CHAIRMAN Brian Quinn today said boss Gordon Strachan is winning his struggle to be fully accepted by the Celtic fans.

The Parkhead manager has won four trophies in the past two seasons, and taken the club into the last 16 of the Champions League.

His performance with the playing staff helped Celtic achieve record-breaking profits of just over £15m in the last financial year.

Despite that success, Strachan is still given stick by sections of his own support.

But Quinn said: "Nothing encourages supporters like the sight of success. The more Gordon delivers then the less will be the residual dissatisfaction.

"He is making in-roads. I was at Aberdeen on Sunday, and there was a One Gordon Strachan' chant. He's winning the battle - if that's the word.

"Gordon is vital to the operation. Not everyone thinks he's the best thing we've ever had, but argument and discussion is what football's about. We're very pleased with Gordon. He has delivered."

Quinn also conceded his dream of joining the English Premiership is fading away.

The chairman has been a long-time believer that the Old Firm could be invited south at some stage in the future.

However, Quinn insisted that he'd all but given up on a passport to the Premiership riches.

"What you have to do is moderate your expectations," he said. "That is what we have done.

"The more the new TV contracts in England become enriched, the less the English league clubs will contemplate giving up a slot to make way for Scottish teams.

"We are realistic. We have been scoffed at in the past, but there were times when we were given encouragement to think something might happen. That has certainly faded."

Celtic have instead decided to build the club's reputation abroad as they look to the longer term.

In addition to this summer's US tour, the club also undertook short tours to England, Switzerland and Ireland.

They are "almost certain" to go on tour to Shunsuke Nakamura's Japan next summer, according to the chairman.

"If you want to continue to compete, given the disparity in TV contracts, you have to look at other ways of building your revenue base," said Quinn.

"And what we are doing now is being much more active in other parts of the world."