SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: POLICE ARE looking for two men in their 40s who attacked Neil Lennon, the former Celtic captain and now one of the club's coaches, after he was knocked unconscious in a street attack in the early hours of yesterday and only hours after Rangers' Old Firm victory.
"The assault came after Neil was subjected to sectarian abuse," a statement from Celtic read. "It is understood that during the course of the attack Neil lost consciousness."
The incident occurred after Lennon left a bar close to his home in Glasgow's west end. The 37-year-old former midfielder suffered facial injuries and concussion and was treated in the Western infirmary. Police were called to Ashton Lane, well-known for trendy pubs and restaurants, at around 12.25am. Lennon has not filed a complaint with Strathclyde police, who said inquiries into the incident were continuing.
This is not the first time Lennon has been subjected to an attack. In September 2003, two students were fined after an attack on Lennon in Glasgow. The former Northern Ireland international was driving in the west end, close to his home, when the men chased his car and shouted abuse at him. Lennon stopped the vehicle on the city's Great Western Road and an exchange took place, during which the player was attacked. In another incident, vandals daubed graffiti outside his home in Glasgow in May 2004.
In 2003 Lennon vowed he would never play for his country again because of a reported death threat. Loyalist paramilitaries claimed the warning was bogus, but Lennon, a Catholic, said he was not prepared to suffer sectarian victimisation.
He had previously been booed by sections of the Northern Ireland support.
There was more fallout from Sunday's match, with Celtic's goalkeeper Artur Boruc the subject of an SFA investigation after pictures of him making a one-fingered gesture to Rangers fans during the 4-2 defeat emerged. The video review panel will study his actions next week.
Boruc has courted controversy in the past and donned a T-shirt bearing the slogan "God bless The Pope" for a previous Rangers visit to Parkhead, and he also received criticism for gestures towards Hibernian and Dundee United fans last season.
The goalkeeper has also been suspended by Poland for two matches having broken a curfew in the aftermath of a friendly in Ukraine a fortnight ago.
Scotland's manager, George Burley, meanwhile, has praised Kenny Miller after the striker scored two of Rangers' goals in the Old Firm game.
"It's terrific for Kenny," said Burley, who is preparing for World Cup qualifiers in Macedonia on Saturday and Iceland tomorrow week. "He has been a big part of the success Scotland have had in the last few seasons so I'm pleased he is bang on form."
• Guardian Service
