Barnes insists Rangers will see Celtic title as tainted

JOHN BARNES is certain that Rangers fans will call Celtic’s title a “tainted” one if they are handed the Scottish Premiership crown early.

But the former Celtic manager believes an early call to the season will not take the shine off yet another stunning campaign for the Parkhead side.

It remains to be seen whether Scotland’s top-flight will be decided on a points per game basis – but with Neil Lennon’s team currently 13 points clear at the summit – the destination of the trophy looks a certainty.

With plans of league reconstruction being axed, it also looks as though Hearts will be heading for relegation along with Partick Thistle and Stranraer. And Barnes, who spent eight months in charge of Celtic, insists those who are facing the drop need to take it on the chin and face the facts during this uncertain period. He said: “If Celtic win the title there has to be promotion and relegation, just like if you do the same thing in England and Liverpool get the title, there has to be promotion and relegation.

“You can’t arbitrarily decide that if a team in League Two 10 or 15 points clear might say ‘why aren’t we being promoted?’.

“Either you honour the league as it is, stopping the league therefore whoever is first wins the league and the bottom three go down.

“Or, you say we need to finish the season. As to whether it’s tainted, no because this is what it is. They’ll get the title whatever the situation.

“Rangers fans will say that. If Liverpool win under the same circumstances maybe Manchester United fans will say that, what does that mean?”