in Scottish football, both on and off the pitch."

"The Clydesdale Bank Premier League is more than just 90 minutes on a Saturday and these awards celebrate the excellent work our clubs do off the pitch to support their local community, develop young Scottish talent and improve the match day experience for fans."

Prizes will be awarded at a ceremony in Glasgow.

Confirmed as champions several weeks ago, Neil Lennon's men were caught out on by a United side which needed a positive result to seal qualification for next season's UEFA Europa League.

Midfielder Robertson decided the game when he met a Paul Dixon cross to bullet a header past Hoops keeper Fraser Forster midway through the first half.

A much-changed Celtic side struggled to find the momentum to recover and Anthony Stokes wasted its best chance seconds before the interval when he miscued a close-range effort.

Celtic thought it should have had a penalty late in the game when Emilio Izaguirre's cross hit the hand of United substitute Keith Watson but referee Iain Brines correctly waved away their appeals.

Lennon originally made seven changes, bringing back Forster, Mikael Lustig, Glenn Loovens, Charlie Mulgrew, Adam Matthews, Scott Brown and Gary Hooper to the side which beat St Johnstone 1-0 at Parkhead mid-week.

However, Loovens had to withdraw after pulling up in the warm-up with a hamstring injury, his place taken by Norwegian stopper Thomas Rogne, with Cha Du-Ri being added to the bench.

United is now guaranteed a place in Europe next season and its strong goal difference means it will almost certainly finish fourth.

In the day's other game, Hearts beat St Johnstone 2-0 to climb above its opponent into fifth place and go close to clinching a Europa League place for next season.

Rudi Skacel converted Ryan McGowan's cross after 21 minutes for his 16th goal of the season and Andy Webster netted a second after 58 minutes as the William Hill Scottish Cup finalist ended a three-match winless run.

The Irishman, one of seven changes to Neil Lennon's side, struck from close range in the 29th minute after fellow striker Mo Bangura caused confusion in the visitor's defence following a Celtic corner.

Celtic stand-in keeper Lukasz Zaluska saved well from Saints midfielder Murray Davidson just before the break and Bangura struck the post in the second half but the match was generally a poor one as the Hoops eased to victory.

The Hoops boss was handed an immediate three-match touchline ban for confronting referee Euan Norris after his club's Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Hearts last month.

Lennon, who had just served a two-match touchline ban for criticising referee Willie Collum following Celtic's Scottish League Cup final defeat by Kilmarnock at Hampden in March, received a six-match ban in total, but half of the punishment was suspended until the end of next season.

He said: "All I will say is that I got a fair hearing, I think the punishment is pretty fair as well.

"I expected to be punished. I have apologised to the referee in correspondence and he has responded and he is grateful of that and we move on.

"The judicial panel don't want to be punishing people, but when you cross the line I expected to be punished and I have been and I am going to learn from this.

"I will have a suspension hanging over my head and that is a warning for me.

"If I step out of line again I could get three matches plus and I don't want that."

Stokes, one of seven changes to Lennon's side, struck from close range in the 29th minute after strike partner Mo Bangura had caused some confusion in the visitors' defence following a corner.

In injury time Gary Hooper deprived fellow substitute Rabiu Ibrahim of a debut Celtic goal when, with the Nigerian substitute's close-range shot going in, he helped the ball over the line only to be flagged offside.

Lennon could afford a smile when he said: "I am going to fine Gary for that. I think he should pay a goal bonus to the wee man.

"It looked as if it was going in but Gary is Gary, he wants to be leading goalscorer in the country; let's just say it was instinctive.

"I was very pleased. It was another clean sheet, 24, that's a record. It takes us to 90 points with two games to go and that's tremendous consistency after 92 last season."

The Celtic manager admits "deeply" regretting confronting Euan Norris after the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Hearts at Hampden just over a fortnight ago and plans to apologise to the referee.

However, the Northern Irishman, alluding to the furore which followed the touchline bust-up he had with then Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist at the end of an Old Firm game at Parkhead in March 2011, believes his persona is unfairly represented.

"I saw the greatest manager in the game last night (Sir Alex Ferguson) having a spat with Roberto Mancini and people enjoyed it, enjoyed seeing Sir Alex show that passion, that he was up for the fight," said Lennon.

"I enjoyed it. Two managers sticking up for their own team.

"Has there been a huge public outcry about what happened? No. They talk about a bit of a spat - big deal.

"When we do it up here, it's two pages full and I get singled out, I get demonised, I'm this snarling sort of presence on the touchline.

"I don't think I get a fair deal at times.

"I see it so many times. I have seen managers on the pitch remonstrating with referees before, some of them a lot more experienced than me.

"Yet they don't think they get half of what I get.

"I just think I should be but a bit more slack at times."

The Celtic boss, who has just served a two-match touchline ban for criticising referee Willie Collum following the Scottish Communities League Cup final defeat by Kilmarnock at Hampden in March, has been issued with a notice of complaint accusing him of breaching three Scottish Football Association rules relating to Hearts' 2-1 victory which came courtesy of Craig Beattie's controversial late penalty. Lennon ran on to the pitch to confront Norris over the penalty award, which came when a Marius Zaliukas shot hit the arm of Joe Ledley and then brushed against the hand of Victor Wanyama.

Celtic was then denied a penalty when the ball struck Hearts defender Andy Webster.

"I deeply regret what happened," said Lennon.

"It was an instinctive reaction action born out of frustration more than anything else.

"I know I have to conduct myself better than that.

"I will be sending correspondence to the referee as an apology as well.

"It's one actionable thing that I've done that I shouldn't have done.

"I will go to the tribunal (on Thursday) and hopefully get a fair hearing as I did the last time and take what's coming."

The two other charges Lennon face relate to comments made on Twitter. The Hoops boss tweeted soon after the game: 'Referee told players he thought Wanyama handled...feel so sorry for players and fans..I think it's personal myself.'

He then re-tweeted a comment from a Celtic supporter which suggested the club 'pack our bags and get out of this league that is run by crooked £SFA officials".

Lennon said: "I don't want to talk about that (tweeting) now, I will discuss my case on Thursday.

"At times we do get lost in the game but if you take that away from us, you are going to have robots on the touchline, sitting with their hands in their pockets not doing anything.

"You can't take away the human element from managers, we are human beings at the end of the day.

"There are times we get angry and aggrieved and make mistakes in that aspect of the game but I think I get a rough ride.

"Over the course of the season, up until the League Cup final, there was not one thing I did wrong.

"We had the incident at Ibrox (no further action taken against Lennon after being sent to the stand at half-time by referee Calum Murray) which I have had the hearing for.

"So over the course of the season we are talking about one incident so I don't think I have to change that much but I will temper those actions if I can."

Lennon revealed around half a dozen players will be let go at the end of the season.

He said: "Some of them have been told, not all of them.

"The squad is bigger than we want it to be and hopefully we will be trimming it.

"We want to add three or four quality players and we don't want to clog up the young ones coming through, we want to give them the opportunity."

The Northern Irishman sat in the stand serving the second of a two-match touchline ban and was delighted with the way the champion dismantled its great rival to go 21 points clear at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Goals from Charlie Mulgrew, Kris Commons and Gary Hooper gave Celtic a comfortable win in what could be the last Old Firm league meeting for several years, if administration-hit Rangers drop out of the SPL, a scenario that could unfold if the Govan club goes into liquidation.

Afterwards, the former Celtic skipper spoke about the different take he has on the fixture from others.

"As a player you would miss them terribly," said Lennon. "As a manager they are horrible. Honestly.

"Even yesterday, there was no real pressure on the game but you are always apprehensive going into it.

"They were three brilliant goals but I am thinking 'I don't want Rangers to score and get back into the game' and everybody else is thinking four or five.

"In the fallout, you boys [the media] will be saying that I got my tactics bang on, my team were up for it and all that nonsense.

"I couldn't ask any more from the team. We played well but I don't buy into the tactical stuff, I got one over him and he got one over me.

"We just won the game and I am thrilled with that.

"But I don't want to see the back of them [Old Firm games], it really whets the appetite."

Lennon, though, is adamant that Rangers should receive the appropriate punishment by the authorities for whatever misdemeanours it is found guilty of committing.

The Ibrox club has appealed last week's decision by the Scottish Football Association to hit it with a 12-month ban on signing players as well as fines totalling £160,000 ($249,000) for breaching regulations.

Video: Celtic v Rangers

The club announced the move on its official Twitter account tonight after the 3-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat by Celtic at Parkhead.

A brief statement read: "The club has tonight been made aware of racial abuse directed at one of our players. We have reported this matter to the police."

Goals from defender Charlie Mulgrew and midfielder Kris Commons, his first of the season, gave the rampant champion a commanding interval lead.

Striker Gary Hooper scored with a thumping drive soon after the break and it looked for a spell as if the home side was going to hand out a real hammering to the Govan men.

However, three goals were enough for the celebrating Celtic fans, who can brag of a 21-point lead over its old rival, an indication of its superiority this season, even in light of the 10 points Rangers was deducted in February for entering administration.

Kenny McLean's strike kept Hibernian firmly in relegation danger as Pat Fenlon's side slumped to a 1-0 defeat against 10-man St Mirren in Paisley.

McLean finished from the edge of the box midway through the second half and St Mirren survived Marc McAusland's 77th-minute red card without any major scares.

Hibs, without top goalscorer Garry O'Connor, suffered another blow to their survival hopes in injury-time when Lewis Stevenson was sent off.

Trevor Muirhead, 44, and Neil McKenzie, 42, were jailed for conspiring to assault Lennon, former MSP Trish Godman and the late QC Paul McBride, as well as people at the republican organisation Cairde Na hEireann, by sending devices they believed were capable of exploding and causing severe injury.

McKenzie, from Saltcoats, Ayrshire, was also sentenced to 18 months for a separate charge of posting a hoax bomb to Lennon at Celtic Park to make him believe it was likely to explode, which will run concurrently with his five-year sentence.

Muirhead, from Kilwinning, also Ayrshire, was cleared of the charge with a not proven verdict.

Both men were originally accused of a more serious charge of conspiring to murder their targets but it was thrown out a day before the trial concluded due to insufficient evidence.

At the High Court in Glasgow today, judge Lord Turnbull said he could not "fathom" what was in their minds when they decided to send the packages.

He said: "It is incomprehensible that two such family men, in their 40s, would engage in such reckless and serious criminal conduct.

"Even the sending of a package as a bomb hoax would always be a serious offence and would be bound to result in a custodial sentence - that is because of the widespread disruption and anxiety caused by such conduct."

The judge said it was "obvious" he was not dealing with what would be considered "acts of terrorism".

The jury heard that McKenzie told police he learned how to make a hoax bomb after seeing it on the 1980s TV show The A-Team.

Giving evidence at the trial, Lennon said he was left "very disturbed" after finding out he had been targeted. He said he "couldn't believe the lengths some people will go to".

The plot centred on four suspicious packages, all of them non-viable, discovered last spring.

A device sent to Lennon at Celtic's training ground in Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, was intercepted at a sorting office in Kirkintilloch on March 26 last year when a postman spotted a nail protruding from it.

It tested positive for peroxide, which can be used to make explosives.

Two days later a package delivered to Ms Godman's constituency office in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, caused the evacuation of the building.

Liquid inside a plastic bottle within the package tested positive for a small amount of the primary explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP).

Before the incident, Ms Godman, who was Labour MSP for West Renfrewshire, had been filmed wearing a Celtic strip to the Scottish Parliament, which she claimed was meant to be a private matter.

Also on March 28, a postman tried to deliver a package to Cairde Na hEireann in Glasgow's Gallowgate.

After two failed attempts, it was sent to the Royal Mail's National Returns Centre in Belfast, where it was found to contain potentially explosive peroxide.

The final package, found on April 15 in a postbox on Montgomerie Terrace, Kilwinning, was addressed to the late Mr McBride.

The lawyer, who died suddenly days before he was due to give evidence at the trial, was known to have represented Lennon and Celtic.

The prosecution's case was that even though none of the devices were viable, Muirhead and McKenzie believed they were capable of exploding.

Defence QCs Gordon Jackson, representing Muirhead, and Donald Findlay, who represented McKenzie, said it was "preposterous" that anyone could have believed such a thing.

Lord Turnbull said today: "There was quite simply no relevant sense that it could be said that any explosive material was present. There was also no form of detonator or method of causing ignition."

"There was no risk of injury to anyone beyond the risk of some accidental contact with nails present in the various packages - and these aspects are taken into account in deciding the appropriate sentence."

McKenzie blew a kiss to his family as he was led away from the dock while Muirhead looked at the floor and shook his head.

Both of their sentences will be backdated to May 13 last year when they were taken into custody, after police swooped on their homes in a series of early-morning raids.

When they were convicted last month following a five-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow, detectives who led the investigation condemned the men's actions as "deplorable", while prosecutors said it had been "an act of violence against Scottish society as a whole" and had an impact across the UK.

Lennon said he was glad the "stressful and difficult" ordeal was over, but he wished his good friend Mr McBride had lived to see the matter brought to an end.

Lennon completes his two-match touchline ban when Rangers visits Parkhead on Sunday but there could be more punishment to come after the Irishman was hit with three more charges from the Scottish Football Association yesterday.

The Clydesdale Bank Premier League champion was not affected on Sunday when Lennon was banished to the Fir Park stand as his side won 3-0 against Motherwell.

And he is confident his players and assistants Johan Mjallby, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker will be in the right mood against Rangers as Celtic looks to avenge last month's 3-2 Ibrox defeat, when it had two players and Lennon sent off.

Lennon, who is banned over comments made about Scottish Communities Cup final referee Willie Collum, told Celtic TV's Huddle Online: "Any game that you have to sit in the stand and watch is difficult but we prepared the team very well last week and we'll do the same this week.

"Sometimes you have to trust the players and say `just go and do it`.

"I have got good backroom staff as well in Johan, Alan and Garry.

"They will prepare the players and make sure the players are in the right frame of mind."

Lennon was yesterday accused of three rule breaches relating to his reaction to his team's William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Hearts on April 15.

The former Northern Ireland midfielder was hit with a misconduct charge after confronting Euan Norris over his decision to award Hearts a late penalty for handball.

Lennon, who has until Thursday to respond with a hearing pencilled in for seven days later, also faces two charges relating to comments made on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the Celtic boss hopes to field more young players in the final four games of the Scottish Premier League season after teenager Tony Watt netted a double on his debut against Motherwell.

Lennon said: "I was delighted for him. He has looked good in training, he has done well this season and improved very, very well.

"We have had him around the first team for the last two or three weeks and just felt it was a good opportunity to see what he could do.

"Everyone associated with the club and the supporters wants to see homegrown players come through.

"That was a great debut for him and he has a lot to live up to now."

Dylan McGeouch could now feature against Rangers after starring in Celtic's 8-0 win over Queen of the South in the SFA Youth Cup final.

"We hope more will make the step-up next season," Lennon said.

"I'm hoping to blood a few more before the end of this season but we'll just have to see how things go.

"Dylan had an exceptionally good game on Monday and he'll be back amongst the squad at the weekend."

Lennon has been issued with a notice of complaint accusing him of breaching three SFA rules relating to Hearts' 2-1 victory at Hampden, which came courtesy of Craig Beattie's controversial late penalty.

Lennon, who was hit with a two-match touchline ban last week over a separate incident, has seven days to respond with an SFA hearing pencilled in for May 10.

Lennon has been unveiled as one of the three nominees along with Motherwell's Stuart McCall and Derek Adams at Ross County, with the winner set to be announced on 6 May.

The Hoops boss has already guided Celtic to the Scottish Premier League title with games to spare and Hoops midfielder Wanyama believes he should pick up the prize, which is voted for by his fellow managers.

He said: "For me, he deserves it. He has been outstanding this season.

"He has worked hard for the team and I think he should win it.

"He is a big motivator. He has passion for the game and it's easy working for him."

Lennon has had a number of run-ins with the Scottish Football Association this season.

Asked if he felt the manager's 'passion' is misinterpreted at times, Wanyama said: "For us, we don't think he gets angry.

"It's just the passion. He just loves the game so much."

The SFA confirmed Calum Murray will referee this weekend's Old Firm derby after Craig Thomson was forced to pull out of the clash due to family reasons.

Murray also officiated the last meeting with Rangers, which saw Lennon sent off at half-time and Wanyama, Cha Du-Ri and Ibrox defender Carlos Bocanegra all handed red cards.

However, the Kenyan has no issues with the referee officiating this weekend's game at Celtic Park.

Speaking on Radio Clyde, he said: "I don't want to comment on the referees.

"I know for sure the referee will come and have a good game so I don't want to make any comments about the referee."

However, Wanyama was keen to stress he is not a dirty player despite his challenge on Steven Whittaker which led to his dismissal in the 3-2 defeat at Ibrox last month.

He said: "I was just unlucky because my timing on the tackle was wrong.

"But I am not a dirty player, I am not someone who is always going to injure other players. I just missed my timing.

"Come Sunday, it will be a different game and hopefully I will have a good game."

Wanyama believes Celtic will have a point to prove this time around after losing the last derby.

He added: "We are looking forward to playing this game. We are happy to have another chance to prove ourselves.

"I know we lost the last time but hopefully this weekend we will get the three points so we will be working hard.

"You saw what happened before and we are going to try to have less mistakes."

Referee Euan Norris included an 'A5' offence by the Hoops striker in his match report, which pertains to 'offensive, insulting and/or abusive language and/or gestures'.

Stokes and the Parkhead club were informed by Norris he was to be mentioned in his report at the time, which in effect was a red card.

The suspension is specific to the Scottish Cup which means the Irishman will miss Celtic's first tie in next season's tournament.

An SFA spokesman told Press Association Sport: "A report has been submitted and the player has been notified of an A5 offence."

Norris' report is almost certain to land Celtic manager Neil Lennon in more trouble.

The Parkhead boss marched onto the pitch to confront the referee after Hearts substitute Craig Beattie scored the winner from a last-gasp penalty, awarded when a shot from Jambos skipper Marius Zaliukas hit the arm of Joe Ledley before brushing the hand of Victor Wanyama.

Lennon, who has three disciplinary cases pending, two of which will be heard by the SFA's judiciary panel at Hampden on Thursday, was further enraged when Norris refused Celtic a penalty in injury-time when the ball appeared to come off the arm of Hearts defender Andy Webster.

Afterwards Parkhead coach Alan Thompson confirmed Lennon had been to the referee's room and it is likely that he will be asked to appear before the judiciary panel again.

Lennon marched onto the pitch to confront Norris about the award of a late Jambos' penalty for handball, which substitute Craig Beattie converted to take Hearts into next month's final against Edinburgh rivals Hibernian.

Dallas, formerly head of referee development at the Scottish Football Association before leaving his position following controversy over what was considered an offensive e-mail, reckons Lennon's behaviour did little for the reputation of the game in Scotland.

"I can't remember in 25 years of refereeing seeing a manager run that far onto a pitch to bully a referee," Dallas told STV.

"These pictures are going around the world and it is not good."

Dallas believes Lennon would do well to take note of Tottenham Hotspur counterpart Harry Redknapp's reaction to the controversial goal awarded to Chelsea on Sunday in its 5-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat at Wembley.

