Celtic Fined $50,000

Play-acting 'Keeper Dida Banned For Two Games

By Tony Quinn

UEFA have fined Celtic $50,000 after a fan invaded the pitch at the Champions League clash with A.C. Milan. The incident saw a Hoops supporter approach Brazilian goalkeeper Dida, the goalkeeper's theatrical reaction to being tapped by the supporter after Scott McDonald scored the late winning goal has cost him as he has been banned for two Champions League games. Celtic cannot complain about their punishment, as half of their fine, $25,000, is suspended for two years. UEFA's control and disciplinary body found Celtic guilty of charges of "lack of organization and improper conduct of supporters".

President of the Affiliation of Celtic Supporters Clubs, Peter Rafferty, welcomed UEFA's decision. Rafferty said: "I am delighted. As far as Celtic Football Club and the fans are concerned, it's a fantastic decision. There are always some rumors when these committees get together and one strong one was that the fine could be heavy and another was there could be the closure of the ground. That would have been a disaster for the club and the fans. But the decision was as good as we could have expected.

Former Bhoy Frank McGarvey was pleased that Celtic were treated leniently. In 1984, McGarvey was in the Celtic side who were ordered by UEFA to re-stage the second leg of a European Cup Winners' Cup tie against Rapid Vienna at least 100 miles from Parkhead after a bottle had been launched at Rudolf Weinhofer, who fell to the ground despite the missile landing several feet away. He said: "UEFA have got it spot-on with a small fine and I thought that would happen. I'm delighted for Celtic and it was the conduct of Celtic fans over the years which has led to the leniency of the fine. UEFA have also sent out a message to the cheats at last and that message is that cheats can't win."

Gordon Strachan revealed the Hoops' win over AC Milan was enjoyed by two of the greatest names in football. Strachan said: "...on the golf course on Thursday I met people who said 'what an exciting game'. Then I meet legendary figures like Bobby Charlton and Johan Cruyff and they said, 'that was terrific' You realize the whole football world has watched it when you hear those legendary figures saying that." Chief Executive Peter Lawwell has hailed the opening of the new Lennoxtown Training Centre as a monumental step forward for the club. Joining Chairman Brian Quinn, manager Gordon Strachan and captain Stephen McManus at the grand opening, the Chief Executive paid tribute to those who worked tirelessly to deliver the first-class facility, which he feels will prove immensely beneficial for Celtic in the future._ "We're thrilled and very proud to be opening this centre," he said. "It's been a long haul. When we were first presented with the site, we had a vision to create something special and I think we have done that. We are proud of it, and hopefully the supporters are proud of it. Everybody in the community is also proud of it. It's a great day for the club." The Training Centre boasts a wealth of first-class facilities including natural grass and artificial pitches, indoor training hall, state-of-the-art fitness centre and hydrotherapy pool."

Scott McDonald has been named the Clydesdale Bank player of the month for September. The Australian forward scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 win against Dundee United. McDonald, 24 is Celtic's top scorer this season with eight goals. "The award means a lot to me. I don't think too many people expected me to play as many games. I've proved a lot of critics wrong," said McDonald.

Former Celtic captain Neil Lennon has spoken of his long battle with depression. The midfielder said he has been struggling for years with the condition and is still on medication. Speaking in Glasgow during the launch of new mental health research, he admitted that talking about depression was "worse than playing in an Old Firm game". The 36-year-old said: "At the minute I am just in recovery. I have been going through it for years. You just never know when it will reoccur again. It is just maintaining that quality of life. There is no real time pattern for it."

Tom Boyd has warned this weekend's Glasgow derby debutants they have no idea what lies in store for them. A host of new signings over the summer means several players on both sides will be experiencing the white-hot atmosphere for the first time and Boyd warned: "They can expect a very noisy, hostile reception, especially going to Ibrox. My own Old Firm debut was there many, many years ago and luckily we won 2-0. It will be hectic and whoever can settle the most will go on to win the game. That's key. You need to keep your head and stay calm and relaxed and make sure you don't lose control. If they can do that, they have a great chance."