 Monday, March 13, 2006
Jimmy Johnstone indefatigable spirit defined a generation of Celtic fans
Jimmy Johnstone was more than just the ‘Greatest ever Celtic Player’, he helped create our concept of Celtic, in a way, what we think of ourselves.
Celtic were lost in the wilderness when he joined them, having won only three league titles in thirty years. Memories of great teams and great players in the past, as well as the odd ‘friendly’ trophy, sustained a support who had watched their team fall behind Hibernian in importance to Scottish football.
The history of Walfrid and McGrory was a proud one, but notions of European greatness did not exist. When Jock Stein arrived at Celtic in 1965, Jimmy Johnstone moved from the fringes of an underperforming Celtic team to be the most skilful player in Europe and winner of the European Cup, just two years later.
Without his achievements, the aspirations that fuelled the Martin O’Neill recovery and still fuel our ambitions today would not exist.
I met him on several occasions. Lisbon on 25 May 1967 was the moment that history will define him by, but there was a special time for Jimmy personally, when he mesmerised world football at the Alfredo Di Stefano testimonial game in Madrid.
After the game his heroes asked him to have their photograph taken with them, a moment he referred to proudly.
He dealt with fame and adulation all his adult life, circumstances under which it must be difficult to show genuine interest the next time you meet a Celtic fan, but you would never know this. Whenever I talked to Jimmy, the conversation would never be limited to his own achievements, he always asked about my job and what was going on in my life.
He never disappointed.
We live in a time with new ‘legends’ to honour, and some with talents worthy of the name, but none have the profound humility that emanated from the greatest of them all.
If Jimmy Johnstone did help establish what we think of ourselves, we have a lot to live up to. He inspired every man woman and child he met, and handled his decline into illness with the indefatigable spirit that sparkled on the football field forty years ago, and characterised his life.
May his example continue to inspire for years to come.
Our prayers and thoughts go to those who’s loss is greater still, and who loved him as a husband, father and grandfather.
Eternal rest grant unto him oh Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Thanks for it all Jimmy.
340 Comments:
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Jinky,
God bless you and thanks for the memories.
Rest In Peace wee man...
Discybhoy
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God bless Jinky
Gone but never forgotten
Hail! Hail!
Curly
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Hail hail jinky and to his family, you'll never walk alone
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JIMMY JOHSTONE
Outside-right 1961-755'4" 9st 8lbsBORN: Viewpark 30 September 1944DEBUT: versus Kilmarnock (a) 0-6 (SL) 27 March 1963APPEARANCES:SL: 308 APPS. 82 GOALSSLC: 92 APPS. 21 GOALSSC: 48 APPS. 10 GOALSEUROPE: 67 APPS. 16 GOALSTOTAL: 515 APPS. 129 GOALS
INFORMATION: By the time Jimmy Johnstone played his first team debut against Kilmarnock in March of 1963 he had been involved with the club from 1958 as a ball boy and subsequently in the reserve side since 1961. A fear of flying did not detract from his fearlessness whilst on the ball and his persistent dribbling skill and physical 'running of rings' around opposing players was a permanent feature throughout his playing career.An influential part of the side to defeat Raith Rovers 8-1 in the League Cup quarterfinal, Stein soon eased him into a regular slot. He was a fiery character, however, and often reacted badly to the continual hacking and bad tackling he suffered as a result of his opponent's inability to counter his attacks. Nonetheless, on the whole Johnstone was not deterred and he persistently pulled off spectacular performances such as the two goals he scored at Ibrox to secure the Championship just prior to the European Cup final and a much acclaimed performance in the 5-1 home victory against Red Star Belgrade. Stein did, however, wave a carrot in front of Jimmy, promising him that if he played well he would not have to travel by plane to the away leg. He scored two of the goals in an outstanding performance!Jimmy was a character both on and off the field and his off the Park antics led to Stein's assertion that "no player has caused me more headaches since I went to Celtic and on no one has more time been spent to sort out his troubles". On the field he received many headaches, however, the majority of players answering to his absolute expertise in the form of constant tackling and bombardment. He frequently lost his temper and retaliated to the persistent tackling