"Take another example yesterday in the Tottenham Hotspur game," Dallas added. "It was a huge occasion and a goal was given where the ball didn't cross the line.

"After the game, Harry Redknapp said he had a chat with the referee, who admitted he made an honest mistake.

"Redknapp said he was disappointed but was keen to move on. That's how we should do it in Scotland."

The Hoops were denied a chance to go for an SPL and Scottish Cup double by a 2-1 defeat to Hearts at Hampden.

Lennon was incensed by the decision to blow for the late penalty from which Craig Beattie scored the Tynecastle side's winning goal.

At full-time he stormed on to the pitch to confront referee Norris, who had given the spot-kick after a shot from Jambos skipper Marius Zaliukas hit the arm of Celtic player Joe Ledley.

The Celtic manager avoided the post-match press conference but used his Twitter account to blast Norris.

He wrote: "Referee told players he thought [Victor] Wanyama handled...feel so sorry for players and fans...I think it's personal myself."

Later Lennon re-tweeted a comment from Celtic supporter @DazDiCanio which suggested the club 'pack our bags and get out of this league that is run by crooked #SFA officials'.

Lennon, who has three disciplinary cases pending, had also been angered when Norris refused the Scottish Premier League champion a penalty in injury-time when Celtic players felt the ball came off the arm of Hearts defender Andy Webster.

Lennon was written to by SFA compliance officer Vincent Lunny demanding an explanation for his comments about referees ahead of an SPL game against St Johnstone at Celtic Park at the start of the month.

The Parkhead boss is fighting two other charges relating to criticism of referee Willie Collum after the Scottish Communities League Cup final defeat to Kilmarnock and his half-time dismissal by referee Calum Murray during the recent 3-2 SPL defeat at Ibrox.

After the defeat to Kilmarnock he accused Collum of making a 'criminal decision' which 'cost us the Treble'.

Celtic coach Alan Thompson confirmed Lennon had also confronted Norris in the referees' room after the match.

He said: "I think he has been in, yes, but I wasn't there so I don't know what was said.

"We are all angry. We have just lost the semi-final of the cup when there were 92 minutes on the clock, it is frustrating."

Lennon continued to rage on Twitter, accusing Manchester United supporter @mccart3204 of talking 'clap trap' when he suggested Celtic striker Gary Hooper had been offside for the Hoops' equaliser.

He then dismissed as 'nonsense' a comment from Celtic fan @_FlyTheFlag that the team 'shouldn't be relying on decisions, the players weren't good enough'.

He later added a good luck message for Hearts manager Paulo Sergio: "However I would like to wish Paulo and his team the best for the final."

One of the most remarkable afternoons in the history of the competition began in earnest a minute after the break when Rudi Skacel raced on to a pass from Beattie, who had replaced Scott Robinson at the interval, to fire Hearts into the lead.

Four minutes from time Celtic striker Gary Hooper headed in a Charlie Mulgrew cross and it looked like the game was heading towards extra-time.

However, with seconds of normal time remaining referee Euan Norris pointed to the spot when a shot from Tynecastle skipper Marius Zaliukas hit the arm of Hoops midfielder Joe Ledley and Beattie scored from the spot to send the travelling Jambos fans into ecstasy.

Hoops boss Neil Lennon was clearly unhappy at the penalty decision but will perhaps be more annoyed that his Scottish Premier League champion will miss out on the chance of a double.

Edinburgh football fans, though, will look forward to a day out in Glasgow on 19 May.

Lennon made one change to his side, bringing in Sweden right-back Mikael Lustig for Adam Matthews, who had a mouth infection.

The Tynecastle side showed two changes, defender Andy Webster and striker Stephen Elliott in for the injured Jamie Hamill and Gary Glen, who dropped out altogether.

The Tynecastle side had a great chance after just 30 seconds when Celtic defender Kelvin Wilson underhit a backpass which let Elliott in, but his shot from a tight angle was blocked by Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster for a corner.

Hearts had six players in its starting line-up who were one booking away from missing the final but showed no signs of holding back and there were some hefty challenges in the early stages.

There was another moment of slackness from the Celtic defence in the ninth minute when defender Mulgrew was robbed by Jambos midfielder Ian Black, who raced into the box but his pass failed to find Elliott.

Lustig headed a Kris Commons free-kick over the bar from six yards out five minutes later, before a fine Mulgrew cross into the box evaded Georgios Samaras, but the game was taking its time to come to the boil.

In the 21st minute Black was lucky to escape with only a booking after a challenge on Celtic midfielder Ledley, in an incident which saw Mulgrew also booked. Black was also penalised for a handball but Norris resisted the temptation to produce a second yellow card.

Hooper headed wide from a Mulgrew cross, and Webster caused panic when he was short with a return pass to Hearts goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald which allowed Commons in, but the Scotland midfielder's touch was too heavy as he was forced to go around MacDonald and the opportunity was lost.

The best chance of the first half came for the dominant Hoops in the final minute but Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-yueng hit the post with a header from Lustig's cross when it looked as if he must score.

Beattie replaced Robinson for the start of the second half and the move paid off after just a minute when the big striker helped Skacel fire Hearts ahead.

After taking a pass from Black 30 yards out, Beattie quickly released Skacel into the box and he rounded Forster before slamming the ball into the roof of the net.

Stunned Celtic immediately stepped up the tempo and moments later Ki fired over from the edge of the box with a drive which signalled a period of intense Hoops pressure.

However, Hearts was a threat on the counter. In the 54th minute Skacel fired in a drive from 30 yards which Forster was glad to push round the post for a corner, and moments later the Czech tried his luck from the edge of the box but this time his effort trundled wide.

Anthony Stokes replaced the ineffective Samaras on the hour mark as Lennon tried plan B but in another Hearts counter-attack Beattie fired wide from 20 yards.

Ki hit the post again with a header from Commons' free-kick in the 81st minute, before skipper Scott Brown made way for Dylan McGeouch.

MacDonald produced a fingertip save to stop Commons' free-kick going under the bar before making a great save from Mulgrew's header with the rebound coming off Stokes' thigh and away from danger.

But in the 86th minute Celtic eventually got through when Hooper headed in Mulgrew's cross from four yards out and extra-time looked likely.

However, Beattie became the Hearts hero with his spot-kick, although there was still time for Celtic to be denied a penalty when the ball appeared to come off the arm of Webster as Hearts defended for its life.

The Northern Irishman won his first Scottish Premier League title as Celtic's manager last week and hopes to take the next step towards a double in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts at Hampden.

However, the former Parkhead skipper is confident he can go even higher with Celtic if given time.

"My ambition is to win the Champions League," Lennon told a number of newspapers.

"Here or anywhere, that's my ambition. I never reached those heights as a player and I may not reach those heights as a manager - but that's what I'm aiming for.

"You must keep a vision within your head and try to do everything you can to achieve it. Is it possible to win it here? Yes, definitely.

"It might not be possible to do it in a year or two years' time.

"But if we can consistently get in the Champions League and gain the revenue from that then we can build a team that could challenge.

"It's an ambition, that's all. I'm not saying: 'I think we are going to win the Champions League', but we have to have ambitions for it.

"I'm not the oracle - I don't have all the answers. But every now and again the Champions League does throw up a surprise package."

The former Leicester player went on to cite Jose Mourinho`s Porto side of eight years ago as an example to follow.

He added: "Look at 2004 when Porto and Monaco got to the final - you would never have envisaged that.

"That was a great Porto team that beat us the year before in the UEFA Cup Final.

"I'm not saying this team is anywhere near our 2003 team yet but they have the potential to achieve something and we are hoping Europe is going to be the marker."

The Hoops clinched the Scottish Premier League championship in style last weekend as it routed Kilmarnock 6-0.

However, on Monday (AEST), Neil Lennon's side faces Hearts at Hampden for a place in the Scottish Cup final.

And the Celtic midfielder is keen to cap off a good season for the club by retaining the trophy it won last year against Motherwell.

"Everyone is still on a high but we have another big game coming up on Sunday," Brown said.

"We have got to focus and get ready for that, get back into training and being sharp. We have had a couple of good days and enjoyed it but that has passed now and we have a Scottish Cup game coming up."

The last time Celtic was at Hampden, it lost the League Cup final 1-0 to Kilmarnock.

And Scottish international Kris Commons is keen to use the semi-final against Hearts to make it up to the Celtic fans for the shock defeat.

"It's good to be champions but I want to get my mind back on preparing for the weekend," Commons said.

"We have a big game against Hearts so we have to make sure this good season becomes a great one by bringing the cup home as well."

Celtic will be without winger James Forrest and long-term injuries Beram Kayal and Daniel Majstorovic.

Hearts warmed up for the match with consecutive victories over Dunfermline and Aberdeen but winger Andy Driver says his teammates will need to be wary of a Celtic backlash.

"They've got a point to prove. It's a game they've got to try to wipe out of their memory," Driver said.

"They were throwing around the treble talk - they know now they've got to work to get it - nothing's going to come for free."

The midfielder has been out of action since the 1-0 win over Rangers at Parkhead on 28 December.

His season was thought to be over when the Hoops revealed in January that Kayal would be sidelined for four months after ankle surgery.

However, the player believes he could make his comeback in the final at Hampden on 19 May if Celtic overcomes Hearts in this weekend's last-four clash.

He was quoted in the Scottish Daily Mail saying: "I can't wait for the moment that I get the chance to warm up and run back onto the pitch.

"It will take away a lot of the bitter taste of recent months to take part in the Scottish Cup final when Celtic get there."

Kayal revealed how he initially struggled to cope with the injury, adding: "I understand that football players go through these moments but I'd reached a point where I was fed up - I couldn't be bothered getting up in the morning.

"But slowly, the players, the fans and my fiancee helped me recover."

Hooper was on target twice as Celtic clinched the championship with a 6-0 away victory over Kilmarnock on Saturday.

Rugby Park was the venue for another crucial afternoon in Celtic's season - it was three goals down there at half-time in October after losing to Hearts days earlier.

But an Anthony Stokes double and a late Charlie Mulgrew header earned them a point that day, before manager Neil Lennon admitted he had been considering resigning if Killie had added to its lead.

The draw came amid an inconsistent run for Lennon's side and it fell 15 points behind Rangers on November 5.

But Hooper secured a late winner at Motherwell the following day and Celtic never looked back, winning the next 16 SPL games before going on to wrap up the title with five matches to spare.

"When we played at Rugby Park before, we were 3-0 down at half-time," Hooper told the club's official website.

"We managed to get a point that day and kicked on from there.

"And to come from 15 points behind is really good going. The team spirit is unbelievable and everyone has done their job and won the title.

"We lost to Kilmarnock in the League Cup final a few weeks ago and had to make it up to the fans and we did that by winning 6-0 and it was a brilliant performance."

There was some bad news on an otherwise triumphant weekend for Celtic after Paul George was ruled out for up to eight months with a broken leg suffered in a 3-0 SPL Under-19 win over Rangers at Murray Park.

A report on the club's official website read: "The young Irishman sustained a fractured tibia and fibula half an hour into the game following a crude challenge from a defender."

The 18-year-old winger made his only first-team appearance off the bench in Celtic's 2-0 win over Ross County in the Scottish Communities League Cup in September.

The Northern Irishman, who took over as Hoops manager two years ago, went into kick-off knowing his side needed just a point to secure the title.

It proved to be a lot easier than he could have hoped, with a first-half brace from Charlie Mulgrew, along with goals from Glenn Loovens and Gary Hooper, meaning the trophy was in the bag by half-time.

Second-half goals from Joe Ledley and Hooper only added to the euphoria inside Rugby Park which, thanks to the thousands of visiting fans, had become an outpost of Celtic`s home ground.

And Lennon, who won the title with Celtic as a captain, could not hide his joy when the final whistle went.

"It`s the best day of my professional life," he told ESPN. "It`s been a long time coming.

"It`s been two years in the waiting. I`m so proud of them. They deserve it. We have been the best team in Scotland by a long way and we have finished it in the right way."

Lennon soaked up the adulation from three sides of the ground as the celebrations continued, with the success even sweeter for the 40-year-old who has, at times, been a hate figure for fans of rival clubs.

"I`ve been here 12 years and they`ve thrown everything at me," Lennon said of his turbulent ride.

"I`m at the pinnacle now. I couldn`t have done it without the club, the players, fans and my family.

"I follow in the footsteps of (former managers) Martin O`Neill and Gordon Strachan, who had a great influence on my career."

Celtic`s players donned t-shirts which read: `This is just the beginning` as they walked a lap of honour, and captain Scott Brown said: "I`ve waited a long time for this and it`s for the fans.

"We`re a strong bunch of lads and we just want to kick on now. We are as good as anyone."

Mulgrew, who also scored a crucial goal in Celtic`s 3-3 comeback draw at Kilmarnock in November - a result widely credited with being a turning point in their season - was happy for his manager.

"I`m delighted, this is a dream come true," he said.

"Neil has done brilliantly. Look at the players he has brought in. I can`t thank him enough.

"We were 15 points behind Rangers at one point, so to come back is credit to the manager."

Left-back Charlie Mulgrew was the force behind the first half domination, scoring twice and setting up goals for Glenn Loovens and Gary Hooper to give the rampant visitor an unassailable interval lead.

In what was one of the most impressive performances of the season, late goals by midfielder Joe Ledley and Hooper confirmed with some conviction that the championship is back at Parkhead for the first time in four years.

Celtic can now look forward to next week's William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts at Hampden and on this form, Neil Lennon's side must be favourite for the double.

Lennon, who was given a hero's reception by the Celtic fans after the game, was certainly vindicated in the three changes he made for the trip to Ayrshire.

In came right-back Adam Matthews, stopper Kelvin Wilson and midfielder Ki Sung-yueng with Mikael Lustig, Thomas Rogne and Anthony Stokes dropping out, with only the Irishman starting on the bench.

Killie's on-loan defender Lewis Toshney was not allowed to play against his parent club and his place was taken by Liam Kelly.

Kilmarnock had beaten Celtic in the Scottish Communities League Cup final at Hampden last month but, with the mood the Parkhead men was in, there was never any chance of a repeat.

The Ayrshire club had moved some of its supporters from the East Stand to allow Celtic fans three of the four stands at Rugby Park.

Celtic started strongly with Kris Commons pushed up alongside Georgios Samaras and Hooper but it was Mulgrew who headed it into the lead after only seven minutes.

Ki's powerful drive was deflected for a corner and when the South Korean swung the ball in from the left, Mulgrew rose high inside the six yard box to steer the ball into the net.

From then on it was all Celtic and all Mulgrew.

In the 16th minute he took a Scott Brown pass wide on the right before swinging in a cross to the back post where the unmarked Loovens headed past Cameron Bell for his first goal of the season.

Celtic was overwhelming a startled Killie side which did not have any sort of antidote and in the 34th minute Mulgrew all too easily drifted in from the left before curling his shot past Bell and into the far corner.

Moments later only a brilliant block from the foot of Bell prevented Samaras making it four, after the Greece striker had been unselfishly set up by Commons 12 yards from goal.

It was too easy for the visitor and a minute from the break, from wide on the left, Mulgrew crossed to the back post for Hooper to volley high past the helpless Bell.

Killie boss Kenny Shiels replaced Garry Hay and Lee Johnson with James Dayton and Ross Barbour for the start of the second half while Filip Twardzik soon came on for Hoops skipper Brown.

Celtic was free-wheeling while it was purely a damage limitation exercise for the bewildered home side although a brief spell of pressure on the Celtic goal in the 52nd minute ended with Kelly firing high over the bar from outside the box.

Celtic fans rejoiced, mostly in the possible demise of its administration-hit Old Firm rival Rangers.

In the 62nd minute, in a swift Celtic counter, Commons sent Loovens through on goal but the big Dutchman shot wide as he collided with Bell, both players continuing after treatment.

Stokes, who had replaced Samaras, had a great chance in the 75th minute when he was sent clean through by Mulgrew but the former Sunderland player hesitated in possession and was robbed by back-tracking Killie defender Mo Sissoko.

Two minutes from time Ledley grabbed the fifth with a dink over Bell after the Killie defence crumbled before Hooper volleyed in number six a minute later to seal a commanding performance.

The travelling fans in the crowd of 15,926 stepped up their celebrations all the way to the final whistle which brought a huge roar.

After Rangers scored a last-gasp winner against Motherwell last weekend to stop the Hoops clinching the title in record time Celtic know its destiny is now in its own hands.

Neil Lennon's side is 18 points clear with six games remaining and a draw at Rugby Park will be enough to trigger the celebrations amongst the Parkhead faithful.

Last year, Rangers cantered to a 5-1 win to clinch the title at the same venue, but Celtic assistant manager Johan Mjallby admits he doesn't care how the Parkhead club's 43rd title is won.

"It doesn't really matter how we win the game - I'll be delighted if we win it in the 90th minute," the Swede said.

Celtic will not be taking anything for granted after being pushed by Kilmarnock in its meetings this season.

Killie raced into a 3-0 halftime lead the last time Celtic visited Rugby Park, only for the Hoops to clinch a remarkable 3-3 draw before the Ayrshire side defeated the Glasgow giant in March's League Cup final to ruin the Old Firm side's dreams of a domestic treble.

And Mjallby admitted his side would be wary of its opponent.

"You have to give them credit for their win against us in the final," he said.

"They played well and stopped us from really penetrating them, even if we did create a lot of chances. They are very good on the ball and play good, passing football.

"So we are going to go through that game at Hampden again and see where we fell short and try to make sure we don't make the same mistakes again."

Kilmarnock is looking for its fourth win over the Old Firm this season having defeated Rangers home and away to add to its League Cup win over Celtic.

But manager Kenny Shiels says it will be hard to replicate that form again when Celtic come calling on Sunday.

"It's difficult to reproduce," the Kilmarnock manager said.

"We were lucky in the final, we were lucky in the 3-3 draw, we were lucky against Rangers twice.

"We're playing against better players so when you beat them or draw with them, it's a great feeling of satisfaction. To beat Celtic or draw with them, or be close to them, is an achievement.

"If we try to match Celtic, they will walk all over the top of us. We have got to try to get an edge if we can and that's all we can hope for.

"It's mission impossible to be honest, it really is. They are coming to win a title and we are just little Kilmarnock so it's going to be difficult."

Rangers, which was docked 10 points after entering administration in February, will hope to put its financial worries to one side as it continues its push for second place when it takes on St Mirren at Ibrox.

The Hoops defender picked up a cruciate ligament injury in a freak training ground incident in February while on international duty, which ended a campaign that had already been halted for almost two months after he fractured his cheekbone against St Johnstone in December.

With Neil Lennon's men only a draw away from winning the SPL title and with an upcoming Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts, before EURO 2012 gets under way in Poland and Ukraine at the end of the season, Majstorovic, who turned 35 on Thursday, could be excused for feeling downbeat.

However, speaking at the club's Lennoxtown training ground, where he was promoting the club's Easter draw in support of the club's youth development programme, his upbeat mood told a different story.

"When it happened there were days and nights when I thought about my situation and what I was going to miss," he said.

