Lions statues can’t

Tomorrow marks 53 years since Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup.

Jock Stein’s side had already swept all before them to win the club’s first domestic Treble before they travelled to Portugal to face Inter Milan.

They returned as the Lisbon Lions, after a famous 2-1 win over the Italians, twice winners of the silverware in the previous three seasons.

The simple facts, repeated countless times, haven’t lost any of their impact in the retelling over the past half-century.

All of the team were born within a 30-mile radius of Glasgow.

A mixture of west of Scotland grit, skill and no little gallusness pummelled the opposition into submission, Tommy Gemmell and Stevie Chalmers scoring after Celtic had gone behind early to a Sandro Mazzola penalty.

The Lions, much like the Busby Babes, have a legend that has grown, rather than diminished, with time.

First-time visitors to modern-day

Celtic Park make a beeline for the bronze of captain Billy Mcneill lifting the cup at the foot of the Celtic Way.

From just outside the ground, a bust of Stein gazes in his direction, as if wryly amused by all the attention his skipper draws.

And on the manager’s wing, Jimmy “Jinky” Johnstone – voted the club’s best-ever player by the fans – leans forward as if poised to leave another defender on his backside.

Bertie Auld, the Lions’ wisecracking midfielder, has been around to see all three statues go up.

He doesn’t have his own, but deserves a gold disc for starting up a rendition of The Celtic Song in the tunnel at the Estadio Nacional that both spooked Inter and laid down a marker.

The tributes to his late manager and team-mates warmed his heart. But the real pleasure, Bertie insists, would be tricky to catch in single images.

“It is fantastic to see the statues, and to look at the photographs of us that afternoon as they do put you right back there,” said the 82-year-old.

“What they can’t give you is the experience of what it was like for us players. We were a bunch of local lads, who all got on great with each other and used to have a brilliant laugh with