from players who were left "feeling as if their brains were in a cocktail shaker".He was an excellent Internationalist and was capped on 23 occasions for Scotland and on 4 occasions for the Scottish League. His international honours were further glorified with his domestic achievements, which amount to 9 Championship, 4 Scottish Cup, 5 League Cup and the ultimate, his European Cup final medal won in Lisbon in 1967. Jimmy participated in every round of the European campaign adding his own contribution of two goals to the overall Celtic tally of 18 scored.Bothered by injury as a result of constant tackling and a growing lack of tolerance from Jock Stein, Jimmy Johnstone was given a free transfer by the Big Man in June of 1975. After spells in America, England, Ireland and Scotland he had a brief spell as coach at Celtic Park under the leadership of manager Davie Hay. He is undoubtedly an absolute Celtic Great who merits prime position in not just a Celtic roll of honour but in a world football league. In recognition of his genius he was nominated No.3 in Europe in a France-Football poll of sports writers in 1967 and selected for the 1967 'Earth team to play for the Universe".
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Well said Paul.
Thanks Jimmy,memories of you will never leave us.
You were the one we all wanted to be when we were kids
RIP wee man.
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Any time i watch Jinky on video, he always makes me laugh. Seeing big defenders trying to clug him,he just skipped past them,and made them look ridiculous. I only ever met him once, but i will be able to tell my children i met the greatest ever Celt.
Thank you Mr.Johnstone.
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Isn't it very appropriate that the article that Paul posts to pay tribute to Jinky has as its first post, not a self congratulatory one on being 1st but a genuine post about The Greatest Celt Ever.
Well done DiscyBhoy.
P.S. Remember to put pressure onn the authorities to have a minutes applause at the Cup Final for The Wee Man.
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very sad news..
I was privileged to watch this magician.....
God rest him.....
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Very fitting words Paul.
Also The Bald Ego .
Please re post your tribute from the last thread the feet link is superb.
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God look after you wee man and thanks for the memories that will never die. Very sad day :-((((((
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Jinky, thanks for the memories, you will never be forgotten and will live on as a true legend.
A great loss to the Celtis family.
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Its a sad sad day, not just for Celtic Fans but for football. It has lost one of its true heros.
Rest in peace wee man you truly were magnificant!
I've put togethet a small piece on the MEMORIES thread in memory of this great footballer and great man.
TBE.
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"Jimmy O Jimmy Johnstone,
O Jimmy Johnstone down the wing"
Seven in Heaven
Lest We Forget
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Jinky - God Bless!
He truelly embodied what Celtic stand for, it's not only a sad day for Celtic but for football worldwide.
RIP wee man
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Great post Paul.
Let's have silence at Hampden and applause at Celtic Park - a fitting two stage tribute.
Training Ground should be named after him, complete with statue - what an inspiration that would be.
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God Bless You Jinky
What about having a placard display at this Sunday's Cup Final of a giant Number '7' as a fitting tribute.
Does anyone have an email address that i can contact the club with?
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Great player, great guy.
God bless.
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My mum died last July from Motor Neurone Disease and all I can say is that it is such a horrible, horrible disease.
The sad death of Jinky today has brought back such sad memories for me, but also great memories of courage, heart and such strong desire to beat this illness.
My mum fought so hard and showed so much heart, just the way wee Jinky did. Jinky has shown so much bravery and heart but unfortunately this horrible disease keeps winning the battles.
If any good can come from this, please may it be that such a sad death of such a hero as our Jinky is that it will raise the profile of Motor Neurone Disease so that a cure can be found. It is such a waste of life, and so, so much the wrong way to die.
Jinky has lost his bravely fought battle for life, but maybe, hopefully Jinky has helped in the war to beat MND for good.
