CELTS BLAST ARABS; ARABS BLAST.

Byline: Hugh Keevins

CELTIC last night hit back at Dundee United chairman Steven Thompson for calling them a disgrace.

The Tannadice supremo made an official complaint to the SPL about Celtic chairman John Reid's outburst following the signing of a new television deal with Sky and ESPN.

But a Celtic spokesman said yesterday: "The club stands firmly behind all comments made in relation to this issue."

Reid said the deal that has cost the SPL pounds 65million in lost earnings was a "debacle" following on directly from the "disastrous misjudgment" of choosing Setanta over Sky a year before the Irish-based broadcaster was forced into liquidation.

Celtic's public support for every word Reid said has also been accompanied by a reply to criticism of the chairman's failure to turn up at Thursday's vote for the new deal.

Thompson had accused Reid and Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell of double standards. He said: "The way they have conducted themselves has been Turn to Page 49

From Back Page disgraceful. If Celtic want to make big statements can they not actually have the courtesy of Reid or Lawwell actually turning up at the meeting?" Last night a Celtic spokesman pointed out the club had been represented at Thursday's vote by Eric Riley, Celtic's secretary and a man with 15 years' experience of speaking on their behalf at official gatherings.

But Thompson was unrepentant when Record Sport contacted him yesterday. He said: "At the end of the day the clubs were asked to say nothing after Thursday's meeting at Hampden and Mr Reid saw fit to ignore that request.

"Why should the rest of us just sit there and take it when animosity is being created? "Celtic's attitude is particularly unhelpful and the infighting that's now going on is ridiculous. I don't expect Celtic or Rangers to be publicly rebuked by the SPL over what's been said but it did annoy me, especially since they brought nothing to the table.

"It's easy for them to mump and moan but the higher your turnover, the less you'll be affected by a drop in television money.

"It's not just me who feels the Old Firm are making life difficult for a game that's looking to attract sponsors but maybe I'm more outspoken than some others."

Shallow Thompson's plea for SPL clubs to work together for a common purpose obviously wasn't shared by Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov.

He has accused Celtic of being a "shallow club" who could lose 5-0 to Dynamo Moscow in their Champions League qualifier.

Romanov's rant continued when he said: "Celtic's only hope is for the referee to help them.

"If Dynamo play their best football then it could be a repetition of the 5-0 loss in the clash with Artmedia."

But last night the Celtic spokesman declined to get involved in a war of words with the man whose team finished 23 points behind the league runners-up in last season's championship .

He said: "Aye, very good.

We move on."

= ACeltic XI will play Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill today under the watchful eye of new boss Tony Mowbray. Kick-off is 3pm and entry is pounds 5 pay at the gate.