Record fee takes striker to Celtic

20 Jul 1991

CELTIC manager Liam Brady yesterday at last got his man, when he paid a club record fee of £1.1m for Aston Villa's Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino.

The 28-year-old, who played at international level alongside his new manager, signed a three-year deal and travels today with Celtic on their four-match tour of Ireland.

Cascarino, who was also wanted by English first-division side Southampton, said: "I wanted to come to Celtic all along, and I am looking forward to playing for them.

"Celtic are a big club, and I want to win trophies here.

I know Liam Brady wants to win things, too."

Although he scored only 12 goals in 50 games at Aston Villa, both player and manager are confident he will be a success in Scotland.

"Tony can be used as a target inside the penalty area, and I think he will prove to be a big hit with the fans," said Brady.

Brady added that the signing of a centre half to replace Paul Elliott, who was recently transferred to Chelsea, was now his main priority.

* ASTON Villa and England midfield player David Platt yesterday agreed to a £6m plus move to Italian club Bari, making him the world's second most expensive player.

Platt, once rejected by Manchester United and later plucked from obscurity at Crewe when the then Villa manager, Graham Taylor, signed him for £200,000 in 1988, flew home from a club tour of Germany on Thursday night for signing talks.

The previous most costly British player was Chris Waddle, when he moved from Tottenham to Marseille for £4.5m, while Roberto Baggio's £7.7m switch from Fiorentina to Juventus in 1990 still makes him the world No.1.

* NEALE Cooper, the midfield man who was given a free transfer by Rangers, is expected to sign for English third-division side Reading on Monday.

He had already agreed terms before having a trial with German club Stuttgart Kickers last week.

The 27-year-old has told Reading player-manager Mark McGhee, a former Aberdeen team-mate, that he will become his first signing.

* HEARTS will complete the £350,000 signing of Middlesbrough striker Ian Baird over the weekend, and that will almost certainly mean John Colquhoun leaving Tynecastle with Millwall favourites to land the former Celtic player.

Meanwhile, another Hearts player who could be on the move is defender Jimmy Sandison, who is set for talks with Airdrie manager Alex MacDonald.

The clubs have already agreed a fee.

Taken from the Herald