Jim Craig was joined by former Celtic stars Frank McAvennie and Peter Grant at Grace’s earlier today for the launch of a campaign to build a statue for the Lisbon Lion in Govan, where the Lisbon Lion grew up…
The campaign by the Jim Craig Govan Foundation was launched today with the objective being to erect a statue of Scottish football legend Jim Craig in Govan. Chairman of The Jim Craig Govan Foundation, Matt McGlone, delivered a presentation of the Foundation’s aims and was joined by sculptor John McKenna.
The 82-year-old Celtic legend got arguably the most important assist in Celtic’s illustrious unbroken history when he squared the ball from right to left at the edge of the Inter Milan penalty area in the European Cup Final for Tommy Gemmell to score the Celtic equaliser. The Celts went onto win 2-1 with Stevie Chalmers getting the winning in the closing stages.
Jim Craig made 231 appearances for Celtic, winning seven league titles, four Scottish Cups, three League Cups and of course the European Cup in Lisbon on 25th May 1967.
Currently a club Ambassador, Jim is also a leading Celtic historian and of course he spend his working career as a dentist, finishing up working in Stirling. Jim Craig grew up in Govan and that’s where the statue will be located.
Bobby Lennox has a wonderful statue in Saltcoats, Billy McNeill has one in Bellshill and also outside of Celtic Park at the bottom of the Celtic Way and more recently Tommy Gemmell’s statue was unveiled in his hometown of Craigneuk in Lanarkshire.
Speaking to STV this afternoon Jim Craig said it’s a real privilege to think that a statue is being planned in his honour.
“I never thought I would be immortalised in picture, never mind in stone,” the Celtic legend said. “I’ve been fortunate to go through my life as a Lisbon Lion where I get treated very well wherever I go – apart from Ibrox I suppose.
“It’s a privilege to hear there’s a statue being done. Everyone played their part in the iconic team. I feel so lucky to have played with them,” Jim Craig said.
Plans have been unveiled to immortalise Celtic legend Jim Craig with a statue in Govan. https://t.co/pX7rrtI0Tz pic.twitter.com/SN1KJBhATt
— STV News (@STVNews) March 25, 2026
Find out more about this brilliant innovative over at jimcraiggovanfoundation.co.uk
Post your own thoughts in the comments section below…
Quick Tip – Add thecelticstar.com as your ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the Celtic content you value the most. It takes just a few seconds and you’ll notice the difference straight away! – Click HERE….Hail Hail!
Introducing The Celtic Star App and our new ad-free Premium Service...
Go ad-free on The Celtic Star, get a FREE trial period to try it out. Also download our new App – available for both Apple and Android – and get the best Celtic content on your phone without fighting through pop-up ads and being forced to watch videos.
Our new PREMIUM service comes with a free seven-day trial so you can look before you book. If you are happy to continue the price will be just 99p per month or £9.99 for the year. For that you get an AD-FREE SITE plus access to our premium content, and you’ll also help us make The Celtic Star even better and less reliant on advertising revenues, allowing us to be more focused on publishing the best Celtic features on the internet.
Click HERE to access your FREE trial. We think you’ll like it! We’re Obsessed with Celtic and we think you are too! Join us hand in hand...
Ive had the pleasure of meeting Jim a few times in the past and he is a true gentleman. We talked about teeth, football and he told me a few stories about combining his studies with becoming a legend with the Lions. He certainly deserves all the recognition coming his way as he was brilliant company.
Hail Hail
Get these statues on the park soon.