mar2005

Celtic have reported an improved financial performance for the six months leading up to 31 December 2004.

The SPL champions made a pre-tax profit of £2.04m and group turnover increased by 8% to £38.98m.

Celtic's debt was reduced to £17.38m but chairman Brian Quinn warned that future figures would not be so good.

He said: "Elimination from Europe in December and the fact that we will play fewer home games in the second half of the year will lead to lower revenues."

Celtic fell out of the Champions League after just one victory and failed to qualify for the Uefa Cup after Christmas.

Quinn added: "Ticket sales and multi media revenues rose by 14% and 30% respectively, largely as a result of participation in the Uefa Champions League and the increase in season-ticket pricing implemented earlier in the year.

"There was also an additional domestic league game compared to the corresponding period a year ago."

Celtic lost by 1-0 to St Mirren last night at Love Street, Paisley in a testimonial match for long serving Paisley Buddie Ricky Gilles. The Celtic side was a mixture of young kids with some experienced players thrown in. There was some concern shown over an injury to Ross Wallace but the injury was not as bad as first feared.

BOBO BALDE was sent off as Guinea crashed 1-0 in Morocco in the African Zone of the World Cup qualifiers.

The Celtic defender saw red after only 40 minutes of the match in Rabat. Parkhead team-mate Momo Sylla was substituted after 69 minutes in the defeat.

Celtic boss Martin O'Neill has denied that there has been any approach for wantaway playmaker Juninho.

The diminutive Brazilian schemer is keen to return to his homeland after failing to secure a regular starting place at the Glasgow titans.

Palmeiras were thought to have struck an agreement with Juninho, but O'Neill has refuted that this is the case.

''At the moment, the situation with Juninho remains that while I'm sympathetic to his wish to return home, we as a club have not received any contact from anyone in Brazil,'' confirmed O'Neill.

''He's been out of the picture for the last few weeks with illness and injury but as soon as he's fit again he'll come into contention like everyone else.''

Shaun Maloney was involved in another injury scare last night as he limped out of the Old Firm reserve clash.

Maloney, out for a year with cruciate ligament damage, had been trying to regain fitness after being injured in last month's comeback match against Clyde.

The game ended in a 1-1 draw with Celtic's young guns remaining in pole position.

Maloney fired Celtic in front with a first-half penalty but hobbled off in 58 minutes after a crunching challenge from Alex Rae,who was booked.

CELTIC - Fox, Irvine, O'Dea, Lambert (Lawson 74), Cuthbert, Valgaeren, McParland, Pearson (Mulgrew 81), Maloney(McGlinchey 58), Fernandez, Wallace. Subs not used - Wood,Conroy.

Celtic and Scotland defender John Kennedy is targeting a comeback in early 2006 after being told his rebuilt knee does not require further surgery. The 21-year-old suffered cruciate ligament damage in March last year on his Scotland debut against Romania.

He travelled to the United States for an operation needed to save his career and has made several subsequent transatlantic flights to see specialist Dr Richard Steadman, but this week's news that the knee has healed sufficiently to allow the defender to step up his rehabilitation programme has come as a huge boost to the player himself and everyone at Celtic.

Celtic doctor Roddy McDonald told the official Celtic website: "There's enough stability in the leg for John to start a proper rehabilitation - something he hasn't been able to do until now. He will stay on here for a further four or five days, working with the physios, and Tim Williamson, our physio, will join him later in the week before they both return home to start on the rehab process.

"But we are all very pleased with the news."

John himself was equally delighted with the news but insisted there was still a long way to go before he can consider thinking about returning to first team action:

"It is great news that I don't have to undergo further surgery, it is the first hurdle cleared of what will be a long rehabilitation process.

"But the staff here in Colorado have been great and everyone has given me a lot of encouragement.

"I don't want to start thinking about a return to action yet, there is still a lot of work to be done before I get to that stage. Now all I am concentrating on is getting the knee stronger every day.

"Hopefully when I get back to Scotland I will be able to begin the serious rehabilitation work and progress will be quicker, but I cannot rush anything."

Top scorer John Hartson has emerged as a doubt for Wednesday evening’s Scottish Premier League clash with Inverness Caledonian Thistle after picking up an ankle injury in the weekend’s victory over Dundee United.

Hartson took his SPL tally to 19 for the season with a double against the Terrors on Saturday.

However, he later complained of soreness in his ankle, and manager Martin O’Neill will be as yet unsure of his availability ahead of the trip north.

"I took a kick on an ankle,” said the Welshman. “It is right on my ligament, and is one of those where you wake up in the morning and the swelling is quite big. I got a heavy strapping on it right away and now I’m just hoping I will be all right for Wednesday.”

Former Nottingham Forest and Celtic striker Pierre van Hooijdonk has signed a one-year contract with NAC Breda.

Van Hooijdonk, 35, hopes a return to the club where he began his career in 1991 will boost his World Cup prospects with the Netherlands.

"I'm very happy to come back and I would like to go to the World Cup in Germany next year," he said.

He will link up with the Dutch outfit in July when his his current deal at Fenerbahce expires.

O'Neill blasts Man City job links

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has said he is not interested in the Manchester City job - and blasted the media for linking him with the post.

O'Neill was installed as one of the favourites to succeed Kevin Keegan after the ex-England boss left City.

But O'Neill said: "You are talking to the longest-serving manager in the SPL.

"Why would you ask me about this job at this stage of the season when you know we have some important games coming up?"

The Celtic boss, who took charge of the Bhoys in June 2000, has always been plagued with speculation linking him with clubs in the English Premiership.

Stuart Pearce has been installed at City until the end of the season, but O'Neill is already being quizzed about what happens after that.

"I have answered the question, I am here and I would imagine that I will be here next week and the week after that," he said.

"Who knows? At one stage, you will ask me and I might have some different news for you.

"I have been asked this question umpteen times over a period of years and now I am sitting here being asked the same old questions.

"At some stage, if results don't go well, you will be sitting here with someone else.

"I think the fans realise that I am still here at the football club.

"I have been asked whether I will be leaving this football club every single day since I have been here and I'm still here and I am very pleased to be here.

"I don't think this has any affect on the dressing room, I just think this is journalistic spiel."