Ignore Well's warning, says Vata

Motherwell are concerned for their fans' safety in Albania

Ex-Celtic defender Rudi Vata has urged Motherwell fans to ignore warnings from the club not to travel to Albania for their Europa League qualifier.

The Steelmen's 3-1 aggregate win over Llanelli set up a second qualifier against KS Flamurtari on 16 July.

Motherwell's bosses do not want supporters to go to the Vlore region after consulting the Foreign Office.

But Vata said of his country: "In my opinion, this is nonsense. Right now, it is a very safe and secure place."

The Foreign Office website states that public security is generally good, particularly in Tirana, and Albanians are very hospitable to visitors.

However, it also says that crime and violence still represent a serious problem in some areas, with gun ownership widespread.

It adds that the coastal city of Vlore is one area where there have been recent reports of luggage being stolen from hotel rooms and public transport.

There won't be a club charter this time unfortunately - and the reason for that is the safety aspect Motherwell general manager Leanne Dempster

"Whoever wrote this has the wrong information about Albania now, not five years ago," said Vata, the former Albania international who is now a football agent.

"We became part of Nato three or four months ago and have applied for the European Union.

"You don't become a member of Nato if you don't have stability and security.

"Vlore is a beautiful city, lying by the sea in the south of Albania, and I can tell all the Motherwell fans they would love the experience."

Vata joked that the fans would be safer in Albania than in some Motherwell nightclubs and pointed out that Irish side Sligo Rovers had played in his country this week without any problems.

"I was watching the game between Vllaznia Shkodër, my hometown team, and Sligo Rovers and there were so many Sligo Rovers fans enjoying the experience," he said.

Scotland's Under-21 side played a European Championship qualifier in the Albanian capital Tirana in March this year without incident, but Motherwell are urging their fans not to travel.

"We are not chartering a flight and ask fans considering making the journey to seriously reconsider," said a statement on the club website.

A Motherwell spokesman told BBC Scotland that there were no concerns over the location of the match itself and that the club would not ask for the game to be moved.

The club praised the behaviour of their own supporters for the match in Llanelli, but they are concerned about fans travelling independently to Albania.

Motherwell general manager Leanne Dempster said: "We do know that some fans will travel and support the team.

"We'd like to direct them to the Foreign Office website to take some guidance.

"But there won't be a club charter this time unfortunately - and the reason for that is the safety aspect."