My thoughts and prayers are with Jinky's family today. I am sure they are a very sad, but an extremely proud family today.
What a Man, what a player.
Jimmy Johnstone
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“to play football the Glasgow Celtic way”
Whenever I hear the fans sing this I think Jinky.
Hail Hail and RIP Jimmy Johnstone.
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Simpson,Murdoch and now Johnstone.
While memories of the Bhoys of Summer are inviolate our great heroes are only flesh and blood and mortal like the rest of us.
One of the less repeated aspects of the Red Star story is how keen the Jugoslavians were to see him in Belgrade.In a country where football skill and flair were highly prized they were very disappointed that his fear of flying prevented him displaying his talents in the away leg as well.
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Players come & Players go...but legends go on forever....
Jimmy Johnstone was THE legend.
RIP wee man you brought great joy to millions.
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Great post Paul.
God bless Jimmy Johnstone!
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RIP wee man
God bless you Jimmy.
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http://www.justgiving.com/jimmyjohnstone
Sorry to post this again but it is more appropriate on this thread.
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Fine post, Paul.
Jimmy Johmstone was quite simply the finest player I have ever seen. And I've seen a few. As you say, he defined how we see our selves.
I had the pleasure of this great man's company on a few occassions, and he truly was a great man.
Dearly loved. Dearly missed.
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Quite agree with you thismancraig, it would be a fitting tribute to Jimmy to name the new training ground after him.
In view of his prodigious talent, I can imagine no other name which would be as appropriate for teaching future generations of Celtic players the skills of the game.
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From the Real Madrid fans who gave him a standing ovation in 1967 to a KGB man I met in Kiev in 1986 whose eyes lit up when he said his name, wee Jinky epitomised to the world everything that is great about football and, especially, his beloved Celtic.
It says much for his true greatness that even Rangers fans are genuinely saddened by his passing. It was simply impossible not to love the wee man.
I don't agree about the minute's silence: it would take only one drunken clown to ruin the moment. I'm looking forward to thunderous applause from both teams and a fitting display in the stands at Hampden, to be seen on TV and beamed worldwide.
It's time for Celtic FC to contact the Jungle Bhoys and tell them no expense is to be spared in coming up with something suitable and unforgettable.
The wee man's worth it.
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Can't believe it, I've just been downloading some pics of JJ in his Scotland playing days and then we get this news, a coincidence I can do without. Jimmy really was the Greatest Celt, full of humility and humour, with that infectious and cheeky, naughty schoolboy grin of his! Reading Celticlover comments about the treatment he endured on the pitch, I remember the pic of his legs after the infamous Athletico semi-final, totally black and blue from ankles to knees, but you can't keep a great man down.
God bless you Jimmy and thanks for being in our lives.
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Jimmy will be in our lives forever.
Every time celtic fans meet stories will be told of Jinky - tormenting big Greig, Lisbon and the Di Stefano picture.
I think that this last is the greatest tribute ever paid to a Celtic player. At the time, Di Stefano was commonly acknowledged as the greatest player ( some say still is ) who had ever played the game and leader of the greatest side of all time. But after witnessing the display of our own Jinky against a still very good Madrid side Di Stefano thought him worthy to appear in a commemorative photograph with himself, the great Hungarian Puskas and Gento.
That is the sort of company Jimmy kept and some of us were blessed to see this man grace the hoops.
God bless you Jimmy Johnstone and thanks for the mories.
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In my opinion, 'The Wee Man' as Tommy Gemmell referred to him defines the word Legend when it comes to Celtic.
You will live forever in the hearts of every Celtic fan.
God bless you and keep you!
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I saw Jinky play many times, when I was a wee boy.
He had a style, and a skill, that was absolutely unique. We may never see his likes again, but I for one am grateful that when we saw his genius, It was in the Hoops.
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Paul,
your finest article.
Jinky The Great, we will all miss him, but he will remain forever in our hearts.
