LEIGH IS READY FOR RETURN

Recovered Leigh is ready to join the Celtic centurions’ club

CELTIC striker Leigh Griffiths is closing in on the 100-goal mark as he insists he has put his recurrent calf injury situation behind him. The Scotland internationalist sought specialist advice i n an attempt to ascertain the reason for the repeated calf problems which have blighted his career over the last two seasons.

Griffiths is fit and available for today’s game

against Ross County after being sidelined since the end of January.

The striker currently has 97 Celtic goals to his name and he has backed himself to hit the century before the curtain comes down on the current campaign.

“That is my aim,” said Griffiths. “I have no doubt that if I stay injury free I will get that 100 mark. It has been a long time coming but when I hit it, it will be a great achievement for myself.”

And the striker is itching to get back on the park after two-month absence.

“It has been long. It’s been depressing,” he told Celtic TV. “These calf injuries have been a nightmare since the manager came in but hopefully I have found the cause of it and it is finally fixed.

“It is disappointing when you are missing first-team matches but the most important thing is you need to get back fit and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Hopefully that’s the end of the problems.

“The quicker I get back to first-team action, the better. I have been working really hard to get back to full fitness and hopefully that is me raring to go.”

Griffiths was pictured celebrating among the Celtic fans earlier this month as 10-man Celtic came from behind to beat Rangers. The player looked to be at home as he took centre stage with the celebrations but he has admitted that he would rather have been on the pitch.

“Of course it was enjoyable to watch the boys winning and move closer to the title,” he said. “But it was frustrating not to be involved in the celebrations on the park but I had a good time in the stands with the rest of the fans.”