Birthday Bhoy Douglas seeks perfect present

A UEFA Cup final place would be perfect gift for Birthday Bhoy Robert Douglas.

The Celtic goalkeeper, 31 today, has listened to a number of the Boavista players write off Celtic’s hopes of going to Seville after their 1-1 draw at Parkhead in the semi-final first leg.

The comments have not gone unnoticed in the Hoops’ changing room and Douglas believes it has made Celtic more determined to have the last word.

“We know what we have got to do and we are looking forward to it,” said Douglas. “We had a bad result at the weekend but that’s out of the window now.

“Boavista are certainly talking a lot in the papers. We will just continue to go about our business quietly as we have done throughout the competition.

“As we have proved against other teams we seem to use it to our advantage and we will do it again.

“It’s there in black and white for the players to see. One of the Blackburn stories was pinned up and it was certainly discussed it and it didn’t do us any harm going there.

“This is as big as it comes. You would probably get seven or eight seasons to win the SPL and you probably get one chance to get to the UEFA Cup final so we’re fired up.

“We need one last final push to get ourselves to the final and if we do that it will be great for the players, the club and Scottish football.”