NEIL LENNON has dismissed some of the noise surrounding Kieran Tierney’s departure from the club last summer and believes some of the abusive comments aren’t from real fans.

Kieran spoke earlier this week about being afraid to go back to Celtic Park when it re-opens for fear of a backlash. Neil Lennon made it clear the defender was always welcome back and that 99.9% of supporters have nothing but respect for the player.

“We don’t want him to feel uncomfortable coming back because he is more than welcome here that’s for sure.” Lennon told CelticTV.

“He is a great player. He has already won a major honour at Arsenal and he went with everyone’s best wishes.

“Sometimes you get people on social media pretending to be Celtic fans and it is a platform that leaves you open to abuse or praise, whatever way you want to look at it.

“There is always a little bit of soreness with fans when a top player or top manager leaves a club and goes elsewhere.

“But I think 99.9 per cent of the supporters at Celtic think the world of him.

“Social media is not real. People can be a hero one day and a villain the next day. It is just not the real world.”

Kieran has been embraced at his new club, being a firm fans favourite at the Emirates. He’s already helped his club to an FA Cup win last season.

There’s no doubt if Celtic do manage to get to ten in a row, Kieran needs to be there.

He is a Celtic fan who lived the dream and who I believe will pull on the Hoops again before it’s all said and done.

We wish him the best in his career.