Celtic's players plan Cup tribute to O'Neill

Hampden Park will be an emotionally charged place to be today. Martin O'Neill's decision to leave Celtic to help nurse his sick wife, Geraldine, who has cancer, has put a different complexion on the Scottish Cup final and his players are keen to give him a fitting farewell.

Hampden Park will be an emotionally charged place to be today. Martin O'Neill's decision to leave Celtic to help nurse his sick wife, Geraldine, who has cancer, has put a different complexion on the Scottish Cup final and his players are keen to give him a fitting farewell.

O'Neill normally shuns the spotlight on such occasions, but Stanislav Varga has revealed that the Celtic team will demand that the man who has guided them through five successful years be the one to pick up the trophy, should the holders overcome Dundee United. "I think that would be a nice gesture," said the Celtic defender.

Dundee United pushed Celtic all the way in their last League meeting, losing 3-2 at Tannadice to a Craig Bellamy hat-trick in March.

For Stevie Crawford, the game offers a return to Hampden after he was part of the Dunfermline Athletic side which lost 3-1 to Celtic in last season's Cup final.

"Last season, was hard to take," said the Scotland striker. "Being a Cup final loser is the worst feeling in the world."

Celtic (probable, 4-4-2): Douglas; Agathe, Baldé, Varga, McNamara; Petrov, Lennon, Sutton, Thompson; Hartson, Bellamy.

Dundee United (probable, 4-4-2): Bullock; Wilson, Ritchie, Kenneth, Archibald; Kerr, McInnes, Brebner, Robson; Crawford, Scotland.

Referee: J Rowbotham.