Rock star bids for Celtic

SIMPLE Minds singer Jim Kerr could become the latest celebrity patron of a football club after joining a secret bid to take control of Celtic, writes Linus Gregoriadis.

The millionaire pop star is backing an attempt by Brian Dempsey, a former Celtic director, to wrest control of the Glasgow club from the current chairman, Fergus McCann.

Mr Kerr, 38, said yesterday: "It is well known that I love this club and the people who support it. I am delighted to support Brian Dempsey and others in our attempt to ensure that ownership of the club goes back to Celtic shareholders and supporters as Mr McCann promised it would."

The singer has reportedly asked Bono, the U2 singer, to join him in backing the consortium. Mr Dempsey wants to gain control of Mr McCann's majority shareholding, who has pledged to leave and sell his pounds 36m stake next year.

A close friend of Mr Kerr reportedly said yesterday that the singer was "terrified" someone who has "not got a Celtic or Scottish or Irish background" would end up as a major shareholder. The Dempsey consortium is believed to include publican Jack Flanagan and Scotland's biggest lottery winner John McGuiness, who won pounds 10m in 1996.