No seven-year itch or bad feelings between

Neil Lennon has had words with Jim Goodwin in the past.

But the Celtic manager had nothing but praise for his St Mirren counterpart as he looked ahead to Wednesday night’s meeting of the clubs in Paisley

At the same venue back in 2013, Lennon and Goodwin exchanged pleasantries after the then Saints defender put in a meaty challenge on Dylan McGeouch.

However, Lennon insisted with a laugh: “There has never been a spat. I get on very well with Jim.

“He did a brilliant job at Alloa, where he had them playing a really good style of football.

“Then he went into St Mirren, and really steadied the ship.

“He made them tougher to beat, and kept them in the division on a verylimited budget. Now they are at a point where there is a good structure and organisation to how they play.

“They are well-established at Premiership level, and don’t look like cannon-fodder for anyone.

“They are decent at home, and a tough nut to crack. They proved that when we played them.

“That is all down to Jim and his staff behind the scenes. I think he has done a very good job, and he shows a level of intelligence in terms of the tactical sense of the game.

“He also comes across very well.” The two men hail from the opposite sides of the Irish border, but share common experience with Lennon’s current employer.

“I was a player here when Jim was a young lad just coming through,” said the Hoops boss. “He was a good kid, and then went down to England with Huddersfield and Stockport, and had a good career.

“Since then he has come back to Scotland and, as I said, made a very good start to his coaching career.”

Covid-19 allowing, Lennon sees the trip to Paisley as the chance to make the most of his club’s Euro bye.

“We are under the assumption that the game will go ahead,” he said.