Ternar
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Being too young to have seen the wee man playing, the most fitting tribute I can pay him is that from a club that has seen so many great forward players, if there was just one player I could choose to go back in time and watch playing for Celtic it would be Jimmy Johnstone.
Rest In Peace wee man.
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Very nice tribute paid on Sky Sports News by Sandy Jardine, former Rangers full back and now a commercial manager at Ibrox.
Called Jinky "a gem of a person" who would be mourned by Rangers fans, too, on a sad day for Scottish football.
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Excellent article Paul. I dont have the skill with words to adequately pay tribute to Jinky.
Celtic have had many great players, a few legends but only one Jimmy Johnstone.
My Jinky T-shirt will be worn with heart-bursting pride on Sunday.
God bless you, Jinky.
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A very sad day for all the Celtic family, RIP Jimmy, you will never be forgotten.
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The one great shame with Jinky's passing is the lack of footage covering his best moments ( and there were many). Yes there's his video and the '67 EC final but there were many other great moments which seem to have slipped the net and would have shown how magnificent a legend he was .Pity.
RIP Jimmy.
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Red Star Belgrade, Dundee Utd, Lisbon, Real Madrid ... so many great memories. But what I'll remember Jinky best for is how he bridged the language and generation gaps.
I used to hitchhike around Europe in the late 60s/early 70s and whenever I had a problem with making myself understood or struggling for conversation I used to say "Celtic" and the inevitable reply would be "Ah, Jimmee Johnstone". This was invariable accompanied by a beaming smile, glistening eyes and a comradely pat on the shoulder.
Yugoslavia, Spain, Italy, Morocco ... you name it. He was famous!
A wee Uddingston boy loved throughout Europe for the way he played the game, and he played for my team!
Thanks Jimmy for getting me out of some scraps and also often putting some food into an empty belly abroad.
God bless.
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Sadly Missed - will never be forgotten.
A true Celtic legend.
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God Bless Jimmy Johnstone
A great player and a great man
Our thoughts are with the Johnstone family
You'll Never Walk Alone
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Let it resound around Hampden.
Sing celtic Supporters Sing:
Jimmy, Oh Jimmy Johnstone
Oh Jimmy Johnstone on the wing.
Jimmy, Oh Jimmy Johnstone
Oh Jimmy Johnstone on the wing.
Paul67 I managed to bottle it up until I read your eulogy.
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It's not often these days that I'm glad I'm the age but I am privileged to have been a week-in, week-out supporter throughout wee Jimmy's career.
Words cannot explain how good he was.
We are lucky to have a few film/video clips to remind us but you can only see a few of his talents on film. His spirit, attitude and determination are difficult to capture.
Also the electric buzz which went through the ground when he took delivery of the ball wide right and headed for the opposition is impossible to describe.
Rangers had a really great outside right at the same time in Willie Henderson who probably restricted the number of caps Jimmy got because he arrived on the scene earlier, but everyone now knows that the wee man was peerless.
In a world where the word "legend" is greatly over-used Jimmy Johnstone really is a legend.
Thanks for the memories wee man.
I'll never forget you
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Just seen a wonderful video tribute on the www.kerrydalestreet.co.uk site.
Hopefully you can get it here:
JinkyTribute
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Dear all
Some time ago I posted my own memory of Jimmy.
I hoped that I would be long gone and would never have the need to post it again.
Today, having heard the news, I went up to Celtic park and there already tied to the railings outside the main entrance was a Rangers shirt, a Scotland scarf, and the beginnings of a multicoloured monument of epic memories!
The queue for the Cup final tickets stood in almost a reverant silence as they slowly filed forward to collect their briefs for the game and as they did so the name Jimmy, Jinky, JJ, or simply the wee man would drift in the air to be followed by a burst of laughter.
Even today the magician extraordinaire continued to entertain us.
