Caretaker Lennon remains the favourite to land the job, with chief executive Peter Lawwell telling a meeting with supporters last night he hoped to make an announcement about the club's new manager within "the next week or two".

Lennon's lack of coaching experience might count against him but the 38-year-old would be more than happy to be assisted by a mentor figure at Parkhead.

He told the meeting of 500 fans convened by the Celtic Trust at Parkhead's Kerrydale Suite: "If I do get the job, maybe I would like an older head to bounce ideas off. It is a possibility if the outcome is positive."

Lawwell resisted calls for Lennon to be appointed immediately, despite his 100% Clydesdale Bank Premier League record since taking temporary charge in March.

"We are going through a selection process which Neil is fully involved in," he said.

"If we gave Neil Lennon the job after the Hearts game because we liked him, that would have been the wrong thing to do.

"But if he gets the job, it is because he is the best man for it.

"However, it is taking a bit longer than we thought. Bear with us. We should see something in the next week or two."

Last night's meeting was the first in a series of roadshows which will see Lennon and Lawwell address thousands of supporters in Scotland, England and Ireland.

Leading Celtic Trust figure Eddie Toner received approval from the floor upon calling for Lennon to be appointed immediately.

He told Lawwell: "The empty seats at Parkhead are alarming. I think you will have a very hard job selling season tickets. I can't put my faith in (chairman) John Reid, (major shareholder) Dermot Desmond or you.

"But if the club was to come out and appoint Neil Lennon tomorrow, he will be cheered down London Road."

Lawwell insisted he took his "share of responsibility" for the failure of the Tony Mowbray era, saying: "We brought Tony in for exciting, expansive football. For whatever reason, it didn't work."

He added that Celtic had lost the SPL title "to a team that is financially crippled" in Rangers.

Meanwhile, Steven Reid admits he snubbed a move to Celtic because the prospect of Barclays Premier League football was too good to turn down.

The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland midfielder this week opted to make his loan spell at West Brom permanent.

He said in the Scottish Sun: "It was a massive decision.

"Everyone knows my connection with Ireland and the connection with Celtic. It has always been a club I've admired.

"It's a massive club with great facilities and it's flattering to be linked with a big move like that.

"But the bottom line is that this is Premier League football."