Scottish Premiership

ROY KEANE has been linked with a sensational return to Celtic as manager but will hope it goes more smoothly than his single season as a player there.The Manchester United legend, 49, is currently the favourite to succeed Neil Lennon.
Roy Keane is the favourite to become new Celtic managerCredit: Getty
Keane signed for Celtic as a player in 2005Credit: Getty
From his days being brought up in Cork, Keane always had an affection for Celtic and that feeling helped him join the Hoops in 2005.
The combative midfielder only featured in Glasgow for one season though, with a hip problem plaguing the latter stages of his illustrious playing career.
He managed just TEN APPEARANCES during his time at Parkhead, even if he ended up with a league title and league cup winners’ medal to his name.
He called time on his playing days in 2006 before moving into management with Sunderland.
With reports that the Hoops have opened talks with the Sky Sports pundit over the vacant hotseat, we take a look back at exactly what Keane has said about the club in the past.
Dream move?
KEANE addressed the affection which drew him to the Parkhead side as his days ticked down at Manchester United in his 2014 biography.
He said: “I wouldn’t have called it a dream but I’d always liked Celtic.
“And the Irish connection would have been on the back of my mind.
“I felt a bit of loyalty to them. This decision was a purely selfish one.
“I just wanted to play for Glasgow Celtic. Celtic is a special club.”
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Contract negotiations
ONLY one of the parties was playing hardball as a deal was thrashed out – and it wasn’t Keane.
He ultimately joined the club against the advice of his agent and solicitor Michael Kennedy – in preference to more lucrative alternative offers.
Roy Keane needed little persuasion to joinCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Then manager Gordon Strachan helped get the deal over the line with an unorthodox sales pitch – telling him he would LIKE him to join although he didn’t particularly NEED him.
In his second autobiography, Keane wrote: “So, I said to myself, ‘F*** him, I’m signing’.”
Disastrous debut
LITTLE did Roy Keane suspect when he arrived that his debut would go down in football folkore.
A ramshackle Clyde side featuring future Scotland star Craig Bryson and marshalled by former Rangers hero Graham Roberts and Celtic star Joe Miller knocked the Hoops out of the Scottish Cup by a 2-1 scoreline.
A shellshocked Keane – who played the game with a Nike tag still on his jersey -had seen it coming to an extent.
He recalled afterwards: “I wasn’t happy with my own game. I did okay, but okay wasn’t enough.
“After the game – the disappointment. As I was taking my jersey off, I noticed the Nike tag was still on it.
“When I got on the bus, John Hartson, a really good guy, was already sitting there and he was eating a packet of crisps – with a fizzy drink.
“I said to myself, ‘Welcome to hell’.”

Old Firm thrills
Keane appeared once in the Glasgow grudge match, earning man of the match honours as he played alongside Neil Lennon in a 1-0 victory at Ibrox.
Earning a booking for a foul on Dado Prso, he recalled: “The start of my Celtic career hadn’t been great – losing at Clyde, and angry fans.
“But then, not long after, we go and win at Rangers, and I’m thinking, ‘this is what it’s all about’.
Keane in action in his one Old Firm appearanceCredit: PA:Press Association
“The atmosphere was brilliant, f****** electric.
“The hatred – I enjoyed all that.
“I got a yellow card for a foul on Pršo and they were baying for a red card. Physically, I must have felt good.
“I was Man of the Match, and that was a little moment of satisfaction, another tiny victory.
“The dressing room afterwards was great. Again, it’s what football is all about.”
Injury woes
BUT this wasn’t the Roy Keane Celtic fans had come to expect.
Not only was the midfielder recovering from a broken foot, he tore his hamstring twice and was seriously slowed down by a hip problem which left him in agony.
Keane goes up for a header with Kilmarnock’s Alan JohnstonCredit: PA:Press Association
“I got back to my hotel in Edinburgh. I lay on the bed. And my hip – I’ve never known pain like it.
“My hip was f***** screaming. Just from the warm-up, from the training.
“It was all that movement; I hadn’t moved properly in months.
“I hadn’t been twisting, holding other players off. And it wasn’t as if I could ease myself back to fitness.
“I couldn’t budge. I thought to myself, ‘You should have retired. You should have just packed it in.”
Embarrassed and Ashamed
While Keane enjoyed his time at Celtic and playing for the “brilliant fans”, he admits in retrospect that he remains EMBARRASSED by this time there.
He told an audience of fans in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast two years ago: “I really enjoyed Celtic even though I done f*** all up there.
“I signed for Celtic in December and physically I hadn’t kicked a ball in two or three months, I’d left United with a broken foot.
Roy Keane’s last stint in football was as assistant to Martin O’Neill at Nottingham ForestCredit: Getty
“I go straight into a game up there, I tear my hamstring twice.
“I never justified my role at the club — if anything I’m embarrassed by my time at Celtic.
“What I really enjoyed at Celtic was, it was nice just to be in a different dressing room.
“I had great craic with the United lads but the Celtic boys — Neil Lennon, Petrov, Varga — I really enjoyed the dressing room at Celtic.
“Celtic fans must be looking at me going, ‘you were rubbish’, but it was nice to get a taste of Celtic, brilliant fans.
“But obviously I’m a professional footballer and then the struggle came and I saw the specialist about my hip and I had a year left on my contract.
“I had to go into Celtic every day with my injuries and I was embarrassed. I was ashamed to be going in picking up wages.”