So Jimmy, I know where you are now as you have sent St Peter the wrong way and nipped by him as he has fallen on his backside outside that more ethereal Paradise!
Say hello to Ronnie and Bobby and Big Jock for me!
To everyone else I make no apologies for reposting just what Jimmy meant to me!
To the man who could thread a needle with his feet
(or how the f*** did he do that)
The nearest I have ever physically come to Jimmy Johnstone was, for every home match, standing in the ‘Jungle’ just to the right of the halfway line, and about twenty terracing steps back from the low grey stone wall which separated us from that fiery headed green and white clad magician.
This was however much closer than the opposition ever got to him.
Everyone knows at least by word of mouth about Jimmy’s slightness of stature but abundance of heart. Everyone knows about his extraordinary skills, artfulness, resourcefulness, and reputation. But what no one has really said is that Jinky would have made a world class fisherman.
Like an expert angler, Jimmy would regularly bait, hook, reel, land, and then throw us back in to be teased again, almost as much as he ever did to the opposition. But we loved it because he was doing it for us, because he was one of us, and he represented us on those hallowed sods of Celtic Park.
“Gie it tae Jimmy” the Jungle would call and with a thousand moves orchestrated as one, the man of a million moments of blinding extravagance and brilliance would instantaneously have the ball under control, spun to face the oppositions goal, and be jinking across the half-way line, going left then right, then back, then forwards, leaving a trail of exhausted opponents, their tongues covered in grass burns as the vainly tried to work out why the Newton’s natural laws of motion did not seem to apply to the wee man.
As he instantly hypnotised both the opposing fullback, and us, and transmitted by ESP the message that he was going down the outside, the defenders muscles made that imperceptible, involuntary and sadly (for him) irreversible commitment to covering the route that Jinky had somehow convinced him he was going.
Imperceptible to most of us that is, but like the thrashing of a distressed fish to a shark, the wee man picked up both the heat of fear and the consequential disturbance in the air pattern. In an instant, he had whipped the ball eight inches in the air, pulled it with his right instep inside and over the vain and forlorn swish of the opponent’s right-foot which had continued on its own trajectory. This resulted in three things happening with uncanny regularity.
Firstly Jimmy immediately and seamlessly, transferred the responsibility for the continued advance and control of the ball to his left peg, and defied the laws of body mechanics to go inside and home in on the goal at the Celtic End of Paradise.
Secondly, the defender seemed to be heading off to buy a pint of milk and three pounds of potatoes.
And thirdly, everyone in the ground pished themselves laughing at him!
The centre-half seeing the thrust of the red-haired whiz-bang, made to push forward from the safety of the defensive numbers to cut-off JJ’s path (or more usually to cut off his legs usually somewhere up around Jimmy’s neck). The full back, recovering as quickly as was possible when your legs were as dignified as a couple of twisted pipe-cleaners, but desperate to rid himself of the memory of urine soaked ridicule, rushed to support his advancing comrade in arms by forming that impenetrable pincer of muscle, tackity boots, liniment, brute force and destructive football ignorance!
In they both came; one from forward slightly left, and one from backwards to the right. Nostrils flaring, eyes popping, veins, throbbing, evil was in their mind and harm was their intent.
Shoulders dipping, waist and hips shimmying, eyes on the ball and its two yard circumference, Jimmy took the move to that point where no-one could draw out and everyone could see what was going to happen.
We all had a premonition of the pain that Jinky was going to feel!
In instinctive harmony we closed our eyes and drew a sharp breath as the three torsos, six arms, six legs, and one ball, fuelled by the unsophisticated assault and battery of the not-so-beautiful game’s answer to the nuclear threat – 1960’s Scottish defenders - were subjected to the cataclysmic amalgam of ‘immovable objects’ and ‘unstoppable forces’.
Except, when we opened our eyes, there was Jimmy, still with the ball.
