Jock Stein pushed Tommy Gemmell, and quickly he became known not only for his stalwart defending but also for his charges forward and his thunderbolt strikes at goal. Even before the European Cup final, Gemmell was known for his long-range shots at goal. On September 28th 1966, he became the first Celtic player to score in the European Cup when he netted against FC Zurich at Parkhead.

He will forever be immortalised for one special moment in Lisbon for scoring the goal that helped us to win the European Cup in 1967. The strange thing is that he was not a prolific goal scorer, many of his goals actually came from the penalty spot (64 goals in 418 appearances for Celtic, 31 of those from the penalty spot). A fearless no nonsense player, he was the most adept to take the penalties, and probably his vanity meant he had the over-confidence to fearlessly take them. It worked, he only missed three out of 34!

He also scored in the 1970 European Cup final, making him one of an elite of footballers to score in two finals. However, some have retorted that his performance was below what should have been expected in the final and some have admonished him as a reason for losing that game, but it's all history now and the critics are being overly harsh.

Importantly, it wasn't just in Scotland where his ability was recognised. In their Xmas poll of 1967, France Football magazine ranked Tommy as the sixth best player in Europe. In 1970, a poll of sports journalists in Hungary & Brazil (both renowned attacking sides at the time) voted him as the best right-back in the world. Tommy will have definitely loved that.

He made his debut for Scotland in April 1966, losing 4-3 to England at Hampden. He won 18 international caps (scoring once) but perhaps gained more notoriety for his sending off (the first of his career) in October 1969 against West Germany in a crucial qualifying match which the Scots lost 3-2, where he chased an opposing player to give him a boot up the arse. The incident was later famously sent up and recreated in a football sketch in the 1990's "Fantasy Football League" program on BBC in which Gemmell kicked comedian Frank Skinner so hard that the man injured himself in the fall.

He had his differences with Jock Stein, but when manager Jock called him the greatest left back in the world he was being genuine. In retrospect, Tommy Gemmill's biggest asset was his ability to stand up to anyone. He was probably the only one player at Celtic willing to front up to Stein over any quibbles over things like pay. This wasn't necessarily greed and must be noted just how little players back then were paid in comparison to now. However, money was a major element to Tommy, reflected heavily in his biography sometimes too much. Nevertheless, he was still well loved by the players and the manager, and money concerns hardly single him out alone.

A genuine character, he was one of the more frank members of the Lisbon Lions players which endeared the fans to him. Tommy Gemmell is only exceeded by Jimmy Johnstone in the high jinx stakes. In fact, most of Jimmy Johnstone's tales seem to have Tommy involved in some way or being present at least. Both were close friends and joined Celtic at the same time and worked together.

Tommy was a bit of a show-off and egotist both on the pitch and off, and had limited respect for responsibility many a times which created problems for himself. One of his first situations with Jock Stein was a row over his showing off! Gemmell liked to play it close to the edge, always enjoying the high life, drinking to the last moment (or beyond it if he could get away with it) and then getting himself and others into bother with the manager. Jim Craig penned in one of books that he has many tales to recount about Tommy but most would be libellous! Jock Stein didn't often take well to his behaviour, and a later episode recalled by Jim Craig was that prior to the League Cup final in 1969, Tommy Gemmell was swanning about with the fans outside only to arrive in the changing rooms late to hear that Jock Stein had by then decided to drop him.

Continuous fallouts with Jock Stein's coaching team sealed his premature departure, but Jock himself had put up with Tommy for much too long, especially after high jinx during a tour of North America in 1970 forced Gemmell to be be sent home early. Jim Brogan's entry into the side meant that we'd found a capable replacement for Gemmell. To be fair, Jock Stein himself was not always an easy character to work with either.

After leaving Celtic in December 1971, Gemmell spent two years at Nottingham Forest, playing alongside future Celtic manager Martin O'Neill and future Celtic coach John Robertson. He then spent three years at Dundee from 1973 to 1976, captaining the Dens Park side to a 1-0 win over Celtic in the League Cup final of December, 1973 (which didn't go down well with some sections of the Celtic support who retorted verbally).

On retiring in December 1976, the Celtic legend managed Dundee from 1977 until 1980 - one of his first signings was Jimmy Johnstone although that didn't really work out. Tommy managed Dundee to victory over us in a match that helped to lose us the league that season. After being sacked by Dundee, he managed Albion Rovers, and later totally abandoned all football management moving into insurance sales.

Still a regular speaker for Celtic in interviews and for dinners, he remains a popular Celtic man (in 2002 he was voted by the fans onto the club's Greatest Ever team) and forever will be adored, as much for his on-field achievements as for his off-field antics.

