| Jinky embodied everything Celtic stood
for  By
Richard Purden
On a cold wet day in Glasgow legions of devastated Celtic supporters
descended on Paradise last week to pay homage to the man they voted Celtic’s
greatest ever player.
Jimmy Johnstone was one of the few players to cross the sectarian divide,
as tributes from Rangers fans and a number of other clubs arrived with
banners, scarves and tops all paying homage to the Lisbon Lion.
The ultimate winger, Johnstone dazzled the world with his tenacity on
the pitch. A consummate football entertainer, he was Celtic’s most
complete player and embodied everything the club stood for.
He was an essential part of Jock Stein’s team that won the European
Cup in 1967 and clinched the Scottish league a record nine times in a
row between 1966 and 1974.
Jimmy’s brave fight against Motor Neurone Disease (MND) was a testament
to his character and despite becoming seriously ill he became a vocal
and active campaigner for a cure.
His sense of humour, optimism, good nature and faith was an essential
part of the man.
Neil Lennon was visibly emotional when he led the tributes to the man
they called Jinky.
Lennon said: “Jimmy played football the Celtic way. He was entertaining,
exciting and pretty fearless as well.”
Lennon also pointed to the fact that Jimmy was a big inspiration to both
Martin O’Neill and Gordon Strachan’s Celtic sides: “He
popped into the dressing room every now and again and always had a good
thing to say. He was very encouraging to the younger boys and that meant
a lot.
“When you think of Jimmy a smile comes across your face because
of the player and the personality that he was.”
While Celtic manager Gordon Strachan grew up a Hibs fan, it’s a
well known fact his hero was Jimmy Johnstone. Strachan realised a dream
when the two played together at Dundee.
He said: “People say it was the smallest right side of midfield
the club ever had.”
“He was an incredible man, so brave out on the football field.
“It’s easy to be physically brave but to be brave mentally
is different and that was Jimmy.
“He was brave for the people round about him and that was absolutely
phenomenal.
“I saw him at Christmas and he still had that great sense of humour
that I loved.”
Fans wishing to donate money for research into MND should visit the
Jimmy Johnstone Tribute fund at www.justgiving.com/jimmyjohnstone.
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