Somehow he had not only whipped it back with the outside of his left foot in the opposite direction - in defiance of his muscles and bone structure and dragged it away from his potential assailants, but he had also managed to manoeuvre himself down the outside right channel where we had all thought he was originally going,….. then decided he wasn’t and ………then finally decided he was after all. (In fact we only really knew where he was going once he got there, although even then I was never completely sure that he was where he appeared to be.)
‘Now’, with absolutely no apologies to Paul Daniels, ‘ that is magic’.
And there he was now on the bye-line, all on his own. He was ready to chip it, drive it, float it, or possibly come up with a new variation of a cross for Stevie Chalmers, or Bertie Auld, or Wullie Wallace or Joe McBride. As the other members of the unstoppable green machine flooded the box to finish the move, Jinky caught them all out too by changing his mind and going back, finding another couple of overconfident gullible victims and take them through another of the infinite variations on the ‘you’ll-end-up-sitting-on-your-arse’ routines..
I can still see the cast of famous but failed assailants pushing and shoving each other, trying to get to their feet, almost arguing over whose leg was whose as they unravelled the spaghetti of the aftermath of their unsuccessful mugging.
But funniest of all was there embarrassed search around the grass for the dignity that they seemed to lose so suddenly, predictably, and justifiably.
Jinky was if nothing else, scrupulously fair in his treatment of defenders. They all copped it in equally contemptuous measures!!
In an ever resounding echo of the Celtic Song (They come from Bonnie Scotland, they come from County Cork ….) they came from Madrid, from Prague, from St Etienne, from Nantes, from Buenos Aires, from England, and on a humiliatingly regular basis, from the Govan area of this dear green place. And the great thing is that while most left eventually with a smile on their faces, most certainly ALL left with a memory of a footballer extraordinaire!
And as for that ‘lost dignity’, well feeling magnanimous as he usually did after games Jimmy would probably return it to them in the dressing room, or more likely in whatever bar they ended up in that night.
For one other thing about Jimmy was that he lived his life the way he played his football, and let’s be honest, would we have wanted it any other way.
James Johnstone……….Thank you
Requiescant in pace Jinky, for one day we will meet again!
Hail hail
Estadio
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Shattering news about Jinky, the wee man was,is and always will be a legend in the eyes of all Celtic fans. I had the honour of watching him in his prime as part of that wonderful team, may God bless and keep him and also his family.
Thanks for all those wonderful memories
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Can't concentrate on work today, so have gone onto a few forums to post my respects.
Jinky, never saw you play, but I soaked up every story, article and book written about you I could lay my hands on. Jinky you represented all that is great about Celtic: success through skill and determination (and a little eccentricity!).
RIP
(By the way, it was very heartwarming to see the kind words from the supporters of the other bunch on many other forums out there. Also kind words from lots of Jambos and Arabs. Proof that Jinky's skill transcended all divisions)
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RIP
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Well said Paul. Many people in Madrid have told me of how they remember the night el pelirojo Johnstone (redhead)put on a show at Di Stefano's testimonial. A generation of football fans in Spain remember the name, they will never forget it.
As you say he was very proud of that night, not only for his own performance but because he felt that it was the greatest game the Celtic Football Club had ever played in. That was the measure of the man, thinking of the collective, rather than just himself.
I was impressed by how Jimmy spoke in later life, his belief in God was important for him as was his life with his family, his ain folk, his brotherly love. He found peace in himself and we are all better people having known him.
I saw him play and I can still see the blurr in front of my eyes.
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Estadio
Wonderful, truly wonderful, thank you.
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Well done Paul, you captured the whole essence of Jimmy with your thought provoking eulogy.
God bless you Jimmy, you were an inspiration to many, many people.
I feel priveleged to have seen you over many years, terrorising defences all over the world.
'Jimmy, Oh! Jimmy Johnstone, Oh! Jimmy Johnstone on the wing'
My thoughts go to the Johnstone family at this sad time.
Remembered with a smile.
Ayrtim.
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Jinky: Thank you and R.I.P.