Refusing to congratulate Rangers
Upon Rangers winning title number 55 at the start of March, the ex-Celtic ace refused to congratulate them while featuring on Sky Sports.
The 49-year-old appeared on the Super Sunday line-up with Graeme Souness and Micah Richards on Sunday, March 7 when Celtic failed to beat Dundee United, thus confirming the Light Blues as champs.
When asked if he had any kind words for Steven Gerrard and his newly crowned champions, he said: “For Rangers? No.
“Listen, it’s been a tough year for Celtic but they’ll bounce back next year like all great clubs do.”
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CELTIC have held talks with Roy Keane over the vacant manager’s job at Parkhead, according to a report.SunSport exclusively told you earlier this month how Keane wanted to become Celtic’s new manager.
Roy Keane working for Sky SportsCredit: Getty
The Republic of Ireland icon hasn’t been in charge of a club since his departure from Ipswich in 2011.
However, he has spent time as assistant to Hoops legend Martin O’Neill during his time in charge of Ireland and Nottingham Forest.
And the brutal Sky Sports footie pundit is seeking a return to the dugout, with the 49-year-old keen on replacing Neil Lennon.
In the latest development, the Daily Mail claim the former Celts midfielder has held discussions with the club’s hierarchy over the hotseat role.
It is reported the Manchester United legend is among a number of candidates under consideration by Dermot Desmond & Co.
Keane knocked back the chance to become Hoops manager when Lenny left initially in 2014.
Yesterday, bookies suspended betting on Keane taking over the reigns at Celtic Park.
Betfair have now suspended betting on the former Celtic star taking charge after punters backed him from odds of 15/2 on Monday to 1/3 on Thursday.
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Keano hasn’t managed since 2011Credit: Getty
Keane signed for Celtic in 2005Credit: Getty
Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: “Following a flurry of bets on Roy Keane to become the next Celtic manager, Betfair has suspended betting on who will take over at Celtic Park.
“On Monday, Keane was 15/2 to take over from Neil Lennon but punters heavily backed the Irishman into 1/3 before the market was suspended on Thursday afternoon.
“It seems clear to punters that Celtic are ready to name their new manager and that Roy Keane will be walking through the door any time now.”

Speaking earlier this week, O’Neill praised the 49-year-old as he insisted he still has what it takes to be a manager.

He told Go Radio: “Is Roy Keane managerial material? Absolutely.
“I have worked with him I know as an assistant basis. He has got an opinion, he knows the game inside out, and is a strong, strong character. 
“The argument would be then ‘does the modern player feel that he can be comfortable in those surroundings?’. That is a decision for other people to make.
“But absolutely [he can adapt] I think sometimes there is a feeling here that anybody of a certain age or certain vintage has the word dinosaur attached to them.

