Auld hopes Hartson stays

Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld would love to see John Hartson remain at Celtic next season.

But he believes the Bank of Scotland Premier League champions will still flourish without the striker if he does part company with the club this summer.

The 31-year-old had decided to see out the remaining year on his contract until reports earlier in the week claimed Celtic had accepted a £500,000 (€728,700) offer from West Brom.

Hartson said he was “angry, hurt and betrayed” to find out there was a question mark over his future on Teletext, and his situation at Parkhead has yet to be resolved.

Hoops legend Auld, now 68, believes Celtic will lose an influential character both on and off the pitch if Hartson has indeed played his last game for the champions.

“He’s a natural goalscorer with a tremendous presence on the park and he is also a big influence in the dressing room,” said Auld.

“I was surprised when I heard he could be leaving because he scores important goals and he is a big-game player, which Celtic are going to need for the Champions League next season.”

Auld believes Celtic have shown plenty of times in the past that life goes on after such players have left the club.

He added: “When one door closes at Celtic, another opens.

“The club has always had the ability to pull in very successful strikers and I’m sure that will happen again if he does leave.”

Auld admits he is more concerned about the possibility of losing both Roy Keane and Stilian Petrov ahead of the new campaign.

Keane will undergo a scan on a troublesome hip injury when he returns from holiday and will make a decision on his future based on those results, while Celtic are determined to hold onto Petrov even though he submitted an official transfer request towards the end of last season.

Auld believes manager Gordon Strachan would struggle to replace the duo.

“I wouldn’t like to see the likes of Keane or Petrov leaving Celtic,” he said.

“Keane has been a captain and he brings tremendous experience and presence on the pitch.

“He plays to the highest level and he demands the same from those around him and that is the sort of player Celtic needs.

“Petrov has improved tremendously and he is the best off-the-ball player in British football, never mind just Scottish football.

“I cannot see how the club would replace two players like that.”