"First of all I was going to miss the last games for Celtic and to be part of this period, and of course the European Championships in front of me.

"This was hard, especially when the injury happened but I said to myself that I had been very lucky with injuries throughout my career.

"Yes, first it was my cheek and now I have this knee injury this season but this is football and this can always happen.

"Now I have my energy and inspiration back.

"I want to get back to the level I was at and I'm sure I will be there at the end of the summer.

"I have no doubt about that (full recovery). I had a long discussion with the doctor.

"I have a really healthy knee, there was nothing else that was damaged and if I do my recovery well, and if everything goes like it should, then there will be no problem getting back to where I was.

"Of course, it is always difficult because you want to be part of the group, you want to be on the pitch and feel the atmosphere of the fans but you just have to accept it."

Majstorovic's current contract at Parkhead is up in June but he stressed that his focus was first and foremost on getting fit again, before he enters into talks about his future.

"It is getting a lot better, the medical staff are very happy and I'm happy," he said.

"If everything goes well and I progress as I am now, I think I might start to run in eight to 10 weeks.

"My contract runs out in June so there will be a time when we need to talk about it. There will be a point where we see what's going to happen.

"But the main thing for me now is rehabilitation. I am so focused on my rehab, that is my priority.

"I am not worried. I know my fitness and I know there is so much more that I want achieve.

"I am still so motivated and hungry so the priority is to have a good rehab now. I will take it step by step now."

The Hoops striker was the star of Celtic's 2-0 home win over St Johnstone on Sunday, scoring the opener after the break with a header before his cross from the right was deflected into his own net by St Johnstone midfielder Chris Millar.

The welcome victory, which followed the Scottish Communities League Cup final defeat to Killie at Hampden and the SPL loss to Rangers at Ibrox, means Neil Lennon's men need only a draw in Ayrshire to win the championship and that, insists Samaras, is all that is on the agenda.

"It was a final, they won it, it's finished," said the Greece international.

"We don't go there with our minds on revenge. We are not looking at the past, we are looking at the future.

"We haven't had the greatest results in the last two weeks but we showed great character in the second half and won the game.

"Now we need to go to Kilmarnock with the same character and win that game as well.

"We were nervous in the first half, there was a strange atmosphere, I don't know why but in the second half we went out and enjoyed our football which is what we need to do from now on.

"We need to start to play good football, create chances and do what we did before March, which wasn't a great month."

St Johnstone, who won 1-0 at Celtic Park earlier in the season, made a decent fist of its return to the east end of Glasgow but remain five points behind third-placed Motherwell.

Rangers are second but with the administration-hit Ibrox club unable to take a European place due to its financial troubles, third place could be rewarded with a Champions League qualifying spot.

Saints midfielder Liam Craig, who was booked for complaining after referee George Salmond let Kris Commons' hefty challenge on him go unpunished before Celtic raced up the park to score the second, insists the Perth men will keep going to the end of the season and see where that takes them.

"We need to pick ourselves up and go again," he said.

"We have a big game against Inverness next week. Motherwell is only five points clear and if we can drag them back then it is going to be an exciting end to the season.

"We have had a decent season so far, now we want to make a it a great one.

"To put St Johnstone in the same sentence as the Champions League is massive, but we are not getting ahead of ourselves.

"Motherwell are a great side, Dundee United are on a good run and Hearts had a good result on Sunday (against Aberdeen) as well so it is going to be difficult."

Celtic slipped to a 3-2 loss to Rangers at Ibrox on Monday (AEDT), a week after Neil Lennon's side had been defeated in the League Cup final to Kilmarnock.

But with the chance to possibly wrap up the title at Celtic Park on Monday against St Johnstone, Norwegian defender Rogne dismissed any thoughts that his side had been struck by stage-fright, pointing to the recent 26 game unbeaten run as proof of its mental strength.

"We played a lot of big games and won them. We've lost two big games now, but that happens," said Rogne, who scored his side's second goal in the defeat to Rangers.

"The game we played against Rangers on December 28 was probably an even bigger one than Sunday because we had the same amount of points. And we won that.

"So we have played big games. We won the Scottish Cup final last year, which was a big game. Now we have lost two and people are talking about our mentality being bad, but I just think that's nonsense.

"We have strong characters in the dressing room. We were 15 points behind and somehow managed to get to 18 in front. You don't have a weak mentality if you have managed to do that."

Celtic could potentially clinch the title on Monday if Rangers slips up away to Motherwell on Sunday.

And Rogne believes the defeats to Kilmarnock and Rangers will soon be forgotten once the league championship is back at Celtic Park.

"If we win the league, that's all that matters. Sometimes you lose games in football," the Norwegian said.

"We conceded a late goal in the cup final and that's part of the game. Against Rangers, it was a bit of a strange game and that's what happens really.

"I hope we haven't subconsciously switched off. I don't think we have. We just want to get back to winning ways and look forward again."

Zaluska, who last month signed a three-year contract extension until 2015, has had to be patient for his chance, with on-loan Newcastle goalkeeper Forster having succeeded Artur Boruc as first choice.

The 29-year-old, who moved to Parkhead from Dundee United in 2009, told the Celtic View: "I have become a Celtic supporter, I love this club and I feel so good here. Of course I'm not happy being number two, I want to be playing all the time.

"Everything changes so quickly in football and I have to be ready to take my chance. I know the gaffer (Neil Lennon) trusts me and that's why he offered me the new deal."

The Pole is still eager to succeed at Celtic, despite limited opportunities in the starting XI, with Forster's form key in the Scottish Premier League title push.

"You train so hard and every day you do something extra, but when it comes to Saturday and there is a big match, or a European game during the week, it's difficult," Zaluska said.

"When you're a striker you can play 10 minutes, score a goal, and then start the next week, but it is a different story with the goalkeepers.

"It's hard to stay motivated all the time but if you are a professional footballer, especially at a club like Celtic, then that's your job. You have to keep a high standard and push the first goalkeeper.

"You can see that with Fraser. He has played really well this season and part of my job is to push him all the time. That's why we haven't lost many goals this season."

Zaluska believes he is entering his prime.

He added: "You play football to win trophies and Celtic is a great place to be if you want to do that. That's why I decided to stay here.

"Sometimes players play in the Premier League for 10 years and never win anything. At Celtic we have the chance to play in Europe every year.

"Everyone in the world knows about Celtic. I enjoy every single day at this club.

"It has probably been the best few years of my football career. I'm coming to the best years for a goalkeeper and I want to give them to Celtic."

Referee Calum Murray sent the Korea Republic international off in the first half of the 3-2 Scottish Premier League defeat for hauling back Rangers midfielder Lee Wallace at the edge of the box, deeming it to be an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

A Fast Track Tribunal at Hampden rejected Cha's appeal and a one-match suspension has been imposed with immediate effect which means he misses the visit of St Johnstone on Sunday evening (AEDT).

After the 1-1 draw at the Stadio Friuli, the Parkhead club was charged with "the display of a banner of an offensive nature and the setting off of fireworks by supporters".

The decision to fine Celtic was made by UEFA's control and disciplinary body on February 23.

A UEFA spokesperson said: "Celtic have been fined 25,000 euros by UEFA's control and disciplinary body for breaching Article 11 of the UEFA disciplinary regulations.

"The decision was taken on February 23. It is nothing out of the ordinary that it wasn't announced then. We can have 100 cases at the monthly meetings. Celtic did not appeal."

Some Celtic fans held aloft a two-part banner which insulted UEFA, days after the club was fined about 12,700 euros for "illicit chanting" involving pro-IRA songs at a Europa League game against Rennes at Celtic Park.

Several flares were also let off and one was thrown on to the pitchside track.

Celtic banned for life one fan who was arrested in Italy over the alleged assault of a club steward, and who it says was one of those responsible for the banner.

Manager Neil Lennon and chief executive Peter Lawwell hit out out at the "rogue" element within the club's support on the day after the game.

The club also vowed to sift through photographic evidence to find those fans responsible for the use of the flares, warning that they will take "appropriate action".

Lawwell said: "It is very frustrating. Those people are not Celtic supporters.

"We will weed them out and these guys will not get back into Celtic Football Club.

"One or two silly little juvenile boys doing funny kids' pranks and stuff is bringing the whole of Scottish football down."

Lennon added: "My only surprise is that they got the spelling (on the banner) right.

"I am very disappointed, they have let me down, they have let the board, players and background staff down and 99.9 per cent of the support down."

Article 11 pertains to: inappropriate behaviour on the part of their supporters, including; the invasion or attempted invasion of the field of play; the throwing of objects; the lighting of fireworks or any other objects; the use of laser pointers or similar electronic devices; the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit any message that is not fit for a sports event, in particular if it is of a political, offensive or provocative nature; acts of damage; any other lack of order or discipline observed inside or around the stadium."

But the defender insists a further dug-out ban for the Hoops boss would be a major blow for the players.

Lennon has been issued with a notice of complaint by the Scottish Football Association's compliance officer relating to alleged misconduct during the 3-2 loss at Ibrox.

After complaining to referee Calum Murray about his performance in the tunnel at half-time, the Parkhead boss was ordered to the stand but watched the second half from the media room.

Rogne said: "To be honest, I didn't even notice that he was sent off.

"In those games, you don't really hear anything that people say because they are so loud.

"When I looked at the bench, I saw that he wasn't there, but it's something the players have to deal with.

"We have to deal with the situations out there anyway so it doesn't make too big of a difference."

Lennon has until next Tuesday to respond to the SFA and Rogne hopes the manager will not be hit with a touchline ban.

He added: "Of course that's a disappointment for everyone.

"We want to have our leader on the bench, that's important for everyone.

"If that's the case, it's something we have to deal with and I think we will deal with it quite well."

Celtic was reduced to nine men in the derby clash and the club is also contesting Cha Du-Ri's red card for a challenge on Lee Wallace on the edge of the area.

Rogne felt Murray's decision to dismiss the player was wrong but was reluctant to criticise the match official.

He said: "I haven't seen the situations again but I think the first sending off was not a sending off. That's what I felt out there.

"It's a very difficult job for a referee and things happen so quickly and he sees a man going down.

"But I'm not sure it was the right decision. First of all, I didn't think it was a free-kick, I don't think he challenged and I don't think he touched him that much.

"I also thought that Charlie Mulgrew was covering him so he wasn't the last man.

"As I said, it's a very difficult job for the referee and I'm not going to criticise him too much because we know how difficult it is."

Celtic has now lost two vital matches in a row, having also suffered defeat to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Communities League Cup final.

However, Rogne denied the Hoops have a psychological issue when it comes to big, high-stakes matches.

The Norwegian defender said: "We have played big games before and won them.

"I don't think think it's a mental thing. Going into big games is not a problem for us, it's something we all look forward to.

"Of course we were disappointed with the last two games.

"We wanted to win them but sometimes it happens in football that you lose important games. It's part of the game.

"We are just looking forward to turning it around again."

The Parkhead boss has allegedly breached rule 203 which pertains to 'misconduct at a match by dissent, the adoption of aggressive behaviour towards a match official and the repeated use of offensive, abusing and insulting language' and has until next Tuesday to respond.

However, the allegations contained within that rule are at odds with Lennon's account of the incident.

"I spoke quite quietly and coldly to the referee in the tunnel," said the former Celtic skipper after the game. "I didn't swear and didn't point any fingers.

"I told him I wasn't happy with his first-half performance.

"I was speaking to the match delegate after the game and their version of events are different from mine but I've got witnesses to back me up.

"Alan Thompson (coach) and our PR person was there, and a couple of other members of staff and players."

The SFA has set the Principal Hearing Date for Thursday, 19 April but the SFA's Compliance Officer, Vincent Lunny, and Lennon are set to tangle before that.

Lunny has already written to the Celtic manager asking him to explain his comments after last week's 1-0 Scottish Communities League Cup final defeat against Kilmarnock at Hampden where he described referee Willie Collum's decision not to award the Hoops a late penalty as 'shocking' and 'criminal'.

The Irishman is likely to fight both cases which will make for a feisty next few weeks at Hampden as more apparent misunderstanding emerged in the Ibrox fall-out.

Lennon's gripe about having to watch the second half on television in the bowels of the stadium took on a slightly different sheen when it was revealed that it was Celtic's own security staff who advised against him sitting in the stand.

During his post-match rant Lennon had said: "I can't sit in the stand for my own safety, that sums things up in this country.

"I would have sat in the directors' box but I was told for my own safety that it wasn't a good idea. I watched the second half in here (the media room)."

It was assumed - and at least in one case, reported - that it was Rangers' security who had given Lennon the safety advice.

However, the Parkhead club cleared up the situation through a statement which read: "Further to certain media reports today, for clarification, Neil was advised by Celtic's own security and operations staff not to enter the stand or directors' box area at Ibrox at yesterday's match.

"He was then provided another area by Rangers in which to watch the match."

A spokesperson for Rangers said: "Rangers Football Club can confirm that Neil Lennon was offered a seat in the directors' box to view the second half of yesterday's game.

"This offer was declined by Celtic's security staff and he was then accommodated in an alternative area."

Turning to matters on the pitch, Lennon described as 'nonsense' accusations that his players are big-game bottlers.

The disappointment of Ibrox came just a week after the Hoops were on the end of a shock defeat to Killie, which ended hopes of a domestic treble.

Celtic's doubters will point last season's League Cup final defeat by Rangers at Hampden and the upset at Inverness last May which ultimately cost it the championship.

However, Lennon, whose side is 18 points clear of the administration-hit Ibrox club, is adamant that when it does eventually win the title, it will be a worthy champion.

"People can throw the accusation we don't win the big games all they want - but it is a nonsense," he told the Evening Times.

"Every game is a big game for us, and these players have been fantastic.

"We'll have to wait a little bit longer (for a title party).

"But my players showed in the second half why they are going to be the champions.

"They've got pride and they've got quality and kept going right to the end."

But the Parkhead club will not challenge referee Calum Murray's decision to dismiss Victor Wanyama in the clash at Ibrox.

Cha was sent off after 29 minutes for denying Lee Wallace a goalscoring opportunity on the edge of the box.

Wanyama then saw red after 57 minutes for a challenge on Steven Whittaker as Celtic ended the Scottish Premier League match with nine men, while manager Neil Lennon was also sent off at half-time.

A statement from Celtic read: "Celtic are to appeal against the red card issued to Cha Du-Ri during Sunday's derby match against Rangers at Ibrox.

"The South Korean defender was sent off in the first-half of the match by referee Calum Murray following a challenge with Lee Wallace of Rangers.

"There will be no appeal against the red card issued to Victor Wanyama in the second half of the match.

"And the SFA today confirmed that Neil Lennon will face a misconduct charge next month relating to Sunday's game."

Lennon was banished from the dug-out in the second half after speaking to Murray in the tunnel area at the interval.

He was called into the official's room and sent to the stand, although the Hoops boss said he had to watch the second half on television in the Ibrox media room 'for my own safety'.

On the flash-points, Lennon said after the game: "The first one is not a sending off and the second is borderline probably, you can't tackle like that.

"My sending off is joke. I don't think I deserved to be sent off. My staff are very angry about it, my players are angry and disappointed."

Celtic was odds-on to get the win required to clinch the Scottish Premier League title, but Light Blues midfielder Sone Aluko scored a marvellous solo goal in the 11th minute to spark another afternoon of Old Firm drama.

Lennon was raging when Hoops defender Cha Du-ri was sent off by referee Calum Murray in the 28th minute for a challenge on Lee Wallace.

The Parkhead boss spoke to Murray going up the tunnel and was then called into the official's room where he was sent to the stand, although he said he had to watch the second half from the media room 'for my own safety'.

Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Steven Whittaker before goals from substitute Andy Little and Wallace put Rangers 3-0 ahead, with a Scott Brown penalty and a Thomas Rogne injury-time header reducing the deficit - but not the ire of the Parkhead manager.

Lennon, who has been asked by the SFA's compliance officer, Vincent Lunny, for an explanation of his criticism of referee Willie Collum after last week's 1-0 Scottish Communities League Cup final against Kilmarnock at Hampden, said: "The first one is not a sending off and the second is borderline probably, you can't tackle like that.

"My sending off is joke. I don't think I deserved to be sent off. My staff are very angry about it, my players are angry and disappointed.

"I spoke quite quietly and coldly to the referee in the tunnel. I didn't swear and didn't point any fingers.

"I told him I wasn't happy with his first-half performance.

"I was speaking to the match delegate after the game and their version of events are different from mine but I've got witnesses to back me up.

"Alan Thompson (coach) and our PR person was there, a couple of other members of staff and players.

"I do my team talk at half-time, I walk back out and got called into the referee's room. I have been deprived of doing my job properly when my team needed me. I am very angry about that."

Lennon was also angry that he was prevented from sitting in the stand.

"That's another thing," he said. "I can't sit in the stand for my own safety, that sums things up in this country.

"I would have sat in the directors' box but I was told for my own safety that it wasn't a good idea. I watched the second half in here (the media room).

"The biggest game of the season and I can't go out in the stand to watch my team or send down messages.

"I have Stevie Woods (goalkeeping coach) at the door and he was running up and down the tunnel for me. I might as well have sat in the house and watched the second half.

"When you are down to nine men, it is an uphill task. This is not the first time we have come to Ibrox and had players sent off for little or nothing.

"So today has been soured. I congratulate Rangers on their win, I haven't got a problem with that, but there are mitigating circumstances in why they have won."

Lennon continued his rant against referee Murray, adding: "I wanted to see him after the game and I got a message back to wait 20 minutes later then I could go and see him - 20 minutes later he wouldn't see me.

"So who is accountable? Why don't I get an explanation?

"I have to be very careful what I say but I want some answers and I'm not getting them. As manager of the football club I think I deserve that."

Speaking about Cha's dismissal for hauling back Wallace - which he claimed 'changed the game' - Lennon added: "I can't for the life of me see how that is a red card.

"He's going away from goal, he's not going to get the ball and Charlie Mulgrew is getting over.

"Their second goal is offside, Wallace is in an offside position (before his shot is saved by Fraser Forster), so the linesman has not done his job properly.

"We scored two goals and that sums up our players, they keep going until the final whistle, even with nine men.

"I am very proud of the players and supporters."

If Motherwell fails to beat Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon (Sunday morning AEDT), the Hoops can win the title at the home of their greatest rival for the first time since 1967.

That is the scenario the authorities have dreaded since the 1999 Old Firm 'shame game' when there was trouble on and off the pitch when Rangers won 3-0 at Celtic Park to clinch the championship.

The Celtic boss though, who hopes winger James Forrest (ankle) and Gary Hooper (dead leg) recover for the trip to Govan, moved to take some heat out of what could potentially be an incendiary situation.

"If we win the title on Sunday we will enjoy the moment but we we won't be there to gloat," he said.

"The last thing we want to do is rub it in people's faces. We will be respectful of everyone at the stadium.

"It doesn't matter when it (title win) comes or where it comes it will celebrated regardless, there will be a lot of euphoria, a lot of joy and a lot of pride.

"But we will be there to celebrate among ourselves then we look forward to a home game against St Johnstone were we can relax and enjoy what we have achieved.

