We have Tommy Gemmell on the blog from 13:00 this afternoon. He will introduce himself in the comments section and be available for a ‘chat’ and questions.
Pat Woods, one of Celtic’s finest historians, sent me this excerpt from his book, Celtic, Pride and Passion:
“Although there was no formal award at the time to mark his performance, Tommy Gemmell, memorably described by Geoffrey Green in The Times (London) as “A big blond cat set among the Italian pigeons ‘, was widely regarded as the man of the match of the 1967 European Cup Final.
The continental journalists were particularly effusive, amazed as they were by the stamina, energy, determination and shooting power he displayed as he continually surged forward into attack.
Jean Cornu of L’Equipe, the most prestigious sports paper of them all, described Tommy as ‘The executioner of Inter, the man who smashed their defensive screen’, while the correspondent of the Swiss newspaper Gazette de Lausanne singled him out as the symbol of his assertion that Celtic’s display had rehabilitated football’s image and its honour.
Noting the delight on Gemmell’s face after the final whistle as the full back, With Sandro Mazzola’s ‘swap’ shirt draped over his shoulders, celebrated on the pitch, the correspondent wrote: ‘His smile was the smile on the face of the whole of football, that of real attacking football in all that world, conquering passion and conviction which we have come to love so much’.”
Tommy was in every sense a modern footballer, capable of playing with either foot, he had the kind of engine players of the 60s just didn’t possess. This gave him range, which combined with speed and a legendary shooting ability made him one of the genuine world class footballers in Jock Stein’s armoury. At the very peak of European football, the only occasion when a collection of players from the one local area became champions of Europe, Tommy Gemmell made the stage his own.
Best wishes to Danny McGrain, another of Celtic’s legendary full backs, who is recovering from a minor heart attack. We don’t know how lucky we are to have Danny on the training ground and in the dressing room with the first team players.
Today, Tommy Gemmell releases his autobiography, ‘All the best’, a fresh work, written with his friend of 50 years, Alex Gordon, which examines his life and times, in particular during that unique period in the history of sport in this country, when Celtic cast an enormous shadow over European football. It is a fantastic read, full of inspirational recollections and anecdotes.
You can order a copy signed by the man himself below. Remember to tune in from 13:00 today with questions, comments and stories for Tommy – and if you ask him about his European Cup Final goal, remember to tell him if you’re referring to the Lisbon or Milan Final!
This is what blogs were made for. Fill your boots and wallow in some unabashed Celtic glory. The stage is yours once more, Tommy.
[calameo code=0003901717b11f6e50af4 lang=en page=40 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]Tommy Gemmell: All the Best:
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Morning Mr Gemmell, I have just logged on from the USA and will read back the questions and answers later.
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the fantastic memories you have given me and in particular for doing this talk-shop today.
Was at a supporters hoolie in Galashiels in 2004/5 and you were there with Bobby Lennox, Bertie Auld and Joe McBride. Happy days.
HH
Fair play to Feyenoord. Never grudged them their success because they did what they had to do on the night and they were definitely a decent team. But I’ve always maintained that they can’t have been THAT good – after nearly two hours playing against a Celtic team that was only firing on one cylinder, they still needed to have the ball literally handed to them to take the lead!
Tommy – what was the feeling in the dressing room about Bobby Lennox’s opening goal that was (wrongly) disallowed for offside? Was anything said about it?
Tommy
With regard to ‘the cult of the manager’ and stuff like that, when you took the field, were you playing for Celtic first or playing for Jock Stein first?
Second question – how proud do you think Henrik Larsson feels to know that he’s scored the same number of goals for Celtic in European finals as you?
:-)
natknow
Do I have any regrets from my Lions days? Not really. Of course, I will always regret leaving Celtic.
I would still have been playing in the hoops today, but I suppose being 70 years old might be a bit of a drawback!
Thanks for you good wishes regarding the book. I really enjoyed doing it and it’s a bit different from anything I have done in the past.
And, remember, I am happy to write a personalised message. Just contact Winning Captains The email address is david@CQNmagazine.com.
Tommy,
Do you believe Celtic need a strong The Rangers (soon to be The The Rangers) to thrive? Do you agree with the many former Celtic former who state, much to the irritation of the support that we, as a club and league need Rangers (whatever guise that may be in)
HH
Mr Gemmell, thank you for the reply to my questions, just one more if you wouldn’t mind.
Everyone knows that some of the Celts around your era had thier fair share of run ins with the authorities, the manager and were involved in incidents which could be described as disreputable or indeed illegal.
