'BEATTS' struggled for first-team chances at the start of the 2008/09 Barclays Premier League campaign and joined Crystal Palace on loan at the end of September. 

He fired five goals in 15 appearances at Selhurst Park before being recalled in December following Ishmael Miller's season-ending cruciate ligament injury.

Beattie stepped off the bench later that month to complete a 2-0 Albion win over Tottenham with a 94th-minute strike - his first-ever Premier League goal.

He joined Sheffield United on loan until the end of the season in February, helping the Blades reach the Championship play-off final where they lost 1-0 to Burnley.

The striker joined Albion in an initial £1.25million deal from Celtic in July 2007 when he put pen to paper on a three-year deal, plus a further year's option in the club's favour.

Beattie, whose fee could rise by a further £500,000 depending on performance-related add-ons, gradually slipped behind Kevin Phillips, Miller and Roman Bednar in the striking pecking order during his first few months as a Baggies player.

He joined Championship rivals Preston on loan for the remainder of the season in March 2008 but suffered a hamstring injury on his debut which is expected to rule him out for the season.

Beattie was released by boyhood club Rangers before moving across Glasgow to Parkhead.

He worked his way up the junior ranks and proved himself as a prolific scorer.

Martin O'Neill handed the 6ft hotshot his senior debut as a 33rd-minute substitute in Celtic's UEFA Champions League qualifying win over Kaunas in August 2003.

He made a flying start to the 2005/06 campaign, netting seven times in his first 14 games, and became the first Scot since Gerry Creaney to score in three consecutive games for Celtic.

But an injury suffered against Dundee United in the October forced the Glasgow-born forward to sit out the rest of that season.

After representing Scotland at every level from Under-19s upwards, Walter Smith gave him his senior debut as a 75th-minute substitute in a World Cup qualifying draw against Italy at Hampden Park in September 2005.

By July 2007, Beattie had four caps to his name and his first goal for his country turned out to be a crucial 89th-minute winner in the 2-1 Euro 2008 qualifying home victory over Georgia.

Despite being restricted to just ten starts and as many appearances from the bench last term, he still mustered three goals to help Gordon Strachan's men clinch an SPL and FA Cup double.

Beattie also boasts 2004 and 2006 league winners' medals, plus 2005 Scottish FA Cup and 2006 League Cup honours.

In total, Beattie made 65 Celtic appearances, including 43 as a substitute, scoring 16 times.

(UPDATED JULY 14, 2009)