It was a day of days today in Craigneuk as the local community and the Celtic family including Celtic manager Martin O’Neill, gathered for the unveiling of a statue for the Lanarkshire village’s most famous son, Celtic legend Tommy Gemmell…
And what a statue it is – created by artist Andy Edwards, it’s absolutely stunning just like the goals Tommy scored for Celtic including in two European Cup finals in Lisbon in 1967 and Milan in 1970. In all its magnificent glory Tommy Gemmell’s statue – made of steel – will stand for this generation and those that follow, in the heart of Tommy’s birthplace and hopefully will inspire future heroes to emerge, maybe even in the Hoops.
Tommy passed away on 2 March 2017 and over the past few years the Tommy Gemmell Project Committee set out their fund-raising initiatives to bring this project together and to honour Celtic’s Hot Shot in fitting fashion. This brilliant initiative was supported by North Lanarkshire Council’s Community Partnership Team and of course by Celtic supporters from all around the world.
Tommy’s wife, Mary Gemmell was there today for this very special occasion. Mary said: “It’s just incredible. The statue looks so like Tommy, the likeness is unbelievable. Andy Edwards has done such an outstanding job. When I first saw it properly, it really took my breath away.
“This has always been about more than a statue. It’s about bringing Tommy home and celebrating him in the community he loved so much. I can’t thank everyone enough for the support, the fundraising and the kindness shown throughout this whole journey.”
Martin McCrum from the Tommy Gemmell Project Committee, paid tribute to the sculptor and the community effort behind the project.
“Andy Edwards is an incredibly talented artist and he’s captured Tommy perfectly, the stance, the expression, even that quiet determination. It’s like he’s standing there ready to strike a ball again.
“I was lucky enough to call Tommy a close friend for many years. We travelled together, did business together, and spent hours talking, not just about football, but about Craigneuk. He never forgot his roots. He cared deeply about this area and the people in it.
“When Tommy passed, people said we needed a statue. At first, I wasn’t sure I was the right person to lead it. But after seeing the challenges our community faced, I knew we needed something positive. Something that could inspire hope.
“That’s why this has always been about more than a statue. It’s about giving the community something to believe in, a focus for good, and a reminder that someone from here made it to the very top, and never forgot where he came from.”
Provost Kenneth Duffy helped officially unveil the statue and he praised the wide range of support that made the event such a success.
“This has been a special day for Craigneuk and for North Lanarkshire. The council was proud to support the project, and I want to thank our events team, Community Partnership and Roads teams, and the staff at the Jim Foley Community Centre for their hard work behind the scenes to make today run so smoothly.
“A huge thank you as well to the pupils and teachers from Berryhill PS who took part in the ceremony, and to the council school pipe band for piping guests on the day, including well-known football figures from past and present. It was a real community celebration, just as Tommy would have wanted.
“The statue is not just a tribute to a footballing great, it is a symbol of community spirit, resilience and ambition. Tommy Gemmell is home. And his legacy now stands proudly in the place it all began.”
Hundreds gathered for the unveiling on 28 February, including current Celtic FC manager Martin O’Neill and club legends Roy Aitken, Tom Boyd, Peter Grant and Joe Miller. They were joined by a number of well-known faces, including actor Tony Roper.
Heartfelt thanks were extended to everyone who supported the project, donated, volunteered, attended fundraising events and came along on the day.
See the Tommy Gemmell statue photographs on the next page…
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...
