Hotline

CELTIC hosted a concert at the Hydro on Thursday night to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lisbon Lions.

It was the latest in a series of events marking the achievement of Scottish football’s best and most celebrated team and Celtic fans lapped it up.

However, claims by callers Jimmy Neil and Ian Semple on the Hotline yesterday morning it has all been over the top were shot down in flames.

Goodness, one caller even claimed Celtic sparked an end to the Portuguese Colonial Wars in 1974 when the ruling regime was overthrown by a military coup.

What next ... claims Shuggy Edvaldsson singlehandedly ended the Cod Wars with Iceland? The Scottish Cup Final is this afternoon but let’s head back to that sunny day in Lisbon.

said: “Hotline caller Ian Semple obviously despises Celtic fans celebrating Lisbon 50 years on.

“If they took the time to know the history, 1967 was not just about winning the Big Cup, it was also about how the nation of Portugal took Celtic and their fans into their hearts.

“The ordinary people of Portugal had been living under different dictators for decades and after the Celtic fans departed those same people took great inspiration and then came the revolution to oust the dictators. It’s not just Celtic fans who celebrate Lisbon 1967.”

said: “The 50th anniversary should be celebrated. I’m not the least red-faced by it. Most of the Lions are still living and their legacy is what gives the club such international kudos. Perhaps fans of certain clubs should be embarrassed their sides have never come close to emulating them.”

said: “I can’t believe the quotes from Mssrs Semple and Neil, those greeneyed monsters from Erskine and Ayr. I had the