Rumour Mill: Celtic | Dave King

Charlie Mulgrew: The 'new Rio Ferdinand' will be fined for his Twitter slip-up. Picture: SNS

Mulgrew fined over Twitter picture

Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew will be fined after he posted a photograph of a naked couple - one closely resembling the former Aberdeen and Wolves stopper - on his Twitter page earlier this week, manager Neil Lennon has confirmed. Mulgrew tweeted the image to his 83,000 followers on the eve of Celtic’s clash with Ajax, and Lennon has warned his squad they will be banned from having accounts on the social media network if they ‘damage the reputation’ of Celtic. The Scotland international did apologise for any offence caused, but did not delete the tweet.

Lennon himself uses Twitter to great effect, telling journalists yesterday that he used it to raise money for a 10k run he participated in recently. (The Scotsman)

Charlie is ‘new Rio Ferdinand’ - Chris Sutton

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton believes Charlie Mulgrew is ‘the new Rio Ferdinand for Celtic’, according to his column in today’s Daily Record. Sutton points to Mulgrew’s ability to read a game, and adds that Mulgrew’s composure and ‘ability to ping a pass’ is redolent of Manchester United stopper Ferdinand.

Sutton also believes that Mulgrew’s versatility and talent means he cannot be taken for granted, and is an integral part of Celtic’s Champions League efforts.

Mulgrew, who played in front of the Celtic back four for the majority of their 2-1 win over Ajax at Parkhead last week before filling in at centre half for the last 15 minutes, is, according to Sutton, vital for Celtic’s hopes both domestically and in Europe, and the former Blackburn hitman believes it would take ‘a lot of cotton wool’ to wrap up the 27-year-old, but that Lennon may want to consider it to protect what Sutton sees as one of the Hoops’ key players. (Daily Record)

We’ll need cash injection, warns Ally McCoist, as Dave King jets in

Rangers boss Ally McCoist has insisted that the Ibrox club will need a cash boost of millions if they are to challenge Celtic for the title when they return to Scottish football’s top flight. Speaking as former Rangers director Dave King arrived back in Scotland for a series of talks to establish the ‘best way of taking Rangers forward’, McCoist is only too aware of Celtic’s financial boost from successive Champions League appearances. Having banked around £22 million last year, the Hoops are set to pocket a further £15 million from their European exploits this year, and McCoist isn’t ready to settle for just a place in the top six if they arrive in the Premiership in 18 months time.

McCoist told the Daily Record: “We need to go in challenging when we get back to the top flight. There is no point in us going in and just thinking about top six. That’s no disrespect to the other teams in the country and I hope they wouldn’t see it like that. But the standards at our club are different.

“We’ve always been expected to challenge for the division. That should never change. It’s going to take time to get back to the level we want to be at.

“There will need to be a cash injection to raise the bar and raise the quality again - you can’t lose all those players we did and expect, in three or four years, to be up challenging where you were at Champions League level.”

Meanwhile, King told STV yesterday: “I’m here to see if I can get rid of the disharmony at boardroom level and between the board and the fans,” adding that there would be ‘no issues’ that would prevent him from taking his place in the Rangers boardroom.

King, who first became an Ibrox director in 2000, plans to attend the side’s match with East Fife at New Bayview this afternoon. (Daily Record/The Scotsman)

Stuart McCall hints at Stevie May Scotland call-up

St Johnstone striker Stevie May has already extended his stay at McDiarmid Park to May 2015, and could be celebrating again, after Scotland assistant boss and Motherwell gaffer Stuart McCall hinted that the 20-year-old could be set to travel with the Scots for their November friendly against the USA. May has netted seven goals already this season, and McCall reckons if he keeps it up, he could be in line for a call-up to face the Americans.

The Fir Park gaffer will be trying to thwart May this afternoon as his side take on the Perth Saints, and added: “He’s a good goalscorer but he also leads the line and his movement takes him everywhere. So he’s one we’ll have to watch. I can see him forcing his way into the Scotland squad soon.” (Daily Record)

Darren Barr ready to break Hearts

His goal sparked the 5-1 demolition of Hibernian in the 2012 Scottish Cup final, but Kilmarnock defender Darren Barr has insisted that, despite his Hampden goal being the ‘highlight’ of his career, he is ready to give the Tynecastle side hell when they visit Rugby Park ths afternoon.

Barr joined the Ayrshire club as a result of Hearts’ financial difficulties, and has said he is ready to ‘give the Kilmarnock fans something to cheer about’.

Killie recorded their first league win of the season last week against Ross County, and Barr has insisted that the club are set to kick on from that result and build on the win.

The former Falkirk stopper enjoyed his time at Hearts, and knows he may not get a ‘warm welcome’ from the Tynecastle travelling support, but admits ‘that’s the way it is in football.’

Barr added: “This is football and I need to get on with it without thinking anything about Hearts this weekend.

“There was a sense of relief when the first league win of the season came. Now we have to build on that result.

“That’s why this is a massive game against Hearts. It was always going to be hard for them after the SPFL imposed a 15-point deduction on the club.” (The Scotsman)

Alan Archibald rubbishes Gary Fraser 12-month ban talk

Partick Thistle boss Alan Archibald believes talk of Gary Fraser being suspended for a year is ‘madness.’

The Jags’ on-loan Bolton midfielder was sent off for allegedly attacking Dunfermline’s Chris Kane in an Under-20s match earlier this week, and has been handed a notice of complaint by the SFA, after being cited for ‘punching a player on the opposing team’ and ‘thereafter kicking him repeatedly on the head and body.’

Fraser - as well as Kane, and Partick’s Dale Keenan, who were also sent off - has incurred an automatic two-match ban, but it has been claimed that Fraser could be out of football for a year when the Hampden chief decide his fate on November 14th.

Jags boss Archibald said: “I think [Gary] will get a lengthy ban but some reports are saying a year out of football. I have seen people doing a lot worse and get a lot less, so I think that is madness.

“The match official’s report doesn’t make good reading. I spoke to Gary. He just said the red mist came down and he retaliated. He knows he let himself down.” (The Scotsman)

IN BRIEF

• Hibs striker Paul Heffernan says the Easter Road side received a boost from their draw with Celtic last weekend and has urged the side to maintain their good form against Aberdeen this afternoon.

• Meanwhile, Russell Anderson has admitted the Dons face a stern test when they visit the capital today.

• Former Hibs and Livingston defender Kevin McCann has signed for Raith Rovers until the end of December.

• Grant Munro, who left Ross County last week, has signed a three-year deal with Highland League outfit Brora Rangers.

Rumour Mill: Celtic | Dave King | Stevie May