Quotes

"What will remain consistent, though, is the Celtic support and with those guys behind you anything is possible.”
Tommy Gemmell

Playing Career

TOMMY GEMMELL'S CELTIC CAREER
	LEAGUE			LEAGUE CUP			SCOTTISH CUP			EUROPE			OTHER			TOTALS
	APPS	SUB	GLS	APPS	SUB	GLS	APPS	SUB	GLS	APPS	SUB	GLS	APPS	SUB	GLS	APPS	SUB	GLS
61-62	0			0			0			0			0			0		0
62-63	2			0			1			0			0			3		0
63-64	31			6			4			8			5			54		0
64-55	30		3	10			6			8		2	0			54		5
65-66	34		4	11			7			8		2	0			60		6
66-67	34		9	10		1	6		2	9		4	3			62		16
67-68	34		4	9		3	1			2			5		2	51		9
68-69	31		8	8		1	7		1	5		1	0			51		11
69-70	29		9	10		3	5			9		3	1		2	54		17
70-71	19		1	6		2	6		1	3			1			35		4
71-72	3			4			0			3		1	0			10		1
	247	0	38	74	0	10	43	0	4	55	0	13	15	0	4	434	0	69
OTHER	Glasgow Cup, World Club Championship

Honours with Celtic

European Cup winner (1)
League Cup winner [requires to be checked]

• 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70
  

Pictures

• Picture Gallery
  

Links

• Lisbon Lions

Books

• The Big Shot by Tommy Gemmell (1968)
• Lionheart by Graham McColl (2004)

Now Tam's in the 67 club

(The Sun Oct 2010)
By JOHN SHIELDS

LISBON LION Tommy Gemmell celebrates his 67th birthday today with one regret in a glorious football career - leaving Celtic in 1971.

The man described by Jock Stein as 'the greatest left-back in the world' reminisced last night about his 33 colourful years in the game.

It started in 1961 when he joined Celtic from Junior club Coltness United and continued as a player at Nottingham Forest, as player/boss at Dundee and ended as Albion Rovers boss in 1994.

He grinned: "My greatest memories? Lisbon in 1967. What could surpass that?

"Winning the European Cup was something that happened to the likes of Real Madrid, Benfica and Inter Milan.

"Then along came some upstarts from Glasgow and we were crowned the best in Europe. The warm tingle at the memory of that day will never leave me.

"Coming back from a goal down to Inter Milan, who had won the trophy two out of the previous three years, and to triumph 2-1 was just so special.

"Getting the equaliser was breath-taking and being part of the build-up for Stevie Chalmers' winner was just superb. I played and scored against Feyenoord three years later in another European Cup Final, but this time we lost 2-1.

"I don't want to be a bad sport, but we were three minutes away from a replay when Ove Kindvall scored the winner in extra-time and we'd have beaten them in a second game. They took us by surprise in the San Siro, we weren't prepared for them. It would not have been the case in a replay.

"It's strange to think I would leave Celtic a year later. I didn't see that one on the cards.

"Jock Stein was beginning to change things and the likes of John Clark, Chalmers, Bertie Auld, Willie Wallace and John Hughes were all on the way out.

"Eventually, I caught up with them. To be honest, I didn't want to go.

"I fell out with Big Jock when he dropped me from the team that won the 1969 League Cup. I was sent off playing for Scotland against West Germany in the midweek and believe this was some sort of punishment from Celtic. I still don't know whether the decision was made by the manager or the board. I sat out the win over St Johnstone and then saw Big Jock on the Sunday and slapped in a transfer request.

"I was on the list for two years! These were the days before Bosman deals and the clubs held your registration.

"If they didn't want you to leave there was nothing you could do about it.

"I knew there was interest in me as six different clubs, including Barcelona, who were managed by an Englishman called Vic Buckingham, got in touch with me.

"However, when I asked Big Jock almost on a daily basis if there was a club in for me he would say 'Naw, I'll keep you informed, Tommy'.

"That was that. I was never in a rush to leave and I suspect Big Jock knew that. It certainly wasn't about money.

"In 1967 when we won the European Cup I was on a basic wage of £40 per week plus £10 per point.

"Before I left for Nottingham Forest I was picking up £60 per week. Forest TREBLED my basic wage to £180 and there were all sorts of other perks, including £40 per point. I was better off financially, but I really missed being a Celtic player. That meant more than money."

Gemmell, who scored 64 goals in 418 appearances for the Parkhead outfit, believes football isn't half as exciting as it was in his day.

He adds: "Back in the 60s every team in Scotland had fabulous individuals, the type of players who'd get fans going to games.

"I just don't see them around these days. For whatever reason, these crowd pleasers seem to have fallen off the Scottish radar and that's a real pity."

Gemmell, who won six titles, three Scottish Cups, four League Cups and, of course, a European Cup in the Hoops, was rarely turned over as a player.

