Parkhead ghost town will not hinder Celtic’s bid for 10
Peter Grant has first-hand experience of how eerie a deserted Celtic Park can be.
But the man who spent 15 years in the Hoops is convinced the pursuit of 10-in-a-row is all the current Celts need to cope with closed-door football.
Grant was an integral member of the team forced to play Atletico Madrid without supporters in the UEFA Cup clash in 1985, following crowd trouble the previous season against Rapid Vienna.
The club legend will never forget the silence that replaced the roar of The Jungle, or the sense of disappointment when a 2-1 home defeat ensured a 3-2 aggregate exit against the Spaniards.
Grant is in no doubt that Neil Lennon’s side will miss the buzz from the fans when they get the new campaign kicked off today against Hamilton Accies.
But, with the possibility of fans being back in grounds from the middle of next month, he believes the champions will not be short of motivation to overcome a lack of help from the stands.
The Alloa Athletic boss said: “For a club like Celtic, when you’re used to the support you have, it was massive for us to be playing behind closed doors – and more so because we had a fantastic result away from home.
“We went to Madrid, played really well and drew 1-1 against an excellent Atletico side.
“Then we went into a game that was surreal. There were about 50 people inside the whole stadium.
“Everyone knows the effect the Celtic supporters have on European nights, and it was really a massive miss for us.
“There wasn’t that fear factor for
Madrid because we never had that support behind us.
“That will be the same for the teams going to Celtic Park – and Ibrox – in the next few weeks.
“They’ll have players not used to playing in front of such big crowds, and I have no doubt players turn up to Celtic Park nervous going on to the pitch.
“Some guys respond to it – and they’ll miss the experience of doing that – but a lot of teams can fold.
“That’s how it has been since
I was a kid going to watch Celtic games, and I have no doubt the occasion will be a lot easier for opposition players.
“But, for Celtic, you always have to have that spark, and the thing that’s in their favour is they have top-quality players who are used to winning.
“They have a different mentality. “So it might help the opposition a bit, but I’m sure the Celtic boys won’t be sidetracked, because they know what’s at stake come the end of the season.
“At the end of the day, football is an entertainment business, and there’s nothing better than when the place is rocking, and you’re entertaining the fans.
“Celtic know the prize at the end of it, and if becoming the first team to win 10-in-a-row doesn’t spur you on, I don’t know what ever will.”