Celtic Behind Closed Doors

With the talk of closed door matches being a route to this season’s fixtures being completed, it’s worth considering this wouldn’t be entirely new ground for Celtic.

On 10 October, 1985 Celtic played the second leg of the now defunct European Cup Winners Cup tie against Atletico Madrid and supporters were barred from attending. No live TV, no radio, only 300 carefully-vetted personnel allowed inside to watch.

In those days, before the current stadium was rebuilt, it was possible to catch a glimpse of the action from the adjoining Janefield Cemetary. Police even moved on the supporters who had managed to catch a sneaky view from there.

On that occasion the absence of supporters wasn’t due to concerns of infection, rather as punishment for Celtic supporter’s behaviour the previous season against Rapid Vienna at Old Trafford. A travesty of justice from that second leg, turned into self-inflicted pain in the replayed match.

Rapid had won the bad-tempered first leg in Vienna 3–1. Alan McInally was sent off and Peter Grant accused of stamping on one of the opposition players. As a result the atmosphere in the second leg at Celtic Park was always going to be hostile. That hostility towards Rapid helped drive Celtic on as they won 3-0 to turn the tie around and win 4-3 on aggregate, or so it seemed. In the end the tie was not to be settled that night.

During the game the tackles were flying in with Rapid Vienna in particular being aggressive to say the least in their approach. At one point in the game, a bottle was thrown from the Celtic support and landed near Rapid’s goalkeeper Herbert Feurer, just after he’d had a kick out in the box at Tommy Burns, missed by the match officials. A Rapid player then fell to the ground-claiming to have been struck by a missile from the terracing-as the players surrounded the referee.

If it was an attempt to get the game abandoned it was unsuccessful and the match was played to a conclusion, only for it to come out later that the linesman claimed he too had been struck by missiles from the Celtic support. Rapid lodged a formal complaint to UEFA and the match was replayed at Old Trafford in Manchester amongst much claims of UEFA lobbying by Rapid and many rumours of general skulduggery.

Remarkably, more people attended the match in Manchester than the tie at Celtic Park. Rapid won the second leg reply won 1-0 which gave them a 2-0 aggregate win and they progressed to the next round.

The replay of the second leg was not devoid of any violence either. Herbert Feurer was targeted by the Celtic fans for abuse throughout after his behaviour in the first leg, one fan managed to get on the pitch and assault the Austrian goalkeeper and another Rapid player took a kick to the groin as the teams were escorted off the pitch at full time.

As a result Celtic were fined £17,000 and ordered to play their next home European game behind closed doors. The fact Rapid Vienna went on to contest the final that season losing to a fine Everton side in the final left a lot of people thinking what might have been had it not been for the playacting antics of those Rapid Vienna players and questionable decision making from UEFA. To this day there remain many supporters with no time for the club.

The ENTIRE support pictured waiting to gain entry to the Celtic v Atletico Madrid European Cup Winners Cup Second leg

So it came to pass that Celtic having gained a very creditable 1-1 draw in the first leg in Madrid had to forego the home crowd advantage that so often gives our players the edge on big European nights.

The game itself kicked off at 2pm when most supporters would have been at work, there was a near complete media blackout, though limited highlights were allowed after the game.

Celtic, despite a late Roy Aitken goal couldn’t muster any further threat to the Atletico Madrid goal and lost 2-1 on the night, exiting the Cup Winners Cup 3-1 on aggregate.

In yet another ‘what might have been’ twist of fate, Atletico went on to reach the final of the Cup winners Cup in 1986 where they lost to Dynamo Kiev.

Peter Grant played in the match and speaking to Daily Record explained just what a strange old atmosphere it was playing a game of such importance without any fans present:

“It was the most unreal experience I had playing for Celtic. Parkhead seemed a desolate and soulless place. It was eerie and surreal.

 

“It was utterly bizarre and the Jungle and Rangers end just looked massive. I have no doubt the lack of an atmosphere hindered us that day.

“We got a 1-1 draw in Spain and fancied our chances of knocking Atletico out. There were around 170 people inside Celtic Park and everybody had to have a ticket to get in – even family members.

“Derek Whyte, who was a ballboy on the groundstaff, needed a ticket. That shows how tight security was.

“Murdo MacLeod missed a sitter when he hit the bar from close range early on then Atletico scored twice and although Roy Aitken got one back it was not to be.

Speaking after the game Celtic manager Davie Hay also blamed the defeat on the strange atmosphere without a Celtic support to cheer the Bhoys on: “The players were badly affected by the flat atmosphere. It shows us how much out supporters mean to the club. We just did not play at all.”

Celtic may well have experience of competitive football behind closed doors, it was however a far from satisfactory outcome to a murky affair.

Taking Peter Grant and Davie Hay’s experience of the occasion into account, I’m sure it’s one the current Celtic team may also wish to avoid.

As Jock Stein said, “Football without fans is nothing”. Let’s hope when the football returns the supporters can also.

If you fancy sharing your memories about the three games against Rapid Vienna, the away tie agains Atletico or indeed how you kept up with the score when Celtic were playing behind closed doors against the Spanish side that strange afternoon, we’d love to hear from you. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk with your stories and we’ll do the rest.

Niall J

Celtic fans were banned but the Rangers support was well represented
One or two did get two see the game

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About Author

As a Bellshill Bhoy I was taken to my first Celtic game in the summer of 1987. It was Billy McNeill’s return to Celtic Park as manager and Celtic lost 5-1 to Arsenal . I thought I was a jinx, I think my Grandfather might have thought the same. It was the finest gift anyone ever gave me when he walked me through Parkhead's gates.

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