Bullard asks Hull to mark his card over move to Celtic

Jimmy Bullard was holding talks with Hull yesterday before making a decision on a move to Celtic.

The midfielder, 31, has been targeted by the Glasgow giants and says he was impressed by what he saw on a recent visit to the club. But he opted to call a meeting with Hull's owner Russell Bartlett before committing to any move.

Bullard said: "After that my position should be clearer. I want to see where I stand with [Hull] first before I make any decisions on my future. It's purely a football decision for me, it's not about money – not to me at least, although it might be for them.

"I just want to know if I still have a place in their plans but until that is made clear to me I've really no idea where I'll be playing next season."

He added: "The set-up at Celtic is fantastic. I was blown away by the stadium, and the training ground is impressive too. They are both massive and it really made me realise just what a big club it is."

Meanwhile, the Rangers manager Walter Smith has revealed how Ally McCoist persuaded him to remain at the club for another year. Smith, 62, admits that his desk was cleared and he was ready for retirement until his backroom staff stepped in and prompted a change of heart.

McCoist is poised to take over when Smith does leave at the end of the coming campaign but urged him not to walk away at the end of last season.

Smith said: "I decided to stay after speaking to everyone involved. They made me change my mind. We sat down and took into account all the things that were going on at the club."