Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Celtic chief call for Rapid calm

Europa League
Venue: Celtic Park Date: Thursday 1 October Kick-off: 2005 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website (live text), BBC Radio Scotland MW

Celtic v Rapid Vienna in 1984
Tempers fray during Celtic's match against Rapid Vienna in 1984

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has urged supporters to focus on the match itself when the team face Rapid Vienna in Thursday's Europa League tie.

There was trouble when the sides played 25 years ago in the European Cup-Winners' Cup and much of the build-up to Thursday's game has focused on that.

"Much has been said about the events of 1984," said Lawwell.

"But, as a club in 2009, all we are focusing on is what happens on the pitch on Thursday evening."

The Glasgow side won 3-0 at Celtic Park in 1984, overturning a 3-1 deficit.

But Rapid player Rudi Weinhoffer falsely claimed he had been struck by a bottle thrown on to the pitch and a replay was ordered.

Former Celtic players, such as Frank McGarvey, have again accused the Rapid team of cheating their way to a replay, while the Austrians have countered by saying that a replay was the right decision.

You can understand why there are certain memories of it which are a bit distasteful in terms of what happened

Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith

And Lawwell is keen to take the heat out of the situation.

"As is always the case, we expect the Celtic supporters to come in their numbers, get right behind Tony and the team and on a European stage, once again demonstrate all that is good about Celtic," he said.

Vienna won the replayed match 1-0 in Manchester to knock Celtic out of the European Cup-Winners' Cup and the Austrian club has issued a new red shirt as worn for the 1984 tie to "commemorate" the victory.

But Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith is another keen for the current players to concentrate solely on Thursday's match itself.

"You can understand why there are certain memories of it which are a bit distasteful in terms of what happened," said Smith.

"But I think we have to call for calm. It's moved on 25 years, it's different people at the clubs, different players. It's not like it happened 18 months ago.

"There should be an element of friendship in the game regardless of what happened in the past and hopefully both clubs will play this in normal circumstances and have a good match played in a sporting fashion."

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