Celtic boss O'Neill makes exit official

Celtic announced this afternoon that manager Martin O’Neill will leave the club after the Scottish Cup final against Dundee United on Saturday.

The Parkhead club were initially expected to announce the departure of O’Neill to the Stock Exchange before the start of trading this morning but failed to do so in time. The Irishman is stepping down to care for his wife, Geraldine, who is ill with cancer. He’s been in charge at Celtic Park for five years and former Coventry and Southampton manager Gordon Strachan is widely expected to be his replacement.

O’Neill’s assistants, John Robertson and Steve Walford, will also leave Celtic with Strachan’s appointment imminent, and it is thought the fiery former Scotland internationalist is coveting Mark McGhee and Tommy Burns to assist him.

The strong speculation over O’Neill’s departure was expected to see Celtic’s share price dip as potential investors await further developments on whether Strachan is to be his replacement. The former Leicester City manager has led the club to three league championships during his five years in Glasgow, as well as their unprecedented run to the final of the UEFA Cup in 2003, when they lost out to Porto.