Why Celtic fans will never forgive Rapid Vienna - Tony Haggerty

That season was a memorable one. I'm 50 years old soon - I believe that means I've officially become what is known as a 'Celtic Da' - but back then I was just 12.

I witnessed Celtic win the Scottish Cup at Hampden for the first time ever in the 100th final at Hampden - yet despite experiencing that historic day I sit here the guts of 40 years later thinking about Everton... and them.

I still cannot comprehend how it came to be that the Toffees faced off against Rapid Vienna in the European showpiece in Brussels when, months earlier, the Austrians had been knocked out of the competition in Glasgow. Or should have been.

December 12 1984 has now entered Celtic folklore.

I have never forgiven the Austrian side for their shenanigans or the shame they brought on the beautiful game after a notorious two-legged second-round affair with David Hay's Hoops side.

In the first leg, Alan McInally had been sent off in a bad-tempered affair as Celtic succumbed 3-1 in Vienna. Peter Grant was also singled out for allegedly stomping on a Rapid player.

In the now-infamous second leg, Celtic had managed to overcome the 3-1 deficit by winning 3-0 at home to advance to the quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate.

Celtic's Roy Aitken remonstrates with the referee as the Rapid Vienna players start their histrionics

Well, for those who attended that match (I sat in the main stand alongside my dad and brother) that's what we all thought.

The bad blood had been simmering as Celtic battered their opponents from pillar to post and by 68 minutes they had their three-goal advantage thanks to goals from Brian McClair, Murdo MacLeod and Tommy Burns.

Burns, however, was accused of going in on the Rapid goalkeeper in the process of scoring the third.

It all came to the boil as the Rapid keeper booted Burns who, in turn, was lamped by Reinhard Kienhast in the box. The Swedish referee duly sent Kienast off but incredulously never actually awarded Celtic a penalty.

Then all hell broke loose as a bottle was thrown from the notorious Parkhead 'Jungle' terracing.

Rapid player Rudi Weinhofer collapsed in a heap on the turf and claimed that the projectile had struck him. TV pictures would clearly show the glass object had landed yards away from him. Rapid, who were down to 10 men, had already used all of their substitutes and captain Hans Krankl then threatened to take his team off the field in protest.

The match eventually resumed after a 15-minute delay and to add to the drama Grant then missed a late penalty. Still, the Celts were through. Again... so we thought.

The Austrians had telexed a protest to UEFA before they had even arrived back in Vienna. After the governing body's inquiry, the result was deemed to stand with Celtic fined £4,000 for the bottles thrown. Rapid were also hit with a £5,000 financial penalty for Kienast's behaviour.

Amid seemingly much skullduggery and lobbying within the UEFA corridors of power, Rapid refused to accept defeat and appealed again. This time their fine was doubled to £10,000 but their complaint was upheld.

UEFA expunged the 3-0 Celtic victory from the record books and, to add insult to injury, ordered a replay to be played 100 miles away from Parkhead.

The game took place at Old Trafford and Celtic lost 1-0 to exit the competition. Roy Aitken struck the post and Rapid broke up the park with Peter Pacult scoring to kill the tie stone dead.

As for me, I was doubly raging. Firstly at the fact that my father refused to take me on the local Celtic supporters' bus to Manchester for the replay because it was on a school night and involved getting home very late. Secondly at the result.

It was another wretched affair on the night as the Celtic supporters accosted the Rapid Vienna goalkeeper and then stormed the pitch at the end. A fan allegedly booted goalscorer Pacult squarely in the Jackson Pollocks.

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There was, of course, no excuse for that sort of behaviour regardless of the way Celtic felt they had been swindled out of the contest.

In fact, Grant still believes that Hay's Hoops were robbed of a shot at appearing in the European final - and possibly two.

Rapid defeated Dynamo Dresden in the last eight and then took care of Dynamo Moscow in the semi-final before succumbing 3-1 to Everton in the final.

Celtic were also ordered to play the following season's home European tie behind closed doors and after a creditable 1-1 draw in Spain against Atletico Madrid in the first round of the European Cup-Winners' Cup they were beaten 2-1 at a ghostlike Paradise in the return. Atletico then made it all the way to the final where they lost to Dynamo Kyiv 3-0.

As Grant said: "My outstanding memory of the Rapid Vienna debacle was Paul McStay outright calling Hans Krankl a cheat."

Even almost four decades on fans still harbour a grudge against Rapid Vienna and the very mention of their name makes people quick to anger.

The Everton fans were bang on: Celtic could've been there.

As Ange Postecoglou's class of 2022 get ready to renew hostilities with Rapid once again during Saturday's pre-season friendly in Vienna, I have just one thought in my mind.

Rapid? They mean nothing to me... Oh, Vienna.