LAST WEEK we started a new series. We asked club Historian and author of countless Celtic books, David Potter to select The Celtic Star of the Decade for each and every decade since 1888.

Starting at the very beginning during Celtic’s early years, David opted for SANDY  McMAHON and you can read his Celtic story below.

Moving into the first decade of the 20th Century there really only could be one name that David Potter could opt for and that’s JIMMY QUINN who David named as The Celtic Star of the Decade for 1900-1909 Here’s why…

And David’s next pick for The Celtic Star for the club’s third decade running from 1910-1919 is none other that PATSY GALLACHER. You can read about The Mighty Atom here…

Then David Potter’s selection for the Celtic Star of the club’s fourth decade running from 1920-1929, who else could he go for but the one and only JIMMY McGRORY Read about Celtic 550 goal legend below…

Now the brief to David Potter was clear, select The Celtic Star of each decade. That means he doesn’t necessarily have to opt for a PLAYER for that decade, although it could quite easily be a former player that the Celtic historian opts for. For instance he may well opt for Jock Stein as The Celtic Star of the 1960s but he doesn’t. The ONLY decade that David has opted for a non-playing winner of The Celtic Star of the decade was the one we featured yesterday for the decade 1930-39.

Read David’s logic in choosing JIMMY McMENEMY as The Celtic Star of the Decade 1930-39 below…

And for David Potter’s selection for the Celtic Star of the club’s sixth decade running from 1940-1949, is the one and only CHARLES PATRICK TULLY.…

On Wednesday David selected The Celtic Star of the 1950s and he opted for Celtic’s Forgotten Hero BOBBY EVANS, here’s why…

And yesterday the Celtic Historian probably had his most difficult decision yet, choosing just one Celtic man from the 1960s? Who could he choose, maybe the manager Jock Stein or any one of Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Clark, Murdoch, Auld, Johnstone, Chalmers, Wallace, Lennox or maybe John Hughes, Joe McBride or John Fallon? Any of the above would have been a fine choice, but David has gone for the one Lisbon Lion we haven’t mentioned – the captain Billy McNeill.

And David reveals that the decision wasn’t that tough as we’d thought. It was rather easy actually.

So today the Celtic historian turns his attention to the 1970s when we started the decade with most of the Lisbon Lions still doing their thing and added to that we had the Quality Street Gang before ending the decade with the likes of Roy Aitken, Tommy Burns and George McCluskey all emerging. Lots of names within that lot for David Potter to choose from.

But after giving the matter careful consideration David Potter has chosen The Celtic Star of the Decade 1970-79 and that Celt is Lisbon Lion Bobby Lennox. David explains why he opted for the Buzzbomb on the next page…

The Celtic Star of the Decade

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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