Could I suggest that ALL the Celtic team wear the Famous Number 7 shorts in the Cup Final. I'm sure the S.F.A. wouldn't have any problem with this and the players could still have their own names and numbers on their tops.
So many memories of the Wee Man.....
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Sad sad day hearing this news.
You'll live on for ever in our hearts and minds.
God Bless you Jinky.
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Bill Shankley once told Jock Stein he was immortal, and he was right, but what he did not tell Mr Stein was that he would not be alone on this trip through immortality. Jimmy 'Jinky' Jonhstone will be there with him, standing shoulder to shoulder, as the greatest 2 men in the history of Celtic Football Club.
I only saw Jinky play once, a 15 minute cameo appearance at the goodbye to the jungle game. He came on and scored an absolutely fantastic goal, and i left that night feeling 10 foot tall, because i could say i saw Jinky play, even for only a little while.
There never was another Jinky, and there never will be.
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Paul
Thank you for an interesting article and some humbling and yet uplifting sentiments re Jinky.
I was so privileged to see Jinky in my formative years as a Celtic supporter but alas never met the man so all I have are the football memories rather than personal ones - you are very lucky indeed to have those.
I don't really know about other clubs and their view of their own history so I cannot really comment too well but OUR HISTORY as a club is absolutely integral to what we are as an instituition and sporting entity.
Indeed our history is such that Celtic has become something so much more than just a football team.
Jinky joins the pantheon of the Celtic greats who have created in our football club what the peerless Hugh McIllvenny calls "a worldwide phenomenon"
James Kelly, Jimmy Quinn, Jimmy McMenemy, Patsy Gallagher, Jimmy McGrory, John Thomson, Charlie Tully, Jock Stein and the incomparable Jinky.
Their brilliance shone so bright that they became legends in their own lifetimes and every one of them knew instinctively how special and important Celtic was.
Perhaps because they were all humble men what they didn't realise was how much they were each responsible for creating the football giant in Glasgow's east end.
The word legend is so often de-valued these days but every now and again when the truly brilliant and unique pass on then we can with some authority use the word.
If ever a player and a man deserved that legendary status then Jimmy Johnstone was it.
What small comfort there may be to his family today is to know that millions of the "extended" family across the world share their grief and sadness at his passing.
As you rightly say "let Perpetual Light shine on him"
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The inevitable doesn't make it any easier.
RIP JJ
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There was many a row in our house growing up with the Lisbon Lions.
One brother was all for Bobby Murdoch another for Bertie Auld myself for Jinky. Two of these greats have now left us I think I just shaded it by putting forward the wee mans case, nonetheless all great men. Its ironic that in the light of all the recent debates re songs bigotry etc Estadio says Rangers tops tops are evident outside Celtic park.
The passing of the wee man will hopefully draw closer attention to his illness and indeed help to aid in the healing between communities in Scotland and Ireland. After all its only a game eh.
Jimmy Johnstone small in physicall stature a GIANT amongst men.
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RIP Jinky.
Jimmy Johnstone film
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RIP Jimmy
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a very sad day.
reading everyones posts brings wells of tears to my eyes.
gifted doesnt come close to what wee jimmy was.
the videos and stories will be going ten to the dozen over the next few days.
RIP wee man.
Jimmy Johnstone - "LEGEND"
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Have put off posting this as it makes it real.
RIP wee man.YNWA
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Well said Paul..Estadio never ceasing to amaze with your eloquence and powers of recall.
RIP Jinky.
Dignity. The REAL meaning of the word.
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Rest In Peace Jimmy
Unfortunately I am too young to have ever see Jinky play in the flesh, however my dad has spent the 26 years of my life telling me how great a player he was.
Having read the books and seen all the dvds for myself, my dad wasn't wrong. The half hour of footage from the Celtic v Real Madrid game last week on Celtic TV reinforced quite simply that Jimmy Johnstone was THE GREATEST EVER CELT.
