Blues stand firm over Celtic bid

Birmingham City are standing firm over want-away Scotland winger James McFadden and will deny him a move to Celtic.

Reports have suggested McFadden has told his agent Willie McKay that he wants to leave St Andrew's after relegation last term and the prospect of a £5.5million move to Celtic, the club he supported as a boy.

But Birmingham co-owner David Sullivan will not allow one of Alex McLeish's star players to leave a squad he believes has an excellent chance of promotion.

"We have gone down with a good team and only gone down by one point," Sullivan told the Birmingham Post.

"We believe all the players who have taken us down have a responsibility to take us back up and that is what we are asking them.

"We are owed a debt and I have no doubt that James McFadden will honour that. He is not for sale. He gets on well with the manager and will be a key player for us.

"The player will not be sold - he will play in the first team and do his best.

"I don't think that is unfair as we have taken him from Everton's squad to being a first team player."