SOCCER NEWS:NEIL LENNON has claimed he considered leaving Scottish football for good after being subjected to the street attack which led to two men being jailed. The former midfielder was battered unconscious in Glasgow's west end on September 1st last year, following Celtic's defeat by Rangers. The 37-year-old, now a coach at Parkhead, is also a former captain of the club.
Jeffrey Carrigan and David Whitelaw were each sentenced to two years and while Lennon is happy with their convictions, he conceded he has considered leaving Glasgow. “Oh yes, definitely,” said the Irishman, “once I realised what had happened and the gravity of the attack. At first, I didn’t have a clue, I thought I had just been punched and that was it. Once I realised what had happened I thought, ‘This is just not worth it’.
“I only found out the next day, when the police came to collect my clothes, that it had been so intense. I don’t remember any of it, that’s the scary thing.”
Lennon explained the police’s pledge that they would identify those responsible played a significant part in his decision to pursue matters. “I just wanted to prove a point; that this can’t go on, this can’t happen,” he said of the subsequent case and trial.
“And if it does happen, then people are going to go to prison for it. It has got nothing to do with football, nothing to do with Rangers. I thought my troubles were over once I became a coach. Even though you are still high- profile, I didn’t think I’d be subjected to anything like that. I want to put it behind me now.”
Speaking at length for the first time since the assault, which was described as “vicious, brutal and cowardly” by the sheriff who presided over the trial, Lennon said he will take extra precautions to protect himself when out socialising in future. “I won’t walk home on my own again, that’s for sure,” he added. “It left a bitter taste in my mouth for a while, but I’m glad justice has been done.
“It was a one-off incident. It upset me and disappointed me. It is not a fair reflection on Glasgow. A lot of things said and written about me are exaggerated but this was an unsavoury incident and I’m glad it has been dealt with.”
Lennon has faced hostility throughout his Celtic career. In his playing days he withdrew from Northern Ireland internationals in 2002 after receiving death threats on the eve of a match. He was due to captain his country in a friendly against Cyprus at Windsor Park but retired from international football as a result of a threat, believed at the time to be from the Loyalist Volunteer Force, though the LVF denied the allegations.
GuardianService
