Tom Lucas was Hawks fitness coach from 1997-2000
THE HERALD REPORTS
Celtic’s champagne eagerly quaffed by joyous Motherwell

DARRYL BROADFOOT May 24 2005

THE champagne kept on ice in the away dressing room at Fir Park did not go to waste after all. A deflated Celtic squad elected to drown their sorrows in solitude having surrendered the Bank of Scotland Premierleague title and offered the magnums to Motherwell.
Terry Butcher's team celebrated wildly after completing a memorable season with a 2-1 win to turn the title race on its head in a compelling finale.
"Celtic sent in the champagne and it was a nice gesture that was appreciated given the circumstances," said Tom Lucas, the club's sports psychologist. "We celebrated a great season but we never handed the title to anyone, Celtic lost it."
Motherwell's unexpected victory, ensured by a Scott McDonald double, played into the hands of the conspiracy theorists. McDonald, who made the 23-hour trip back home to Melbourne yesterday to face the wrath of his Celtic-supporting father, John, was one of a number of Motherwell employees with Celtic leanings, but Lucas is adamant pride was the over-riding factor in a remarkable victory.
"Motherwell pay their wages and those players won the game for themselves, no-one else," said Lucas. "Gerry Britton joked that he had two communions to attend on Sunday night, but this is a profession, not a pastime or hobby, and with bonus money on offer and the prospect of finishing a great season on a high note, it was all the motivation they needed.
"Having said that, I was warned not to come home last night by my two daughters."
Lucas sensed a collective determination during his pre-match motivational speech and detected signs of exhaustion among the Celtic team. "I told the players they could be part of history if Celtic won the league at Fir Park or go out and make their own history," he said. "Their response told me all I needed to know. I was also encouraged when I watched Celtic warm-up; it was sloppy and they did not look physically or mentally equipped.
"At one stage in the game, I thought Stilian Petrov was going to hit Didier Agathe for giving the ball away, and that is not like him. It was very tense and as the game wore on, we got stronger and Celtic got weaker. They were on their knees by the end."
Gordon Marshall, the 41-year-old goalkeeper, is considering a one-year contract extension. His deputy, Barry-John Corr, has been released: Graeme Smith, the Rangers third-choice keeper, and Queen's Park's David Crawford, are believed to be on the list of potential replacements.

Note from Ed--some of the Hawks players will well remember Tom's hill sessions in Bellahouston Park

This article was originally posted on 24-May-2005, 15:19 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 24-May-2005, 15:38.