FIGHTING TALK

Furious Lennon insists ‘gloves are off’ in spat with rival Levein

NEIL LENNON insists ‘the gloves are off’ after refusing to accept Craig Levein’s attempts to laugh off his incendiary comments in the aftermath of Sunday’s Edinburgh derby.

Levein sparked fury in the Hibs camp by saying the Scottish Cup victory at Tynecastle — a first in ten games for the Gorgie club against their rivals — was a return to the ‘natural order’.

Yesterday, the Hearts boss attempted to play down the furore, saying: ‘It was a good laugh, wasn’t it?’

But Lennon was far from amused. ‘A laugh? I didn’t find it funny,’ responded the Hibs manager.

‘In my time in Scotland, I’ve seen a lot of people with a misguided sense of superiority in the game — without actually earning it or achieving anything.

‘I think he was pandering to the masses with the comment. It’s derogatory to my club, my players, our fans and me. And it was in very, very poor taste.

‘It’s their first win in four or five years against us. They

should have been grateful and shown some humility. ‘I don’t recall rubbing anyone’s face in it after we won Edinburgh derbies. ‘Comments like that come back to haunt you. But he’s been sitting on that one — and it’s pandering. ‘He might have picked it up on a forum and used it. I’m disappointed. So the gloves are off.’ Lennon, meanwhile, seemed to offer a path to redemption for Anthony Stokes if the striker is ready to deliver ‘payback’. Stokes was one of three players guilty of breaking a curfew on the club’s winter break to Portugal, prompting reports he had been binned by Hibs. Lennon, who said he ‘might be in contention’ for tonight’s trip to Dens Park, hinted: ‘Everyone will be looking for a bit of payback — if he plays. He owes everyone something. ‘Eventually, whether I pick him or not, he has to have a good look at himself.’ Danny Swanson, one of the other players caught up in the Algarve incident, is wanted on loan by former club St Johnstone.