Jackson clears the way to face Celtic

Darren Jackson is poised to face his former club Celtic today after he agreed to waive a clause in his contract with Hearts. The former Scotland international striker looked set for a move as the club refused to invoke a clause that would offer Jackson an extension to his deal when he played a certain number of games, but the 34-year-old has agreed to drop the condition.

Darren Jackson is poised to face his former club Celtic today after he agreed to waive a clause in his contract with Hearts. The former Scotland international striker looked set for a move as the club refused to invoke a clause that would offer Jackson an extension to his deal when he played a certain number of games, but the 34-year-old has agreed to drop the condition.

The defender Alan Stubbs is missing as he begins hospital treatment after a recurrence of cancer, while Eyal Berkovic is ruled out with a stomach strain, but Jackie McNamara has returned to training and is expected to play.

Berkovic yesterday registered his anger with his manager, Martin O'Neill, for not transferring him at the start of the season. The Israel international remains a fringe player under O'Neill and feels he was misled by the former Leicester manager when he first arrived. "Everybody says Martin doesn't like me, but our styles are simply different," Berkovic said. "He thinks players like me don't give everything on the pitch in spite of the fact I make a lot of effort.

"One thing I am angry with him about is at the beginning of the season he didn't say to me: 'Eyal, find another club'. Instead he told me the opposite, telling me I was an important player. I am angry because right now I'd be at a different club if he hadn't told me that."

The Kilmarnock defender Chris Innes has fractured a cheekbone in a training accident and Kevin McGowne stands by to take his place at Motherwell today.

Colin Hendry has been prepared to take a pay cut to resurrect his international career in a loan move to Aberdeen from Coventry unti the end of the season, but he proved to expensive for the Dons, even so.