BOBBY MURDOCH went through all sorts of agonies as Celtic gatecrashed the European big-time in Lisbon.
The painful experience was highlighted in author Alex Gordon’s tribute book, ‘The Lisbon Lions: The 40th Anniversary Celebration’, which was published in 2007.
The club legend, who would have been 79 today, was a thoughtful midfielder with a delightful touch as well as possessing a shot of sledgehammer proportions.
However, he was hindered on that memorable day in the Portuguese capital following a stamp on his right foot by a desperate Inter Milan defender early in the game.
The midfielder would later say: “The pain shot right through me. It was probably an accident, but it was a dull one. If there had been outfield substitutes available back then, I might have had to go off. As it was, though, we only had substitute goalkeeper John Fallon on the bench that day.
“Big Jock told me: ‘Run it off, Bobby, you’ll be fine.’ As the game progressed towards half-time, I looked down and my right ankle seemed to be twice the size it was at the kick-off.
BY THE LEFT…Bobby Murdoch thunders in a vicious shot at the Inter Milan goal.
“People must have wondered why I was favouring my left foot that day. Fortunately, I was two-footed, but my right was undoubtedly the stronger of the two. I even managed to get a couple of left-footed shots on target that day, but both were saved.”