Celtic boss Neil Lennon hits back at Charles Green’s bigotry accusation

Published on 31/07/2012 15:17

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon has hit back at assertions from Rangers that the decision to place a newly-formed version of the club in the bottom tier of Scottish football was down to “bigotry”.

• Rangers chief executive Charles Green said the decision by SPL and SFL clubs was down “to bigotry and jealousy”

Speaking at Lennoxtown ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier against HJK Helsinki at Parkhead, the Celtic boss responded to Green’s remarks.

He said: “The club have said that it is not worthy of response, so..

“I was golfing, I only read about it yesterday and I found it quite funny.

“He has only been here five minutes and he is calling us all bigots already.”

Lennon, who revealed that Kris Commons and Anthony Stokes will be given fitness tests tomorrow as they try to shake off their respective ankle injuries, was asked if he still saw Rangers as his rivals.

“Not this season, no,” he said.

“The remit is to win the title and it will be no different whether they are here or not and if we can advance on the European stage all the better.”