The team are now in danger of failing to qualify for the UEFA Cup as third-placed team in their group.

After finishing as runners-up to Porto in the UEFA Cup in May 2003, Celtic boss Martin O’Neill has not been allowed to break the bank to strengthen his squad.

Now the midfielder believes the board are letting the hard work which led up to the game in Seville go to waste.

Lennon said: “We have put in so much good work in Europe and we don’t want that to start ebbing away, but it’s looking that way at the minute unless we can strengthen the squad. Maybe not now but definitely next season.

“If that doesn’t happen then we’re just going to be the whipping boys all the time.

“We knew Shakhtar had bought a lot of players in the summer. We can’t keep making excuses about the squad not being big enough. I still think we can do better and cope better.

“We have come against far better teams than Shakhtar and that’s not being disrespectful.

“We have put up some decent performances before but perhaps the team and squad is not as good as it was a year or two ago.

“That’s not for the players or the manager, it’s for the people upstairs to look at.

“I can’t tell the board what to do. However, if we are to progress in this competition – and if it’s what we really, really want – then obviously we have to spend eventually.

“I was going to apologise to the fans but that would be unfair on the players.

“We are doing we well as we can. It’s all hands to the pump and we have to lift ourselves for the SPL and games we need to win.

“I’m sure the Ukrainian league is not the strongest in the world but they do have the financial backing we don’t have.

“I think if the club could get a wee bit of backing we could really go places with this manager but, right now, we seem to be going backwards, rather than forwards.

“And on the evidence of this game we are a long way away.”