Tommy Gemmell

Wouldn't be surprised if the Lions were to make an appearance this weekend to have a little celebration for Tommy's life, that's incentive to go if there ever was one.

 

Yep..

Hoping to see them down here in May when those still with us come down for the dinner..

 

Total legend, very sad, think when we saw the jinky programme everyone was shocked at how ill he looked, especially when he was always such a well made big character

Wee trivia Tommy gemmell and Sergio Ramos both defenders, both scored in 2 European cup finals and both scored in a final in Lisbon and a final in Milan
Some achievement for a striker to score in 2 European cup finals let alone a defender
Tommy gun cannonball Gemmell RIP

 

Phil Neal, right-back of Liverpool scored in two as well, both in Rome.

 

RIP Tommy

 

The word "legend" is thrown about with casual ease these days.

Tommy Gemmell and his team mates from 67 are real legends.

As he joins his team mates who have gone before him, as time marches on, one day they will be united in another Paradise to once again dance to the symphony of their beautiful football.

"they won the big cup and they brought it back, it was the first time it had been on British shores"








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The best left back (And left winger) I had the privilege to see for all the time he was with Celtic. A very sad day RIP big man!

 

Always sad when one of our own passes away.
Even more saddening when it is one of the Lions.

RIP

 

May he rest in peace. At times like this when our club is performing so well, it's humbling to remember Tommy, celebrate his life and achievements, he was pivotal in making us the club we are today. Will be rembered always as one of the greats.

 

Peter Lawwell spoke to Celtic TV about Tommy
https://celticfc.tv/tv/video/vod/4373

 

BERTIE Auld says that his good friend and team-mate Tommy Gemmell was a truly world-class player and a wonderful, charismatic human being.

The Celtic great sadly passed away today at the age of 73, prompting a flood of tributes from across the football world.

And paying his own personal tribute, Bertie told Celtic TV that his fellow Lisbon Lion was a special player and a special man, who possessed enormous self-belief.

“It’s a sad day but yet all I think about is great memories,” he said. “As far as I was concerned, he was the best left-back in the world at that particular time. He was a big part of the family, a big part of Celtic Football Club and he had tremendous charisma.

“He knew what he was as a footballer and as a personality he could have gone into any company and would have held audience with them.He was a very clever man. Many people don’t realise that he was a dux at school. He was a very positive man and he believed in himself.

"I always liked going to the Pavilion and other theatres to see Glen Daly and Lex McLean and that’s what Tommy was like in the dressing room – an entertainer. He honestly believed he was Danny Kaye!

“Tommy was good enough to play at any level for any team. He was infectious in the dressing room. He lifted everyone because of his belief. He was outstanding as a person. He was a great guy – but the worst singer in the world!



A flamboyant, attacking full-back, Tommy spent 10 years in Paradise between 1961 and 1971. He won six league titles, three Scottish Cups, four League Cups and, most notably, the European Cup.

He played 418 games in the Hoops, scoring an impressive 63 goals. The former Scottish internationalist is also among a select few to have found the net twice in European Cup finals. A penalty-kick specialist, he only missed three times from the spot in 34 attempts.

Tommy is probably best remembered, however, for thundering home Jim Craig’s pass from the edge of the box to level the European Cup final against Inter Milan. He also played a part in Stevie Chalmers’ winning goal as Jock Stein’s side went on to triumph 2-1 and become the first British team to lift the famous trophy. It was the greatest day in Celtic's history.

“This is where the manager came in," said Bertie. "Jim would be released and would play it across for Tommy who would be coming from the other side and hit it with his right foot which created a bit of an angle that was beneficial to Tommy.

“Tommy had this flair. He could score goals. He was the type of character that was full of it. His chest would stick out in the dressing room when he was getting ready and he was bubbly. He scored penalties and he could have scored from corner kicks as well like Charlie Tully.

“He was our reserve goalkeeper as well. In the days where there no substitutes, Tommy, one of our strongest players and an entertainer, would go in goal. I think he was in two or three times and I don’t think we ever got beat.

“We spoke about the Lisbon game and it was our first time in the European Cup and we won it. Anytime it’s a one-off, this magnificent club comes forward – the St Mungo’s Cup, the Coronation Cup, the Empire Exhibition Trophy.

“When Jock became manager in 1965, the first thing he said to us in the dressing room was, 'this is our era, let’s make history'. I don’t think we ever let him down, and a big part of that was someone with the flair, determination and confidence of Tommy Gemmell.

"Football is a short career but when you play for Celtic it’s a way of life – 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks of the year. That was proved as the two of us still had that family orientation on and off the park even after we retired.

“I will remember his presence in the dressing room, the level of football he played for Celtic Football Club and his passion for the game.

"Tommy scored a lot of important goals but none more important than in the 1967 European Cup final and he also played his part in Stevie Chalmers’s goal. I will always remember those two goals and the two people that scored them.”

 

I know this is totally random, but I've been sitting here all day looking at pictures of all our players through the years, I just keep looking through them all, I just keep coming back and looking at the Lions with the European Cup, it's been an emotional few days with Billy and Tommy

I don't even know how to explain what I mean, but I just love oor club and everything about it, I seriously mean it when I say that there's no other club in the world I'd rather support than us.

