Southampton stage a testimonial for long-serving defender Claus Lundekvam against Scottish giants Celtic on Friday night.

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic will take on Southampton in a pre-season friendly which should allow the Saints new managing duo of Jan Poortvliet and Mark Wotte to accustom themselves to match conditions with their new club.

Southampton, who competed in the English Premiership for 27 years, suffered the embarrassment of relegation in 2005, and have not had the easiest time in the Championship. Despite a respectable showing in the 2006-2007 season, making the playoff semifinals but losing to Derby on penalties, the club had a terrible last season, coming dangerously close to relegation.

Luckily, newly appointed coach Nigel Pearson, formerly of Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion, managed to save the Saints from further embarrassment, as they survived with a 3-2 win in their final match. Strangely, though his contract was not renewed, as the board decided to opt for the Dutch duo to improve Southampton’s performance in the coming season.

The club has shown they can perform at the highest level, having previously won the FA Cup and finished 2nd in the Premiership, and have been runner’s-up in the FA Cup as recently as 2003, but they will need to undergo a significant metamorphosis to be competitive on such a level soon.

In stark contrast, Celtic have been in terrific form in the past three seasons, and have won three consecutive Scottish Premier League titles. Their most recent championship has secured them a Group Stage spot in the upcoming Champion’s League, in which they lost to Barcelona in the final 16 of last year’s tournament.

Manager Gordon Strachan has made two major signings in the off-season, namely McCourt of Derry City and Samaras of Manchester City, and will want to use this match to ease them into the lineup.

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