Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has pledged his club's support to help save threatened Eircom League side Derry City.

Financially troubled Derry face extinction for the second time in their history after being served with a winding-up order.

But Derry-born O'Neill has telephoned the club's board to offer the services of the Glasgow giants.

Celtic will play Derry in a money-spinning friendly at the Brandywell before the end of September, O'Neill has promised.

The Candystripes were threatened with extinction before when they were forced out of the Irish League in the early Seventies because of the security situation in the North.

But they survived - and when they rejoined the senior ranks in 1985, this time south of the Border, they brought a new lease of life to the ailing League of Ireland. Derry's huge army of travelling supporters - 5,000-strong for some away games - helped fill the coffers of every club in the league.