I'm just so proud to be part of us

 

Absolutely brilliant

 

CELTIC Chief Executive Peter Lawwell has revealed that Tommy Gemmell was a childhood inspiration as he paid a personal tribute to the Hoops legend following his sad passing today at the age of 73.

Speaking to Celtic TV, he shared some of his memories of the Lisbon Lion, who went down in folklore for his stunning equalising goal against Inter Milan in the 1967 European Cup final as Jock Stein’s side became the first British team to lift the iconic trophy.

Peter Lawwell said: “One of the privileges of my job is getting to meet your heroes and Tommy was certainly one of them. I found him to be a gracious man and one of real stature as well as being a great football player.

“I came to Celtic Park on the eve of my eighth birthday when they brought the (European) cup back. These are memories that never leave you. They formed me not only as a football supporter but as a person and Tommy was one of that team who inspired me in every aspect in terms of my life.

"You go to specifics like the European Cup final, but one that sticks out was the Benfica match in 1969 when I was in the Rangers End. In the second minute, someone takes the free-kick to him and he batters the ball into the top corner, and those things live with you from your formative years.

“The other one that was quite funny was the Scotland match away to Germany which we were watching on TV. The chap Haller nicked Tommy as he went by and Tommy just turned around, chased him and gave him a right kick – great memories, great achievements, great successes and great fun.

He continued: “It’s a deeply sad day. Tommy was one of the massive figures in the history of Celtic, a true Celtic great and legend. Scoring a goal in each of the two European Cup finals that we appeared in was a great achievement.

“He was a great character and a great player. In this particular year of it being the 50th anniversary, although we are all in mourning, I hope we can find a time to celebrate the achievements of Tommy and that great team.

"I hope Mary and the family and the Celtic family can take real comfort from the fact he was a great Celtic player who will always be remembered."

 

From Dundee forums

 

Devastated re the passing of my pal and roomie Tam Gemmell. A Great Celt & character. My friend. Dealt with his illness with dignity. RIP

Tam also left a legacy perhaps never to be emulated in Scotland. Two EC Finals: a goal in each.

https://mobile.twitter.com/cairney2?lang=en

 

Tribute from Jim Craig

Three Cheers For Tommy Gemmell
https://soundcloud.com/user-264363009/three-cheers-for-tommy-gemmell

 

http://celticunderground.net/tommy-gemmell-a-tribute/

Celtic fans are currently in mourning over the news of the passing of Tommy Gemmell, the legendary Lisbon Lion.

Big Tam was more than just a footballer. He was a larger than life character who always played with a smile on his face and had a tremendous rapport with the fans. Flamboyant was an adjective often used to describe him amd the press often referred to him as ‘The Gay Cavalier’ in those innocent far off days when that term had a different meaning.

It’s also easy to forget what a terrific player he was. Between 1966 and 1970 Tommy was generally regarded as the best left back in Europe. An athletic, attacking defender who possessed a cannonball shot. Old footage shows Tommy’s shooting at it’s finest and as a youngster I watched in awe at the ferocity of his shots against Zurich and Benfica. Be in no doubt, had it not been for Tommy then Celtic would not have won the European Cup in Lisbon. Many years ago, Gerry McNee went on record to say that the Lisbon Lions had four players who could be genuinely described as world class. Tommy was one with Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Murdoch and Bertie Auld being the others.

He was perhaps under rated as a defender. Yet he played against some of Europe’s finest wingers and there is no recollection of any of them bettering big Tam. It should be remembered that Rangers had two of the best wingers in Europe in Willie Henderson and Tommy McLean and there were others in the Scottish game such as Jimmy Smith, Peter Marinello and Tommy McLean who tried and failed against Gemmell. In Europe the likes of Kurt Hamrin, Dragan Dzajic and Peter Lorimer all found Tommy a tough nut to crack.

He was not without controversy and there were incidents in his career against Racing Club and West Germany which left a blot on the Gemmell copybook.

Oh you may have read or even heard somewhere that a Racing player was attacked
By big Tommy Gemmell, a gentle giant, the Glasgow Celtic full back
Well we asked big Tam, who’s as gentle as a lamb
If there’s anything he’d like to say
He said ‘I saw an action replay and I know it looks like me
But I swear it was Danny Kaye!’

Tommy was, of course, very similar in looks to Kaye and often played up on the similarity.

He was often kidded on for the size of his nose but in August 1969 the Gemmell nose made headlines. In a closely fought game against Rangers he scored a late winner when he dived low to head home and claimed afterwards that his nose had actually touched the ball into the net.

Tommy represented Celtic with distinction and holds a notable record of scoring in two European cup finals from open play. Quite a feat for a defender.

In 1992 Celtic were at a low ebb and Tommy appeared in the National Savings club at Cowglen for a charity fundraiser. He was joined by Bobby Murdoch, Bobby Lennox and Denis Connaghan. Stories were shared of the Parkhead old days with one particular one involving Jim Baxter, Cilla Black and Frankie Howard which will have to remain for another day.

A frustrated Rangers fan, hearing the Celtic nostalgia, shouted – ‘Let a * ask a question.’ To which big Tommy replied -‘Mate, I’m the biggest * in here!’

Tommy Gemmell was a real character and a world class player.

Rest in peace big man and thanks for the memories.

 

Phil neals' weren't from open play though. Which makes tommy unique still.