“Roy has his own methods, it is there when he does his punditry work you can see that is the case.
“And I think strong characters at a football cub would like that sort of management.
“It doesn’t please everyone. But whatever style of manager you have, you are not going to please everyone in the dressing room.”
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SHEFFIELD UNITED owner Prince Abdullah has claimed Chris Wilder wanted to resign TWICE and asked for a £4MILLION pay-off to do so. The former Blades boss was axed earlier this month after a series of bust-ups with the owner, leaving the club rooted to the bottom of the table.
Chris Wilder wanted a huge pay-off to resign, Sheffield United’s owner revealedCredit: PA
The Premier League basement boys sit a huge 14 points from safety with just nine games to play, with a return to the Championship looking inevitable.
Prince Abdullah said he told Wilder his job would be safe – even if they lost every game until the end of the season.
And admits he was astonished at the amount of cash the club legend – who took the Blades from League One the the Premier League – demanded to resign.
The Sheffield United co-owner told Sky Sports: “In December, Stephen [Bettis, Sheffield United CEO] told me that Chris had talked about resigning. I was really worried and I knew that a phone call or a Zoom call would not do the trick, I had to sit with him.
“I told Chris, if we lose every game until the end of the season, we are not going to fire you.
“We need you to be our coach. I am not talking about emotion, I just believe you are the best manager to bring us back to the Premier League.
“I told him recruitment could be better and that we could sit down after the season and talk about how we could make it better.”
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Prince Abdullah said he told Wilder his job would be safe even if they lost every gameCredit: PA:Press Association
Discussing why he wanted to leave, Prince Abdullah added: “Chris explained in a one-hour call why he wanted to resign.
“He sad that he felt the team needed a change, a new voice.
“We were very clear and said we don’t want to fire you but if you want to resign, you can, but we will not pay you the same money as if we were firing you.
“The emails started between his representatives and our financial guy and we were astonished to find he had asked for £4m to resign.

“We said ‘no way are we going to pay you £4m, you are resigning, we are not firing you, why would we have to pay almost one year’s salary?'”
Sheffield United face the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton in a tough end of season run in.
Paul Heckingbottom is currently in interim charge of the Blades.
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FOOTBALL club Dundee United’s name is a bizarre insult in NIGERIA. Folk in the African country use it when referring to one another as an idiot.
The name ‘Dundee United’ is bizarrely used as an offensive term in NigeriaCredit: The Sun
The odd offensive phrase derives from an ill-fated tour the Scottish Premiership club made to Nigeria in the 1970s.
The Tangerines played very badly in their matches and there were also off-field problems.
Jim McLean’s side won from just one of their five games against local amateur teams, ending the two-week trip with an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Stationery Stores.
Locals fans who had turned out in their thousands to see the Scottish top-flight side were left majorly disappointed and an article published in the Nigerian Daily Express was even headlined ““Don’t Come Back” as United returned home.
Fan Liam Kirkaldy did some research into the origins of the insult of calling someone a ‘Dundee United’.

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He said the club – whose Tannadice Park holds just 14,000 fans – is more famous in Nigeria – which is 4,500 miles away – than Scotland.
Scotland has a population of just 5.4million people compared to Nigeria’s of 201million.
He said: “I’m quite pleased with the club’s fame.

“When you think about it, there aren’t that many people in Scotland, and Dundee United isn’t a very well known team.”
A TV advert shown in Nigeria for an anti-malarial drug in the 1980s even used the club’s name in vain.
Liam, of Nutmeg magazine, added: “So there are actually more people worldwide who know Dundee United as the word for an idiot than know it as a football team.”