"We are talking hypothetically here, it will depend on how Motherwell get on against Kilmarnock and if things go our way on Sunday.

"I don't like talking about winning games and winning titles because there is still a lot of football to be played before we can actually achieve that.

"The only preparation we are making is to get the boys ready to win a game of football and if that means winning the title after that then so be it."

The Irishman was critical of this week's media coverage of the infamous 1999 game, best remembered for the mayhem and chaos which enveloped the east end of Glasgow.

A lasting image is of referee Hugh Dallas requiring treatment for a cut to the forehead after being hit by a missile from the Celtic section of the ground while one Hoops fan was thwarted in his attempt to attack the official.

In a mad May evening, Celtic's Stephane Mahe and Vidar Riseth were sent off along with Rod Wallace of Rangers and after celebrating its title win with its supporters and performing a Celtic-style huddle, the visiting players were pelted with missiles going up the tunnel.

The former Celtic skipper, who revealed that Strathclyde Police have spoken to both clubs this week with a view to pre-empting any such problems, said: "I was playing at Leicester at the time and it (Old Firm game) was a bit raucous, there were things that happened that day that should not have happened.

"But I don't think the coverage that the 1999 game has got this week is going to help preparations.

"I do (think the coverage is a worry). I think it is totally irrelevant to what is going to happen on Sunday.

"We are just going there to win a football game and if we do then great, if we don't then we will move on to the next game."

Lennon played down the police visit, saying: "We had the police up on Wednesday, we had a chat with the head of the police organisation about the game on Sunday but not with regards post-match celebrations.

"I think they visited both clubs and it was basically a reminder and as they said, they have been delighted with the way both sets of players have handed the games this season and I don't see Sunday being any different.

"I think he just wants to make sure that the game goes as well as it possibly can go which I totally understand."

The Parkhead manager confirmed the Scottish Football Association's Compliance Officer, Vincent Lunny, has written to him asking for an explanation for his post-match comments after last week's Scottish Communities League Cup final defeat by Kilmarnock at Hampden.

Lennon described as 'criminal' referee Willie Collum's decision not to award the Hoops a penalty in the closing moments when Hoops striker Anthony Stokes went down inside the box under a challenge from Killie defender Michael Nelson.

The former Northern Ireland midfielder was unrepentant, saying he 'absolutely' stood by his comments.

"I am looking forward to giving him my response, I've got until the 30th of March to do that," he said.

"I will submit my response next week. I don't think I need to (explain) but obviously they do and I will state my case."

Suggestions the Old Firm clubs will attempt to leave the Scottish Premier League have surfaced again after Rangers went into administration.

One idea would be that Rangers could re-form as a new club and play in England but Scudamore insisted he could not see it happening - and the Old Firm in England's top flight would go against Premier League regulations.

Scudamore said: "Our rules are simple. It says we're a league formed for clubs that play in England and Wales.

"I don't see that ever changing. I don't see that changing on my watch, not that my watch may last for long.

"There's more in it for them than there is for us."

The Premier League clubs voted overwhelmingly against allowing the Old Firm clubs into a two-tier Premier League as part of a proposal put forward by Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside in November 2009.

The main attraction for a move by Celtic and Rangers would be finance - even the bottom club in the Premier League earns several times more in television money than the two Old Firm clubs.

A report claimed the Old Firm giant was so keen to join English football that it was in talks over a move into League One.

Club sources have insisted that is not the case and Clarke himself said it would be 'disrespectful' to the Scottish football authorities to enter into any such talks.

Clarke said: "We have absolutely no intention of having any discussions with any club from another national league regarding membership of our competition.

"This would be highly disrespectful to the Scottish FA and Scottish Premier League and will not be countenanced by the Football League."

The Belgian striker had replaced Gary Harkins in the 73rd minute and 10 minutes later he dramatically headed in a cross from fellow substitute Lee Johnson, who had come on for Danny Buijs early in the first half, to give the Ayrshire side a famous victory.

It was Killie's sixth attempt at winning the final and there were wild scenes of jubilation when the final whistle ended a dramatic afternoon at the national stadium.

Kilmarnock's win, helped by a great display by goalkeeper Cameron Bell, also scuppered Celtic's hopes of a treble - but it was a day for Ayrshire rather than Glasgow.

Both sides were in their changes strips but in familiar style, it was Celtic which started more confidently.

Captain Scott Brown drove wide of the target from distance with just over a minute played before an horrendous mistake by Killie defender Mo Sissoko in the fourth minute gifted the Parkhead side what would be the best chance of the half.

Under no pressure with the ball at his feet outside his own box, the big defender's sloppy pass across his back line was intercepted by the lurking Gary Hooper

The Celtic striker had only Bell to beat but the Killie keeper made a good block to save the blushes of his lackadaisical team-mate.

Killie, tentative and nervous, slowly worked its way into the game.

Rugby Park midfielder Dean Shiels fired wide of Fraser Forster's left-hand post moments later but it took another Bell save in the 27th minute to keep the score level.

Brown skinned Killie midfielder Garry Hay on the right wing before crossing in for Anthony Stokes to bullet a header downwards, the Irishman looking in anguish as the Killie number one dived to push the ball away at his left-hand post.

At the other end, Celtic keeper Forster made a good save from Shiels' right-footed drive from the edge of the box and from the resultant corner, Stokes cleared Sissoko's header off the line.

It was an absorbing rather than an exciting contest but in the 39th minute Bell was called into action again when he tipped a powerful drive from the impressive Brown over the bar but the corner came to nothing.

It was becoming a tale of two keepers as Forster blocked an attempt by Killie striker Paul Heffernan just before the break, after a mistake by Celtic defender Kelvin Wilson had put the Parkhead side under pressure.

There was another early chance at the start of the second half, this time for Killie when Shiels burst into the Celtic box after getting the break of the ball.

The Northern Irishman had only Forster to beat but dreadfully mishit his shot from only six yards and ball spun wide of the target, turned back in by Rugby Park midfielder Jamie Fowler but to no avail.

The Ayrshire side enjoyed their first real concentrated spell of pressure and after a cleared Killie corner in the 54th minute Hay lobbed the ball back into the Celtic box but Sissoko, back-pedalling, headed wide.

This was the cue for Neil Lennon to replace defender Thomas Rogne with midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, with Victor Wanyama moving back to defence and almost immediately the Hoops were back in control .

Just after the hour mark Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley fired wide of the target before Stokes, after making himself a yard of space inside the Killie, box shot straight at Bell.

The Kilmarnock keeper then tipped a Wanyama header over the bar after a Ki corner as the Ayrshire side's defending became increasingly desperate.

As extra-time began to loom, and legs became tired, Killie midfielder Liam Kelly fired just over the bar from the edge of the box.

Georgios Samaras replaced Hooper in the 79th minute but four minutes later Killie was dramatically ahead when Van Tornhout ran in at the back post to head Johnson's cross from the left past Forster.

The final minutes were fraught and here was time for Bell to make a double save, first from Samaras and then Kris Commons, who had come on for Ledley and for Stokes to get booked for simulation after Hoops appeals for a penalty came to nothing.

The final whistle, after four added minutes, brought roars from Killie fans whose club has now won all three major Scottish trophies.

On Monday the Celtic boss was coffin bearer at the funeral of close friend Paul McBride QC, who had advised and represented the Parkhead club.

The Irishman was also in the witness box at the High Court in Glasgow this week for the trial of two men accused of conspiring to murder him.

Lennon, speaking at the club's Lennoxtown training ground, looked forward to an uplifting end to the week by winning what he hopes will be the first trophy of a treble this season.

"There has been a wide range of emotions involved this week," he said.

"It was a difficult start to the week but I'm hoping the weekend ends the way I want it to with my team playing very well in the cup final and hopefully going on to win it.

"For me it has been a very significant trophy in my career.

"The League Cup was my first major trophy at Leicester and it was my first major trophy here at Celtic in 2001 and it was my first as Celtic captain.

"It's a trophy that's there to be won.

"People sort of dismiss it but when they get to the final all that dimissiveness goes and all of a sudden it becomes a huge day out, which it is.

"It is a huge day out for the supporters and it will be a big day for the players.

"Some of the players didn't do themselves justice last year (losing to Rangers in the final), they get the chance to rectify it and that doesn't come around often and I'm hoping they do that on Sunday."

Lennon is ignoring the prospect of the treble and the trip to Ibrox in the Scottish Premier League the following week.

"It's all about the cup final," said the former Celtic skipper. "We haven't talked about anything else apart from this game.

"It's a trophy that is important to win and is important to myself in terms of my own record and is important to the players.

"There will be some who will be playing in their first final with the chance of winning their first medal and it's all on the day.

"I am not picking a team with the following week in mind, I am picking a team with the focus on this game."

Celtic booked its place in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final last week with a 4-0 win at Dundee United, but Lennon is aware that game was edging towards the home side until defender Robbie Neilson was sent off in the first half for a challenge on Hoops striker Georgios Samaras.

"I was happy in the end," he said. "It was a brilliant second half and we were ruthless and clinical.

"But we had to weather a bit of a storm in the first half and I thought we were second best in some departments and if we are like that on Sunday we will get punished."

Lennon revealed he will wait until the end of the season to discuss the future of stopper Daniel Majstorovic, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.

"We will sit down at the end of the season and see what we can offer him," said the Hoops boss.

"But he might not want to stay, he might want to further his career somewhere else.

"But I'm speculating, I haven't had the chance to sit down with him but he is determined to come back at the level he was playing at before and that is testament to him.

"I have no doubt he will be back playing again in six to nine months time."

The Hoops manager acknowledged that his side struggled at Tannadice until United full-back Robbie Neilson was shown a straight red card in the 28th minute for leading with his elbow in a challenge with Hoops striker Georgios Samaras.

That moment proved to be the turning point and after Joe Ledley broke the deadlock soon after the break the result was never really in doubt and further goals from Samaras, Anthony Stokes and Scott Brown, from the spot, put a green and white gloss on the result.

Celtic, 21 points clear of Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and all but certain to be champions, play the winners of the St Mirren versus Hearts replay in the semi-final but before that they take on Kilmarnock in the final of the Scottish Communities League Cup at Hampden.

While Hoops fans departed Tayside singing about a treble, Lennon warned against such assumptions.

"There is a lot of momentum and there is a lot of talk about the treble but if we play like we did in the first half there will be no treble," he told BBC Scotland.

"We have to analyse the first-half performance and eradicate where we went wrong.

"I am looking for better than that, particularly in the first half, in games to come.

"We looked a bit disjointed at times. The sending off obviously changed the game and put us on the front foot but in the second half we were tremendous.

"But credit to Dundee United, the scoreline probably flattered us.

"We have a cup final to look forward to next week against Kilmarnock and then a game against Rangers after that so two huge games in the context of the season."

United boss Peter Houston has little time to dwell on his disappointment as he awaits the visit next week of administration-hit Rangers whose players on Friday volunteered to take wage cuts to stave off the danger of redundancies throughout the club.

He said: "The players worked hard and I don't think the scoreline was a true reflection of the game.

"But the great thing is you go from one big game to another big game.

"It's another early kick-off on Saturday and we welcome Rangers.

"It is a difficult game because there is a bit of unity amongst the players there because they have taken a drop in wages and fair play to them, so we are in for a massive game.

"If we if we play like we did in the first half with 11 men then we can be a match for anyone."

Like most people Houston was puzzled as to why Lennon replaced keeper Fraser Forster with former United keeper Lukasz Zaluska with a minute remaining.

He said: "I had no idea what that was about - maybe trying to get him appearance money."

The 34-year-old, who was preparing for a friendly against Croatia in Zagreb when he suffered the injury in his left knee, will now miss the rest of the season.

A Celtic statement read: "Daniel will stay in Sweden for the immediate future and will have an operation there soon.

"Celtic's medical team will be in close liaison with the Swedish FA medical team to ensure that Daniel receives the best of care.

"Unfortunately he will be out long-term."

Majstorovic will miss Celtic's attempts to secure a domestic treble and also EURO 2012, where Sweden faces England, France and co-host Ukraine in the group stage.

The Celtic Park future of Majstorovic, who joined from AEK Athens in August 2010, is now uncertain as the centre-back is out of contract in the northern summer.

Manager Neil Lennon said in early December it would be difficult not to offer Majstorovic a new deal if he maintained his form, which was comfortably the best of his Celtic career.

Majstorovic soon said there was 'no panic' over a new deal as he concentrated on Celtic's season and EURO 2012, but he then suffered a fractured eye socket in a heavy aerial challenge with St Johnstone midfielder David Robertson on 18 December.

The former Malmo, FC Twente and Basel player was out for almost eight weeks before returning for Scottish Premier League victories over Hearts and Inverness this month.

Majstorovic has been on the bench in recent weeks with Thomas Rogne and Kelvin Wilson returning to fitness and form in central defence.

Charlie Mulgrew has also played there recently, while Glenn Loovens is pushing for a comeback after more than two months out injured.

"I will do all I can to get back as quickly as possible," he told the Swedish FA's official website.

"I still feel I have a lot to offer on the football pitch and I won't give up on my career just for this.

"At the same time I fully understand how serious this is and the work I need to put in to get back."

Trevor Muirhead, 43, and Neil McKenzie, 42, are accused of conspiring to kill Lennon and other high profile supporters of the club, including Trish Godman MSP and lawyer Paul McBride QC, as well as various people in the premises of Irish Nationalist group Cairde Na Heireann in Glasgow, by sending improvised explosive devices to them.

The pair are alleged to have sent Lennon a package they believed was an improvised explosive device, capable of igniting and exploding and of causing severe injury and death to another person.

It is further alleged the package, sent to Lennon at Celtic's training centre in Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, contained a plastic bottle containing the substance tri-acetone tri-peroxide with a wire attached and a plastic bag containing a bag of nails and a watch component.

Muirhead, from Kilwinning in Ayrshire, and McKenzie, from Saltcoats, Ayrshire, are also charged with sending similar devices to Ms Godman, at an address in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, and to Cairde Na Heireann.

It is alleged the package sent to Mr McBride at Advocate's Library, Parliament House, Edinburgh, comprised a plastic bottle containing petrol, with a wire attached, a plastic glove, nails and a watch component.

They are accused of sending the devices with the intention that the contents would ignite and explode when opened, causing severe injury and death to the recipients.

The two men face an alternative charge that they sent a package to Lennon at Celtic Park on or 4 March, intending him to think it was likely to 'explode or ignite'.

At the trial, which started at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, Royal Mail postman Andrew Brown told how he became suspicious of a package he picked up from a post box on Gladstone Road, Saltcoats, on Friday 4 March last year.

He said something about the brown envelope, addressed to Lennon at Celtic Park, Glasgow, 'didn't feel right'.

Mr Brown, 27, told the court: "When I felt it, there were different textures. It just didn't feel right. There were sharp edges."

The postman said he was aware of a recent 'scuffle' which had taken place at an Old Firm match between Lennon and the now Rangers manager Ally McCoist.

He said the package stood out because it was addressed to Lennon, and that he reported it to his supervisors Mark McGuire and Andrew Easton when he arrived back at the Saltcoats sorting office.

Mr Easton, Royal Mail line manager, and Mr McGuire, delivery manager, were also called to give evidence.

Mr Easton said the contents of the package 'felt like a bag of nails' and Mr McGuire told the court it was 'particularly weighty'.

Mr McGuire said: "There appeared to be something like a nail protruding from it."

Police were called and the building was evacuated as specialist officers from Springburn Police Office were drafted in to inspect the package.

The jury of 11 women and four men were shown the components: a quantity of a dark resinous substance with two nails embedded in it, a white digital device with a clock face, a black wire which was said to be attached to the seal of the envelope and the resinous substance and a quantity of nails.

The court heard that the suspicious package was later found to be a 'hoax nail bomb' and it was deemed safe to return to the post office.

At the club's AGM in October, with the Hoops trailing Rangers by 10 points in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, Lennon defended his decision to persevere with the Greece striker who was yet again under fire from the fans but admitted that Samaras was "a player who could ultimately get me the sack".

The former Manchester City forward has been instrumental in Celtic's remarkable turnaround in form during the intervening period and perhaps for the first time he appears to be winning fans over.

Ahead of Sunday's (AEDT) visit of third-placed Motherwell, where victory would see Celtic go 23 points clear of administration-hit Rangers, Samaras was his usual laid-back self when asked about his reaction to Lennon's comment.

"I tried to stay focused for the football, tried to help my team, tried to perform and play well when I had my chances," said the Hoops striker.

"If I hear positive comments from my manager, teammates, from you (media) or negative comments from everyone, the supporters, you, the manager, my teammates, I react the same way.

"I just try to stay focused on my game.

"I love football and I have told you before that I really don't care about what people say, I just try to stay focused because I really love what I'm doing.

"I want to go on the pitch and enjoy it."

Lennon praised Samaras's "resolve" and claimed the big Greek personified his belief that character is every bit as important as talent at Celtic Park.

The former Celtic skipper said: "It was a sort of flippant remark but I think you guys (media) knew what I meant, because of his inconsistency.

"But he has shown tremendous character and I had a lot of admiration for him at the start of the season.

"It wasn't just the opposition fans who were on his back, it was his own supporters and what he has done has been fantastic.

"He has shown great resolve and he has done his talent justice consistently and that's all we ask from him. It is not an easy thing to do.

"If you come here to a big club or you come through the ranks, you have talent but can you handle the expectation level of the supporters, can you handle the intensity of the game and that basically you have to win every game?

"Georgios has show that on many occasions this year and I have enjoyed watching him play at times, some of his performances have been magnificent."

Lennon revealed why he went out on a limb to support Samaras even when those closest to him were questioning his loyalty.

"I'm the manager," said the Northern Irishman. "I see him training every day and I know what he is capable of doing.

"His performance at Ibrox last year; he basically ran the line singlehandedly and he showed me that he had the talent of doing it in the big games.

"It is just a question of trying to find a consistent level.

"I understand that it is not easy to play like that every week but the talent is there, you never lose it.

"He has worked with us and we have worked with him and we are reaping the rewards."

Dunfermline put 10 men behind the ball when it lost 2-0 at Celtic Park during the week but Lennon anticipates a different game against on-form Motherwell.

"Motherwell are having an exceptional season," he said.

"I watched them last week against Hearts at Fir Park and they played some good football and could have won the game by more, even though they were down to 10 men for 40 minutes of the game.

"I think Stuart McCall has done a magnificent job there with the squad of players he has and it's credit to them.

"They are scoring goals and creating chances so it should be a good game."

Rogne signed for Celtic two years ago and has another season left on his contract after this northern summer.

But the Norwegian centre-back has already set his sights on prolonging his Celtic career beyond that.

The 21-year-old, who has made 37 appearances for the club, said: "There have been a few talks.

"I'm very pleased to stay here and hopefully I'll stay here for a long time so we will see what happens.

"I love this club, I love playing here."

Celtic went 14 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League when Rangers went into administration on Tuesday.

Neil Lennon's side had already put itself in a strong position after winning 14 consecutive SPL games.

And with the title race having lost its spark because of events off the field, Mjallby wants the players to stay fully motivated by aiming to beat the 25-match winning run he helped set in the 2003-04 season.

