CELTIC legend Frank McAvennie last night tipped Stefan Scepovic to save both his Parkhead career and the club a lot of money by coming good next season.

The former Hoops striker, who won the Double in Celtic's Centenary season, has identified something special in the Serbian who only scored six goals in the previous campaign after moving from Sporting Gijón for £2.3million.

Not many fans would see the 25-year-old, who was a bit-part player for most of the season, as someone who could lead the line in next month's Champions League qualifiers and beyond.

However, MacAvennie has a soft spot for the Scepovic who he believes is good enough to cut it at Celtic, which would mean his old club not having to splash out on a forward to replace him.

The ex-Parkhead hero said: "I like Scepovic. He is still there, I don’t what’s the issue. I just think he has not had a chance.

“No one wanted Nir Bitton to play. But I was one of the ones who said on radio, ‘go and give the guy six to eight games.’ All of a sudden they were playing them and he ended up probably Celtic’s best player.

“I would say to Scepovic, ‘here, you have six to eight games. Show us what you have got and then we will decide after that.’ You can’t keep taking him out and bringing him in.

“I saw him when he played his first game last year in a European tie where he saw the keeper off his line, turned and hit one with his back to goal which missed by a yard or so.

“I was doing radio with Gordon Dalziel and said to him, ‘he looks a good player.’ Good players see that, bad players don’t. Gordon Dalziel wouldn’t have seen it!

“But to see a keeper off his line like that is a special talent. “I think you give him eight games and he could prove to be the striker Celtic crave."

At the moment, before any new face arrives during this transfer window, Leigh Griffiths and Anthony Stokes would be ahead of their Serbian team-mate in the pecking order at Celtic Park.

But McAvennie sees Scepovic as the type of physical centre-forward that would cause panic in many defences.

He said: "Griffiths has been magnificent, he stepped up to the mark. He has done well, but I don’t know if he is going to frighten defenders.

“We need a big striker and I think Scepovic could be that guy. He can save Celtic a lot of money if they give him a run.

“For some reason Ronny Deila doesn’t like what he sees in training. But sometimes you have to say the boy is a goalscorer and play him.

“Ronny wouldn’t have liked Gary Hooper or wee Scott McDonald because they are out and out strikers. He likes runners.

"But sometimes at a club like Celtic you just need a centre-forward. Not a target man, just a poacher who will be there to tap them in rather than these spectacular goals Griffiths hits.

“I would like to see someone who will tap in from a yard when the keeper drops it. I think Scepovic could be the man. I honestly think he could save Celtic a lot of money.”

*Frank was supporting children’s charity A&M Scotland.

This Saturday the Scotland v England Legends match will be at the home of Airdrieonians, Excelsior Stadium, to a capacity crowd of 10,000.

Tickets are priced at just £7 or £20 for a family of 4 and are available at ticketline.

For more info text ‘LEGENDS’ to 60066.