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Thank you, Tommy

Andy offers his thoughts on the passing of Lisbon Lion and Celtic Legend, Tommy Gemmell


 

Thank you, Tommy.

I never saw Tommy Gemmell play for Celtic. By virtue of the fact that I was born after he had finished his playing career I never had the pleasure enjoyed by my father’s generation. However, the Celtic I have seen in approximately 30 years of going to games is largely down to Tommy Gemmell.

 

One of the great thrills of being a Celtic supporter is that, more often or not, you will see a team going out to attack and entertain. This was the undisputable mantra of Jock Stein – he demanded it from his players, rightly so, and although we have yet to attain that quality since, it is the eternal benchmark of the club.

tg1

 

The European Cup final of 1967 is noted not just as the finest victory of a Scottish club anywhere at any time but the first major victory against the highly-effective and tactically impressive Catenaccio system of Helenio Herrera. Let’s not mess about here, Celtic pumped that mob that day yet, for most of the game, Celtic were behind. Tommy Gemmell’s goal was a true delight – 20 yards out, right foot, high into the corner, leaving the keeper without a prayer. You don’t need me to tell you to watch it again as I’m sure you will but look who provides the assist, from inside the box. It’s Jim Craig, the right back. Against a team set up for incisive counter attacking, and the Celtic players knew it, the right back supplied the left back with the opportunity to draw Celtic level.

As Tommy said himself, if Inter had sprung a counter attack then he was getting it – as Jim Craig was already up the park. So, what exactly am I trying to say here? Well it’s a matter of belief. Not only did that team have ability, each and every single player had the unshakeable belief that they could win that match. The belief to go forward against that team, the belief to strike from that distance and the belief to go on and win it. That belief in many respects has been the catalysts for many of the great achievements our club has made in the 50 years since.

 

There’s also a more fundamental point here about the expectation and the footballing culture at Celtic. If Tommy hadn’t scored that iconic goal in Lisbon would we have stuck to our attacking and entertaining principles? Would we have adjusted? Would we have gone down a different route? I’ll allow that debate to pass as we’ll never really know but I would say that the bravery, the belief and the ability of Tommy Gemmell, 50 years ago, have legitimised and validated the approach and indeed the core footballing philosophy of our club.

 

As Celtic supporters, we are all too aware that we owe so much to those involved in that triumph of 50 years ago, they didn’t just win a football match, they didn’t just win a cup; they set the standard and the tone forever more and Tommy helped to make that possible.

 

Sleep well Tam.

tg2

 

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Konrad
7 years ago

Beautiful tribute.

Rest in Peace Tommy.

Mikelele
7 years ago

Class. Very thoughtful and brilliant tribute

HH

Monti
7 years ago

Andy,
Quality mate!

Devoy45
7 years ago

Excellent writing and excellent tribute, man. My condolences to Tommy’s family and close friends.Tommy was just a bit older than me so I was privileged to be around during much of his career. Kieran Tierney is cut from the same mould but Tommy was a one-off in many other ways. Farewell Tommy and many thanks!

mike
7 years ago

Great read Andy, brings back great memories.
I had the great privileged of watching the Tic, from season 60/61. part of a 113,000 crowd to watch them from the Hampden terraces, Celtic v Dunfermilne, Crerand, Cesar,Clark, Chalmers et al. Big Jock managed Dunfermilne. The first beginings of the future management and team, of the “Lions”. Big Tam joined Celtic later that year.
To this day I still remember the tingle of excitement, when big Jock returned to his true fitba. love, the Tic.
I couldn’t add anything meaning full to that story that hasn’t already been said, and said better.
I used to see Tam nearly every week for a couple of years, when we went for our messages, near to Stirling, we nodded and shared a smile, bid each other hello, how you doing, me happy in the knowledge that I had met one of the greatest fitba. players to grace the hoops, a true Celtic icon.
RIP Tam, love you mahn.

Rebus67
7 years ago
Reply to  mike

I was fortunate to see TG play on many occasions. For me he was a model as I also played LB but was right footed. I believe that Tommy modelled himself on the great Milan FB, Fachetti. Fachetti received much more attention in the media because he played for a higher profile team than Celtic. This was to change in 1967 after our geatest victory. TG concentrated on power rather than placing his shots, as a result some of his efforts wete wayward.
I recall standing in a crowd in Glasgow outside the Vesuvio restaurant waiting to see TG on his wedding day. Only the great and good could go to the Vesuvio in those days. Many years later My wife and I did manage to to the Vesuvio but by then it was in decline.
What I liked about Tommy was that although he was a super star of the time, he never lost track of his roots. He was just another guy who enjoyed his period of fame. He was part of the best group of Scottish international players in my lifetime…..the 1967 Scotland team that knocked off England at Wembly. Surely this was one of the most talented teams never to win anything of note! In Lisbon, for a long while it looked like Celtic were going to be the same, until TG blasted a shot from the efge of the penalty area that threatened to burst the net!
Great memories, Tommy and a life well lived.

RIP

Rebus

mike
7 years ago

Post gone, like Tommies rockets.

pemsionerbhoy
7 years ago

Desi,

Simply the best.

H H

Pensionerbhoy
7 years ago

Desi,

Had problem with posting so in case it does not come up here it is again.

“Simply the best”.

H H

Cartvale88
7 years ago

A Gallus big guy, a pleasure to be in his company. Over the last few years he was not a well man. My thoughts and prayers go to his family.
When he left The team in the early seventies he was missed, but you had to admire his opinions which he was not scared to voice.
Well posted article, another sad day for the support.

7 years ago

RIP Tommy Gemmel.

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