THE arrival of a #2.4m player anywhere in Scotland would warrant intense attention but, in the circumstances that prevail at Parkhead, Tommy Johnson's debut before the media yesterday as Celtic's second most expensive player - behind #3.5m Alan Stubbs - was bizarre.

The lad himself was patently excited and enthusiastic about joining a club which he described as ''massive,'' and manager Tommy Burns, as well as chief executive Fergus McCann, said all the right things about the new boy, but it was impossible to avoid the sensation of being part of a surreal scenario.

The speculation about Burns' future as manager of the club, which seems decidedly uncertain, made his welcoming of a new star appear rather unreal, even in a business that has become as genuine as a politician's marriage vows.

Burns stated his case as best he could but, in a situation where the managing director was conducting interviews within a few feet of his own responses, there were certain curtailing factors. After explaining why, after a long time trying, he was delighted to get the signature of Johnson, Burns was asked how, in the mist of public debate about his own future, he could apparently carry on as per normal. He replied: ''That is what I am paid to do. The last thing I want is people's pity. You can't sit back and feel sorry for yourself. There are still many things I want to do here.

''Hopefully, everything I do will be in the best interests of Celtic Football Club.''

The manager went on to say that, as far as he was concerned, there were five league games to go and the league championship was ''anything but over. We also hope to get the cup final.

''Celtic FC is not about Fergus McCann or Tommy Burns or any other individual. It is about a club moving forward in the best way possible for the supporters.''

The manager also made the point that he had made the money necessary to buy Johnson. ''We made a profit on Pierre van Hooydonk, who was bought for #1.2m and could earn #4.5m in return. But Tommy Johnson is here because we have been keen on him for a long time and actually tried to buy him before, but he was not available.

''His transfer was not done with anything about the recent headlines in mind. The reason he is here is that he is a quality player who is our replacement for Pierre. Hopefully, the supporters will see that we are getting on with the job.''

Johnson, who seemed thrilled to be involved in the Parkhead scenario, dismissed a suggestion that the politicking would bother him. ''What goes on off the field has nothing to do with me,'' said the man from Newcastle. ''I am here to finish as high as we can in the championship and win the cup.''

The striker said that he could have gone to Derby, his previous club, last week, but had hung fire on that deal and was relieved he had, because once he heard about Celtic's interest, he had no hesitation.

''I have seen a lot of Celtic on television. I think Cadete and Di Canio are great players and I can't wait to play beside them. I know all about the club's tradition, and the fact that they play in Europe every year was a major attraction for me.''

Everton and Manchester City had been contenders for his signature, but he had virtually made up his mind that he was coming to Scotland once the Celtic interest was passed to him on Tuesday.

Capped eight times for England's Under-21s, with whom he played alongside Alan Shearer, this one-time Newcastle United fan is also familiar with Alan Stubbs . . . ''I saw him playing for Bolton.''

McCann insisted that the public debate about the manager was a side-issue, saying: ''I have tried to dismiss the speculation in the last few days. We try to get on with things. I am not managing the football side and we continue to show that we respect Tommy Burns' judgment on football matters.''

He said that Celtic will always spend money. ''We would want to strengthen the team both internally and externally as it evolves. So this is part of the pattern. I think in this case we needed a forward cover. It is an expensive deal, but I think it is a good one for the player and for the club. He is a high quality player.''

The managing director did not seem too animated by the suggestion that the new man's wages deal could cause unrest in the dressing room. Johnson is reputedly being paid #8000 a week, double what Jorge Cadete, who has been making loud noises about his salary, earns.

In what could be assumed was a thinly disguised reference to the Portuguese striker, McCann said: ''There is no way we have to apologise for people's wages at Celtic. They are very well paid. Some are paid more than others, but every player thinks he is worth as much as the next guy. That is part of the pride of a professional.

''It is part of the management challenge to make sure that players know we will respect our part of the contract.

''What I will say is that no manipulation or blackmail by anybody in this building will change the approach taken by the club. If someone wants to sell a sob story to a newspaper that is their affair, but it is rather disappointing it gets the mileage it does. It is

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unfortunate that some fans believe it.

''We may not always get favourable headlines, but that is not my job. My job is to be judged on the good business and football decisions taken. I hope and expect we will make a profit this year. Two-thirds of football clubs make a loss and win nothing.''

Meanwhile, Brian Dempsey, one of the architects of the revolution which brought McCann to power, last night denied a report he had been discussing making a bid for the club with a consortium of businessmen. ''Nothing could be further from the truth,'' he said.