21st September 2007

JINKY TO BE HONOURED WITH STATUE

CELTIC Football Club today announced that it is to construct a statue at Celtic Park to commemorate and celebrate the life of Celtic Legend Jimmy Johnstone.

The statue of Jimmy will be funded solely by the club and will be positioned at the main entrance at Celtic Park.  Planning with regards to the statue will begin immediately.

Jinky signed for Celtic in 1961. He made over 500 appearances for Celtic, scoring 130 goals and he was an integral part of the Lisbon Lions side which lifted the European Cup in 1967.

A true character, Jimmy’s flair and style was admired world-wide as he tormented defences with his skill and trickery.

As well as playing so successfully for Celtic, Jimmy also achieved 23 caps for Scotland. In 2002, Jimmy was voted Celtic’s greatest ever player by the club’s supporters.

Tragically, Jimmy passed away in 2006 after his brave battle against Motor Neurone Disease. On the day of his funeral, thousands of people lined the streets of Glasgow to pay their respects.

The contribution which the great Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions have made to the club, has already been marked through the naming of stands at Celtic Park.

Celtic Chairman Brian Quinn said: “We are delighted to announce that the magical Jimmy Johnstone is to be remembered and recognised in this way.  

“The statue will celebrate Jimmy’s huge contribution to the club and will be a permanent tribute to Jimmy for generations to come.”

Brian added: “Jimmy really was the greatest.  An entertainer on and off the field, he is sorely missed by everyone, however, we are delighted to ensure that his life will be celebrated in this way.

“It is most fitting that the great Jock Stein, the Lisbon Lions as a team and now Jimmy Johnstone, a magical player and a man who graced the Celtic shirt with such distinction, will be recognised in this way at Celtic Park.” 

Agnes Johnstone, Jimmy’s widow said: "It is wonderful that Jimmy is to be honoured in this way at Celtic Park and our family is very grateful to the club for this gesture.

"Clearly Celtic Park played such a huge part in Jimmy's life and it is fantastic that this permanent tribute will now be placed at the stadium for fans to see."

14th September 2007

CELTIC Football Club has issued the following travel information for supporters travelling to next week's opening away game against Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.

The Stadium

Mr Cherkasov Oleksandr, the General Secretary of Shakhtar Donetsk once more extends a warm welcome to the supporters of Celtic Football Club to compete in this season’s UEFA Champions League fixture.

Since 2004, FC Shakhtar Donetsk Football Club have been playing their home matches at the RSC Olympiyskiy Stadium. The latest reconstruction was finished in 2003. The venue has hosted the Ukrainian U-21 matches, domestic and international matches of Metalurh Donetsk. The playing area is surrounded by an athletics track and the seating is open and uncovered.

Further Information

Capacity: 25,500
Stadium Address
20 Pushkin Avenue
83055 Donetsk
Tel:  +380 062 334 9919
Fax:  +380 062 334 9919
Email:  postmaster@shakhtar.com 

Tickets

Celtic has received 1,000 tickets for this fixture. The seats are located in Sectors 1 and 2.

• Please do not travel to the Ukraine if you do not have a ticket for this fixture in the area allocated to the Celtic support.
• Celtic Ticket Services will manage the sale of our tickets, please only purchase tickets from this source.
• All supporters entering the stadium are liable to be searched.

Stadium Access
• Please leave plenty of time to access the stadium.
• Access to Sectors 1 or 2 is via an open gate system leading to an enclosed entrance way. Please be patient accessing the stadium as circulation space is restricted in this area.
• Celtic supporters' coaches will drop off spectators immediately outside the access gate on a coach-by-coach basis. Spectators will then be directed to the access gate leading to the areas occupied by the Celtic support. Please follow the direction of stewards.
• Celtic supporters may be liable to random searches as they enter the stadium.

Stadium Regulations
• Similar regulations apply at the RSC Olympiyskiy Stadium as at Celtic Park.
• As with all large public gatherings in the Ukraine, a large police and military presence can be expected. This is normal for such events and Celtic supporters are asked to comply with the directions of security staff in the normal manner.
• Celtic supporters may be required to remain in the stadium at the conclusion of the match. Announcements to this effect will be made in English.

Advice from British Consul

Celtic Football Club is grateful to the British Consul in Kyiv for their support and for the provision of the following advice;

This section has been provided to assist those travelling to Ukraine for the game. Please note that this section should be read in conjunction with the general travel advice for Ukraine.

Website:  www.britishembassy.gov.uk/ukraine

IMPORTANT, Visitors arriving via Belarus

If you attempt to transit Belarus without a visa, the border authorities will send you to Minsk to obtain the appropriate visa. You may also be required to pay a fine of up to $300 and you may face deportation. Visas should be obtained from the Belarusian Embassy in London before your trip.

Passports

Visas are not necessary for British passport holders visiting Ukraine as tourists for less than three months. To avoid any problems, passports should be valid for at least six months.

