Hartson used his elbow, says Gordon

ANGUS WRIGHT

SUNDAY’S home defeat by Celtic has left Hearts nursing a sense of injustice, with goalkeeper Craig Gordon particularly piqued by the referee’s failure to send off John Hartson for an alleged elbow on Tynecastle defender Andy Webster.

The Welshman was booked in the third minute of the Parkhead side’s 1-0 win after tangling with the Hearts centre-back. Hartson maintains he did nothing untoward and is upset the incident was not caught on television in order that he might prove his innocence.

Gordon, however, believes the striker got off lightly and claims Hartson admitted to Webster that he thought he would be shown the red card.

"I think I was the only person in the ground who saw it," Gordon said. "John Hartson elbowed Andy Webster in the head and he was lucky to stay on the park. He even said to Andy after it that he thought he was walking. John Hartson knows he was a fortunate man to stay on the park.

"It was a strange decision by the referee. If a player is seen to raise his hands, it isn’t normally a booking. Either nothing happens or it is a straight red. It could well have changed the game because, even with 11 against 11, I thought we dominated in stages and played some really good football."

Hartson, however, was adamant yesterday his challenge was legal. Speaking to Celtic’s official website, he said: "I got into a little tangle after just a minute of the game and I have always been the type of player that, if I’m out of order, I’ll come out and hold my hand up, but there was nothing in it.

"It was a shoulder to shoulder challenge and that was it so I was disappointed with what happened. As soon as I got the yellow card he got back up again and got on with the game.

"I am all for elbowing in the game being stamped out and I think you deserve to go if you are guilty of it, but there was nothing like that. I have always tried to be honest and fair. If anything, I’m disappointed that the TV cameras never caught it because it would have shown quite clearly that there was nothing in it at all.

"I’ve been brought up to play fairly and get on with the game and I’ve been a bit disappointed with the reaction to what was nothing at all."

Sunday’s match was a highly-competitive affair, with Hartson just one of ten players booked by referee Kenny Clark. The sides lock horns again at Tynecastle in a Tennent’s Scottish Cup fourth-round tie on 7 February.

Craig Beattie, the Celtic striker who appeared as a late substitute against Hearts on Saturday, revealed yesterday that he has put pen to paper on a new three-year deal at the Parkhead club.

The 20-year-old has made a handful of first-team appearances this season but has started just one game - the CIS Insurance Cup win over Partick Thistle which handed him his only goal so far this term. The forward has watched as other young players at the club, such as Simon Lynch, Bryan Prunty and Mark Fotheringham, have quit Celtic for smaller clubs in a bid to play regular first-team football. He has also seen Liam Miller sign a pre-contract agreement with Manchester United.

But Beattie insists players like himself, Ross Wallace and Shaun Maloney have proved that manager Martin O’Neill is willing to give young players a chance of they are good enough.

Beattie said: "Celtic are a massive club and my aim is to get into the team and stay in it. To play for other clubs isn’t even in the back of my mind, I just want to do well for Celtic.

"The manager has brought Stephen Pearson in and Ross, Shaun and myself have all been involved so it’s encouraging to see that we’re getting a shot and all the boys are working hard and competing with each other to get into the team."

Meanwhile, Celtic have been boosted by the return of Alan Thompson to training this week. The former Aston Villa and Bolton midfielder has missed the club’s last two games against Ross County and Hearts with toe and calf injuries.

But his return to fitness will also be welcomed by England coach Sven Goran Eriksson, who is considering calling up Thompson for the friendly against Portugal next month.

Defenders Joos Valgaeren and Ulrik Laursen have also resumed training following long-term absences, while Johan Mjallby has begun rehabilitation after knee surgery.

Miller, who is to move to Old Trafford in the summer, is continuing to receive treatment for a pelvis and groin problem.

Celtic are trying to arrange a farewell game for Henrik Larsson but the Swede’s hopes of having Barcelona as opponents have been thwarted because the Catalan club are demanding too much money.

Larsson has been strongly linked with a move to the Nou Camp when his Celtic contract expires at the end of the season and agent Rob Jansen, the player’s agent, revealed Frank Rijkaard’s side were top of the list as he plans an emotional send-off after seven years in Glasgow.

Jansen said: "Right now we are working on organising a farewell game for Henrik in Glasgow. A unique farewell party. I know that he wanted to play against Barcelona, but that was too expensive for Celtic."

Taken from the Scotsman