Sunday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic have been left shocked and angry after manager Ronny Deila's request to train on Kilmarnock's artificial surface ahead of Monday's Scottish Premiership match was refused by the Ayrshire club. (Sunday Mail)

Derry City's Michael Duffy will arrive in Glasgow on Monday for a second trial, the 20-year-old having scored 16 goals from midfield for the Irish club this season. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Celtic manager Ronny Deila says it would be foolish to suggest his side will face a real challenge for the Scottish Premiership title until April Fool's Day, despite Aberdeen taking over at the top on Thursday. (Sunday Herald)

Israeli midfielder Nir Bitton still thinks his Celtic side will win the Scottish Premiership title by a distance despite admitting that Aberdeen and Dundee United are mounting a better challenge this season. (Scotland On Sunday)

Steven Fletcher is being linked with Hull City amid speculation about his Sunderland future

Kilmarnock are weighing up a January move to bring misfiring Rangers striker Kris Boyd back for a third spell at Rugby Park. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Rangers manager Kenny McDowall admits he is crossing his fingers he does not lose any more players this month after an unconvincing home victory over part-time Dumbarton. (Sunday Mail)

Rangers defender Richard Foster has hit back at the Rangers supporters who subjected him to abuse on a social networking site for having the temerity to take his three-year-old son, Oliver, on a Christmas treat after his side's 4-0 defeat by Hibernian. (The Herald)

The Rangers Supporters Trust (RST) has welcomed the share purchases made in the last few days by Dave King and the so-called Three Bears consortium and urged the club's rank-and-file fans to join the bid by this bloc to command more than half of the club's shares. (Sunday Herald)

Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs has conceded that Hearts can only lose the Scottish Championship title following their 1-1 draw in the Edinburgh derby on Saturday, with the Tynecastle side 13 points ahead of second-top Rangers. (Scotland On Sunday)

Hamilton Academical have released veteran striker Jason Scotland and signed Irish midfielder Lee Lynch from Limerick. (STV)

Blackburn Rovers' Jordan Rhodes is being linked with a move to Real Sociedad

Striker Mickael Antoine-Curier admits Sunday's 100th game for Hamilton Academical could be his last as he is open to a move back to English football during January with his contract ending this summer. (Mail On Sunday, print edition)

Steven Fletcher's future at Sunderland is in doubt - and Hull City manager Steve Bruce is waiting to make a move for the 27-year-old Scotland striker. (Sun on Sunday)

Scotland striker Jordan Rhodes is on David Moyes' list of targets, with the Real Sociedad manager having travelled to watch the Blackburn Rovers player in action. (Sunday People, print edition)

Charlton Athletic manager Bob Peeters believes he can "tame" troubled former Celtic striker Tony Watt should he sign the Scotland Under-21 cap from Standard Liege. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Former Elgin City midfielder Adam Moffat is poised to play alongside Raul with New York Cosmos in the second tier of football in the United States. (Empire Of Soccer)

OTHER GOSSIP

Thom Evans auditioned for the lead role in Fifty Shades Of Grey

Former Scotland rugby player Thom Evans auditioned for the part of Christian Grey, which will be taken by Jamie Dornan, in the movie adaptation of EL James' raunchy novel Fifty Shades of Grey. (Sunday Mail)