Jimmy Johnstone RIP

Hagar

Sky News are just reporting that Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone has died after a long battle with motor neuron diesease.

Details here
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=370599&CPID=14&clid=&channel=skysports_home_page

Jimmy Johnstone site
http://www.jimmyjohnstone.com/news/default.asp

eirebhoy

He is regarded (and voted) by pretty much everyone as the greatest ever Celtic player. I never got to see more than a few clips of him but it's obvious how highly regarded he is at Celtic. The George Best of Celtic (and Shelbourne ).

RIP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIVMWEsBFU

eirebhoy

Many people would say that the Red Star match was Jinky's finest but the wee man's favourite game was the Alfredo di Stefano testimonial in Madrid against the mighty Real. Celtic had just Jimmy, oh Jimmy Johnstone, oh Jimmy Johnstone on the wing. won the European cup and were invited to play in the match. Johnstone put on a superb show and had the 125,000 Reals fans chanting Ole, Ole, every time he went past a man.

He simply tore them to shreds and at one point in the match none of the Real players wanted to go to tackle him for fear of being embarrassed in front of so many people so Jinky just stood with the ball at his feet out on the wing. Celtic won the match 1-0 with Jinky dribbling the ball from just outside his own box to set up Bobby Lennox for the goal and at the final whistle he held the ball aloft in one hand and the crowd roared with delight. Later that evening di Stefano asked if Jinky would pose for a group photograph along with himself, Puskas, Santamaria and Gento, the greats of European football.

http://www.jinkysoars.co.uk/jinky.htm

smackbunnybaby

thanks for that youtube link eirebhoy,
my dad will love it.

redspider

Sad to hear of another footballing legend die at a relatively young age of 56. I have of course heard of Jimmy Johnstone and seen clips of him playing for Celtic and Scotland.

His death links in with my question after the death of Peter Osgood. There are cases such as Bobby Moore and Emlyn Hughes and no dount countless others. But is there a statistical case of footballers dying younger or is it just that we notice their deaths more because they are famous?

redspider

cruiserweight

eirebhoy wrote:

He is regarded (and voted) by pretty much everyone as the greatest ever Celtic player. I never got to see more than a few clips of him but it's obvious how highly regarded he is at Celtic. The George Best of Celtic (and Shelbourne ).

RIP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIVMWEsBFU

Great clip!

besty

I'm not entirely familiar with "Jinky" but by all accounts he was untouchable.

RIP and condolences to your family.

TwistsAndTurns

Jimmy Johnstone's death is a sad day for every Celtic fan.

Johnstone scored over 100 goals for Celtic, won 23 caps for Scotland and in 2002 was voted Celtic's greatest player by supporters of the club.

Jock Stein once said of the wee man, that he was "better than Stanley Matthews".

Lord of the wing, greatest Celt ever, just some of the lines used to remember this LEGEND. I was lucky to meet him once at Celtic park and was`nt dissapointed, he had time for a few words and seemed to always be laughing.

love that video tribute to him eirebhoy, God better watch out for the nutmeg;)

eirebhoy

Singing Dirty Old Town:
http://media.putfile.com/Jinky-sings-Dirty-Old-Town

Celtic TV is free tonight for everyone with programmes dedictated to Jimmy.

Larsson:

“It’s hard to find words that express how I feel at the moment,” Larsson said. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since I got a text from Murdo [Macleod] to tell me the news earlier this morning and it’s a very sad day.

“My first thoughts are obviously with Jinky’s family and friends because I know what a loss he will be. Most people will remember him as an incredible player and I know that’s true from watching the videos, but to me and a lot of other people it was just as important that he was a really fantastic guy who had a nice word for everyone.

“I got on well with him from the start and, whenever I saw him, he would always be smiling. That’s how I’ll remember him.

“He was always there encouraging people around the club, and not just me. I’d see him speaking to some of the young lads and to the staff; it didn’t matter to Jinky. He was brilliant with everyone at Celtic and it was always a great occasion whenever he’d come into Celtic Park for a visit.

“To be honest, I didn’t understand what an honour it was to wear the same number jersey as him when I first arrived at the club, but by the time I left I knew exactly why it was so special.

“I also know that, right ‘til the end, Jinky was always fighting and I can only say how sad I am about this news. He’ll be very sorely missed.”

county

i know very little of the man but seemed very well repected in football circles

RIP

eirebhoy

Poor quality:
http://media.putfile.com/jinky50

A Dub in Glasgo

This seems so sudden

I recommend getting a copy of Lord of the Wing

A Dub in Glasgo

This week has reaffirmed my belief in decent football fans. Many Rangers fans have left tributes at Celtic Park. Tens of thousands lining the streets today for the funeral.


To see how well wee Jinky was loved, have a look at the following video from today
http://upload3.putfile.com/videos/7513130239.wmv

MrJoeSoap

redspider wrote:

Sad to hear of another footballing legend die at a relatively young age of 56. I have of course heard of Jimmy Johnstone and seen clips of him playing for Celtic and Scotland.

His death links in with my question after the death of Peter Osgood. There are cases such as Bobby Moore and Emlyn Hughes and no dount countless others. But is there a statistical case of footballers dying younger or is it just that we notice their deaths more because they are famous?

redspider

He was 61, and I wouldn't read too much into this and Osgood's deaths as anything other than a coincidence. I certainly don't think football is a contributing factor to people dying any younger than usual. It is excersize after all.

Nice thread btw, thanks for the clips Eirebhoy and ADIG.

RIP.