When Charlie Nicholas is talking sensibly about Celtic then the club should see that as an alarm bell in its own right. Anyone remember that tweet from the club at the end of the transfer window with the summer signings all in the photograph and digging Nicholas was the ‘just sitting here thinking’ opener. Turns out that Nicholas was right about that, with only David Turnbull providing a decent return.

Yesterday the Greek journalist who broke the story that Barkas was heading to Celtic in the summer told us that the former AEK Athens keeper is now on his way out of the club and a loan move in the summer is currently being arranged. Loan signings Laxalt and Duffy have been pretty hopeless on the Hoops and Albian Ajeti has contributed nothing much at all to justify his transfer fee to West Ham, while Toney shines at Brentford. Moi Elyounoussi has probably just about earned pass marks but is unlikely to want to remain at Celtic beyond the end of this season.

Few Celtic Fans agreed with Nicholas at the time he criticised the summer recruitment but fair play to him, he called that one correctly. Now he’s saying something that few would disagree with – it is time for the Celtic Board to tell the support that Neil Lennon will leave his job at the end of the season.

“Celtic need to make an announcement to say that Neil Lennon will be going at the end of the season,” states Charlie Nicholas in his latest newspaper column reported on Scottish Sun.

“They need to do that to take some of the edge off (the)Rangers and before they win the title.”

It’s pretty difficult to argue with Nicholas who like Andy Walker is usually disliked (to say the least) by Celtic Supporters but has ended up with most if not all fans agreeing with what he’s now saying.

“I know Neil will probably disagree with me but that is my view,” Nicholas continued. “I just don’t think they can keep him in place because a lot of the Celtic fans wouldn’t accept it.

Photo: Jeff Holmes

Photo: Jeff Holmes

“Neil has been the fall guy and an announcement that he is going I think would stabilise the fans to see who they would want as his successor. I am not looking for a gigantic statement but in protection of Neil Lennon there should be one, saying Neil will complete the season and a new manager will come after that.

“If that was to happen then I think the Celtic fans would accept that because the team can’t keep going on as it has without any real long-term plan.

“Celtic have to take an edge back from the dominance that (the)Rangers have just now.”