"We haven't won anything yet so that's why it's so important to keep on going," Mjallby told Celtic TV's Huddle Online.

"We're trying to challenge them to keep on winning and try to break records and become new heroes for the club.

"We challenged them to beat the record I had when I was in that tremendous team.

"I would be even more pleased if they beat the record than the current one I have."

Celtic has won a total of 17 domestic games in a row ahead of Monday's (AEDT) clash with Hibernian at Easter Road and Mjallby insists it cannot change its approach because of Rangers' 10-point penalty.

"We have got a very proud record right now - we want to keep on winning," the Swede said.

"It's important for the players, they can't take their eye off the ball.

"We are still in three competitions so it's really, really important we keep on working hard for each other.

"If you play for Celtic, you want to win trophies, you are always going to be judged by the trophies you win."

Mjallby believes the depth of their squad will also help retain their edge.

"It's a good thing to have a lot of competition," he said.

"They can't slack off because that means someone else is going to be waiting for that chance."

Celtic last dropped SPL points against Hibs in October and Mjallby expects an improved opposition after Pat Fenlon's men kept consecutive clean sheets against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen.

"They have been quite clever in the way they have brought in a few experienced players," the former Celtic defender said.

"They seem to be much harder to beat and much more solid defensively and working really hard.

"They are in a position where they need points and they're going to be dangerous at the weekend.

"We need to make sure we play our passing game and try to open them up."

The Sweden international was shown a straight red card by referee Steven McLean in the second half at Celtic Park for a 'last man' challenge on Caley midfielder Jonny Hayes.

Celtic appealed through the Scottish Football Association's fast-track disciplinary process on Tuesday and Majstorovic has now been cleared by the fast-track tribunal.

He will be in manager Neil Lennon's squad for this weekend's trip to Hibernian.

A club statement read: "The red card was rescinded and Majstorovic returns to the squad plans for this Sunday's (Monday AEDT) visit to Easter Road."

The future of the Ibrox club is in doubt after legal papers were filed with the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Monday signalling Rangers' intention to enter administration, as it awaits the verdict of a tax tribunal.

The HMRC case centres around the use of employee benefits trusts (EBTs) which were in place before Craig Whyte took over as chairman from Sir David Murray last May, with Rangers looking at possible "liabilities and penalties substantially more than the £50million reported".

The possible demise of the club altogether has also been raised in the media, leading to questions over Rangers' historical relationship with Celtic and the very future of the game in Scotland.

Asked if Celtic fans would continue to support the club in the same numbers in the absence of the Old Firm rivalry, Lawwell told Press Association Sport: "Absolutely. It is a changing world.

"Nothing stays the same and our job is to make sure we are still seen as a big important club in Europe and if there is any change we are part of that."

As for the potential for a European League, Lawwell said: "Who could say? Possibly, or a extension to the Champions League or an extension to the Europa League.

"That's where we are with it all. We are looking long term.

"I think we are doing all the right things. In saying that, we are still to win [the league], we are not getting carried away or gloating or getting ahead of ourselves.

"We know what we have to do, we have to deliver and then hopefully this long-term strategy keeps the fans coming, keeps them interested and connected with Celtic.

"And I think they have, Neil (Lennon) has done that and season books are up this year."

Lawwell was speaking after the release of Celtic's interim financial results which he described as "very satisfactory".

Celtic reduced its bank debt by £2million ($2.94 million) during the second half of last year, with turnover increased by 3.1% to £29.3million ($43.1 million).

The club made a pre-tax profit of about £180,000 ($265,000) while cutting the debt to just over £7million ($10.3 million), a figure chairman Ian Bankier described as "very manageable number" among a "robust" set of figures.

Celtic completed its 16th consecutive domestic win in some style at Tynecastle on midweek, racing to a three goal lead just after the half hour mark.

Goals from Scott Brown, Victor Wanyama, Joe Ledley and Gary Hooper put Celtic four points ahead of Rangers in the Scottish Premier League - three months after facing a 15-point deficit.

Mjallby feels a warning that success is only possible through hard work steered it from under-achievers to a team now chasing the treble.

The Swede, whose team host Inverness on Sunday (AEDT), told CelticTV: "We started this run after being very inconsistent. We were pressing that you need to work hard as a team.

"We know we have so many good players and they are skilful but to get success you need to work and be a team.

"For the last three months it's been wonderful to watch them. We can win in style and we can win with true grit.

"I think that's the most important change - even when things aren't working, we never panic.

"We believe in ourselves and we try to grind them down and get three points."

There was little need to panic at Tynecastle as Celtic built on Brown's early goal.

"It was just pure masterclass," Mjallby said. "It was a brilliant performance from the boys.

"You always worry that you drop your standards in the second half.

"We just wanted to win the second half and they all went out and played so well - you could see the confidence."

Victory over Hearts on Thursday (AEDT) would see the Hoops move four points clear of rival Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The Jambos were the last team to inflict defeat on Celtic in the SPL - a 2-0 loss at Tynecastle on October 2 - during what was a difficult period for the Parkhead side.

They were 15 points adrift in the title race at one stage, but could now put themselves firmly in the driving seat with the right result in Edinburgh.

Lennon said: "I'm not taking the credit. The credit goes to the players. I'm only as good as my players.

"We worked hard with them. There are different personalities in there but they are a very good group.

"Some of them were short of confidence, some of them were short of form. That's football at times.

"We didn't do anything extra in training. We just went over clips of games where we could improve.

"What we have started to do is cut out the individual mistakes. If they do make mistakes, there is belief there that they can turn it around very quickly in games.

"That's credit to them, not to me."

For Cup holder Celtic it is a third straight away tie after wins at Peterhead and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

But in United it will face a side full of confidence following a 2-0 win over Rangers on Sunday.

Peter Houston's men are seventh in the Scottish Premier League but have finished fourth and third in the past two seasons.

A couple of other all SPL ties are possible, with Aberdeen playing Motherwell if the Dons see off First Division Queen of the South in a replay and St Mirren, if it wins a replay against Ross County, facing either Hearts or St Johnstone.

Hibernian travels to Ayr United or Falkirk, which will play its fifth-round tie on February 15 after Saturday's match was postponed because the pitch was unplayable.

The three fifth-round replays will be played a day earlier on February 14, with the quarter-finals staged on the weekend of March 10-11.

The Scottish Cup quarter-final draw: Hearts or St Johnstone v St Mirren or Ross County; Ayr United or Falkirk v Hibernian; Dundee United v Celtic; Motherwell v Aberdeen or Queen of the South.

The holder has travelled to Peterhead and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the previous two rounds and now faces a trip to Dundee United.

Peter Houston's side lies seventh in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League table this season but has finished fourth and third the last two years.

A first-half strike from striker Georgios Samaras and a second-half spot kick from Scott Brown, which made it three goals in three games for the rejuvenated Hoops skipper, eased the cup holders into Monday's draw at Hampden.

Celtic is already in the final of the Scottish Communities League Cup final where it will play Kilmarnock at Hampden next month, and is one point above Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a game in hand.

And having gone 15 domestic games unbeaten the Parkhead men are in fine fettle ahead of their SPL game against Hearts at Tynecastle in midweek, the scene of their last SPL defeat in October.

Lennon said: "Things can change very quickly but we are really pleased with where we are at the minute.

"It was the toughest tie we probably could have had, apart from being at Ibrox, so I'm thrilled to get through it.

"We wanted to be in all the competitions at the end of yesterday, that was the remit before the game, and we are so it's good.

"But there is a long way to go yet."

Once again the Irishman showed that he was unafraid to make changes to a winning team.

Defenders Adam Matthews and Kelvin Wilson, midfielder Kris Commons and Samaras came in for Cha Du-ri, Emilio Izaguirre, James Forrest and Anthony Stokes, the latter two starting on the bench.

The former Celtic skipper, though, appeared sensitive to the suggestion that he had changed virtually half his team.

"I didn't change half the team," he said. "I made four changes. Is that half the team?

"You keep questioning the selection but I didn't pick the team until I had a look at the pitch and the conditions.

"I felt it was the best way to go in terms of matching their pace going forward and we needed an 'out ball' at the top end of the pitch.

"I thought Samaras did that for us and I thought (Kelvin) Wilson and (Adam) Matthews did that at the other end of the pitch.

"Kris still has a bit to do to get where we want him to be but he is a very important player and he will be in the run-in."

His signing will be seen as a transfer coup by manager Neil Lennon after the player was also targeted by Old Firm rival Rangers.

And the Hoops boss believes the striker rose to the challenge with a starring role in Sunday's Scottish Communities League Cup last-four win over Falkirk.

Stokes was on target twice in the 3-1 victory as Celtic secured a meeting with Kilmarnock in the final, but Lennon was impressed by more than just the goals.

He said: "I had a chat with him on Friday and told him I was pleased with his goal return but his play in general needs to smarten up a bit and I got all of that from him.

"He always gives himself a chance in games, he has that natural instinct for scoring.

"But to play here consistently you need more than chipping in with a goal here and there.

"I want him to be a good team player and I thought he was excellent. I was delighted with his contribution."

Stokes was also pleased with his own contribution, as his brace put the tie beyond Falkirk after Jay Fulton had cancelled out Scott Brown's penalty.

He said: "I was delighted with the result and happy with the goals as well. It was a good team performance.

"We didn't take our chances in the first half but we made up for it in the second half."

The Irishman was keen to credit its Irn-Bru First Division opponent for making Celtic work hard for its win.

He added: "We did our homework and the gaffer showed us DVDs.

"We know what they are like, they try to play football and they did that today. Thankfully we came out on top.

"It was always going to be difficult. We knew they were going to throw everything at us in the last five or 10 minutes but the third goal just killed it so it was nice to have that bit of a cushion."

Celtic may now be within touching distance of the first silverware of the season, but Stokes refused to discuss the possibility of a domestic clean-sweep.

He said: "I'm not going to talk about the treble.

"We are going to put the final on the back-burner now and just concentrate on the games that we have coming up."

Skipper Scott Brown fired the Hoops into the lead from the spot in the 26th minute after Bairns skipper Darren Dods had wrestled with Thomas Rogne at a corner and it looked like the Scottish Premier League leader would go on to win with some ease.

However, 17-year-old Falkirk midfielder Jay Fulton, son of former Celtic player Stevie Fulton, dramatically levelled for the First Division side before the break.

But there was to be no repeat of Celtic's shock 2010 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to First Division Ross County thanks to former Bairns player Stokes.

The Irishman's free-kick from 25 yards in the 56th minute gave Falkirk goalkeeper Michael McGovern no chance and he tapped in from a Gary Hooper pass with five minutes remaining to make sure Celtic returns to the national stadium on 18 March.

Celtic was not at its best for long spells but its treble hopes remain alive with its next game in the Scottish Cup at Inverness next weekend.

Falkirk will continue its chase of Division One leader Ross County and it can take plenty of positives from its performance.

Celtic went into the game having won 12 successive SPL matches on its way to the top of the table.

Steven Pressley's side had knocked out Rangers and Dundee United on its way to Hampden and it started brightly and with a confidence not often displayed by SPL teams when faced with Celtic.

However, in the 11th minute the Bairns were let off the hook with what appeared to be a contentious offside decision in their favour.

Brown's right-footed drive from the edge of the box was tipped onto the post by Bairns keeper McGovern before Hooper rattled the rebound in to the net, only to turn and see the flag up.

Then, from a Charlie Mulgrew corner, Rogne crashed a header off the post, which perhaps led Dods get too close in the 26th minute when referee Euan Norris pointed to the spot and booked the Bairns skipper for wrestling Rogne to the ground at a Mulgrew corner.

There was little cause for complaint from Pressley's side and Brown, who had scored last week at St Mirren, stepped up to slam the penalty past McGovern.

Celtic looked comfortable but there was even more drama in the 39th minute when Fulton drew Falkirk level with a fine goal.

Midfielder David Weatherston turned inside Celtic defender Cha Du-ri on the left and passed inside to Kallum Higginbotham who switched to Fulton who was running in to the box and he knocked the ball low past Fraser Forster before taking the cheers of the jubilant Bairns fans and his team-mates.

The Parkhead side was stunned but with seconds remaining of the first period McGovern came to Falkirk's rescue with a great point-blank save from James Forrest.

After remonstrating with Norris at the end of the first half about the penalty decision, Pressley found himself watching the second half from the stand where he squirmed in frustration.

Emilio Izaguirre, who was missing at Falkirk's goal, was replaced at the interval by Ki Sung-yueng with Victor Wanyama moving to centre-back and Mulgrew moving to left-back.

Five minutes after the break Fulton had another chance when Higginbotham stood the ball up at the back post but this time, from 10 yards out, the midfielder bounced his shot over the bar.

In the 55th minute Rogne hit woodwork again, crashing a close-range shot off the bar from a Mulgrew corner which the Bairns had failed to deal with properly.

However, that only delayed the Hoops' second goal which came a minute later when striker Stokes curled a wonderful free-kick from 25 yards over the defensive wall and past the helpless McGovern.

With that goal, Celtic regained its grip on the game and on the hour mark Ki had a powerful drive from 30 yards which was gathered by the Bairns keeper.

Falkirk substitute Blair Alston, who had replaced Fulton, drove wide from inside the box as the game began swinging from end to end.

With one goal in it and Higginbotham at the top of his game, the First Division side always had a chance and in the 78th minute Forster made a fine double save after a corner, first from Dods and then from Stewart Murdoch.

However, there was to be no shock and in the 85th minute Celtic's final appointment was booked when Hooper got away from Dods on the right-hand side of the box and set up Stokes who knocked in from barely a yard out.

The Sierra Leone international was expected to be out for only a short spell after it emerged at the start of January he had suffered another injury, having already missed a chunk of the season.

But Celtic has reported that the 22-year-old, who has yet to score since his northern summer move from Swedish side AIK, is not recovering as well as was hoped.

According to the club's official website, Bangura has 'tweaked' his right knee once more, with a specialist due to assess the injury next week.

Celtic also announced that defender Daniel Majstorovic is available for selection ahead of this weekend's League Cup semi-final against Falkirk at Hampden, having returned to training after the fractured cheekbone he suffered against St Johnstone last month.

Manager Neil Lennon's options will also be increased ahead of the weekend when new-recruit defender Mikael Lustig and winger Paddy McCourt return to training after their respective thigh and foot injuries.

The Parkhead club has confirmed the transfer - first revealed last week - has now been rubber-stamped after the 20-year-old Nigerian was granted a work permit.

The former PSV Eindhoven midfielder says he has been aware of interest from the Hoops since 2010 and, now that he has sealed a switch to Glasgow on a three-and-a-half year deal, Ibrahim is confident he can only improve as a player at his new club.

He said: "I feel very happy and excited to be joining Celtic. I have wanted to join Celtic for a long time to develop myself.

"They were interested in me in 2010 when I was with Sporting Lisbon.

"I don't know why that never happened but that was then and I'm happy now that I'm here at Celtic.

"The atmosphere here is great, and the people are great. They are always nice to me and encouraging me so I already feel at home.

"The players have made me feel welcome and happy. It's just like a big family here. They carry everybody along, and I'm happy with that.

"I'm delighted as Celtic are a big club - they like good players, produce good players and encourage and give the young players the opportunity to prove themselves and showcase their talents.

"I'm happy that I'm here and strongly believe that I will get the opportunity to prove myself and improve my game."

Ibrahim convinced Neil Lennon to offer him a contract after impressing in a practice match against St Johnstone.

He added: "I felt very okay because I played as if I was with the team for a long time. I felt relaxed.

"The players are very good and talented so they made it easy for me. They know what to do at the right time and that's why I played very well.

"I'm a creative player and a good passer who will create a lot of chances.

"But I'm also a hardworking player who will work for the team and I'm hoping to help the team win more trophies, starting this season."

Scottish Premier League leader Celtic remains on course for a domestic treble this season and Ibrahim has targeted silverware with his new team.

He told Celtic's official website: "I love the way the club plays football - they play passing, attacking football and try to win every game.

"They want to be on top always and win so many trophies and they are still fighting to win trophies this season and I want to be there among the players when they do that."

The 20-year-old playmaker earned himself a three-and-a-half year deal after impressing while on trial with the Hoops.

The former PSV player marked Celtic's second piece of transfer business in as many days after the Clydesdale Bank Premier League leaders announced the signing of defender Jaroslaw Fojut on a pre-contract agreement on Tuesday.

Speaking of the capture of Ibrahim, whose work-permit application will be heard next week, Lennon told the club's official website, www.celticfc.net: "We have been very impressed by Rabiu.

"In my view he is a highly talented and exciting young player and someone who will be a tremendous addition to our squad.

"He is a playmaker, well balanced and a very intelligent footballer.

"We are really looking forward to him joining us."

While Lennon's squad was further replenished, one man nobody at Parkhead wants to see leave the club is star striker Gary Hooper.

His strike partner Anthony Stokes yesterday became the latest in a growing list of Celtic players urging the club to keep hold of the former Scunthorpe striker.

Southampton has made at least two bids for the 23-year-old Englishman and could test Celtic's resolve again before the January transfer window closes.

Stokes admits it would be "massive" if Hooper stayed to help wrest the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title back from Rangers.

The Irishman said: "You look at how well he has done since he came here. "He has been outstanding and I hope he stays.

"He scored at Scunthorpe, he has come here and scored goals for fun and I think he would score goals at any level.

"He's a top-class player and I play reasonably well when we play together so fingers crossed that we can keep him.

"I can't talk about what the club are going to do but from a personal point of view I would like to think they will do everything they can to hold onto him and I'm sure they will."

The 20-year-old will join the Parkhead side on a three-and-a-half year deal after impressing while on trial with the Hoops.

The playmaker earned the move after making an impact in a practice match against St Johnstone when he played 60 minutes of the 3-2 victory.

The former PSV player marks Celtic's second piece of transfer business in as many days after announcing the signing of defender Jaroslaw Fojut on a pre-contract agreement.

Speaking of the capture of Ibrahim, manager Neil Lennon told the club's official website: "We have been very impressed by Rabiu.

"In my view he is a highly talented and exciting young player and someone who will be a tremendous addition to our squad.

"He is a playmaker, well balanced and a very intelligent footballer.

"We are really looking forward to him joining us."

Celtic manager Neil Lennon confirmed that the club has rejected "a couple of offers" from Southampton for the 23-year-old striker, and would "continue to do that".

And Hooper has confirmed he wants to stay at Parkhead.

The striker told Celtic's official website, www.celticfc.net: "I'm very happy. I'm back playing now and scored at the weekend. It was good to be back in the team.

"I don't want to go anywhere. I'm a Celtic player and very happy here, winning games for Celtic and we're two points clear at the top of the league just now.

"I'm just focusing on football - training, playing and scoring goals - that's my job."

Hooper returned from a groin injury to score the opening goal in last weekend's 2-1 victory over Dundee United which kept Celtic two points clear of Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

The win was Celtic's 11th successive SPL victory.

Celtic is still in with a chance of winning a domestic treble with a League Cup semi-final against Falkirk at the end of the month, as well as a fifth-round game in the William Hill Scottish Cup away to either Dunfermline or Inverness.

