Ex-St Mirren chairman Gilmour unimpressed by Hoops’ Dubai ‘jolly’

FORMER St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour has blasted Celtic’s controversial Dubai “jolly” – but claims it could be key to his old club winning their docked points appeal.

The Buddies and Kilmarnock both face a hearing on January 14 to decide whether the 3-0 forfeits imposed on them will stand.

Saints fear they could miss out on six points and Killie three after both clubs were forced to call off games back in October as a result of Covid-19 breaches.

The Paisley side were punished after they suffered an outbreak of the virus which was allowed to spread because Jim Goodwin’s players failed to self-isolate – with some even sharing car journeys together.

But Gilmour believes the punishments meted out to St Mirren following a Scottish Professional Football League investigation do not fit the crime and claims there are double standards at play, with Celtic currently in Dubai for a warm weather training camp.

Hoops boss Neil Lennon insisted the trip was “not a break” for his team but it has not gone down with large swathes of the Parkhead faithful, who now find themselves living under new strict new Covid restrictions introduced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday – just 48 hours after their team slipped 19 points behind bitter rivals Rangers with Saturday’s Old Firm defeat.

But Gilmour says the fact Celtic are in the Middle East will only strengthen Saints’ case for leniency when they go before their Hampden hearing next week.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable that they have gone to Dubai,” said Gilmour.

“Let’s face it, we all think it was for a bit of a relaxation jolly. Celtic have got the best training ground in the country and it’s lying there empty.”

Former St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour.