Kilmarnock ‘to throw in five teenagers’ at Celtic

Clingan has signed an 18-month deal after the 29-year-old was released by Doncaster last month following a short spell where he made nine appearances. Clingan, who has 33 caps for his country, started his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers before playing for Chesterfield, Nottingham Forest, Norwich and Coventry.He is eligible for this evening but is not expected to feature.

Shiels said: “Sammy is a really good player. He passes the ball well, gets into good positions and knows the game so he is one we need badly. He’ll take it off the back four and help us build attacks. He has captained a Championship team.

“He hasn’t played this season hardly and needs to get some fitness and game time. There have been circumstances to why he hasn’t played but we will get him back in training pushing him on to the next level.”

Shiels promised to go with youth at Celtic Park, where Kilmarnock won for the first time in 57 years earlier this season, as his side negotiate three games in seven days. The schedule began with a 0-0 draw at Dundee on Sunday and ends with the Scottish Cup fifth-round visit of Inverness on Sunday.

Shiels said: “We will give the kids a go, it’s a development game for us. We will throw in five teenagers. We have got it planned out what we are going to do and we’ll see how it goes.

“It’s a long-term plan that I have. Hopefully, they give a good performance and learn from their mistakes and their experience. We are resting quite a few of the senior players.

“We had a hard game on Sunday on a heavy surface.”