IF you know the history, it is, as the song more or less says, enough to make your heart skip a beat at the very mention of the Europa League.

All of a sudden, this most secondary of tournaments has become a matter of primary interest at Celtic. There will be no talk of closing the top tier of the stadium when Internazionale of Milan come calling in the round of 32. Given everything that has gone on between these teams over the years, this is a game no green-and-white diehard can afford to miss.

For Jim Craig, it cannot come quickly enough. The former full-back is an integral part of the long relationship that exists between these rivals, dating back to the 1967 European Cup final and the semi-final in the same competition five years later, which was settled by penalty-kicks in Glasgow following 210 minutes of stalemate.

He played in both games, giving away a penalty before setting up Tommy Gemmell for the equaliser against Helenio Herrera's seemingly impregnable outfit in Lisbon's Estadio Nacional and scoring in that Parkhead shoot-out essentially settled by a missed effort from Dixie Deans.

Memories of those quite epic confrontations will swirl around the minds of so many present under the floodlights in the east end of Glasgow on February 19, but there is an added significance in the period of the calendar in which the fixture takes place.

Eleven days after the return leg in the San Siro on February 26, Celtic will mark the 50th anniversary of Jock Stein's return to the club to take over the role of manager and spark off the most successful period of its existence.

Craig can think of no better way to celebrate that milestone than by beating the side Stein overcame of the greatest evening of his illustrious career.

"There is so much history involved in this game and I don't think there is any doubt they will fill the stadium that night," said Craig. "There will certainly be a shiver up my spine and a sense of déjà vu.

"The name of Inter just has such great resonance in the history of Celtic.

"Among everything else including the final in Lisbon and two games with them in 1972, you have that anniversary of Jock Stein becoming manager. None of it would have happened without him.

"Most of those players who won the European Cup had been at Celtic Park for quite some time, but Jock had his own ideas on how Celtic should play and everything he needed in his squad was there.

"Jock went to the 1960 European Cup final between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt at Hampden and told me in an interview later in life that he realised there and then that a team had to attack from all positions other than centre-half and goalkeeper.

"You had to go at the opposition from all sides and all quarters and had exactly what he needed when he came into Celtic Park.

"He had great midfielders in Bertie Auld, Bobby Murdoch and Charlie Gallagher with real pace in the team in the shape of Bobby Lennox, Jimmy Johnstone and Stevie Chalmers. John Clark held it all together at the back with Billy McNeill beside him.

"It must have been a dream when he realised that everything he was looking for was within that dressing-room."

This particular interview with Craig is likely to be the first of many inviting him and all other surviving Lisbon Lions to skip merrily down Memory Lane in the months leading up to Inter's visit. It is a path the 71-year-old is more than happy to tread, if only to make it clear, once again, that he should never have been penalised by the West German referee, Kurt Tschenscher, for a seventh minute challenge on Angelo Domenghini inside the area back in May 1967.

"I know I am going to get stick again over that penalty," laughed Craig. "I want to make it clear that even men of the calibre of Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo di Stefano said it was never a penalty kick.

"I, personally, think it was the worst decision in the history of the human race. It was worse than Napoleon attacking the Russians.

"The goal from the penalty allowed them to do what they are good at and pack the defence to hold onto the 1-0 lead, but the increased level of possession suited our game and we overcame them. It was a blitzkrieg in the end."

Craig still smiles at the way Stein raised his spirits with Celtic still trailing at half-time before slaughtering him amid the celebrations at the end.

"At half-time, he told me to forget about conceding the penalty and put his arm around my shoulder," he recalled. "I got a right volley at the end, though. He called it a stupid bloody tackle."

Bobby Lennox, along with Craig, was one of five players from the 1967 team to meet Inter again in 1972. He still describes the defeat, losing 5-4 in the eventual shoot-out, as one of his lowest points.

"The 1967 game is the one that the fans always talk about, but the game in 1972 has to be one of the biggest disappointments I ever experienced," said Lennox.

"I didn't take one (of the penalties). I was one of the cowards.

"It's a magical draw, though. That match (in Lisbon) is obviously such a big part of Celtic's history.

"Inter won't fancy coming to Celtic Park and, believe me, the place will be bouncing for this."

************ENDS*******************