He does recall one opponent who ran him ragged.

He added: "It was back in 1964 and we were 3-0 up on MTK Budapest in the first leg of the European Cup Winners' Cup semi-final. In the return we were told to attack, as is the Celtic way, and were hammered 4-0. They had a little outside-right called Sandor who made life hell for me that night. Thank goodness there weren't too many like him." Tommy still watches his beloved Celtic and said: "It might not be vintage stuff, but, hopefully, they will get there under Neil Lennon."

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW YOUR HISTORY – THE CELTIC LEGEND OF TOMMY GEMMELL

By David Potter (from KeepTheFaith Website)

Tommy Gemmell in many ways typified the Lisbon Lions. He was brash, swaggering, confident and full of desire to do well. He was a character of the late 1960s and early 1970s, seldom off the pages of the newspaper or off the TV screen, and he remained with the fans a very popular character. And with cause. He is one of very few players to have scored in two European Cup Finals.

Born in 1943, he was 18 when he joined Celtic from Coltness United in 1961. He made his debut for the team in an evil hour. It was January 5th 1963 at Aberdeen , 4 days after a dreadful 0-4 beating at Ibrox. As a result of this, wholesale changes had to be made, and Celtic had a new full back pairing of Ian Young and Tommy Gemmell. The memory remains of these two strapping youngsters that cold miserable day at Pittodrie, their hair brushed back, tackling ferociously everything that came over the halfway line ("that East Wind fae the North Sea didna even get by them") as Celtic showed everyone how well they could play by beating the home side 5-1.

But we would see little more of Tommy that season, for the big freeze came and Tom was relegated to the reserves as the team struggled, struggled and finally collapsed on that awful night at Hampden when the Celtic End went home half an hour early.

1963-4 saw Tom given his chance, and he took it. He made his mistakes, as everyone else did that year, but the form of the side improved and given a little more luck, success in Scotland and Europe did not seem all that far away.

But it was, and New Year 1965 saw Celtic on their knees, until Chairman Kelly admitted that he had been wrong and sent out the begging bowl for Jock Stein. The arrival of the Big Man galvanised everyone into action, even though Tommy was given a row the very first night for showing off too much as an attacking full back.

It was however an attacking full back that Tommy was destined to be, and for the next five glorious years, Tommy was part of the Celtic team that re-wrote history. Tommy shot from a distance, took penalties, scored goals, mopped up everything down the left wing (putting Willie Henderson of Rangers out of business) and even showed his versatility by playing on the right on occasion, notably in the first half of the 1966-7 season when Gemmell and O'Neill was the full back partnership.

He even played in goal one time when Ronnie Simpson was injured!

Tommy won 18 caps for Scotland , famously in the 1967, 3-2 Wembley victory - something that Gemmell took in his stride between Semi Finals of the European Cup!

Lisbon saw his great goal and his part in the great triumph, and for the next year or so, Gemmell could do no wrong. But, as with all great Scottish geniuses, self-destruction is never far away. He meted out his private piece of revenge to an Argentinian thug in 1967 and escaped the notice of the referee, if not the BBC. But he was less lucky when playing for Scotland in October 1969. His "red mist" tackle on Haller saw him sent off to destroy what little chance Scotland had, and when he returned to Scotland to play in the League Cup Final against St. Johnstone, Jock Stein dropped him. Relationships between the two men would never be the same again.

Tommy took his goal well in the European Cup Final in Milan in 1970, but cannot entirely escape censure for his part in the disgraceful defeat. The attitude was simply not right - and this was something that could not have been said of Tommy Gemmell in the past. He had been a show-off, yes, but totally professional. This could not have been said of the Milan preparations in 1970, and swollen heads were fairly obviously a factor in that heart-rending defeat.

That summer of 1970 got worse when Tommy Gemmell and Bertie Auld were sent home from a tour of North America by Sean Fallon for disciplinary reasons.

Tommy would have one more season with Celtic, but by the end of it, Jock Stein, who had given every sign of wishing to get rid of Gemmell, found a place for Jim Brogan at left back, and early in the following season, Tommy was off to Notts Forest.

He would soon return to Scotland to play for and manage Dundee, and on at least two occasions he would get the better of Celtic. One was in that dreadful League Cup Final of 1973 when Celtic fans, huddled together in the enclosure were reduced to the old Rangers chant of "Gemmell's a B......", and the other was on a windy day at Dens Park when a 5-1 victory for Dundee effectively deprived Celtic of the 1980 League Championship.

Tommy does play to the gallery on occasion, nowhere more so than in a recent book where he claimed that someone on the playing staff at Parkhead (significantly, he does not name names) called him an "Orange B.......", because of his religion. At least two of Tommy's colleagues are convinced that this was a figment of Tommy's imagination, and in any case, Tommy was not the sort of a chap that one would take liberties with, whether about religion or anything else. He was more than capable of looking after himself.

