Lambert named Scottish player of the year

Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert has been voted Scottish Footballer of the Year by the country's soccer writers.

Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert has been voted Scottish Footballer of the Year by the country's soccer writers.

Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert has been voted Scottish Footballer of the Year by the country's soccer writers.

Lambert, a Champions League winner with Borussia Dortmund five years ago, has been in great form all season to help Celtic to a second successive SPL title and into the final of the Scottish Cup.

The 32-year-old has also been persuaded to come out of international retirement by new Scotland manager Berti Vogts.

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However, he is in danger of missing the Cup final against Rangers next month after picking up an ankle injury in Sunday's Old Firm clash.

Runner-up in the voting was Rangers' Italian defender Lorenzo Amoruso, who finished ahead of two more Celtic players, Johann Mjallby and Henrik Larsson.

Martin O'Neill, meanwhile, will decide later today whether to appeal against the dismissals of John Hartson and Johan Mjallby in Sunday's Old Firm clash.

The Celtic duo were red-carded in the final minutes of the 1-1 draw along with Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen following clashes between the players.

O'Neill felt referee Kenny Clark made mistakes and is now considering making another challenge to the Scottish Football Association.

A Celtic spokesman confirmed: "Martin will decide today if he is to make an appeal so we will know more later."

O'Neill, however, knows that he could be wasting his time after some unsuccessful requests this season. Bobo Balde recently failed with his appeal while Alan Thompson's hopes of having a red card overturned were denied but Aberdeen player Hicham Zerouali's dismissal in the same game was reduced to a yellow card.

If the Celtic manager decides against an appeal or the SFA upheld their original decision, then he would be without Hartson and Mjallby for this weekend's game at Hearts and the final game of the season against Aberdeen.

Hartson would also miss the first game of next season, but O'Neill is relieved that they will be available for the Tennent's Scottish Cup final on May 4th.