John Barnes could have been forgiven for feeling a little shudder of apprehension yesterday as the Celtic Park tannoy suddenly commanded: "There is an emergency. Please leave the stadium immediately."

The message, it turned out, was a false alarm. More to the point, when everyone returned, Allan MacDonald, Celtic's chief executive, was quick to assure his audience that Barnes is there for the long haul as the club tries to knock Rangers off their pedestal as Scotland's pre-eminent side.

The question of Barnes's future should not have arisen after Wednesday's League Cup win over Dundee which makes them favourites to win the first title of the season and which put an end to a run of five defeats in eight games. But the Stg£3 million sale of Craig Burley to Derby County and the clear opposition to the move from within the club's dressing-room demanded that the air be cleared.

"Craig was upset with me when I didn't pick him for the first game of the season and that's the only time we talked," Barnes said. "Since then there has not been a bad word but I know I was playing him out of the position he preferred. But that was in the interests of the club. I told him that we had accepted Derby's offer but if he stayed he would still be in my team."

MacDonald preferred to talk about Barnes's long-term role. "Celtic has been through the worst decade in its history and in that time we have had eight managers. That tells me that you have to give people time. We are committing to a two-year plan so we can have continuous success after that. There is enormous frustration amongst the fans but they are fair-minded and will forgive a hiccup if they think we are on the right lines."

Kenny Dalglish, Celtic's director of football, put it more succinctly: "I'm a long time out of short trousers. I know what will happen if we don't succeed."

For today's match against Hibernian Barnes will be without the Stephane Mahe, who celebrated acquiring a new contract by being sent off against Dundee. Paul Lambert will return.

Rangers should be in crisis after losing at home to Dundee and at Aberdeen in the League Cup. But it was business as usual yesterday when they signed Scotland striker Billy Dodds from Dundee United for £1.2 million to help them over an injury crisis.