But the down side of Tommy is almost overwhelmed by his good side. He is a decent person, a good laugh, and rightly proud of his great playing record which stands comparison with any Celtic full back in the past, even Joe Dodds, Danny McGrain, Jock Morrison, Dan Doyle or Barney Battles.

Tommy Gemmell was and is a great Celt, as his record of one European Cup medal, six Scottish League medals, three Scottish Cup medals and four Scottish League Cup medals (as well as one with Dundee) proves.

A few months ago, Tommy was to be seen in the Celtic Pub of Dunblane (the town in which he lives) watching the Old Firm game and cheering as the Celts beat the Rangers. He is, as they used to say about Jimmy Quinn, "just like an ordinary man".

Now Tam’s in the 67 club

PRIDE OF LIONS ... birthday Bhoy Gemmell still gets a special feeling at being part of Celtic's European Cup winning side
By JOHN SHIELDS, The Sun
Published: 15th October 2010

LISBON LION Tommy Gemmell celebrates his 67th birthday today with one regret in a glorious football career — leaving Celtic in 1971.

The man described by Jock Stein as ‘the greatest left-back in the world’ reminisced last night about his 33 colourful years in the game.

It started in 1961 when he joined Celtic from Junior club Coltness United and continued as a player at Nottingham Forest, as player/boss at Dundee and ended as Albion Rovers boss in 1994.

He grinned: “My greatest memories? Lisbon in 1967. What could surpass that?

“Winning the European Cup was something that happened to the likes of Real Madrid, Benfica and Inter Milan.

“Then along came some upstarts from Glasgow and we were crowned the best in Europe. The warm tingle at the memory of that day will never leave me.

“Coming back from a goal down to Inter Milan, who had won the trophy two out of the previous three years, and to triumph 2-1 was just so special.

“Getting the equaliser was breath-taking and being part of the build-up for Stevie Chalmers’ winner was just superb. I played and scored against Feyenoord three years later in another European Cup Final, but this time we lost 2-1.

“I don’t want to be a bad sport, but we were three minutes away from a replay when Ove Kindvall scored the winner in extra-time and we’d have beaten them in a second game. They took us by surprise in the San Siro, we weren’t prepared for them. It would not have been the case in a replay.

“It’s strange to think I would leave Celtic a year later. I didn’t see that one on the cards.

“Jock Stein was beginning to change things and the likes of John Clark, Chalmers, Bertie Auld, Willie Wallace and John Hughes were all on the way out.

“Eventually, I caught up with them. To be honest, I didn’t want to go.

“I fell out with Big Jock when he dropped me from the team that won the 1969 League Cup. I was sent off playing for Scotland against West Germany in the midweek and believe this was some sort of punishment from Celtic. I still don’t know whether the decision was made by the manager or the board. I sat out the win over St Johnstone and then saw Big Jock on the Sunday and slapped in a transfer request.

“I was on the list for two years! These were the days before Bosman deals and the clubs held your registration.

“If they didn’t want you to leave there was nothing you could do about it.

“I knew there was interest in me as six different clubs, including Barcelona, who were managed by an Englishman called Vic Buckingham, got in touch with me.

“However, when I asked Big Jock almost on a daily basis if there was a club in for me he would say ‘Naw, I’ll keep you informed, Tommy’.

“That was that. I was never in a rush to leave and I suspect Big Jock knew that. It certainly wasn’t about money.

mpu

“In 1967 when we won the European Cup I was on a basic wage of £40 per week plus £10 per point.

“Before I left for Nottingham Forest I was picking up £60 per week. Forest TREBLED my basic wage to £180 and there were all sorts of other perks, including £40 per point. I was better off financially, but I really missed being a Celtic player. That meant more than money.”

Gemmell, who scored 64 goals in 418 appearances for the Parkhead outfit, believes football isn’t half as exciting as it was in his day.

He adds: “Back in the 60s every team in Scotland had fabulous individuals, the type of players who’d get fans going to games.

“I just don’t see them around these days. For whatever reason, these crowd pleasers seem to have fallen off the Scottish radar and that’s a real pity.”

Gemmell, who won six titles, three Scottish Cups, four League Cups and, of course, a European Cup in the Hoops, was rarely turned over as a player.

He does recall one opponent who ran him ragged.

He added: “It was back in 1964 and we were 3-0 up on MTK Budapest in the first leg of the European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final. In the return we were told to attack, as is the Celtic way, and were hammered 4-0. They had a little outside-right called Sandor who made life hell for me that night. Thank goodness there weren’t too many like him.” Tommy still watches his beloved Celtic and said: “It might not be vintage stuff, but, hopefully, they will get there under Neil Lennon.”