Minders guard Lennon after bomb hoax alert; Celtic order round the clock security for manager.(News)

Byline: Graham Grant Home Affairs Editor

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon was last night placed under 24-hour guard after being the target of a bomb hoax in the wake of the controversial midweek Old Firm match.

He was accompanied by a minder to training yesterday after a suspicious package addressed to him was found at a Royal Mail sorting office.

The item, found by postal workers in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, turned out to be a hoax - but was described by the club last night as 'extremely worrying.' Celtic have hired security guards who have mounted round-the-clock surveillance of Northern Irishman Lennon, highlighting the threat to his safety following the most ill-tempered Old Firm game in years.

It comes as Lennon, 39, was last night at the centre of internet speculation that he racially abused Rangers player El-Hadji Diouf during Wednesday's match. Lennon and the Senegalese star were involved in a heated confrontation during the match, which plunged both Celtic and Rangers into the centre of a political storm.

Diouf's agent Willie Mackay and Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell declined to comment -but a senior club source insisted the manager 'didn't have a racist bone in his body'.

Three players were red-carded during the match, while coaching staff, including Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist, had to be dragged apart at the final whistle.

The Scottish Police Federation said football bosses should consider holding Old Firm matches behind closed doors - a proposal that, surprisingly, received backing last night from Rangers manager Walter Smith.

But Strathclyde Police has been criticised for failing to bring charges against players and officials involved in the shameful scenes.

The bomb hoax fuelled speculation that Lennon could be forced out of Celtic, with friends saying the threat to his safety had put him under intense pressure.

Celtic first-team coach Alan Thompson said he believed Lennon would consider his position in the summer.

The match also resulted in a wave of arrests for sectarian, racial and breach of the peace offences across Scotland.

Thompson stood in for Lennon at a press conference yesterday, ahead of today's league game with Hamilton Accies.

He said: 'Neil has had 24-hour surveillance outside his house two days in a row, protecting him and his family, and he thought it was right to step out of the way.' Mr Lawwell said: 'Clearly, this most recent sickening event in a long line of threats to Neil and his family is extremely worrying.' Lennon, a notorious hate figure for Rangers supporters, has said he came close to quitting Celtic in the aftermath of a brutal street assault in Glasgow in 2008.

Meanwhile, Rangers manager Smith admitted Old Firm games may have to be played behind closed doors for the sake of Scottish society.

He said: 'The police [the Scottish Police Federation] are making a call on whether the Old Firm fixture should be played behind closed doors.

'Who could disagree with them? They live it. They see it. They are the people who experience it.' g.grant@dailymail.co.uk Lennon may quit: Sport - Back Page

CAPTION(S):

Flashpoint: El-Hadji Diouf, left, and Neil Lennon clash at the Old Firm match

Hate figure: Celtic boss Lennon has 24-hour protection