9. The Celtic Star of the Decade – 1970-1979 – Bobby Lennox..
This man is good enough to have been the player of TWO decades because, although his glory days were very definitely in the 1960s, he played on for Celtic (apart from a very brief spell in the USA) until 1981, having signed from Ardeer Recreation in 1961 and made his debut in 1962.
There is very little that one can find fault with in Bobby Lennox.
He simply wanted to play, and he was a Manager’s dream in that he always worked hard, turned up for training and on the odd occasion when he was surplus to requirement (usually for one particular game) there was an agreeable lack of huff taking and spoilt-brat behaviour that did, sadly, manifest itself in others.
He also played a vital part on keeping Jimmy Johnstone on the rails – and talking about rails, I recall Aberdeen Railway Station one day in about 1966 when the team and supporters disembarked from the train – Stein barking orders to porters about the hamper and the players talking to the supporters and attracting the attention of the douce Aberdeen matrons there to welcome their aged mother back from holiday – when there they were – the Likely Lads, Johnstone and Lennox, arms round each others shoulders singing “Roll Over Beethoven”, a current Beatles song. Stein did not exactly smile, but he shook his head and realised that Lennox was doing a fine job with the mercurial Jimmy.
He did a fine job on the park as well, scoring 273 goals in 571 games, making him second only to Jimmy McGrory.
His greatest asset was his speed, and his ability to run on and score goals, but the fact that he trained so hard and was so conscientious and loved football and Celtic so much, meant that he played (often as a willing substitute) throughout the 1970s, enjoying a great relationship with his former captain, now Manager and always great friend, Billy McNeill.
Look, if you will, on You Tube at the 1980 Scottish Cup final, and watch the only goal of the game. Observe the immediate aftermath. Whose is the joyful face that you see hopping about with glee? None other than the enthusiastic, loyal and evergreen Bobby Lennox!
A shy, retiring man, he was genuinely embarrassed when his home town of Saltcoats erected a statue for him. But we weren’t. Bobby Lennox is one of the greatest Celts on them all.
He won 11 Scottish League medals, 8 Scottish Cup medals and 5 Scottish League Cup medals. He played 10 times for Scotland, and scored in the famous 1967 victory at Wembley. Not a bad career at all!
David Potter
Some additional reading about Bobby Lennox on The Celtic Star…
Brilliant Video – Celtic in 1980, interviews with Billy McNeill, Johnny Doyle and Bobby Lennox…see HERE.
Celtic’s 50 Flags – Bobby Lennox scored, after 12 long years, Celtic were Champions…see HERE.
It’s Bobby Lennox Day! The men who gave us The Celtic Star…see HERE.
‘Room 107! A wee story about Bobby Lennox on his big day,’ Cairney…see HERE.
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