CELTIC and AC Milan fans united today to deliver a message of fair play for tonight's Champions League game at Parkhead.

The meeting was especially poignant given the crowd trouble which has afflicted Italian football in recent weeks, culminating in the death of a police officer at the recent Sicilian derby.

This led to the temporary closure of several grounds - including Milan's San Siro - and threatened to prevent Celtic fans attending the return leg of the league tie on March 7.

But that threat has now been lifted, to the delight of both sets of fans.

Today, Jim Divers, secretary of the Celtic Supporters' Association, presented a Hoops shirt to a group of Milan fans who had travelled from Italy for tonight's tie.

They handed him one of the famous red and black Milan shirts.

Celtic supporters have a fantastic record of backing the club and in 2003 were awarded both the Uefa and Fifa Fair Play Awards after the Uefa Cup Final, when 80,000 fans made the trip to Seville.

Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: "It is fantastic that both sets of fans can come together in this way.

"Celtic supporters have an excellent reputation across Europe for the way in which they support the club and we are sure that our fans will again show great respect to AC Milan and their fans."