You should carry a photocopy of your passport at all times. This is needed for ID purposes. You should keep your original passport in a safe and secure place and ensure that next of kin details are kept up to date.

The British Embassy Kyiv cannot issue passports on the night of the match but it can issue temporary passports at the Consulate in Kyiv.

If you lose your passport or have it stolen while you are in Ukraine and need a replacement you will need to bring to the Embassy two passport standard photographs, a Police report reporting the loss, and enough cash (UAH) to pay for an emergency or temporary passport. The Police report should be obtained from the Police station nearest to where the loss or theft occurred. The Embassy will also have to check the UK Passport Service database for passport clearance, which may or may not be authorised.
An emergency passport (valid for one single journey to the UK) costs 583UAH (£55.50) and a temporary passport (valid for one year) costs 740 UAH (£70.50).

If you are attended to outside normal Embassy opening hours you will additionally be charged an out-of-hours emergency call out fee of 1270.50 UAH (£121) per hour.

Money

The official currency of Ukraine is Hryvnia (UAH). Major credit cards are NOT widely accepted and ATM machines can be found in most banks and hotels. There are numerous currency exchange kiosks in the capital Kyiv and travellers cheques can be cashed at some banks.

You should ensure that any Sterling you take to Ukraine is in Bank of England notes. Banks and Bureaux de Change have refused to exchange Scottish notes, as they do not recognise them as Sterling. US dollars are the easiest currency to exchange in Ukraine.

Local customs

You should not become involved with drugs. Possession of even very small quantities of drugs can lead to imprisonment and/or heavy fines.

If you cannot find a public toilet, please show respect and ask to use one in a bar or fast food outlet if you are caught short.

There are strict customs regulations governing the export from Ukraine of antiques and items of historical interest. If in doubt seek prior permission from customs authorities.

Crime and Safety

You should be alert to the possibility of street crime and petty theft and aware that foreigners offer lucrative targets. You should keep valuables and cash out of sight, especially in crowded areas and tourist spots, where pickpockets and bag snatchers operate.

A common scam is to drop a wallet or bundle of money in front of a tourist. The criminal then "finds" the money and asks if it is the tourist's or offers to share the money with them. If you are approached in this way, you should walk away without engaging in conversation.

You should also beware of accepting drinks in bars from casual acquaintances, as they could be spiked.

You must possess a valid International Driving Licence to drive legally in Ukraine. There is a zero tolerance policy on drink driving. You should avoid driving outside urban areas.  Road traffic accidents are common. Extra care must be taken at all times, when driving, particularly when driving at night.

Health

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.

State medical facilities in Ukraine are generally poor. Private clinics and hospitals offer a much better standard of care, though these do not always meet western standards and practices.  If you are involved in an accident or taken ill, it is likely that you would be taken to a State hospital unless you can show that you have comprehensive medical insurance cover.

You should consider immunisation against diphtheria, hepatitis, tick-borne encephalitis and rabies. There is a high level of sexually transmitted diseases in Ukraine and HIV is widespread.

The risk of radioactive contamination from the 1986 accident at Chernobyl is insignificant, other than within the exclusion zone immediately around the Chernobyl site. No special precautions are necessary.
Don’t drink tap water without boiling it. Bottled water is readily available.

For further information on health, check the Department of Health’s website at: www.dh.gov.uk/travellers or by obtaining their leaflet "Health Advice for Travellers" or contact your local GP for up-to-date information.

British Embassy Kyiv

The British Embassy Consulate in Kyiv is situated at 4 Glybochytska Street, 04050, Kyiv, and is open from 09:00 – 17:30 (closed between 13:00 and 14:00) from Monday to Thursday and 9:00 – 16:00 (closed between 13:00 and 14:00) on Fridays. Call (380) (44) 490 3660 for the switchboard, or the duty officer on mobile +380 50 231 5297 in emergencies.

Other useful telephone numbers

Call 01 FIRE, 02 POLICE, 03 AMBULANCE.

Irish Embassy Ukraine
20/21 Sophiyevska Street
Kyiv
01025 Ukraine
Tel: +380 44 229 2159
Fax: +380 44 464 1487
www.fco.gov.uk

ALL THIS INFORMATION IS FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR SUPPORTERS. PLEASE HAVE A GOOD TRIP AND ENJOY THE MATCH.

06th September 2007

03rd September 2007

CIS Insurance Cup - third round draw:

Inverness CT v Gretna
East Fife v Rangers
Falkirk v Dundee United
Dundee v Celtic

Celtic's match with Dundee at Dens Park will take place on Wednesday, September 26. Kick-off is 7.45pm.

Hearts v Dunfermline Athletic
Hamilton Academical v Kilmarnock
Hibernian v Motherwell
Partick Thistle v Aberdeen

The games will be played on either September 25 or September 26.