Ex-Rangers official targeted after Lennon attack

Posted Tuesday, May 17, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

GLASGOW (AFP) - A suspect package designed to "cause alarm" to a former director of Rangers was being examined by police on Monday, days after Neil Lennon, manager of arch-rivals Celtic, was attacked.

The package, believed to have been addressed to Donald Findlay, now the chairman of second-tier Scottish side Cowdenbeath, was delivered to Central Park on Monday morning and led officials to call in police.

A 100-metre exclusion zone was fixed round Cowdenbeath's ground while bomb disposal experts investigated.

Police said the item did not contain a bomb but was designed to alarm the former Rangers vice-chairman, one of Scotland's leading lawyers.

A spokesman for Fife Constabulary said: "It was a genuine attempt to cause alarm to Donald Findlay. It wasn't a bomb and there was never any danger to members of the public.

"We can confirm that officers were called to Central Park, home of Cowdenbeath Football Club, in relation to a suspicious package which had been delivered to the address this morning.

"Initial police resources at the scene have now been stood down."

Findlay stepped down as vice-chairman of Rangers, a predominately Protestant club, in 1999 and was fined £3,500 by the Faculty of Advocates for singing a series of sectarian songs at a club function.

The discovery of the parcel comes after two men were charged after suspect packages were sent to Lennon and two high-profile fans of Celtic, a club which draws the bulk of its support from Glasgow's Catholic community.

Lennon, the target of parcel bombs and who had bullets sent to him through the post, was attacked by a fan while standing on the touchline at Hearts' Tynecastle ground in Edinburgh last week.

As a result of all these incidents, the former Northern Ireland midfielder, who will lead Celtic in the Scottish Cup final against Motherwell at Hampden on Saturday, has been given police protection.

Celtic were pipped to the Scottish Premier League title by just a point by defending champions Rangers on Sunday after both Glasgow clubs won their final league games of the season.