Do you have sympathy with the modern day footballers and the constant media attention which they have to endure, what with social media etc or do you think that they should be more aware of the pitfalls and risks associated with being in the public eye?
Frank Ryan’s Whiskey
14:58 on
16 May, 2014
=
Should read former players
Dearie me. Messed up a message to a Lion. Deep shame :-(
traditionalist88
It would be nice to think Celtic could win the Champions League.
To be honest, it’s difficult to envisage such a happening, but I have learned in football never to say never.
So, keep your fingers crossed.
As far as the domestic game is concerned, you always have to hope that there will be competition.
Celtic ran away with the title this season and it could happen again next year.
When I played, Rangers always had a strong team and there were the likes of Hibs, Hearts, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, the two Dundee teams putting in good shifts.
It made for a more exciting league.
Not sure if a league of 14 teams would be beneficial. I would just like to see teams around who will test Celtic and keep everything competitive.
Just so long as Celtic have the crown at the end of the day!
fred c. dobbs
It’s got to be the Celtic song that goes along the lines of, ‘Fallon, Young and Gemmell…’
That one always got the hairs standing to attention.
It was great, too, when the Celtic fans sang ‘Jimmy Johnstone on the wing’ because we all knew how much that meant to the Wee Man.
Same goes for ‘Feed The Bear’ for Big Yogi.
Wonder why they never put a ditty together for yours truly!
Thanks very much for the reply Tommy. Great reply. I wonder if you’d get the same reply from the current squad of Celtic? I dare say there’d be more chance than getting the same reply from man city.
Ps. First CQN post from the channel tunnel?
Hail hail
What happened when you went to Miami but didn’t play a game. Did you see many NASL games. Was it as farcical as it has been made out?
Mr Gemmell
Any thoughts on the relatively few international caps You, the Lions and other great Celts have been awarded by comparison to some in the Scotland team?
best wishes
Play
Thanks for replying Tommy.
All the best, indeed.
TBB
Tommy,
Sorry, that doesn’t sound right: you have always been Tommy Gemmell to me. It has always been my opinion that Joe McBride was the final piece in the jigsaw of the team that became the Lions. By that I mean, he scored the goals that gave the team the confidence to become the best Celtic team I have ever had the privelege to see. Do you agree?
Tommy Gemmell
Cheers Tommy, with you bhoys to aspire to we will do it again I am sure,
HH
Tommy,
Ronnie from Ottawa here…..many great memories of your visit to our wee Supporters Club all these years ago. We are still going strong, and our members send their best wishes to you.
Tommy Gemmell:’Wonder why they never put a ditty together for yours truly!’
——————————————–
We’ve got Tommy Tommy Tommy Tommy Gemmell
on the blog, on the blog…
etc
There ye go:)
HH
“Wonder why they never put a ditty together for yours truly!”
They did – “The Ugly Duckling”….
I’ll get ma coat…
savo011
I genuinely believe Celtic shield have won at least one more European trophy.
I know Davie Hay has stated this in the past and I’ve got to agree with him.
Maybe the Lions team was broken up too soon.
Also, Celti sold the likes of Davie, Kenny Dalglish and Lou Macari when they were at their peak.
Possibly, if Celtic had met their demands, they would have gone on to conquer Europe again.
As for leaving Celtic at the age of 28, I have to say I thought I had a lot more to give.
I thought I would see out my entire career at the club, but Big Jock had other ideas and you couldn’t argue with the manager.
But it was never the same after Celtic. They are a special, special club with the best fans on this planet.
Hi Tommy – an absolute pleasure to have you on the blog.
Question – do you think Celtic treat the Lisbon Lions with the respect that you deserve and if so has it always been the case?
Tommy, thanks for the answer to the penalty question.
That’s got me baffled now!
SOMEBODY missed a penalty against Clyde that day. ;-)
We won 2-1 in the end and the penalty was awarded when the score was 1-1. I was watching from the stand and from the angle we were watching, nobody was sure whether the ball had rebounded off the post or just been totally mis-hit.
A lot of the players were also shaking their heads and looking at each as if they were saying, “WTF happened there?”
lol
Thanks for the reply Tommy – much appreciated!
minx1888
Big Jock absolutely abhorred players showing the opposition they were struggling during a game.
Big Jock would expect you to disguise any injury, so it was just a case of getting on with it.
Wee Jinky was something else when we played against each other in training. Honestly, that wee chap had so much skill.
He would stick the ball through my legs and yell: “Nutmeg.”
