Almost two weeks have passed since Neil Lennon left his position as Celtic manager, and former West Bromwich Albion boss Steve Clarke is the new favourite to be his successor.

The 50 year old was surprisingly dismissed from his first managerial position last December and has been out of work ever since.

Clarke, a boyhood Celtic fan, spent time with St Mirren and Chelsea during his playing career, and was assistant to Jose Mourinho of the later during his first stint in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Prior to his return to the Blues, Clarke was assistant to former Chelsea teammate Ruud Gullit at Newcastle United, taking charge for one game following Gullit’s resignation while he also held the assistant manager position at West Ham United and Liverpool before taking the top job with the Baggies.

The Scot is priced at 3.25 (9/4) with Coral to take charge of the Scottish Premiership champions, ahead of fellow countrymen Owen Coyle and Malky Mackay, who are 4.5 (7/2) and 5.0 (4/1) respectively.

Coyle and Mackay were both dismissed from their positions as Wigan Athletic and Cardiff City respectively during the 2013/14 campaign.

Bar a spell with Bolton Wanderers, Coyle spent his whole playing career in Scotland, and the 47 year old managed Falkirk and St. Johnstone before taking the Burnley job in 2007, guiding them to the Premier League in his second season.

He then made a controversial switch to the Claret’s fierce rivals Bolton, before being named Wigan manager a year ago, though he lasted just six months, with Uwe Rosler replacing him in December.

Mackay spent five years as a player at Celtic before moving south of the border, and has gained rave reviews as a manager in spells with Watford and Cardiff, though his time with the latter ended sourly following a dispute with Bluebirds’ owner Vincent Tan.

Former Celtic trio David Moyes, Jackie McNamara (both 15.0 (14/1) with Bet 365) and Henrik Larsson (17.0 (16/1) with Bet 365) remain in the running with the bookmakers while Michael Laudrup can be backed with a variety of firms at a price of 26.0 (25/1).