Celtic legend’s medals to go under hammer
THE 1970 European Cup runners-up medal belonging to Celtic legend Jim Brogan will go under the hammer next week. The historic piece is part of a collection of 22 medals owned by the late Celtic defender to go on sale at McTear’s Auctioneers in Glasgow next Friday.
Jim Brogan’s daughter, Colette Farren, said: “My dad wasn’t just a great footballer, he was an amazing family man too. Although he put heart and soul into Celtic he would always find time to take us swimming, attend a parent’s evening or go for an ice-cream at the Derby Café in Glasgow’s South Side.
“Out of all of dad’s games, it was his last for Celtic that has the fondest memories for me. It was against Rangers in 1975 and the whole family was there to watch him walk out as captain. Even after a bad tackle broke four ribs he was fighting to get off the stretcher and continue the game. That was a true mark of the man – fearless, determined and loyal to the end.
“We are so proud of everything dad achieved and it is lovely to look at the medals, but they will never replace the memories we have.
“After a long discussion the family decided it was time to let other football fans get some enjoyment from the collection and that was when we approached McTear’s.” James Bruce from McTear’s, added: “Jim Brogan was a key squad member during Celtic’s golden years under Jock Stein, with the player forging a reputation as a skilled and uncompromising defender who could perform at the highest levels of world football. “A quick glance at the multiple honours included in the auction illustrate how important a player he was, with the archive painting a fascinating picture of Celtic’s cup winning run from 1968 to 1974. This is an incredibly important collection and I have no doubt there will be considerable interest from football and sporting fans across the UK and overseas.”
The footballer played for Celtic between 1963 and 1975, making 341 appearances for the Club, scoring nine goals and picking up four Scotland caps along the way.
His brother Frank also played with Celtic and the pair shared the pitch together on Jim’s debut in 1963. Following a long battle with dementia, he passed away on September 24, 2018, aged 74.