I would let him do it a couple of times and then I would have a quiet word in his ear! I’ll let you use your imagination about the particular word!
—-
Thanks Tommy so just to clarify what you’re really saying is dead leg get on with it ya big Jessie :-)
BRTH
I played in goal when Ronnie Simpson was injured in games against Clyde and Ayr United. Ronnie, by the way, was never sent off.
I recall the Scottish Cup-tie at Shawfield when Ronnie went down very bravely at the feet of the Clyde forward Jimmy Quinn. Remarkably, Jimmy was a Celtic player on loan at Clyde and really shouldn’t have been playing against his parent club.
It was a flint hard surface and I went in to goal. I practised every day in training as a goalkeeper, so going into goal never fazed me.
That game ended goalless and we won the replay.
The Ayr United game was at Hampden and Ronnie took a sore one from their big centre-forward by the name of Dixie Ingram.
Again, I didn’t lose a goal and we won through.
Have I ever known Willie Wallace to carry cash? Good question.
Maybe he believes he’s like royalty and doesn’t need to carry cash!
Only joking, Wispy – see you in Lisbon!
Seems Anto and LG have had the oul baldy bits covered.
Tommy, do you think Celtic should do more to tap into their legion of fans from around the world?
Possibly capalise on the celebrity fan too.
I personally believe nurturing the Irish identity woulpropell our finances to greater heights. Think Irish, think Guinness….turn that into:
Think Irish, thinks Celtic
and we’re on to a winner, particularly the American/Irish diaspora.
*capitalise
It may be a while before we hear another Celtic says this Tommy
Tommy Gemmell
“We gave Real Madrid a doin an absolute goin over”
The Fooball Years 1967
Is it time Lennie came out and either nailed the daily rumours about him moving on or tell the Celtic support he is moving on ? Again to today more rumours about him and the Norwich job it is almost if you believe the rumours as though he is begging for the job.H.H.
setting free the bears
Is Alex Gordon, my co-author, the funny guy and not me? Well, he’s been a mate for several hundred years, so maybe my patter has rubbed off on him.
No, we had fun putting there book together and I hope that comes across in the pages.
Thanks for the words on Big Jock. Yes, of course, it is meant to be well-rounded. People, hopefully, won’t get the wrong impression.
I would never call Jock a liar. Okay, he may have been just a little conservative with the truth sometimes, but if you read the book you will see I am having a little bit of fun. Big Jock would have been the first to laugh, believe me.
Embdy got a no. for embramike they can pass me.
MWD
IGC
A slightly more ‘aggressive'(for want of a better word) marketing campaign would work wonders I think.
Looking at the bigger picture, Scottish football sells itself well short but first we have to improve the matchday ‘experience’ – for fans who wish to stand, fans who wish to sit, fans who wish to have a drink, fans who want to eat, fans who want to sing.
The EPL is not the best league out there but as Roy Keane said, its the best marketed – most of the league is made up of relatively small regional teams who are getting lots of free publicity just because of their location and not becuase of anything they have achieved.
This is what we’re up against at the moment.
HH
Joe Filippi’s haircut
Part of today’s rumours come from a supposed tweet by Garth Crooks saying Lennon to be confirmed in the next 48 hours.
The BBC have been very quick to release an announcement that the tweet was fake and that Garth Crooks is not even on twitter — but don’t expect to read about that anywhere unless you dig for it!
bada bing
I’ve mentioned all my favourite players in the book. Some may even surprise you.
Who was the most under-rated? Good question.
Charlie Gallagher was an excellent midfielder who could strike a lovely pass, but it was just his bad luck he was around when Bertie Auld was on the scene.
For me, Bertie was an outstanding player.
He and Bobby Murdoch dovetailed into one of the best midfield units in history. They were perfect together.
So, Charlie sat out most games, but he was a fine footballer.
Hi Tommy
I once heard Willie Henderson say you crossed a good winger. lol
Tommy
Just in, so if this has already been asked, apologies.
Of the top 4 sides from the continent, and the top 4 from the EPL, which side would you consider to have been most suited to you in terms of playing style?
Thanks Tommy G
Your book was a pleasure to read and, though I thought I had read a lot about the Big Picture of those times, you provide a lot of telling detail on the practices of football management, both Big Jock’s and your own.
I also have a higher opinion of Ronnie Simpson after reading what you wrote.
sydney tim
Yes, I enjoyed kicking David Baddiel when we did the ‘Pheonix from the Flames’ stint for TV. It was almost as good as kicking Helmut Haller!