Country Bhoys Austria

This week its Austria

CELTIC Football Club is a name known throughout the football world, while in just about any country you care to mention, you’re guaranteed to find Celtic supporters proudly wearing the green and white Hoops.

And as well as having universal appeal, the Celtic first-team squad has a global look to it, with players from 13 countries playing their part in the historic success the club has enjoyed in recent seasons.

Over the course of this season we’ll be taking a closer look at these countries and their current Celtic links, as well as other nations who have played their part in our unique story.

AND IF YOU KNOW THE HISTORY

As early as 1911, the Celts were taking part in extensive continental tours and the first trip included games in Germany, Switzerland, France and the then Austro/ Hungarian Empire. The latter included games in Budapest, Prague and Vienna. Deutsche FC provided the opposition for no fewer than three of the games, with the Celts recording scores of 3-0 and 1-1 in Prague, but for our purposes this week, the main game was in Vienna where the same side were beaten 2-1 by the Bhoys. The following year Celtic visited Denmark and Norway but in 1914 returned to Central Europe for games in Germany and Austro/Hungary once more. Budapest was the venue this time for a game against English Cup-holders Burnley but, to cut a long story short, the trophy was eventually won by a wrestler in a raffle for the Austrian Red Cross. A month after Celtic were there, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo and the First World War unfolded. At the cessation of the hostilities, Austria became a separate entity.

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