Jimmy Johnstone - the Greatest Ever Celt IT was eight years ago today, on March 13, 2006, that the player voted the Greatest Ever Celt by supporters passed away after a long and courageous battle with Motor Neurone Disease. James Connolly Johnstone, known to his friends as Jimmy and to the wider footballing world as Jinky, was born in Viewpark on September 30, 1944, and he remained immensely proud of where he came from throughout his whole life. He signed for Celtic in November 1961 and made his debut for his beloved Hoops on March 27, 1963. It was a less than auspicious start to what would become a glorious career – Celtic lost 6-0 against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park – but it did not deter or dishearten the diminutive winger. Like many of his contemporaries, it was the arrival of Jock Stein at Celtic Park in 1965 which galvanised his career, and Jinky would go on to play a pivotal role in the unprecedented success Celtic enjoyed at home and in Europe over the next few years. The pinnacle of that was, of course, the European Cup triumph on May 25, 1967 when Celtic beat Inter Milan 2-1. Jinky, however, wasn’t content with just making his mark on that prestigious competition, and on Wednesday, June 7, 1967, in the Bernabeu Stadium, he and his team-mates provided the opposition for the great Alfredo Di Stefano’s testimonial. The legendary Read Madrid player may have been the focus of the night, but it was Jinky who grabbed all the headlines with a breathtaking display that had the Madrid fans shouting ‘Ole!’ at his every touch. Jinky stayed at Celtic until 1975, and made a total of 515 appearances for the club, scoring an impressive 130 goals. He remained an immensely popular figure amongst the Celtic support who, in 2003, voted him the Greatest Ever Celt. By that time, however, he was suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. He faced that battle against the toughest of opponents with incredible bravery and courage, always strengthened by the support of his family and the convictions of his faith. Sadly, Jimmy Johnstone passed away on March 13, 2006, and the Celtic support, as well as the wider footballing world, mourned his passing. A statue of Jinky stands outside the front of Celtic Park, alongside those of Brother Walfrid and Jock Stein, as a permanent memorial and a reminder to future generations of a wonderful player. And on this day, the Celtic family will say a prayer for the loss while also remembering the unique talents of a player who was always proud to wear his beloved green and white Hoops – Jimmy ‘Jinky’ Johnstone, the Greatest Ever Celt.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:47:34 +0000
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