CELTIC will be travelling light, literally and metaphorically, when they leave Glasgow this morning for the annual ritual of renewing their heritage.

Missing from the team which takes on an Ireland XI in Mick McCarthy's testimonial game at Lansdowne Road tomorrow will be Tommy Boyd, Tosh McKinlay and Jorge Cadete, all preparing for the European championship finals, and three of the club's, under 21 internationals, Simon Donnelly, Brian McLaughlin and Stuart Gray.

More significantly, they journey without any of the trappings of success at a club where silver is viewed as the currency of life and success no more than the fulfilment of destiny.

Rangers claimed the Scottish Cup and championship double, Aberdeen won the League Cup and the heavy haul of trophies promised when arrangements for McCarthy's testimonial were put in place last December, has not materialised at Parkhead.

Yet, undeniably, there is now a climate of optimism at Parkhead which has not been in evidence since 1988 when McCarthy shared in the club's celebrated centenary double.

In the course of one of the more competitive Scottish championship races, they lost just once. Ultimately, that defeat by Rangers, cost them the title but with 83 points amassed, theirs was still a deeply satisfying campaign.

"Rangers may have taken the big pots but I don't think the Scottish football public is in any doubt as to who played the better football," says Celtic's senior professional, Packie Bonner.

"Had we won that game with Rangers, I reckon we would have been six points clear at the finish. And we would have done it with the kind of style which people expect of the club."

It all contrasts sharply with the heavy sense of inevitability at the club in the early years of the decade when Rangers invested heavily and the gap between the Big Two, once measured by the bounce of a ball, widened to a chasm.

In terms of staff and infrastructure, the Ibrox club was in a different class but with the arrival at the club of Fergus McCann, the renaissance long promised by Celtic, was at last a reality.

McCann's investment of £9 million and a share capital issue which raised £14 million provided the funding for the club's needs which the chief executive prioritised as the redevelopment of their Parkhead stadium, the construction of new training facilities and the purchase of players.

With the renovation of the Celtic end of the stadium, the capacity will be raised to 61,000 by the end of next season. And that will go some way towards relieving a chaotic situation in which there is currently a waiting list to go on a waiting list for season tickets.

Work on a new £5 million training centre is expected to begin in the autumn but the shrewdest investments by far, have been those which Tommy Burns made to strengthen his team.

For just £1.3 million, a pittance in the context of today's transfer market, be brought Pierre Van Hooijdonk to the club and the Dutch striker repaid that faith with 32 exciting goals in his first season.

John Hughes and Tosh McKinlay were acquired for £400,000 and £300,000 respectively, before Burns embarked on his biggest gamble earlier this month by signing Alan Stubbs from Bolton for £3.5 million.

At a club which has only rarely ventured into the English market, the arrival of Stubbs is significant. Thanks to the influence of Graeme Souness, Rangers have been considerably more successful in enticing players north and in the process, consolidating their power base.

Now the hope is that Stubbs's signing, will establish a similar bridgehead for Celtic and produce the depth in strength which is required for a successful challenge in European competition.

"As recently, as three or four years ago, we were struggling to stay competitive in Scotland," admits Bonner, "but now I think we're ready for bigger things.

"In the opinion of most people, it is only a matter of time before a new European Super League is formed. And when it happens, Celtic will be every bit as well prepared, as Rangers to take the plunge.

"Apart from Manchester United, there is no other British club which commands the kind of support, world Wide, as Celtic. That's a fact of life which even Rangers would have to concede and, now, hopefully, we are in a position to cash in on it."

Dermot Desmond's £3 million investment was a significant factor in re-financing the club and Bonner confirms that the Irish connection at the club is still as vibrant as ever.

"Just now, there are six young Irish players and while it's early days yet, I would hope that at least some of them will make the grade and in time, break into the first team.

"For years, the big English clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool got the best of the Irish talent and that was down to the fact that English football was projected so well on television.

"Now with Sky beginning to do a similar job for Scottish football, that scenario will change and it can help in alerting boys to the opportunities at Celtic rather than at Old Trafford or Anfield."

Tomorrow's game, which is expected to attract a contingent of up to 5,000 Scottish supporters, can go some way towards advancing that ideal.

Tony Cascarino, who is expected to be recalled to the Irish team, is in line for a move from Marseilles to Cannes. Marseilles, who are interested in signing the Bulgarian striker, Hristo Stoichkov, have intimated that they are prepared to sell the Irish man who has scored 70 goals in his two seasons at the club.

"If the offer is right I'll take it but I'm not too pushed," he said. "I still have a year of my contract to run at Marseilles and I intend to wait and see how things develop."

Cascarino, whose last start in a friendly game was against Germany in Hanover two years ago, has a knee problem but if fit, he will take over from Niall Quinn in the front dine.

McCarthy waits until today to finalise the team but the likelihood is that he will go with just three defenders and use either Andy Townsend or Roy Keane in the anchor role in midfield.