“He played for the jersey. That was his utmost ambition, to make the jersey successful and he did just that.”
Archie Macpherson - the ‘voice of Scottish football’ - was spot on. The phrase ‘legend’ is used often when it comes to best describing a footballer who truly earned the status and in Billy McNeill’s case, it was truly fitting.
Celtic’s greatest ever captain was frequently recognised by his peers, bot during and after his lenghty career as player and manager of the club. Skipper of the ‘Lisbon Lions’ 1967 European Cup-winning side under Jock Stein, McNeill gave Scottish football what remains its biggest achievement.
He served as an inspiration for those around him and his importance to the green and white hoops will always be remembered by those who had the privilege of watching him or playing alongside ‘Cesar’.
It’s 65 years to the day since the Bellshill native made his first-team debut during a League Cup clash against Clyde back in 1958. GlasgowWorld looks back on McNeill’s greatest career achievements:
13. Celtic fans wave a flag picturing the former captain during a UEFA Champions League Group match against Real Madrid last year.
To this day, McNeill remains an extremely popular figure at Celtic Park. He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and two years later the Scottish Football Hall of Fame. His long association with the Hoops spanned more than 60 years. | AFP via Getty Images