WE’VE LOST A LEGEND
Heartbroken Peter hails inspirational Celtic hero Tommy
to Gemmell, who yesterday passed away after a long illness at the age of 73.
Gemmell scored in two European Cup finals and in the World Club Championship Final, which was formerly called the Intercontinental Cup, and Lawwell believes the left back epitomised everything that was needed to be a great Celtic player.
He said: “One of the privileges of my job is that you get to meet your heroes and Tommy was certainly one of them.
“He was very welcoming and supportive when I took this job on, a very humble man and didn’t let you down as a hero.
“Clearly I remember the goals in Lisbon and Milan.
“As a kid I was here at Celtic Park at the European Cup game against Benfica in 1969. We just got in and with two minutes gone, somebody knocks a free-kick to him and he puts it in.
“I can see it now. That is a fantastic memory of him.
“That team inspired me – the underdog, 11 local lads, a unique achievement for Celtic and Scotland.
“I remember watching the Scotland game with West Germany on TV when Helmut Haller went past Tommy and nicked him and he turned round and blootered him. So there are real great memories of success and fun.
“He was larger than life and he was a leader as well.
“He was one of the best full-backs in the world in his time, if not the best.”
Gemmell’s death comes on the back of European Cup-winning skipper Billy McNeill’s family going public last weekend regarding his battle with dementia.
McNeill turned 77 yesterday and the club will poignantly commemorate the 50th anniversary of that day in Lisbon this year with a series of special events.
Lawwell believes Celtic’s worldwide family will rally and that Gemmell’s passing and McNeill’s recent announcement will see Hoops fans everywhere celebrate with a fitting tribute to the club’s greatest ever side.
He said: “The news that broke at the weekend about Billy was sad. Although we are mourning and deeply saddened, I hope we can celebrate this unique achievement this year.
“It is the basis of the modern-day Celtic.
“Jock Stein, the Lisbon Lions and everything we have done since then.
“That is our aspiration, to get there again and try to match that.”
Tributes to the player flooded in from all across the footballing world.
Rangers issued a statement saying: “The club would like to send our sincere condolences to the family of Celtic legend Tommy Gemmell.
“He was one of the great Celtic and Scotland players and will be sadly missed.”
The SFA also wrote: “A hugely sad loss. Our thoughts are with Tommy’s family and friends.”
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “On behalf of everyone at the SPFL, we were saddened to hear the news. Our immediate thoughts are with his family and close friends.
“Tommy is one of the most significant figures in Scottish football history.”
Dundee paid tribute to their former skipper who is the last man to lift a major trophy for the club.
A statement on the Dens Park side’s website marked the passing of a legend who spent four seasons at the club.
It read: “Everyone at Dundee is saddened to hear of the death of former player and manager Tommy Gemmell.
“Tommy signed in July 1973 and later that year captained Dundee to a League Cup victory over his former club Celtic.
“Tommy spent four seasons at Dens as a player before becoming manager. Notably he won promotion back to the Premier League in 1978/79 as champions.”
PETER LAWWELL paid homage to Tommy Gemmell and insisted the Lisbon Lion was an inspiration to every modern-day Celtic player.
The Parkhead chief executive led tributes from all over the world