Celtic set to sign stadium site deal

according to the club's chief executive, Mr Terry Cassidy.

He said Celtic and the Glasgow Development Agency -- which manages the

30-hectare site for the owners, Scottish Enterprise -- were in the final

stages of negotiations.

Speaking on BBC television last night, Mr Cassidy said: ''I don't wish

to tempt fate at all but we are at the stage where we are drawing up

agreements and I think, hopefully, they could be concluded by if not the

end of this week early next week.''

Mr Cassidy, who said the new stadium could be ready by 1994, subject

to planning permission, added that Celtic also have back-up plans to

redevelop Celtic Park if necessary.

His comments came in the wake of allegations last month that the

propsoed site at Cambuslang was a toxic ''time bomb'' riddled with up to

5000 different chemicals, many poisonous.

Mr Cassidy admitted that there was contamination on the site but

claimed some estimates had been wildly exaggerated, adding that neither

Celtic nor the GDA would consider developing the site if the problem was

serious.

Reports had estimated that clearing the site of contamination would

cost #22m but Mr Cassidy claimed experts employed by Celtic put the cost

at just #1m. ''It is a very, very minor problem,'' he said.

Asked if the club's plans for Cambuslang would meet the stringent

requirements of the Taylor Report and it August 1994 deadline, Mr

Cassidy added: ''I think there is a chance that we could meet the Taylor

deadline. That is what we are aiming to do.''

He added that Celtic could raise the money required for the Cambuslang

project but said that if this was not possible, or if planning

permission was refused, the club has received acceptable plans from

three companies for the redevelopment of Celtic Park.

''We don't like to think about that because that's not what we're

setting out to do but we have to, in fairness to the board and to all

the supporters, think that that might be a possibility.''