CELTIC boss Ange Postecoglou has paid his tribute to Hoops great John ‘Yogi’ Hughes.
The manager spoke highly of the club’s eighth-highest scorer with 189 goals who passed away at the age of 79 on August 1 following a short illness.
Postecoglou was at the Requiem Mass at St Mary’s Church in the Calton yesterday in an emotional farewell to a player who simply wanted to be recognised as “a Celtic man”.
The Greek-Australian gaffer, 56, speaking to Celtic TV, said: “It was a fitting tribute to one of the legends of this club and it was a nice service and everyone spoke really well.
HISTORY BHOYS…John Hughes (extreme right top) celebrates with his Celtic team-mates after the unforgettable European Cup Final triumph in Lisbon on May 25 1967.
“It’s not just about the footballer, it’s about the man, the father, the grandfather and the great-grandfather, and when you hear about that you understand it’s not just about the footballer.
“We stand on their shoulders and we wouldn’t be able to do it without the likes of John.
“He was Celtic through and through and it’s important our presence was there with this current group.”
Hughes played a pivot role in the club’s rise from the doldrums of the early sixties until performing in Celtic’s first silverware triumph in eight years when he led the line in the 3-2 victory over Scottish Cup Final in 1965.
In October that year, the fans’ favourite rattled in two penalty-kicks as Jock Stein’s men won the League Cup, beating Rangers 2-1 in the process.
The rest, as they say, is history.