However, the former Scunthorpe striker insisted Celtic is not looking too far ahead.

"We have to take it game by game," he said.

"Our aim is to win every game and perform like we did in the first half and parts of the second half on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).

"I think we're performing well and scoring goals, so it's looking good."

Hooper's strike against United was his 16th goal of the season, his 12th in the SPL.

The Englishman is two goals behind Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic in the SPL scoring charts and one ahead of strike partner Anthony Stokes in all competitions.

"I'm back in front by one, but we're both here to score goals, and the main thing is winning games," Hooper said.

"I'm enjoying my football. Stokesy and I are linking up well.

"He set me up at the weekend, and Victor (Wanyama) had a great header as well, and we got the three points which is always the main thing."

Celtic midfielder Kayal's fears over the ankle injury sustained in a challenge with his Rangers counterpart during the Glasgow derby at Parkhead on December 28 were confirmed on Wednesday after surgery.

McCulloch denied deliberately trying to injure the Israel international and wished him a speedy recovery.

The Ibrox midfielder told the Scottish Sun: "It wasn't as bad a challenge as some people are trying to make out.

"We were both committed to winning the ball and I think television replays have proved that.

"I have never gone out to purposely injure a fellow professional and I never will.

"We both went for the ball and unfortunately for Beram he picked up this injury.

"My thoughts are with him and I am sure he will come back stronger for it. I sincerely wish him all the best."

McCulloch came in for criticism from Hoops fans in the wake of Kayal's injury but last week Celtic manager Neil Lennon cleared the 33-year-old of blame.

McCulloch added: "Some of the things being said are over the top.

"To suggest it was intentional is ridiculous.

"I was delighted to see Neil Lennon say it was a committed tackle between two players.

"He has played the game and knows what can happen during it.

"I have to thank Neil for what he said as some people are determined to make more of the issue."

Kayal, 23, vowed to come back stronger - and sooner than expected.

He told the Daily Record: "The doctor and the specialist met with me and told me it went well.

"In the past I have returned stronger than before and I believe this will happen now too.

"I can't wait to start the rehabilitation process and to get back playing quicker than people think I will be back."

Manager Neil Lennon admitted Kayal could face a lengthy spell out on Friday and the news was confirmed by the surgeon.

A statement on Celtic's official website read: "Beram Kayal underwent surgery last night on his injured ankle and the club can confirm that, unfortunately, our worst fears have been realised and Beram will be out of action for at least four months."

Celtic initially thought the Israel international would be out for a few weeks after he was injured in a challenge with Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch during the Old Firm win on 28 December.

But further scans showed the need for surgery to repair cartilage and ligament damage and Celtic's medical staff will now concentrate their efforts on making sure Kayal is fit for pre-season.

Lennon said: "This is very sad news for Beram. He has been brilliant for us and instrumental in our performances during the season.

"He will definitely be a big loss for us, but more importantly we are disappointed for him to be missing such a large part of the season at a time when he was playing so well.

"Clearly his health and fitness is now our priority and we will be making sure he gets our total support during the coming period."

Kayal has been one of the most impressive performers in the Celtic team under Lennon after signing from Maccabi Haifa in the northern summer of 2010.

But Lennon confirmed he would not seek a replacement in the transfer window with the likes of Victor Wanyama, Scott Brown, Ki Sung-yueng and Joe Ledley competing for a place in central midfield.

The 23-year-old has previously undergone hernia surgery and suffered a broken wrist, missing last season's Scottish Cup final win over Motherwell, and broken nose during his time at Celtic.

There was better news on the injury front for Lennon with Ledley and Gary Hooper both declared fit for the Scottish Premier League clash with Dundee United this weekend.

Ledley has recovered from a cut above the eye that he suffered in his side's 3-0 Scottish Cup win over Peterhead, which Hooper missed with a groin strain.

Glenn Loovens and Kris Commons are also available for the visit of United after injury.

Mo Bangura faces a further week on the sidelines with a knee injury, while Mark Wilson will return to training on Friday after recovering from knee surgery, although he is several weeks off a first-team comeback.

Daniel Majstorovic is scheduled to return to training on Monday after fracturing his cheekbone against St Johnstone last month.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has admitted interest in the Albania international, 27, who is out of contract in the northern summer.

Salihi scored 46 goals in his first two seasons with Rapid but eight of his 11 league appearances this term have come off the bench and he could be available for a cut-price fee.

The forward scored along with now-Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic when Rapid drew 3-3 with Celtic in the UEFA Europa League two seasons ago.

Salihi told the Kurier newspaper: "Celtic is a club with a great name, this could be a good step for my career.

"But I know nothing concrete. The deal would have to be right for all parties, including Rapid."

Lennon told the Evening Times: "He is a player we have known about from the Jelavic days.

"He might be an option. He is a good player, and we know what he can do. If he came in on trial, even better. But I don't think that will be the issue."

Celtic does not appear to have followed the interest yet with Rapid team manager Stefan Ebner saying it had not heard from the Scottish Premier League leader.

Lennon has already signed Swedish defender Mikael Lustig this month and has previously admitted he is on the lookout for a centre-back and a forward, although he stressed it would not be a 'disaster' if no-one else came in.

Nigerian Rabiu Ibrahim, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder who left PSV Eindhoven before the end of last year, is on trial at Lennoxtown this week.

The 20-year-old is available for free after negotiating his release from PSV Eindhoven last month.

Lennon said: "He is on trial. We have got him in for a few days.

"We are just going to have a look at him in training this week.

"I know he has had a decent career up until now and he trained on Saturday and looked quite handy but again nothing more than that, just to have a look."

Lennon again dismissed reports linking Adam Matthews and Gary Hooper with a move away from the club as he reiterated he does not want or need to sell any of his players.

The Celtic boss insisted on Friday that included Kris Commons, who has so far this season failed to build on the impressive start to his Parkhead career.

But the Scotland winger could return from a thigh injury against Dundee United in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Saturday.

Commons returned to full training on Saturday and only medical advice stopped Lennon taking him to Peterhead for its William Hill Scottish Cup tie.

Lennon said: "He is going to train this week so he should be in contention for Dundee United. It will be a huge bonus to have Kris back. He looked very sharp in training."

James Forrest will also be fit to face United after missing the 3-0 win at Balmoor with a heavy cold.

Meanwhile, Lennon is talking to back-up goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska over a new contract.

Zaluska has failed to convince during his first-team opportunities but he was handed the gloves ahead of first-choice Fraser Forster in Peterhead and Lennon is keen for the Pole to stay at Celtic Park.

"I have had a chat with Lukasz this week and I'll speak to him again early in the week and hopefully we can get it resolved," Lennon said.

"I don't think we're far away now. I hope he will sign. We would like to keep him.

"He is very good back-up and a great professional as well. Whenever he comes in he does a good job for me."

Anthony Stokes scored a hat-trick as holder Celtic recorded a 3-0 win over Third Division Peterhead at Balmoor Stadium.

It took the SPL leader until the 36th minute to open the scoring when Stokes tapped in a Georgios Samaras cross.

Stokes had an effort ruled out for offside on the stroke of half-time before grabbing his second with a superb strike in the 57th minute.

The Irish international completed his hat-trick in the 82nd minute when he lashed home a pass from Scott Brown to seal a comfortable win.

"The football was good and we should have won the game more comfortably," Celtic manager Neil Lennon said.

"But I have no complaints about the application of the players and the important thing is we are in the draw for the next round."

Rangers a in the fifth round with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Arbroath at Gayfield.

The Second Division side twice had chances to take the lead before Rangers striker David Healy opened the scoring in the 17th minute.

The Gers soon doubled their lead four minutes later through a Craig Wedderburn own goal.

Arbroath had a penalty claim turned down at the start of the second half before strikes from Nikica Jelavic and substitute Salim Kerkar made sure of their progression to the next round.

"In the opening five or ten minutes we were a little bit nervy but apart from that I think we were comfortable," said Rangers manager Ally McCoist.

"We got the goals at good times and ran out deserved winners."

Rangers' dip in form in recent weeks has coincided with the resurgence of Celtic and Celtic's 1-0 Old Firm win at Parkhead last week took it two points clear of its Ibrox rival.

Joe Ledley's second-half header completed a remarkable transformation at the top of the table as on 5 November, the Hoops were trailing Rangers by 15 points, albeit Neil Lennon's side had two games in hand.

The Celtic assistant manager is glad to be leading from the front and looking back at nine successive SPL wins.

However, he wants to make sure the most recent positive taken from the Old Firm game is not negated in Fife against a Dunfermline side struggling at the bottom of the table.

"I would rather have the lead, obviously, because there is usually more pressure on you when you have to chase teams," said the former Celtic defender.

"I think both teams can live with that anyway.

"It's only two points and there is a long way to go.

"But it has been a very big turnaround.

"Two months ago I would have probably not believed you if you told me we would be two points ahead at this time.

"We would rather be in this position but we still need to keep our feet on the ground.

"There is a long way to go and we need to keep on going and keep the momentum."

Celtic travels to East End Park without Beram Kayal in its squad after the Israel midfielder was ruled out for at least a month with the ankle injury he sustained during the Old Firm win.

Lennon has options though with Scott Brown able to tuck in after starting at right midfield against Rangers, while Ledley netted his winner while playing at left-back.

Ki Sung-yueng could also come back into the team after starting on the bench against Rangers despite showing some good form in recent weeks.

The Israel international was carried off on a stretcher following a challenge with Lee McCulloch towards the end of Celtic's 1-0 win over Rangers, which sent them top of the Scottish Premier League.

A statement on Celtic's official website read: "Beram Kayal has undergone two sets of scans on the ankle injury sustained on Wednesday evening and results received today have revealed that unfortunately he will be out of action for at least one month.

"The midfielder, who missed the closing stages of the win against Rangers midweek, will receive a further investigation on the injury in one week."

Celtic assistant manager Johan Mjallby had earlier estimated Kayal could be out for at least 10 days.

Kayal has been one of the most impressive performers in the Celtic team under Neil Lennon after signing from Maccabi Haifa last northern summer.

The 23-year-old, who signed a new long-term contract in October, has made 26 starts this season for Celtic, more than any other outfield player.

Kayal has had his share of injuries since signing for Celtic, missing three months in the first part of last season following a hernia operation and then missing the Scottish Cup final win over Motherwell after breaking his wrist in the costly SPL defeat by Inverness in May.

He also broke his nose during Celtic's pre-season tour of Australia, although he was back for the season opener against Hibernian.

Lennon does have numerous options in central midfield though. Kayal lined up alongside Victor Wanyama against Rangers but Scott Brown, Joe Ledley and Ki Sung-yueng, who started on the bench against Rangers, all prefer to play there.

January sees Celtic face SPL games against Dunfermline, Dundee United and St Mirren, while it also has cup ties against Peterhead and Falkirk.

Ledley headed home Charlie Mulgrew's 52nd-minute corner to secure Celtic's ninth SPL win in a row.

The triumph confirmed its turnaround in fortunes since 5 November, when it was 15 points behind the champion, albeit with two games in hand.

Hoops boss Lennon said: "It has been the best Christmas and New Year that I have had.

"Obviously it was difficult to enjoy because we knew the game was looming tonight, I'm glad it's over.

"I'm delighted we have won and it was another good performance and really consistent form we have shown.

"I can't ask any more of the players at the moment, they have been brilliant.

"I think the timing of the goal was important and I thought we were in the ascendancy without being brilliant.

"I always knew that we could claw it back, I didn't realise that they would claw it back so quickly but they always had it in them to go on a run like this."

Midfielder Beram Kayal was carried off on a stretcher in the second half after a challenge with Lee McCulloch but Lennon said: "Kayal is okay, he rapped his ankle and I think he should be fit for Monday (against Dunfermline)."

Ally McCoist revealed defender Steven Whittaker might need an operation on a groin injury which kept him out of the game.

The Rangers boss said: "He might need surgery, he is going to see a specialist.

"It might be a hernia, he pulled up in training yesterday."

The former Gers striker also admitted that he had heard Queens Park Rangers had made a written offer for striker Nikica Jelavic but could not confirm it.

He said: "Somebody at the club had mentioned it to me before kick-off, which was all I needed to be frank, but I haven't heard anything else, that's all, and they told me it was just a rumour."

Turning to the game McCoist called for the introduction of goal-line technology after Lee Wallace's first-half header looked like it might have crossed the line before Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster clawed it back.

He said: "Yes, I have said that all along that we should have it.

"I have seen it and it has definitely crossed the line.

"Sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't.

"But I will keep that for another day.

"We have to take that on the chin and get on with it.

"I think Lee and Nikica Jelavic were both fairly convinced that the ball had crossed the line but there is no use mumping and moaning about it."

Lennon, however, retorted: "Yes - it's not a goal. That's my opinion."

McCoist was defiant when asked if his side can recover from throwing away such a commanding lead.

"We will be fine," he said. "I will tell you right now.

"We are disappointed but if you look at the way the boys went about their work, there was a real desire to work for each other and an attempt to get the results.

"Tonight it never happened.

"I don't have any problems picking the boys up - we will be fine.

"We are literally halfway through the season."

McCoist added: "The over-ridding feeling is disappointment.

"I said we couldn't afford to drop any level of concentration and I think we did that and that's what cost us the game.

"It wasn't the timing of the goal, it was the way we switched off and we found ourselves a goal behind."

Ledley powered home Charlie Mulgrew's inswinging corner seven minutes into the second half of a fiercely-contested Glasgow derby.

Rangers had come closest to opening the scoring in the first half when Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster clawed the ball out from his goal line, perhaps even over his line, after Lee Wallace had headed against the inside of the post from close range.

But Celtic went on to dominate the second period to complete a remarkable turnaround in fortunes at the top of the SPL.

Celtic had been 15 points behind Rangers and struggling for form going into its clash with second-placed Motherwell on 6 November but it has since won nine consecutive SPL games to take a two-point lead over its city rival.

St Johnstone took advantage of a postponement at Fir Park to move two points behind Motherwell in fourth place.

Francisco Sandaza hit a first-half double as the Perth side beat Kilmarnock 2-0 at McDiarmid Park.

The Spaniard forced home from close range in the 26th minute and headed home Liam Craig's corner in first-half injury-time.

Motherwell's home match with Dunfermline was the only victim of the gale-force winds that affected all the fixtures, with structural damage at its ground proving a safety risk.

Troubled Hearts failed in its quest to win three consecutive matches as it was held to a goalless draw at Aberdeen.

Fifth-placed Hearts, whose players are awaiting wages due on 16 December, made five changes from the side that beat Motherwell on Christmas Eve and Aberdeen came closest to a winner but Rory Fallon missed a good first-half chance.

Dundee United stayed in the top six on goal difference ahead of St Mirren after sharing four goals in eight first-half minutes against its host in Paisley.

Steven Thompson gave Saints the lead in the 27th minute when he converted Graham Carey's cross but United soon levelled when Jon Daly fired into the bottom corner.

Carey found the top corner from 25 yards out on the right wing a minute later but United again quickly levelled when Stuart Armstrong headed home Gary Mackay-Steven's cross from close range.

Pat Fenlon picked up his first point as Hibernian manager but his team missed the chance to close the gap on the teams above it as it was held to a 1-1 home draw by Inverness.

Garry O'Connor gave the home side an eighth-minute lead when his free-kick found the top corner but Jonny Hayes netted an impressive solo equaliser four minutes before the break.

Hibernian, which lost its first three completed games under Fenlon, moved a point above bottom club Dunfermline.

Celtic's 2-1 win over Kilmarnock at the weekend extended its winning run in the Scottish Premier League to eight games to take it to within one point of its city rival at the top of the table.

At one stage the gap between the two clubs was 15 points, albeit Celtic had two games in hand, but the champion has slipped up in recent weeks and its lacklustre 2-1 defeat at St Mirren on Christmas Eve gives Lennon's men the opportunity to lead the table going into 2012.

Celtic heads into the match as favourite but the Parkhead boss was keen to dampen down the prospect of anyone in the Hoops camp taking victory for granted.

"Rangers are always dangerous opposition, regardless of the situation or the timing of the game," he said.

"So I don't think the mentality of either team will change going into the game. We know if we win we go top and our focus is on winning. If that's the rewards then so be it.

"We want to make our home advantage count and keep the winning run going, it's very important to the players.

"We are in a good vein of form but we are playing our biggest rivals and there is not much between the teams at the minute.

"Our form has been slightly better than Rangers' but they are the champions and they won the last Old Firm game so I don't think there is much in it."

The Northern Irishman has been surprised at how quickly his side has whittled away Rangers' lead but was quick to point out that it can go the other way again before the season ends.

"I always believed we would close the gap but I didn't realise it would be so quickly, but that is testament to the players' consistency," Lennon said.

"But even though I am a young manager, I've been in football a long time and nothing is won in October and nothing is won in December.

"There is a huge amount of football to be played over the next four or five months.

"We have been looking at one game at a time and trying to eat away at the lead.

"We have done that but we are hoping to go from strength to strength.

"I think momentum is important as long as you don't take complacency into the game and I'm sure the players won't, because they know what's at stake.

"We have had our rough period and it wasn't nice and it wasn't nice for me but we have found our consistency and it is our job to make sure that it continues and I'm hoping we can maintain our winning run for a bit longer.

"It's just another league game that happens to be Rangers at home.

"It will whet the appetite of the supporters but we will prepare as we have done for every other game of late."

Lennon understands why the Rangers club has appealed Lee McCulloch's red card to have him available but is just glad he has not had to deal with any major disciplinary problems of his own this season.

The Ibrox midfielder was sent off in the first half at St Mirren after being adjudged by referee Steven McLean to have elbowed Graham Carey.

McCulloch was followed later by Dorin Goian after the Light Blues defender picked up the second of two yellow cards but the Ibrox club's appeal on behalf of the former Scotland player, on the basis of television evidence, looks simply strategic.

The Celtic boss, who revealed that winger James Forrest is a doubt with a hamstring complaint, said: "I can understand why . He will be available for the game tomorrow night (Thursday AEDT).

"I am hoping my players don't get themselves involved in those situations.

"I am delighted with them. They have been exemplary this year under difficult circumstances at times.

"We have had a couple of red cards but we have told the players that discipline is vital.

"It is always important to have 11 players on the pitch and that was hammered into me by Martin O'Neill, Gordon Strachan and even Dario Gradi in my younger years, so discipline is very important."

The Bhoys host Rangers at Parkhead one point behind its rivals in the SPL table, having won eight straight games to reduce a 15-point deficit.

It gives Celtic a fighting chance of wrestling the SPL trophy from Ibrox for the first time in four years.

"I want to win things and there is a real determination in the camp to start winning trophies this season," Lennon said.

"But there is still a lot of football to go."

Lennon is delighted with his team's character after the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock sent his side into the derby in rude health.

"We are improving all the time and the players have a good mentality," Lennon said.

"Ki Sung-yueng has been very good since he recovered from a virus, Scott Brown got stronger as the game went on and Cha Du-ri has been fantastic in the last three or four games.

"Then you have the likes of Gary Hooper, Joe Ledley, Victor Wanyama and James Forrest who have been very consistent since the start of the season.

