Gordon Strachan and Georgios Samaras made it a Celtic double today when they received their Clydesdale Bank Manager and Player of the Month awards for September.

It was the perfect pick-me-up following the midweek Champions League defeat in Villarreal. Strachan claimed his award was down to the hard work and good performances of Samaras and the rest of the players who won all three SPL games they played plus a Co-operative Insurance Cup match in the month just ended.

He said: "It's fantastic. I appreciate what the players have done. It has been good to watch them enjoy themselves and to entertain people.

"It has been a decent period of performances for us and that is down to players playing well.

advertisement "We have also had our opponents playing well and having a go. We are not doing too well in Europe, the Scottish teams. But, in term of the domestic game, I think it has been good.

"It has been a good season for actual football so far, and long may it continue."

Strachan hopes there is more good stuff on show tomorrow when his side face Billy Reid's SPL newcomers Hamiton Academical at Celtic Park.

He reports no fresh injuries from the midweek exertions in Spain, only a few bumps and bruises which he believes will clear up before tomorrow's kick-off.

And the manager is confident that, with Celtic's excellent record in games before and after European ties, that there will be no hangover when they face Accies.