Old Firm rivalry forced me to move home nine times in a year says former Celtic star Didier Agathe
The former full back revealed he travelled to work in an armoured vehicle after receiving death threats.
By
Steve Goodman
Former Celtic star Didier Agathe has delivered a damning verdict on Glasgow’s footballing rivalry - claiming it forced him to move home NINE TIMES in a year.
Agathe even alleged he received death threats from Rangers fans, and drove to training in an armoured vehicle.
In an interview with a French publication, the former full-back also criticised the abuse he endured from Ibrox crowds.
And the former wing-back said he would have loved to play for Scotland, but feared prejudice from Light Blues followers.
Now retired, he has returned to his native Indian Ocean island Reunion. The 42-year-old spoke out as he previewed last Saturday's clash between Celtic and
Rangers.
Agathe told sofoot: "I have so many memories. The Old Firm rivalry forced me to move house nine times in just one season.
"
One time some Rangers guys smashed up my car, just because Celtic had won all the domestic trophies.
"On another occasion people sent death threats to my home, so I used an armoured van to go in to training.
"The atmosphere at the derby is indescribable. It always gets record TV audiences in Scotland, and it's shown in the Middle East and the US as both teams have lots of fans worldwide.
"The Old Firm derby is about everything besides football. When I see Lionel Messi saying Celtic Park has the best atmosphere he's ever experienced I am not surprised.
"Grandparents take their grandchildren along to a clash between Catholics and Protestants. You hear non-stop chanting about the Pope and the Virgin Mary - it is unhealthy and dripping with hate.
"During my time with Celtic we used to play against the likes of the De Boer brothers and Mikel Arteta.
"Rangers paid their players handsomely, and this cost them their demotion.
"We achieved a domestic treble against them, and beat them seven times in a row. We made our mark on the club's history.
"Players get caught up in what is at stake in the derby, and the entire week before the game is a brainstorming session.
"Fans always tell the players they'd sooner lose to Juventus, Barcelona or any other team than Rangers. This is the one game you must win.
"Both teams will have players who are mentally weak, and they will launch themselves into violent challenges if the game isn't going their way.
"Some people blow a fuse if they lose a game with so much riding on it."
Former Scotland boss Berti Vogts expressed interest in picking Agathe, who was eligible to become a UK citizen, in 2004.
The Frenchman said: "I would have loved to play for Scotland. However I felt that, even if there was no racism involved, the fact I'd be the only black player could lead to things turning sour for me if the team did badly.
"I would have been slaughtered. I expected a bad outcome, as I knew some people - especially Rangers fans - didn't want to see me in a Scotland shirt.
"Besides, it was a risk to burden my workload with international matches - bearing in mind I had played my entire career without cartilage in my knees.
"I have another memory. I am Catholic, so saw it as a sign when I joined Celtic.
One year we were in the middle of Lent, with an Old Firm game set for the weekend. I was in a well-known Indian restaurant in Glasgow, where I ate a normal meal in accordance with my faith.
"Two days later I drove to training. Hundreds of people were waiting for autographs, and a guy spoke to me saying he was a journalist. I told him I had to train and had been told not to speak to the media.
"He was still there after training, and he later showed up outside my house. He said it was about the Indian restaurant, and asked why I went there, but I didn't answer.
"On the day of the derby the paper printed a headline about me, and a copy of a restaurant bill showing I'd supposedly ordered dozens of dishes. It was nonsense.
"During the whole game the Ibrox crowd sang: 'Agathe loves curry' every time I touched the ball. It was insane!"
