Thursday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Ronny Deila accuses his Celtic team of lacking fight in their 1-0 defeat at home to St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership. (Various)

Saints scorer Danny Swanson reveals that he was ill on the day of the game and sent a text to the club's physio at midday to say he would let him know by four o'clock if he would be well enough to play. (Daily Record, The Sun)

The Scottish Football Association joins the Welsh FA in opposing the notion of a Great Britain football team competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, fearing such a move could affect Scotland's independence as a football nation. (Various)

Brian Dempsey worked with Fergus McCann to oust the regime at Celtic Park in the mid-1990s

Dave King says he won't become chairman of Rangers until he passes the SFA's "fit and proper person" test. (Various)

Brian Dempsey, a key figure in the Fergus McCann-led takeover of Celtic in 1994, says, "Since Rangers were demoted, Scottish football hasn't been the same." Dempsey has offered to buy King a bottle of champagne if he can better his statement made on the front steps of Celtic Park that, "The battle is over. The rebels have won." (Daily Record)

Rangers manager Kenny McDowall, serving a 12-month notice period and aware that his time in the post may be cut even shorter with the likely arrival of a new board on Friday, says "he will never forget what we have been through - it has burned pretty deep" - a reference to the turmoil at Ibrox over the past four years. (Various)

Former Celtic midfielder Peter Grant warns Rangers fans that King's takeover is just the first step in re-establishing the club and that Celtic are on course for 10 league titles in a row. (The Sun)

Three-time Bundesliga-winning coach Felix Magath, who proxied his votes from his 810,000 shares to the Rangers Supporters Trust for the club's extraordinary general meeting, "would not rule out" a role with the new Rangers regime. He has been touted for a technical director's position. (Daily Mail)

Liam Craig is enjoying his football this season under Alan Stubbs and hopes to extend his stay at Easter Road

With his team on a run of 12 matches without defeat, Hibs skipper Liam Craig wants to lead his team into the Scottish Cup semi-finals on Sunday with a win over Berwick Rangers, and earn himself a new contract beyond the summer. (Daily Express)

The Queen of the South players are desperate to reach the Scottish Cup last four by beating Falkirk on Friday so that they can stop midfielder Paul Burns going on about playing in the 2008 Cup final against Rangers. (Various)

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hopes taking the team for warm-weather training in Tenerife will be the right tonic to lift their spirits after their 4-0 defeat by league leaders Celtic. (Daily Record)

Hearts defender Callum Paterson says the support of the club's owner Ann Budge, financially and from the stands during games, has helped the team this season, a far cry from his playing days under Vladimir Romanov. (The Scotsman)

Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara says, ideally, Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven would have been sold to clubs in England rather than rivals Celtic and admits it was a "body blow" to lose the pair. However, he accepts the club has to balance its books. (The Sun)

Rangers' oldest living former player, goalkeeper Bobby Brown, who turns 92 this month, claims his "ambition was to stay on the planet to see Rangers back in their rightful place in Scottish football". (The Sun)

Motherwell general manager Alan Burrows favours the introduction of summer football, saying he has yet to hear a valid reason why it wouldn't work in Scotland. (The Herald)

The Fir Park boss Ian Baraclough tells fans not to expect too much straight away from returning striker Scott McDonald. (The Herald)

OTHER GOSSIP

Berwick's Guy Learmonth is in Prague hoping to win an 800m medal at the European Indoor Championships

Scottish Rugby will not be pursuing its interest in bringing New Zealand-born, Scottish qualified Kevin Locke to Scotland - and rugby union - from rugby league side Salford City Reds. (The Scotsman)

Guy Learmonth, the Scottish 800m runner who will race for GB in the European Indoor Championships in Prague this week, hopes he won't be sick with nerves, like he was ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last summer. (Daily Record)

Muirfield and Royal Troon, Scotland's two men-only golf clubs on the Open Championship rota, face fresh pressure to change after Royal St George's in Kent voted to allow women members. (Scotsman)

Peter Wright says he will continue to search for the right type of darts to help him move up from fifth place in the world rankings. (Daily Record)