Blues make airport swoop (From Bucks Free Press)

Blues make airport swoop

8:07am Friday 8th June 2007 in

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STEVE Hayes caught the red-eye to Glasgow on Tuesday morning in a bid to lure Neil Lennon to Wycombe Wanderers.

The Blues managing director met Lennon at Glasgow Airport before the former Northern Ireland international jetted off on his summer holidays.

Hayes said: "I know how highly Paul Lambert rates Neil both as a player and as a man, so I thought, why not? Let's see if he's interested "He wanted to talk to us because he admires Paul Lambert and he knows that Wanderers are a very ambitious club."

Lennon captained Celtic to the Scottish Premier League title last season but quit Parkhead in the summer. The 35-year-old has since attracted offers from Premiership and Championship clubs - with former Celtic team-mate Roy Keane tipped to take him to Sunderland - but was still tempted by Wycombe's brassy bid.

Hayes said: "We had a very encouraging meeting. Neil was really interested in what we had to say."

Wycombe were not prepared to break their wage structure to sign him, but the player said his decision was influenced by football not finance and the prospect of League Two football is what ultimately turned him off.

Lennon said: "That was the only reason I said no, and it took a lot of soul searching before I made my decision.

"Wycombe's offer put me in a real dilemma. I was so impressed by what they had to say that I'd almost made up my mind to join them."

The prospect of Lennon putting on a Wanderers strip is not completely off the cards though.

Paul Lambert's Celtic history, plus the favourable reviews Lennon received on the club from Steve Guppy and Martin O'Neill, could still count in his favour should Lennon be at a loose end later in his career.

The player said: "Wycombe is clearly going places. I'll be keeping a careful eye on their progress and who knows what might happen in the future."

Meanwhile, Lambert hopes to resolve contract issues with skipper Tommy Mooney and midfield dynamo Tommy Doherty shortly.

He returned from holiday this week and was due to hold talks with both players today.