Leaking of potential signings ‘not an issue’ for Celtic says Tom Boyd

Celtic ambassador Tom Boyd last night insisted that the leaking of a document which discussed the club’s potential signings and sales this summer would not hamper their progress to a ninth successive championship ?next year.

Former Celtic skipper Tom Boyd presents Drumsagards Ross Mullen with the Lisbon Lions Trophy following their 4-0 victory over Stonelaw High School in the final of the tournament which was staged at the Lennoxtown training ground yesterday. Picture: SNS.

The information, which purports to have come from a meeting between directors, management and recruitment staff in April, was posted on several Celtic websites on Monday, listing the names of ten players identified as being value for money and also 
discussing the possibility of selling some members of the current squad.

Chief executive Peter Lawwell, pictured, is understood to be furious about the material being made public (it may yet become subject to an investigation by police) while manager Neil Lennon has already made his disquiet known about his starting XI regularly being made known on the eve of matches.

“I’m aware the team does get leaked and I’m really not 
happy about it,” he said. “Someone is letting us down. I’m not convinced it’s coming from a player.”

Boyd, though, is unperturbed by the lid being lifted on their scouting process.

“I was looking for my name to find out if I was coming back again on it but didn’t spot it,” he said.

“The club will work it out for themselves. They’re investigating this and we’ll see where that goes but, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t make one bit of difference to any work that Celtic are doing; they’ll try to find out who it is and deal with them appropriately.”

Asked whether it was vital to prevent such leaks in future, he replied: “Plug it? I’ll start to leak one and it’ll have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on it. Listen, these things can be doctored so we’ll wait to see whether it’s true and where it’s come from.

“But there’s not an issue here. This can happen anywhere and in any walk of life. It’s how you journalists try to get your exclusives, is it not?”

He failed, however, to grasp the difference between journalists attempting to break a story and supporters and/or employees of the club conspiring to disclose information which could prove harmful to Celtic.

“Well, with social media everyone wants to get the story and say that they put it out there first – just like newspapers do,” he said.

“For me, it’s not an issue. The club will deal with it however they see fit but it doesn’t matter. Because I’m an ambassador for the club people think I know who we’re signing but I don’t.

“I read it in the press and on social media and I’ll get behind the club whenever they do sign a player.

“Whether or not it’s known about a week in advance makes no difference to me – all I care about is that we get the best players possible on the best possible deals.

“I don’t see what lasting impact it can have on the club.

“There is no negative. Agents talk to people and pass on information that gets sent out. That’s where you get rumours.”