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Thanks to everyone for sharing their memories
I only saw Jinky play once.
I felt in the presence of greatness
RIP
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Does anyone have the rest of this song? Jinky
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Sleep tight Jinky
God bless wee man and give our love to Big Jock when you see him. Avoid the rowing boats, but!!
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Accept the words of sympathy from your polish friends Bhoys.
Rest In Peace Big Man.
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zbyszek,
Jinky was always the WEE man (small) but he did have a big heart.
Your compatriot Maciej is VERY privileged to wear the Celtic number 7 jersey.
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RIP Jinky
God Bless You
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I'm too young to have seen Jimmy play, but as Paul said something of our identity seems bound up in what he represented.
He loved the game and he loved our club. He was a great player, and seemed to be an even greater man - there are few who have been both
When I think of him I don't see him dribbling past defenders or scoring goals. I see him smiling, he was even better at doing that!
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Jimmy,the Greatest Celtic Player in our history and one of the few World Legends.
I had the honour and privilege of seeing him play many times and never saw the likes of him again.
We must now honour him in all things good for Celtic and we can all take a leaf out of his book in how to be better human beings on this planet.
God bless you Jinky.
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Maybe zbyszek is accidentally closer in his description than any of us.
Its a sobering thought to see our finest XI begin to re-assemble themselves elsewhere.
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A True legend.Someone i never had the plesure of meeting but feel that i knew him.
Im too young to have seen him play in his prime but i was in the Jungle one night to see him score a delightful chip.A class act.
RIP Jinky
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Goodnight and God Bless Wee Man.
Thanks for the memories, you were the best.
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A true legend in every sense of the word.
RIP Jinky.
What about Celtic bringing out a new DVD of the great man, with ALL proceeds going to MND research?
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Jimmy Johnstone, LEGEND.
Rest In Peace Jinky
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Polar Bear,
You can buy merchandise and make donations on Jinky's website.
I just got myself a limited edition Jinky Scarf.
The profits there go to MND charities I believe.
Hail Hail
Martybhoy
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My mother, now very elderly, is one of the calmest, most peaceable people I have ever known. Imagine my shock, then, as a ten year old, to witness her going ballistic at games every time the wee man got hacked. And I still remember my first game, Cup Final v Aberdeen 1967, and my father roaring, "Come on wee man, you've got the world at your feet". And so he did.
God bless Jimmy Johnstone
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Thanks martybhoy - do you have a link?
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PS- it would still be nice to see CFC doing something official.
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Very sad day indeed - as you say Paul - he embodied everything we stand for.
God bless
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I can say after a great polish priest and a poet who died one month ago: "Let's be hurry to love people, they leave us so quick"
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Try www.jimmyjohnstone.com
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This is a very difficult day for me and I'm finding it difficult to compose myself whilst writing this entry but here goes. The first 15 years of my life were defined by the Wee Big Man, I wanted to be Him more than anything else in my life. The strangest thing ever is that I did get to live my life by his credo. I couldn't kick a ball for monkeynuts but I did have talents in other areas. Over the years I lived a life where I had to keep picking myself up off the ground and getting on with it, many times I put myself there and I had to fight my own demons. But as I sit here at 45 years old I look back at the defining moment when I worked out how I was going to live my life(whatever was slung my way)and that was on a chilly night at park when the Big Wee Man was put on his arse many times and picked his self up many times and worked harder each time. I sit here now because of Jinky. If He hadn't existed then I would have not survived the many dark places I found myself in and I would not have seen the many bright lights I had (my daughter Niamh). I owe you wee man and I hope one day to pay you back.
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may67,
A lovely tribute to a lovely man.
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http://www.jimmyjohnstone.com/
Enjoy Polar Bear.
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THE KING IS DEAD
JIMMY JOHNSTONE - THE GREATEST CELTIC PLAYER EVER
R.I.P
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thanks martybhoy and dbbia.
dvd on the way!
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