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CELTIC skipper Scott Brown is leaving after 14 years to become Aberdeen player-coach. The former Scotland midfielder, 35, will assist Stephen Glass at Celtic’s Scottish Premiership rivals. 
Brown will bring an end to 14 years at CelticCredit: The Sun
Brown travelled north on Thursday to have a medical before agreeing terms on a two-year contract which will see him play in red next season. 
He said: “There is no doubt I had a lot to deliberate when deciding my next steps, particularly after enjoying fourteen successful years at Celtic. 
“However, the opportunity to join Aberdeen, a Club entering an exciting new period with my former team-mate Stephen now at the helm, was one I couldn’t pass up.
“Once this season concludes, I’m looking forward to joining Stephen, the playing and coaching staff and everyone at Aberdeen FC.
“I am totally committed to the challenge that lies ahead in meeting the ambitions of the club and its fans.
“I still feel I have got a lot to give, not only on the pitch, but in a broader capacity as I embark on my coaching journey. I will be relentless in my quest for success for Aberdeen.”
Stephen Glass has appointed Scott Brown as his assistant
His decision to move on brings the curtain down on a hugely successful spell with the Hoops where he lifted a total of 22 TROPHIES. 
Capturing Brown is a major coup for Glass, who will officially take over next month before the Dons face St Johnstone, as he bids to rebuild the club over the summer.
Glass said: “The opportunity to bring a player of Scott’s calibre, a leader who has more European appearances for Celtic than any other player, is a huge coup for me and for Aberdeen.
“His experience will be invaluable on the pitch and he is someone who will help set the standards we expect at this Club.
“A born competitor, with a strong appetite to win, his hands-on approach and desire to nurture will hugely benefit the development of the young, emerging talent we have here.
“Scott will be a big part of my coaching team and whilst his impact will undoubtedly be felt on the pitch where I believe he still has much to give, I am looking forward to assisting his transition into coaching.
“He is excited about coming to Aberdeen and working with the current playing, and wider coaching and support staff already in place.
“I’ve no doubt he will be a success here.”
RUSSELL TARGETED
Chairman Dave Cormack will back him in the summer with funds to sign players in a bid to challenge at the top end of the Premiership. 
But Glass is building his backroom team first and moves are now underway to land England coach Allan Russell as co-assistant manager. 
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Russell, who is currently with Gareth Southgate’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers, has been earmarked for the other backroom berth. 
His arrival will hinge on whether England give him permission to combine his current strikers coach role with working full-time at Aberdeen. 
If Glass gets his man, he will spend the summer with Southgate’s squad at the Euros before heading north. 
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THIS is the moment Brora Rangers’ players celebrated one of the biggest giant killings in Scottish Cup history.The semi-pro Highland League outfit sensationally knocked out last season’s cup runners up on Tuesday evening with a stunning 2-1 win.
Brora Rangers enjoyed wild celebrations after their Scottish Cup giant killing of Hearts
Brora No2 Craig Campbell posted the clip on social media
Brora will play Stranraer in the next round
Brora Rangers players celebrate their shock giant-killing of Scottish giants HeartsCredit: Ken Macpherson
Robbie Neilson’s Hearts – who had been to the last two finals – trailed early through Jordan MacRae, but they seemed to have averted the crisis when they pulled level through a Christophe Berra volley.
But the Highland outfit weren’t finished there – not by a long chalk.
Within five minutes they swept back up the park and got their noses back in front through Martin McLean.
Despite late pressure from the Jambos, Brora held on for one of the most famous victories in the history of the competition.
Hearts are currently top of the Scottish second tier while Brora have not played since January as their league is suspended because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
In fact, Brora – a village approximately 200 miles north of Glasgow – have managed just three games all season and are a semi-professional side in the fifth tier of Scottish football.
And in true giant killing spirit, the Brora players rightly celebrated in raucous dressing room scenes that were captured on camera.
A video has emerged of the full squad jumping and dancing around the home changing room, singing along to Mark McCabe and Sunset Bros’ ‘I’m Feeling It’.
The winning goal by Martin McLeanCredit: Ken Macpherson
The clip was posted online by the club’s assistant manager Craig Campbell.
It was all the more remarkable considering they hadn’t played since the first week of January.
Brora boss Steven MacKay said: “In a normal season this would be an astronomical result but you throw into the mix the circumstances which surrounded this game.
“We haven’t played a game since the first week of January, we’ve had 5 training sessions and one friendly and that is it.
“We had no right to win this game but the character of this group of players is unbelievable. I am so privileged to be manager of this incredible team.”
“It’s the single biggest feeling in my football career as player or manager.
“We gave an incredible account of ourselves and I don’t think anybody who watched that game would have grudged us the win.
“We said we wanted to bed into the game in the first 10-15 minutes.
Christophe Berra levelled the game for Hearts – but Brora struck back five minutes laterCredit: Ken Macpherson
“We got through that 20 minute spell then Jordan has popped up with an unbelieveable strike.
“I said to the boys they had the knack of producing when the odds were against them.
“This will come as a surprise to most people but internally we are not really.
“To be honest with you they got their goal back and it was a bit of a scrappy goal but these players have got unbelievable character and I wasn’t surprised we went up the park and scored again.”
Hearts boss Robbie Neilson admitted the result was an embarrassment to the football club – and said it proved he still had to clear out the dead wood from the club’s relegation campaign.
He said: “We have remnants of the relegation season still there. We need to deal with it and get it moved out.

“We can’t deal with that tonight. It is an embarrassment, an embarrassment for the football club.
“I knew when I came in here that I was turning round a ship that was heading in the wrong direction.
“We have turned it round in areas but there is still work to do here. This should stay in the memory of everyone involved.
“It is something we can always go back to – if things aren’t good enough, this is what happens.”
Brora will play Stranraer in the fourth round, due to be played on April 3.
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