Neil Lennon attacked by sectarian thugs

A Celtic star was attacked in the street by thugs who hurled sectarian abuse, it emerged tonight.

Neil Lennon, the former Northern Ireland midfielder, was beaten up by three men at a set of traffic lights during the early hours of this morning.

The incident happened in Glasgow’s West End after Catholic player Lennon, 31, and an unnamed woman got into his car.

As Lennon drove off, the car was chased by the yobs who kicked it as the couple sat at traffic lights.

When father-of-one Lennon got out to protest, he was attacked by the gang.

His female friend was also pushed over in the street after she got out of the car.

She was shaken but unhurt while Lennon suffered slight injuries but did not need hospital treatment.

The footballer told the Scottish Sun: “They were spitting all over my car and giving me a whole load of abuse.

“It was basically sectarian stuff.

“I’m not too badly hurt and I think the girl I was with is all right too.”

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: “We can confirm that police inquiries are continuing following an assault on a 31-year-old man in Glasgow during the early hours of Thursday May 8.

“The man sustained slight injuries but did not require medical treatment.”

Meanwhile Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has been informed of the incident.

A Celtic Football Club spokeswoman said: “Neil Lennon and a female friend were victims of an assault by three men.

“Details have now been passed to Strathclyde Police who are investigating the matter.”

Last year Lennon quit international football saying he would never play for Northern Ireland again after getting a death threat.

Loyalists insisted that the warning which forced him to pull out of a game against Cyprus in Belfast was bogus, but Lennon said he was retiring from international soccer.

His family in Lurgan, County Armagh, had also been threatened.