Lennon refutes Shields allegations
Celtic captain Neil Lennon has expressed his “disgust” at accusations made against him by Dunfermline defender Greg Shields after the CIS Cup final at Hampden Park.
The Pars player claimed the 34-year-old had boasted about the wage he earned with the Glasgow club and aimed a “fly kick” at East End Park midfielder Lee Makel during the Hoops’ 3-0 win.
But the former Northern Ireland international insists some Pars players should “take a close look at themselves” before making claims against him.
Lennon told the club’s official website, www.celticfc.net: “I am disgusted by some of the comments made, because they are simply not true.
“It is very disappointing that someone has tried to paint me in this way, particularly given some of the comments which were directed at myself during the match.
“I think people should take a close look at themselves before making comments about me being ‘unprofessional’.
“If I ran to journalists every time something was said to me, you could fill the papers every week.
“I am livid about it, but I know I am not going to let it spoil my week.”
Shields, 29, had insisted the Celtic captain should take a leaf out of the book of some team-mates after the game where goals from Maciej Zurawski, Shaun Maloney and Dion Dublin allowed Lennon to lift his first trophy as skipper.
Shields said: “Lennon was bang out of order towards his fellow professionals during the game.
“He had a fly kick at Lee Makel and one of the boys said something to him about it.
“He responded by saying he was a rich so and so. I told him he was unprofessional and should never speak to people like that, especially ones he’s sharing a pitch with.
“But he kept going on about how rich he was and telling us he was minted. For someone to be Celtic captain and talk this way is not on.
“You never heard it from Paul McStay or any other Celtic skipper. I would never envisage hearing something like that from Roy Keane, either.
“Lennon was out of order and that’s why I was mad at him. I avoided him at full-time and there was no chance I was going to shake his hand.
“You can call me a bad loser but I don’t want to be in the company of people who are like that.
“Lennon could learn a few things from Keane. He’s a true sportsman and you can see he’s played at the highest level.
“Neil Lennon’s only played at Leicester. The bad feeling towards him in our dressing room is unbelievable.
“Celtic were trying to celebrate the win for Jimmy Johnstone and fair play, they won it for him.
“But it’s disappointing from my point of view to have to share the pitch with someone like Lennon.”