"There were things we already knew about the players from last season but again they have shown a lot of character and produced big goals in big moments in games.

"Any slip-up could have cost us and the only blip we have had since the Hearts defeat (in October) is the 0-0 game at home against Hibs when we didn't play as well as we could have done.

"But it can change again. There were some things in the Killie game that didn't please me and I know we can play better."

McCulloch was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after catching Saints' Graham Carey with an elbow.

The Scottish Football Association will consider the appeal on January 5, meaning the Scotland international is free to be selected at Parkhead.

A statement on www.rangers.co.uk read: "Manager Ally McCoist's initial reaction was that the decision was harsh and after watching the incident again the club has submitted its appeal to the association.

"As things stand, McCulloch will be free to play against Celtic in Wednesday's crucial Old Firm clash at Parkhead although Dorin Goian will be suspended.

"With the SFA not due to hear the appeal until January 5 at the earliest, the midfielder is also available for the meeting with Motherwell three days earlier."

The Hoops were brushed aside 4-2 in the first Old Firm derby in September and the champion went on to stretch its lead over the Hoops at the top of the Premier League to 15 points by November 5, albeit having played two games more.

However, a Georgios Samaras double in the 2-1 home win over Kilmarnock on Saturday extended Celtic's winning run in the SPL to eight games and took Lennon's side to within a point of the Light Blues, who lost 2-1 at St Mirren.

The Celtic manager, though, remembered the frustrating trip to Govan when asked what type of game he expected in midweek.

"We didn't do ourselves justice at Ibrox so I am looking to my team to be highly motivated and certainly play better and compete better than they did in the second 45 minutes of the first Old Firm game," Lennon said.

"If they do that they will give themselves a great chance of winning the game.

"I don't know [how Rangers will approach the game].

"[Rangers manager] Ally [McCoist] has tried a couple of different formations. He has played three up or one up. But, whatever formation we face on Wednesday, they are the champions and have had a good mentality over the last three or four years.

"But we are in a good place and I want us to go out and stamp our authority on the game if we can."

The Northern Irishman accepts Celtic is in the ascendancy going into the game which could see it go top of the table going into 2012.

"Yes, we have won eight in a row and the form is good," he said. "But we will have to play well, we will have to play strongly and have to play the occasion as best we can.

"We want to continue the winning form and if it means having to beat Rangers then so be it."

Lennon was not surprised by Rangers' defeat in Paisley but gave due respect to the Ibrox side.

"I was not surprised at all. Anything can happen - particularly away from home," said the former Celtic skipper.

"It has happened to us on a few occasions and St Mirren are a decent team at home.

"But I can't comment on Rangers.

"What I will say is that they are a point ahead and are current champions and our biggest rivals for the title and we will have to play very well to beat them."

Left-back Emilio Izaguirre, fully recovered from a broken ankle sustained against Aberdeen in August, was on the bench against Killie and defender Kelvin Wilson came on in the second half following his recovery from an Achilles problem.

Lennon says both players have a chance of a starting place against Rangers.

"Izaguirre is in contention," he said. "We wanted to give him some game time but when the Kilmarnock goal went in, we wanted to shore things up and make sure we didn't concede again.

"Kelvin Wilson is also definitely in contention.

"He was unlucky not to start against Kilmarnock."

Killie boss Kenny Shiels was disappointed with his players' reaction to going two goals down before substitute Danny Racchi fired in a consolation goal but knows he has to quickly turn his attention to the trip to St Johnstone on Wednesday night.

The Northern Irishman said: "We deserved to get something from the game.

"We matched them for long periods but it's all ifs, buts and maybes.

"We are back in on Monday morning to prepare for Wednesday's game."

The Celtic midfielder scored his sixth goal of the campaign in last weekend's 2-0 SPL win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park to take Neil Lennon's on-form side to within four points of league leader Rangers.

Speaking ahead of the game against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park, Ki said: "Winning the award was an honour for me as I try to improve.

"People in Korea know I am getting better and better so I am quite happy.

"There is a good atmosphere at this club and the gaffer and coaches try to improve me.

"My aim is to win the league and if I do it will be a perfect season for me."

Ki admits the travelling since he signed for the Parkhead club in 2009 from FC Seoul has at times taken its toll.

He said: "It is not easy for me and all the other players from Asia.

"But to represent my country and my club is a big honour, so even though I am very tired, I don't care.

"I have been here for two years and I can adapt to this environment.

"I was tired and sick in November but now I am getting back to my best and I am quite satisfied with my performances at the moment."

UEFA confirmed it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic, charging the Glasgow club with "the displaying of a banner of an offensive nature and the setting off of fireworks by supporters".

The case will be heard by the UEFA's control and disciplinary body on January 26.

At the Stadio Friuli, before the 1-1 draw which saw Neil Lennon's side exit the tournament, a two-part banner insulting UEFA was unfurled by the travelling fans and there were several flares set alight, one of which was hurled onto the pitch-side running track.

The Parkhead club were last week fined £12,700 ($A19,811) by UEFA after its supporters were reported for "illicit chanting" in a previous Europa League fixture against Rennes in Glasgow and expect to be brought to book again.

Lennon, along with chief executive Peter Lawwell and chairman Ian Bankier, hit out at the rogue element within its support and the club has already banned for life one fan whom they claim was involved with the banner and who was also arrested by Italian police for an alleged assault on a Celtic steward.

The club also vowed to sift through photographic evidence to find those fans responsible for the use of the flares, warning that they will take "appropriate action".

After the game Lawwell braced himself for "consequences" saying: "I believe the flares and banner are in the UEFA report and we will have to face the consequences sometime next week.

"It is very frustrating. Those people are not Celtic supporters.

"The vast majority of Celtic supporters are positively supporting Celtic, we have a magnificent reputation around Europe and this unfortunately is an embarrassment that we can't tolerate."

Celtic had been fined by UEFA this week after Hoops fans were reported for "illicit chanting" in a previous Europa League fixture against Rennes at Parkhead.

It perhaps was not the best time for the small band of travelling fans to unfurl a banner which was derogatory in its sentiments towards European football's governing body and the flare that was thrown onto the running track before the game could lead to an investigation.

The Celtic boss, who described the result as "gut wrenching," said: "I am not aware of that.

"I didn't see the flare before the game so I will have to wait and see what the outcome is.

"From where I was it looked like the supporters behaved themselves impeccably and I hope that (possible trouble) is not going to be the case."

The visiting side, needing victory in the final Group I fixture to go through into the knockout stages, took the lead in the 29th minute when Gary Hooper took advantage of a mix-up in the Udinese defence to tap in from a yard out.

But veteran striker Antonio Di Natale equalised from close range with seconds remaining in the first half after Celtic defender Cha Du-ri inadvertently headed into his path.

Lennon pointed to two penalty incidents against the Italian club, behind Juventus only on goal difference at the top of Serie A, which he claims made the difference over the course of the campaign.

"If you look over the piece, the penalty that Udinese got at Celtic Park (in a 1-1 draw) was probably the difference," Lennon said. "It was a joke of a decision."

"And I thought we should have had a penalty tonight right at the end when Daniel Majstorovic headed the ball onto the centre-half's arm.

"From where I was standing it wad a clear hand ball and there may have been one earlier.

"It wasn't ball to hand, I don't understand why he didn't give although I thought the referee had a decent game and allowed it to flow."

The former Celtic skipper, however, would not let his obvious dejection totally negate the pride he had in his side.

"It was up there with some of the best performances in my management time, certainly away from home in Europe against probably the best team that I have faced," Lennon said.

"All credit to Udinese, you can see why they are up there but we feel we are a pretty good side ourselves. I take a lot of positives from the game.

"From the first whistle to the death I though we were fantastic as a team, I thought there were some wonderful performances.

"To come here and play a team the top of Serie A and take the game to them and play the football we played and create the chances we created, I can't speak highly enough of the team.

"We have to transmit that from European football to domestic honours."

The Hoops needed to win in Udine to progress from Group I but came away with a point after Gary Hooper's goal was cancelled out on the cusp of half-time by Antonio Di Natale.

There was at least one decent penalty shout, as well as Cha Du-ri's volley against the post to keep hearts in mouths but ultimately the Italian side held on.

"I was very proud of the team, everyone made a fantastic contribution and with a bit of luck we'd be through," Lennon told ESPN.

"I thought there was a clear handball, I though it hit one of their centre-backs on the arm, we hit the post, we had one cleared off the line...

"In terms of chances it was was almost as good as we've played.

"To come away from home, to Italy of all places, and play like that was good to see."

Fraser Forster was key to keeping Celtic's hopes alive with a string of fine saves and Lennon likened the on-loan Newcastle man to a former Hoops favourite.

"We had Artur Boruc a couple of years ago and in Forster, I think we've found another one like that. There were some top-class saves. You need your goalkeeper like that."

Harry Redknapp's men had to beat the Irish side and hope Group J rival Rubin Kazan was beaten by PAOK Salonika in Greece - as well as overturning a goal difference of five in the process.

But despite looking well on its way to keeping its own side of the bargain, Spurs' hopes were dashed when the Russian side held on for a 1-1 draw which earned its own passage behind group winner PAOK.

Rubin had it all to do when it had keeper Sergei Ryzhikov sent off in the 13th minute and fell behind to a Vierinha penalty three minutes later. But Nelson Valdez struck a crucial 48th minute equaliser.

Meanwhile in Dublin, Tottenham could only keep scoring and hope. Steven Pienaar, Andros Townsend and Jermain Defoe put the London side 3-0 up at the break but it faltered thereafter and could only add a fourth through Harry Kane in injury time.

Standard Liege players wore black armbands as a mark of respect to the three people killed by a gunman in the Belgian city this week, as the Group B winner won 1-0 in Copenhagen.

Michy Batshuayi scored the only goal in the 31st minute while Hannover, which had also already secured second place, beat Vorskla 3-1 with goals from Konstantin Rausch, Didier Konan and Artur Sobiech.

With Group C also already settled, PSV Eindhoven rounded off its group stage campaign unbeaten with late goals from Stanislav Manolev and Tim Matavz earning a 2-1 win over Rapid Bucharest, which replied through Daniel Pancu.

It was too little too late for Hapoel Tel Aviv, which beat already-qualified Legia Warsaw 2-0 in Israel. Salim Toama and Abihai Yadin won the game for the home side despite Gal Shish's second half sending-off.

Adam Maher's equaliser earned Dutch Eredivisie leader AZ Alkmaar the point it needed to progress as runner-up from Group G after a 1-1 draw with group winner Metalist Kharkiv.

AZ knew a point would be enough barring a six-goal win for Austria Vienna, and it earned it after a frantic 37th minute in which Marko Devic put Metalist ahead only for Maher to equalise immediately.

Austria Vienna was never likely to do enough at home to Malmo but it gave itself some hope with a 2-0 win through second-half goals from Michael Liendl and Nacer Barazite.

In Group H, Club Brugge claimed the point it needed to guarantee qualification as group winner in a 1-1 draw with Braga, which had already secured progression to the knockout stage.

Brugge, which knew defeat coupled with a win for Birmingham would see it eliminated, led through Bjorn Vleminckx's 50th-minute strike. Braga had Uwe Echiejile sent off for a professional foul after 16 minutes but nevertheless equalised in the 64th minute through Ewerton.

The result meant Birmingham missed out on a place in the last 32 despite ending its campaign with a 1-0 win over Slovenian side Maribor at St Andrew's. Adam Rooney scored a 24th-minute winner for Chris Hughton's side.

Gary Hooper's 29th-minute strike gave Celtic hope of getting the win it needed at Udinese to qualify as Group I runner-up at the expense of the Italian side, currently sitting second in Serie A.

But an equaliser in first-half injury time from Antonio di Natale gave Udinese the 1-1 draw it needed to qualify alongside group winner Atletico Madrid.

Atletico finished its group campaign in style with a 3-1 win over Rennes. Radamel Falcao's penalty plus further strikes from Alvaro Dominguez and Arda Turan gave the Spanish side a comfortable lead before Georges Mandjeck's late consolation.

United is reported to have accepted a bid for Allan from West Brom, but both sides of the Old Firm remain interested.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has previously expressed his admiration for the 20-year-old, who has rejected a new contract offer from United with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.

McCoist said: "We have spoken to Dundee United to let them know our intentions to speak to young Scott and his representatives.

"He is obviously still a Dundee United player but I would have to say he is a very, very good player.

"In terms of young talent in the country, he is up there with anything really."

Celtic must win to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament behind group winners Atletico Madrid.

Udinese, currently behind Juventus at the top of Serie A on goal difference, are favourites, but Guidolin believes the ramifications of defeat means the encounter takes on a different sheen from the 1-1 draw in Glasgow in September.

"Tonight is a completely different match from the one we played in Glasgow," he said. "It is in or out so it is not about tactics, it's more about nerves.

"We know the Celtic players a little bit better but it still doesn't change what we need to do."

Guidolin was impressed by Neil Lennon's men in the reverse fixture and believes Celtic could hold its own in Italy.

"Celtic would be a very good team in Serie A," he said. "They have good individual players, they have rhythm, pace, character and they are aggressive.

"It will have to be a fine Udinese performance to get the better of a strong, well-prepared side like Celtic."

Guidolin is still undecided as to which side to pick due to the fixtures which are coming thick and fast. Udinese plays Lazio on Sunday before it takes on Juventus next Wednesday.

"The three matches in six days are very important but I have to ask myself, why do we end up playing three games in such a short time, just six days?" he said.

"We will still think one [game] after the other but this is the second time it has happened to us, I don't think it has happened to other Italian teams this season.

"Obviously I am very proud of my players and what we have done. I just hope for more satisfaction in the next days.

"But you need to ask me about it on the 22nd, when we have played the three games."

Celtic has to win to reach the knockout stages of the tournament, but faces a side three points better off in the group and only behind Juventus on goal difference at the top of Serie A.

Moreover, Celtic has won only once in 32 games on the road in Europe, a fact Lennon acknowledged at the pre-match press conference at the Stadio Friuli.

"It is a daunting proposition for any team to come here, but in that respect we know what we have to do," Lennon said.

"We are in good form, off the back of six wins in the league and confidence is good.

"Each of the Europa games there has been a natural progression, it is a young team who are learning all the time and we will treat it like a cup final.

"It is a great incentive and one that we are all looking forward to.

"Going into the campaign a lot of people would have made us the whipping boys but we are very pleased with the way the team have played in the previous five games.

"To say that we are in with a chance of qualifying going into the last game is testament to the players and we are going to give it everything we have got tomorrow night.

"There is pressure in every game that Celtic are involved in and it will be no different.

"We will probably go into the game as underdogs I would imagine but there will still be an expectation from our supporters to get a favourable result.

"Our record away from home has been a bugbear and there is no better time than to break it tomorrow night."

Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin would not reveal if he will play his top scorer, 34-year-old striker Antonio Di Natale, or any other of his star players.

Lennon would gladly see the veteran striker on the bench, but insists that whichever side the hosts field will give him food for thought.

He said: "Di Natale has been a world-class player for a number of years and certainly he has been a consistent goalscorer in Serie A, and an international player of some regard for quite a while.

"However, Udinese are not a one-man team, they have a number of good players in a number of positions, hence that is why they are at the top of Serie A.

"Defensively they are very strong and they have players who can turn the game on its head, like Di Natale, and they have strong runners from midfield."

Glenn Loovens did not travel with the team after sustaining a hamstring injury against Hearts, but Lennon is confident he has the strength in depth to cope with the loss of the Dutch defender.

"Kris Commons, Mark Wilson, Adam Matthews and Joe Ledley are all out of the squad," the former Celtic skipper said.

"It is a blow to us (to lose Glenn), he has been playing very well. It is two steps forward and one back.

"Kelvin Wilson is fit and will be in contention. We also have options with Charlie Mulgrew and Victor Wanyama, so we are all right for cover."

UEFA's control and disciplinary panel imposed the fine after the match delegate was informed of pro-IRA chanting by the Strathclyde police match commander on 3 November.

The fine was announced by the European governing body on Monday afternoon after a decision was taken on Friday.

Celtic expressed its surprise at the charge when it was announced last month and said it would cooperate fully with any investigation.

The Glasgow club acknowledged notification of the fine, but will take time to decide whether to appeal.

A Celtic spokesperson said on the club's official website, www.celticfc.net: "We received notification of the fine this afternoon with no detail.

"The club is currently considering its position."

Earlier this month Celtic escaped Scottish Premier League action over pro-IRA chanting, the league ruling the club had taken all reasonable action to prevent such 'unacceptable conduct', which was reported by police after a goalless draw against Hibernian on 29 October.

The lack of action is consistent with the league's stance that clubs should not be punished for the behaviour of fans if all reasonable measures had been taken to prevent it and deal with it.

But UEFA has been more willing to punish clubs and national associations in similar instances.

The European governing body has fined Rangers for 'discriminatory' behaviour on three occasions, the latest offences also prompting a one-match travel ban on supporters.

The Ibrox club argued it had done everything possible to halt the singing.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon in May urged fans to stop pro-IRA chants and Bhoys chief executive Peter Lawwell made a similar plea in September after the club was 'inundated' with complaints from its own supporters after a 2-0 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle.

Lawwell recently said: "Chants glorifying the Provisional IRA are totally unacceptable.

"One, it is wrong, and it is an embarrassment to the club and an embarrassment to the majority of supporters.

"We have dealt with it at Celtic Park and we will do all we can to make sure it doesn't happen home or away."

Lennon has said: "We are better than that as a club and we always have been, we just don't need it.

"We are and always have been a club open to all and we do not have issues around sectarianism.

"We have our own values and traditions but they do not include these chants. We don't want them at matches and they must stop."

The Rangers manager hit out at the decision of the SFA's three-man fast track tribunal to ban Sone Aluko for two games for diving in last week's 2-1 Premier League win against Dunfermline. saying he was "absolutely shocked and extremely angry".

McCoist also made reference to several other incidents where sanctions were not imposed, alluding to two believed to involve Celtic players. Hoops striker Georgios Samaras escaped punishment after an incident with Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor in an Old Firm derby last season.

This season, after Motherwell midfielder Steve Jennings accused Celtic striker Gary Hooper of deliberately striking him in the face, his claims were not investigated by the SFA.

Lennon was delighted to pick up the Premier League manager of the month for November at Celtic Park but was unhappy when told that McCoist had, in particular, inferred that a Hoops player had been let off following the alleged incident at Motherwell.

"Did he?" said the Irishman.

"Did he infer that about one of our players?

"If you want me to go down that route and pour over contentious decisions that went against us, I will be here until Christmas.

"I have not seen his comments and I don't want to get drawn into tit-for-tat but if you want to talk about contentious issues against my team, you will be here all day.

"There hasn't been too many this season. We got one that went for us at Inverness (Greg Tansey's sending off after an aerial duel with Samaras) and a lot was made about that, a lot more than what should have been.

"Comparing that one with the one this week (Aluko), I find totally ridiculous and out of context.

"As I say each case is taken on its own merits.

"You have to give it (fast-track tribunal) a chance.

"Everyone is not going to be happy with it, as someone said, you win some, you lose some.

