Rumour Mill: Griffiths denies liking abusive tweet | World Cup winner: '˜Ibrox one of the best' | Rangers star snubs national team

Leigh Griffiths has denied liking an abusive tweet about Alex McLeish, Gianluigi Buffon ranks Ibrox Stadium as one of the best grounds he's experienced, and Kyle Lafferty has withdrawn from the Northern Ireland squad.

Griffiths denies liking abusive tweet

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has denied liking an abusive tweet about Scotland national team boss Alex McLeish and international team-mate Steven Naismith. The tweet was highlighted on BBC Scotland’s Sportsound programme. (Daily Record)

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths dropped out of the Scotland squad. Picture: SNS

Buffon: Ibrox one of the best

Football legend Gianluigi Buffon ranks Ibrox Stadium as one of the best grounds he’s experienced in his long and illustrious career. The Italian World Cup winner played there twice for Parma in the late 90s. (Scottish Sun)

Rangers eye former defender

Rangers are one of three clubs monitoring Livingston defender Craig Halkett. The 23-year-old was on the books at Ibrox for nine years but failed to make a first-team breakthrough. Sheffield United and Blackburn are also said to be interested. (Scottish Sun)

Lafferty snubs double-header

Rangers striker Kyle Laffery has not travelled with Northern Ireland for the Nations League games against Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina after ruling himself out of the international double-header. (The Scotsman)

- Lafferty told manager Michael O’Neill that he has an Achilles strain, though Rangers have reportedly passed him fit. (Scottish Sun)

Gemmill in contention for Thistle job

Scot Gemmill has emerged as a shock contender for the vacant manager’s role at Partick Thistle. The Scotland under-21 boss is said to be in the running with Jim McIntyre and Gary Caldwell. (Scottish Sun)

Ofir ready to battle Adam

Ofir Marciano has revealed he’s ready to battle it out with Adam Bogdan for the goalkeeping gloves at Easter Road after finally recovering from a finger operation. (Edinburgh News)

Jones faces two-match ban

Kilmarnock winger Jordan Jones has been charged with diving by the Scottish Football Association. Jones has been hit with a notice of complaint over the penalty incident which led to his team’s winner at Dundee on Saturday and faces a two-match ban if the case is proven. (The Scotsman)

Dundee fans complain

Dundee fans have written to the SFA complaining about Saturday’s match official Steven McLean, insisting the whistler’s family ties to Kilmarnock - his father played for the club in the 1970s - show there was a conflict of interest. (Evening Telegraph)