Injured Lambert out until new year

The Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert will be out of action until the new year after picking up a knock in the 1-0 win against Kilmarnock on Sunday. A scan has revealed he has a stress fracture in a shin bone.

The Celtic midfielder Paul Lambert will be out of action until the new year after picking up a knock in the 1-0 win against Kilmarnock on Sunday. A scan has revealed he has a stress fracture in a shin bone.

Lambert will now be sidelined until after the winter break and misses Celtic's Uefa Cup tie against Bordeaux, which is finely balanced at 1-1 following the first leg in France.

Aberdeen have threatened to close the chat room on the club's official website after offensive comments were posted about Rangers supporters killed in a car accident.

The person responsible has been banned from the site following remarks made about the two who died in a road accident while returning to Merseyside after watching Saturday's match against St Mirren at Ibrox.

The incident has come as Rangers prepare to travel to Pittodrie on Sunday, and Aberdeen have replaced the offensive remarks with a message of their own to fans.

It read: "Aberdeen Football Club does not condone this type of behaviour in any way and will use all means possible to ensure the site is used by sensible fans. Should this type of message appear on the site again we will close it indefinitely."

Steve Archibald hopes to be in full control of Airdrie by the end of the year. The former Barcelona striker, who holds the title of the "preferred bidder", was in confident mood after talks with North Lanarkshire Council, liquidators KPMG and the major creditors, Barr Construction. "It was a very positive meeting," Archibald said.

The council holds the key to the club's future as its possesses the title deeds to the New Broomfield Stadium. It was a condition of receiving planning permission that the club would construct playing fields, car parks and other community amenities on land across the road from the stadium. This would cost around £1m and the council is insisting the works be carried out before the deeds are handed over.

That work could be carried out by Barr Construction, owned by the Ayr United chairman, Bill Barr, using funds from an environmental tax allocated for public use. Archibald claims he would then be in a position to complete the £2m takeover of the club, possibly in partnership with Barr.

Barr's involvement with Ayr makes it impossible for him to have a shareholding in another club, although if the football club and the ground were to be split into two separate businesses then Barr could take a stake in the latter company.

The North Lanarkshire Council leader, Councillor Jim McCabe, is set to hold further talks in an effort to resolve the situation. "We've identified ways forward which should result in the work being carried out and the survival of Airdrieonians FC," he said after the last meeting.

Archibald has an uneasy relationship with the liquidators. Last week it needed a £15,000 cheque from supporters to allow him access to the stadium after a lock-out. KPMG did not comment on the latest meeting except to say it was now up to Archibald and the council to come to an agreement over the deeds.

The Motherwell midfielder Ged Brannan has begun new contract talks. The 28-year-old, who came from Manchester City two seasons ago, will be out of contract in the summer.

Brannan is acting captain in the absence of the injured Andy Goram and has said he would be happy to stay: "I've let them know what sort of deal I'm looking for," he said. "I'm getting married next year and my next contract will be the most important of my career, but I'm not asking for megabucks."