"It gets highlighted more when an Old Firm player gets involved and whether we agree with that process or not, it has been agreed at the start of the season and we have to abide with that."

McCoist also questioned the suitability of the recently-appointed Vincent Lunny for the role of compliance officer, the person who decides who should be cited.

The former Rangers striker noted that lawyer Lunny, "comes from a legal background not a football one."

However, Lennon was again at odds with his Old Firm counterpart, saying: "He is going to be a neutral isn't he, he is not going to have any favouritism to any individual or any club."

On the pitch, Celtic is four points behind Rangers at the top of the table and take on Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.

The Aluko affair has almost been overshadowed this week by the financial predicament the Gorgie players find themselves in.

PFA Scotland this week urged the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football Association to intervene over the continual non-payment of players' salaries.

Hearts' first-team squad is awaiting delayed payment of its wages for the second successive month with reports claiming it has been asked to wait further until March.

Asked if Hearts could be affected, Lennon replied: "Possibly, it's not a nice time for those players, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas.

"Whatever people think, it is a living these guys undertake and they have mortgages to pay and families to look after.

"It could spur them on, they could be a wounded animal in that respect, but we will approach the game as we approach every game regardless of the opposition."

Lennon revealed that he has not yet made a decision on Fulham central defender Rafik Halliche, who played 90 minutes in a friendly against Hibernian at Lennoxtown on Wednesday.

The Algeria international, 25, impressed Lennon in the 3-0 win but the Hoops boss said:

"We were lucky enough to get him up for a couple of days. "I was very impressed with him, we had a bounce game and he played very well.

"We will keep monitoring the situation but nothing will be done until at the very least January."

The hearing is one of more than 100 cases being dealt with by UEFA's control and disciplinary body.

A UEFA spokesman said the outcome of all the cases would be disclosed on Monday.

Celtic was charged after the Strathclyde Police match commander complained to the UEFA match delegate about pro-IRA chanting at the Europa League Group I game on November 3.

The Parkhead club was expecting the complaint, made by the Strathclyde Police match commander to the UEFA match delegate following the Europa League Group I game, to be addressed.

However, UEFA has an appeals body meeting scheduled to take place which means Celtic's case, among others, has been put back 24 hours.

Celtic was told that it had escaped Scottish Premier League action over pro-IRA chanting at its clash with Hibernian on October 29.

The SPL ruled that the Parkhead club had taken all reasonable action to prevent such "unacceptable conduct", which was reported by police. SPL secretary Iain Blair only confirmed Celtic were under investigation when questioned on the issue after the UEFA action became public.

The SPL launched an investigation after police noted the singing during a goalless draw against Hibernian at Celtic Park on 29 October.

But the league has announced its probe had determined that the club had taken all reasonable steps to minimise the risk of such 'unacceptable conduct'.

The ruling was announced three days before a UEFA hearing on a similar accusation surrounding the club's Europa League home game against Rennes on 3 November.

The SPL revealed its match delegate's report included information from the police match commander 'regarding unacceptable conduct amongst a small number of Celtic fans in that they chanted and sang in support of the IRA'.

The statement added: "Such reports result in an investigation to determine whether any breach of SPL rules by the club in question may have occurred.

"It is not disputed that a small number of Celtic fans engaged in singing and chanting in support of the IRA. Such behaviour is unacceptable and unwelcome at SPL matches.

"It is noted that Celtic FC has condemned such activity publicly on many occasions (most recently by chief executive Peter Lawwell and by head coach Neil Lennon).

"It is important that such public condemnation should continue.

"It has been established, through the above investigation, that Celtic FC took all reasonably practicable steps before, during and after the match (in consultation and conjunction with Strathclyde Police) to minimise the likelihood of unacceptable conduct occurring and, where it did occur, to assist in the identification and prosecution of offenders.

"The ongoing work amongst the club, supporters and police to ensure that any unacceptable conduct is eradicated from Celtic Park is noted and is welcomed."

SPL secretary Iain Blair confirmed Celtic was under investigation when questioned on the topic after the UEFA action became public.

UEFA appears more likely to take sanctions if it upholds claims of 'illicit chanting', which were also sparked by police.

UEFA has punished Rangers for 'discriminatory' behaviour on three occasions, the latest offences prompting a fine of more than £70,000 ($107,548) and a one-match travel ban on supporters. The Ibrox club argued it had done everything possible to halt sectarian singing.

Lennon urged fans to stop pro-IRA chants in May and Lawwell made a similar plea in September after the club was 'inundated' with complaints from its own supporters after a 2-0 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle.

Lawwell said: "Chants glorifying the Provisional IRA are totally unacceptable.

"One, it is wrong, and it is an embarrassment to the club and an embarrassment to the majority of supporters.

"We have dealt with it at Celtic Park and we will do all we can to make sure it doesn't happen home or away."

After the UEFA action was revealed, Lennon repeated his call.

"We are better than that as a club and we always have been, we just don't need it," he said.

"We are and always have been a club open to all and we do not have issues around sectarianism.

"We have our own values and traditions but they do not include these chants. We don't want them at matches and they must stop."

The former Scunthorpe striker, 23, was dropped to the bench for the Europa League defeat to Atletico Madrid at Parkhead in midweek but returned to the starting eleven to score his 13th goal of the season.

In the 12th minute, in typical Hooper style, he took a James Forrest pass inside the United box before drilling the ball low past Dusan Pernis.

Despite a dull second half it was a deserved win for the visitors to keep the pressure on the champions with Hooper going two clear of Stokes in their personal competition.

"That's 13 goals now, 10 in the league," said Hooper.

"My aim is to be top scorer and I am still beating Anthony Stokes.

"It is all friendly, we get on with it but we are here to score goals and we are doing that.

"He is trying to catch me and I am trying to get away from him but the main thing is getting the three points.

"It was disappointing (to get left out against Atletico) but I showed yesterday what I can do. I am here to score goals."

Hooper admitted that Celtic fell away after the break but insists the win was all-important ahead of the game against Hearts at Celtic Park next week.

"We started off well in the first half and James and I linked up well and got the goal," he said.

"The second half wasn't as good as the first but we got the three points and that is the gap down to four points.

"We got the clean sheet as well so we are looking forward to next week now."

Dundee United manager Peter Houston bemoaned a "technically poor performance" after 90 minutes in which they failed to really test Hoops keeper Fraser Forster and he believes it is time to address the lack of potency.

"We were losing too many goals a while back and we decided to work very hard on the defensive side of things," he said.

"I think after yesterday, we will have to work on the other side.

"It was very disappointing day for us."

An Arda Turan strike in the 29th minute was enough to give Atletico Madrid the three points at Parkhead in its penultimate Group I fixture and secure the Spanish club's qualification.

The Hoops now have to beat the Italian club on 15 December to leapfrog it into second place but Celtic has won only once away from home in Europe in eight years - against Dinamo Moscow in 2009.

"It's a tall order," said Lennon. "Udinese are an excellent side and we haven't won away from home in a long while but we will give it everything we've got.

"I thought we matched them for most of the game if not better them.

"It was an excellent performance and I though we deserved better from it."

Asked if he would have accepted his situation at the start of the campaign, Lennon said: "Of course. Going into the group we probably have been the underdog out of the four teams.

"I have seen a gradual progression and improvement in all the performances and it is a great stage to play in for these players.

"They came up against an excellent side who defended and counter-attacked very well but I can only give credit to the players for having a good go at it.

"You have to be mindful of Udinese, I would imagine that they would be on the front foot from the off in Italy but we will go for it, as we did tonight."

Celtic had more than held its own until Turkey international Turan picked up a Daniel Majstorovic clearance from a Diego corner 20 yards from goal and fired back in past Fraser Forster.

Substitute Gary Hooper, an interval replacement for Victor Wanyama, had the ball in the net after the break only to see it chalked off with an Anthony Stokes handball apparently the reason, although amid some confusion there were also suggestions of offside.

The Celtic boss claimed the decision was 'unfortunate' and was also calm about the loss of the goal despite skipper Beram Kayal appearing to duck to avoid Turan's strike.

Lennon claimed the midfielder might have misjudged the flight of the ball and that goal keeper Forster did not see the ball until late.

Forster was not for blaming his team-mate either despite admitting the Israel international had ducked out of the way.

He said: "He has obviously ducked but there were plenty of other things that we could have done better leading up to that so as a team it is disappointing.

"Beram has been fantastic for us all season and he is a great player. There are probably about 10 things that should have been done differently.

"I got a decent touch and on another day that should stay out."

Once again Lennon was left counting the cost of injuries.

Joe Ledley, playing at left-back again, was carried off on a stretcher in the first half while midfielder Wanyama stayed inside at the interval and both are doubtful for the trip to Dundee United this weekend.

The former Celtic skipper said: "It is a twist on the ankle for Joe so he will be doubtful for Sunday.

"We will have to see how he is but I don't think it is anything too serious.

"Victor picked up a dead leg and he was struggling with it the last 10 or 15 minutes of the first half so again he could be doubtful for the weekend."

Lennon denied that Hooper, who scored a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over St Mirren at the weekend, was dropped with the United game in mind.

"No, we wanted to match them in midfield," he said.

"I was concerned that we would get outnumbered in that middle area where Diego might have been able to make use of the extra man so we decided to match them up and for the first half-hour, as I said, we were excellent."

Atletico boss Gregorio Manzano was pleased his side was not made to pay for its missed chances.

He said: "At the end of the day, the most important thing was winning and we won the game.

"It was difficult to come here and win but it if we could have scored more goals it might have been so anxious for us."

On a night when manager Neil Lennon admitted he had supported a proposal two months ago to bring former boss Gordon Strachan back to the club in a mentoring role – an idea which came to nothing when a deal could not be struck – goals by Hooper and midfielder James Forrest gave the home side a comfortable half-time lead.

The Hoops missed chance upon chance to increase its lead and midfielder Ki Sung-yueng even missed the target with a penalty after the break before a goal by Pars striker Andy Barrowman with four minutes remaining had Celtic supporters glad to hear the final whistle.

Hooper shrugged off the profligacy to focus on the possibility of closing the gap to four points against St Mirren before Rangers travel to Kilmarnock on Sunday.

"We have won four games in a row now," said the former Scunthorpe striker.

"We need to get the fifth on Saturday, in what is another big game against St Mirren, who are a good side.

"No matter how we do it, we have to win every game.

"We have turned the corner and are playing really well. Last night was another big win in our game in hand and now we can make the gap four points on Saturday.

"The first-half performance was brilliant and we had the chances to see the game out then.

"I can't explain it, maybe missing the penalty changed the game a bit, they got on top and got the goal but we held out and got the three points."

Lennon spoke with candour as he admitted he could see the benefit of help from a more experienced manager.

"I'm not averse still to maybe having an old head in and around the place now and again," he said.

"You think sometimes you are on your own in this job but other people have been through the exact same feelings.

"I'm still a young manager learning my way and sometimes it is good to lean on somebody who has been in the trenches before and there is not better man than Gordon but we just couldn't get that done.

"I'm only a year and a bit into the job.

"It's a huge job and my backroom staff are also inexperienced in the job.

"I think we've done very well in the job so far but you always look to do better."

The 24-year-old will join the Bhoys on 1 January from Rosenborg, where his current deal is set to expire, and could make his debut in the Scottish Premier League at Dunfermline the next day.

Lustig said on www.celticfc.net: "This is a really exciting time for me and I am delighted to be committing my future to Celtic.

"I know a lot about Celtic, about the size of the club, the world-famous supporters and about the quality squad of players which is already there.

"I'm really looking forward to joining this squad, to the challenges ahead and hopefully playing my part in bringing some success to the club."

Celtic manager Neil Lennon this week admitted his interest in signing Lustig and the versatile defender's arrival could help cover a number of defensive positions, including right-back and centre-back.

Lennon said: "We are delighted to bring Mikael to Celtic. We believe he has the qualities to make a real impact at the club and we look forward to him joining us in January.

"He is a player with international pedigree and a defender with great versatility.

"He is someone who I feel will be a very positive addition to the squad.

"I like his attributes and he can play both positions, but he's predominantly a right-back."

Lustig's arrival strengthens the Swedish connection at Celtic, whose record goal-scorer is Henrik Larsson.

Johan Mjallby was a successful defender for the club and is now Lennon's assistant, Daniel Majstorovic is a key figure in the defence and Freddie Ljungberg had a short spell at Parkhead last season.

Lustig will rival Adam Matthews, Cha Du-ri and Mark Wilson for the right-back berth.

Strachan managed the Hoops from 2005 to 2009 and was approached by the Scottish Premier League club in September to join as a mentor to Lennon, according to BBC Sport.

While the deal fell though, former Celtic captain Lennon admitted he supported the move.

"Gordon is someone I respect totally and he wasn't averse to the idea but it never materialised," Lennon told Sportsound.

"It was an idea that we've bounced around for quite a while. We were pretty close to it.

"But it was almost eight weeks ago now that the decision was made, and we've moved on since then.

"It is something that I'm not averse to, depending on who it is and whether the circumstances are right and whether we feel we need it."

Lennon, who was appointed manager of Celtic on a full-time basis last year after a spell in caretaker charge, believes there might not be a need to bring in a more experienced pair of hands as he grows into the role.

He added: "The longer I go on in the job the less likely that scenario becomes."

The sport's world governing body imposed an embargo on Sion for two transfer windows for breaching rules in the signing of Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary in 2008.

Earlier this year UEFA ejected Sion from the Europa League after the club fielded players signed in an alleged breach of the transfer embargo in a playoff tie against Celtic, with the Scottish club taking its place in the Europa League group phase.

Sion fielded the players after a civil court of Martigny and St Maurice ruled in early August that they were eligible with immediate effect, but on Wednesday FIFA said the Valais cantonal court in Sion overturned that ruling in its entirety and "indirectly confirmed the legality of the transfer ban FIFA imposed on (Sion)".

Sion has appealed against its ejection from the Europa League by UEFA in the Swiss civil courts, but UEFA insists the only binding decision will come from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which will hear Sion's appeal on Thursday, November 24.

The European governing body instigated a charge of "illicit chanting" following songs sung during the Europa League win over Rennes on November 3, while Celtic was reported to the Scottish Premier League over IRA chants heard during a goalless draw against Hibernian days earlier.

Lennon urged fans to stop the chants in May, a call repeated by chief executive Peter Lawwell last month, and he again pleaded with them to stop embarrassing the club.

Lennon told the Scottish Sun: "To be honest, we are better than that as a club and we always have been, we just don't need it.

"We are and always have been a club open to all and we do not have issues around sectarianism.

"We have our own values and traditions but they do not include these chants.

"We don't want them at matches and they must stop."

The chants are believed to originate in a group calling themselves the Green Brigade, who occupy a small section of Celtic Park.

"The irony is that the section of fans we are talking about have added a new dimension and vibrancy to Celtic Park," Lennon said.

"We know even within that section that it's only a tiny group of fans that are involved in this.

"I feel that 95 per cent of what these fans bring to the game is positive and adds real atmosphere, but we need to make sure all the negative stuff is removed."

The 27-year-old has been plagued by injuries since he signed from Dundee United in January 2006 and last week underwent an arthroscopy procedure on his knee.

Wilson was boosted by the prognosis even though it will be into next year before he pulls on a green and white jersey again.

"I was going down there really expecting to be out for the rest of the season," he told Celtic View.

"But I got told that it was three months and there's the possibility, if rehab goes according to plan, I could shave a few weeks off that.

"It could turn out to be 10 weeks which is a massive bonus for me.

"It could have been 10 months - but now it's 10 weeks."

Wilson admits he had to eventually give in to the pain after the two games against Hibernian at the end of last month.

He said: "I had the scans weeks ago on my knee and it showed problems that I obviously knew I had because of what I was feeling.

"I was just trying to manage it as best I could and play as many games as I could.

"But after the Hibs games, I thought it was best to try to get it fixed.

"We went down to see the guy on the Wednesday after the Hibs game with a view to having a procedure done.

"I had a good chat with him and he seemed to think I could get away with a procedure that would only keep me out for three months.

"He was obviously going to have a look at the problem once he went in there and would do what needed to be done.

"I woke up delighted that I was through the operation and he said he did the minimum he could do and tidied up what needed to be done and hopefully that would help me.

"So fingers crossed for a positive outcome."

Meanwhile, Kris Commons revealed how he pretended to be injured to quash ongoing rumours of a bust-up with Celtic boss Neil Lennon.

The Scotland international turned up at training at the start of the month wearing a neckbrace and with his head bandaged, to the amusement of his team-mates and the delight of the photographers.

Ahead of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Inverness in the Highlands on Saturday, the former Nottingham Forest and Derby player told the Celtic View: "With so many people in the dressing room that know Celtic fans, there were certainly a lot of rumours.

"A lot of people were ringing me up and asking if me and the gaffer had a bit of a bust-up.

"It's not the first time that this rumour has come about so I tried to make a joke out of it with the tape round the head and the neckbrace, just to let people know it is all rumours.

"I think when you are not doing as well in the league and not picking up as many points as you should be doing, then people do start speculating, and I just wanted people to know that the gaffer and I are on good terms."

The winger's progress has been hampered by injury in recent weeks but he made his return from a calf problem as a substitute in the UEFA Europa League win over Rennes at the start of the month, before starting against Motherwell a few days later.

Once established in Hoops boss Neil Lennon's plans again, Commons is hoping to impress Scotland manager Craig Levein enough to earn an international recall.

He has nine caps so far, and has scored twice, but has not featured since a friendly defeat against Brazil last March, with Levein stating loss of form as the reason for his omission from the national squad earlier this season.

The player, himself, is well aware he needs to replicate the form he demonstrated last term for both club and country.

Commons told the Celtic View: "I need to concentrate on my game at Celtic.

"I have spoken with Craig and he's not going to hand out call-ups and caps just for the sake of it.

"While I have been injured I've not been involved in many games over the last four weeks so it's just important for me to stay fit, keep getting fitter and hopefully, if I start producing the football I did last year, I can force my way back into the squad.

"But that's the last thing on my mind at the minute, I just want to get back into the Celtic starting XI and produce the football I'm capable of."

The SPL's operations officer Ian Blair confirmed that, in his role as match commander at the Celtic versus Hibernian Clydesdale Bank Premier League game at Parkhead on October 29, former referee and senior policeman Eddie Smith complained to a match delegate about songs sung during the goalless draw.

"Eddie mentioned to our delegate that there was pro-IRA chanting from one specific section of the stadium," Blair told the Daily Record.

"It was included in the report and is now subject to an ongoing investigation."

It has been reported that two arrests were made during the Hibs match.

Blair added: "I am currently gathering information about what happened during the match when the arrests were made.

"Eddie has mentioned that there was pro-IRA chanting but we need to find out more about when it happened and what exactly went on.

"We also have to establish that Celtic, as I am sure they will have, co-operated fully with the police in the aftermath of this event."

Celtic is already facing disciplinary proceedings from UEFA, on December 8, over "illicit chanting" during their Europa League tie against Rennes at Parkhead on November 3.

It was reported that Smith made the complaint to the UEFA delegate on the night.

Celtic has confirmed it will co-operate fully with UEFA's investigation.