Friday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

A campaign supported by the official Rangers fans board is to lobby First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to make the use of the word 'hun' illegal following the online abuse of pop singer and Rangers fan Amy Macdonald, with an internet petition saying it is a term of "religious hatred, a derogatory and sectarian term for a Protestant". (The Herald)

Rangers chief executive Derek Llambias, who sacked Rangers Fans Board last week, has threatened to drag members into court for failing to have the group's Facebook page removed from the internet. (Daily Record)

Celtic manager Ronny Deila has criticised the club's fans after they let off flares during their 1-0 Europa League defeat by Inter Milan and the Scottish champions could face tough sanctions from European football's governing body, Uefa, just days after they were fined £7,326 for a similar incident against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. (The Herald)

Manager Ronny Deila has pinned the blame for Celtic's elimination from the Europa League squarely at the door of referee Ivan Kruzliak after the 1-0 defeat by Inter Milan in Italy in which Virgil van Dijk was sent off for two bookable offences in the first half. (The Scotsman)

Utrecht are one of the former clubs of Inverness trialist striker Prince Rajcomar (centre)

Virgil van Dijk, the Celtic centre-half sent off in the last-32 Europa League tie with Inter Milan, has branded referee Ivan Kruzliak the worst he has ever experienced. (The Herald)

Scotland's former head of referees, Hugh Dallas, has been urged by Panathinaikos president Giannis Alafouzos to make a shock refereeing comeback at the age of 57 after football in Greece was suspended entirely following violence at Sunday's derby between his team and Olympiakos, as well as a brawl between club officials at a board meeting on Tuesday. (The Herald)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager John Hughes could bring in two replacements for Billy Mckay, the striker sold to Wigan Athletic, with Estonia international Tarma Kink, Prince Rajcomar, formerly of Den Bosch, and Marko Vukanovic, last with Baulmes, all having been on trial. (The Sun, print edition)

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald says his players are trying too hard to end their six-game run without a win after three of them picked up injuries during training. (The Sun, print edition)

Kilmarnock midfielder Jamie Hamill could miss the rest of the season after having surgery following an ankle injury picked up during training. (STV)

Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs insists that Jason Cummings was not dropped over allegations, refuted by the 19-year-old, that he was involved in a muffin-throwing incident at a McDonald's restaurant but has urged the striker to learn from his mistakes. (The Scotsman)

Rangers striker Kris Boyd admits finishing in second place in the Scottish Championship will mean his side have failed this season and that boardroom and financial problems are no excuse if the players do not deliver promotion and top-flight football. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

Sean Jacklin, son of Tony, has registered as a Scot at the Joburg Open this week

Andy Murray has revealed he has been studying how the mind works in a bid to prevent his on-court meltdowns, with the Scottish tennis ace admitting that he has been reading up on cognitive research after becoming concerned his mindset was affecting his game. (The Herald)

Biggar-born Sean Jacklin, the son of English golf legend Tony, registered for this week's Joburg Open, a co-sanctioned event involving the European Tour and Sunshine Tour, as a Scot and opened with a three-under 68 to sit joint-43rd. (The Scotsman)

Phil Mickelson, champion in 2013, has confirmed he will again contest this year's Aberdeen Assert Management Scottish Open at Gullane. (The Herald)

Scotland tour captain Grant Gilchrist is struggling to be fit for this year's Rugby World Cup after undergoing a second operation following a broken arm. (Daily Mail)