And where does one start to talk about Bobby Lennox? Well, the second top scorer, behind only Jimmy McGrory for a start, but there was so much more to him than that…
He first appeared in 1962 without impressing anyone too much, but he worked hard in the reserves and when Stein arrived he teamed up with Bertie Auld on the left in a fluid, interchanging left wing with Lennox the speed and Auld the craft.
It was indeed the speed that made many supporters convinced that he would have scored many more goals if linesmen could have believed how fast he really was. He was particularly good against Rangers with John Greig often bewildered by his pace.
But he was also a good team man. There were loads of good forwards in that squad, and Jock interchanged them with Lennox often being the unfortunate man to lose out.
Bobby, the ideal team man never complained, and he never showed the slightest desire (apart from a brief sojourn in the USA) to leave Celtic under Stein and his friend Billy McNeill. He eventually retired in 1980, having been at Celtic Park for early 20 years.
He won 10 Scottish caps, and no fewer than 11 Scottish League medals, 8 Scottish Cup medals and 5 Scottish League Cup medals, and of course one European Cup medal. He was also the first ever Celtic player to score at Wembley.
David Potter
*From The Celtic Star archives, celebrating the brilliant Celtic writing of the late David Potter.
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