Celtic ‘Lisbon Lion’ Gemmell dies aged 73
Celtic great Tommy Gemmell, who inspired the club to glory in the 1967 European Cup, has died aged 73 after a long illness, the Scottish giants announced yesterday.
Gemmell scored Celtic’s equaliser and played a part in Stevie Chalmers’s 84th-minute winner as Celtic came from behind to beat Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon in the 1967 final. It made them Britain’s first European champions and saw the team dubbed ‘the Lisbon Lions’.
“The whole Celtic Family is mourning his passing and everyone associated with the club sends their thoughts and prayers to his family, his fellow Lions and his many friends at this desperately sad time,” Celtic said in a statement.
Full-back Gemmell also scored in the 1970 final, when Celtic lost 2-1 to Dutch side Feyenoord in Milan. He spent 10 years at Celtic Park between 1961 and 1971, making 418 appearances and scoring 63 goals.
In addition to the breakthrough European Cup win, he also amassed six league titles, three Scottish Cups and four Scottish League Cups.