Celtic in for yet another Hibs player

Last updated : 31 May 2007 By Clydebuilt

The Scotsman, the bastion of truth and balance today states that Celtic will be signing Chris Killen from Hibs. The Easter Road side’s top scorer last season is available on a free transfer.

The article

CELTIC'S rebuilding programme continued last night as they moved to snap up Hibernian striker Chris Killen on a Bosman free transfer.

The New Zealand international was the Edinburgh club's top scorer with 15 goals from 24 appearances before a snapped Achilles tendon in a Scottish Cup tie at Aberdeen in January ended his season.

Cardiff City seemed certain to land his signature yesterday but Celtic manager Gordon Strachan moved in at the last minute to bolster the champions' squad.

Killen, who has 13 goals and 21 caps for the Kiwis, was signed from Oldham Athletic by former Hibs manager Tony Mowbray in January of last year.

He passed a medical in Glasgow last night and his arrival, along with the £750,000 signing of Scott McDonald from Motherwell, is likely to place a question mark over the future of Celtic strikers Kenny Miller and Maciej Zurawski.

Killen said recently he would have been content to remain at Easter Road but was offered only a one-year contract while recuperating from his injury and now rejoins former team-mates Scott Brown, Derek Riordan and Gary Caldwell at Celtic.

He had been expected to join Cardiff City and spoke on Monday in glowing terms about the Welsh club.

Killen said: "I've spoken to Cardiff and hopefully everything will be sorted this week. I still have my medical to come, but we have agreed personal terms. I want to be part of exciting times there.

"I came to Cardiff a couple of months ago and met the manager, players and staff, and liked what I heard. I saw the plans for the new stadium and the training ground, I want to be a part of those ambitious plans."

However, the player has had a change of heart and is set to remain in Scotland.

Personally I would rather hold onto Zurawski than have Killen. The only thing that the latter has over Magic is his age. I see no reason to purchase yet another squad player from a lesser club. That experiment failed with Kenny miller last year.

I see that the silly season really has started with the news that Gordon Smith is going to be the new Chief Executive of the SFA. I don’t have the tanned ones CV to hand but I fail to remember him having any experience of facilitation! This surely must be a Joke!

On a more serious note was he not one of the pundit who referred to Rangers ‘songs’ as heritage?

He seems like the only choice to implement UEFA’s new anti-sectarian drive next season doesn’t he?

Yours in extreme bewilderment

Clydebuilt