Big Tommy Gemmell is associated forever with the LL and will go down in history as scoring the goal, which led the way for British and non Latin teams to achieve the unachievable, but when British footballing greats are mentioned his name rarely comes up, however I believe that he was crucial to Celtic in their Lisbon Lions days and not just for Lisbon alone. He was a great defender, better than given credit for, because his attacking play was incredible for a full back. Nowadays, FBs running 80 yards 20 times per game would be regarded as phenomenal, yet TG did this game after game. Apart from the obvious goals in Lisbon and Milan, I recall his crucial part in playing Fiorentina, a team tipped by the Italian media to win the EC, as they had gone through the season undefeated to win the title. To be honest, we were struggling against a superbly organised defence marshalled by their big CD, whom I think they had obtained from Vojvodina. After about 20 or so mins TG starts his forward forays into their red zone and starts to pepper their goal with ferocious shots. I was right behind the goal and their keeper and defence became very nervy and visibly shaken. They had planned on handling Murdochs passed inside the FB to Lennox and Jinky, they had shackled Bertie for a long while, but they did not know how to cope with big Tommys shots, which could have deflected anywhere. They literally went to pieces and I have always maintained that he was a grossly under rated player and was one of the world's greatest full backs in his day. For some reason though, he has never really had the acclaim he deserved IMO. I believe that we would never have won the EC without him. Perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay him is to say that the last sentence is in the eyes of Celtic supporters ............ Stating the obvious. 11? Goals in Europe as a FB, two in different European Cup finals and I recall he scored against Racing in the world club championship, not to mention is venturing into real estate to make one of Racings thugs a land owner with a couple of acres. I believe that with the passage of time his reputation will become legendary. I cannot help but think that his Danny Kay looks and personality make us shamefully over look him and take him for granted. I recall one occasion on Clyde when B DJ asked him if he thought the rfc team which had reached the semi final? Of the EC would beat the Lions........after several minutes of deliberation, to my disbelief, big Tommy says in a quiet voice, for once, YES. I think they would win 2-1. I couldn't believe my ears and DJ couldn't hide his elation as he exclaimed .....do you really think so? Big Tommy said, in a more assertive voice......yeah, but remember, Derek, we are all over 50 years old now......... Johnston just sighed. How good was Tommy Gemmell? Well, we wouldn't have achieved our greatest success without he. He was crucial. He was a full back. Most important of all.......... He shouldn't have been there to take that historic shot in the first place........ He was disobeying Big Jock's orders. Name me one other player, LISBON LION or otherwise who would have done that. We over look and under rate big TG because his personality surpassed his play..... And that says a lot, but perhaps it is time to remember that he must be one of the greatest full backs of all time, not just with Celtic, but any club or team. He was huge. Big Tommy Gemmell.
Never seen him play but I've met him a goood few times as I'm from the same neck of the woods as him. He's a nice guy! I remember hearing that story about how he took the piss out of Fat DJ...
I saw Tommy play on many occasions, he was a very good player but I hate to say it, he was no Danny McGrain.
Depend what you are looking for. Danny was a better defender, but I do not recall him ever being decisive in a game. He also played in a Scottish league which had deteriorated in quality since big Tommys day. Big Tommy gave us three of the greatest moments in our history at the highest level of the game. 1. He was first to break down the Inter defence and gave the team the lift they needed to go on and achieve what had never been achieved before or since by a British club. 2. He provided a pathway for a second EC, which through no fault of his we failed to take. 3. He opened a doorway for us to win the WCC which again we failed to do. Danny was great, but he was never so decisive in games. He never provided crucial turning points or potential turning points at the highest level of the game.
I saw him play quite a few times and I am sure he would say he was no Danny McGrain. Danny would also be the first to admit he was no Tammy Gemmell. Two different types of players, obviously Danny a better defender and tackler, But the big fellow had a shot like no one else, his shots were so powerful and Many of his goals were crucial. Many said he didn't have to be worried about His defending as his opposing wingers had to worry about him. That was before wide men were supposed to track back.
Agreed, but in many continental countries they were, Italy for one and as you say, they were more worried about him. We were blessed at that time with fab full backs, young, Craig, tommy, Danny and hay. Tommy had a ferocious shot but also incredibly accurate, causing keepers to pull off save after save. Rarely recall many of his shots going ridiculously wide of the mark.
Danny was on a different level from Tommy altogether, he was not noted for his goalscoring I agree, but he did not take penalties either. Nothing against Tommy as I said, but he was in all truth not half the player Danny was.
Dev wrong to try to compare. The funniest thing I ever saw by a player was when a Hun fan threw a beer can at Tommy, just missing him, Tommy give thumbs up towards were it came from, as if to thank, lifted the can as if to drink, before tossing it away as if he was disappointed that it was empty. The Huns had a special hatred of Tommy Which meant he must have been doing something right. We really did have good Full backs then, just among the first attacking full backs in World Football.
Too good as it turned out. There's a great story about Leighton James the Welsh winger who refused to play his natural position when facing Danny in the Home Internationals. When he took the field on the left wing he found Danny at RB.
I never heard that before. It really is hard to compare but the argument about being considered world class is fairly compelling. As Celtic fans we'd love to say that all the Lions were world class. They weren't. They were a world class team with maybe one world class player. Danny is easily and often overlooked but he was an elite player. One of very few we have had in the last 40 years.
Was Billy MacNeil not the most capped Lisbon Lion with 29 caps and you now look at the donkeys in the hall of fame with 50 caps .
Harry we have posted about this several times. Wee jimmy( as he was called then not Jinky)got capped about 23 times. Then players like Greig McKinnon and most of The rest of the Govan losers got capped far more . Bobby Murdoch was another truly world class player, I thought he really made the whole team click. The game hasn't changed in one main way. If the manager can devise a good way of playing to suit the players he has at his disposal. If the players can carry out his instructions perfectly then although world class players are more than useful , they are not completely essential. I think some of the Celtic players may get it difficult if they leave as N.l. has nearly got the team right to maximise their individual abilities to get maximum team result. Rebel bhoy was right about the Lisbon Lions, Stein got abetter team performance Than the sum of the players. We might just get it again under Neil.
Dev agreed there were some wonderful footballers in Scotland in that era. One thing is sure they didn't belong to Rangers who as we know Went through one of their barren times. Yet the Rangers players were continued to be selected even though they certainly were not the best. One of the few times Celtic got worthwhile numbers picked was before Lisbon when Stein preferred to have his players all together.
To show how parochial we are, I recall an Italian press rep talking about Alan Hansen of Liverpool and saying that 3 consecutive years he was voted best defender in the world, he then chuckled and said and scotland went with miller and MacLeish. The host of the prog also laughed, but a rather impolite belly laugh. Was in Italian with subtitles. Why did Busby buy Paddy Crerand and not Baxter.......because he rated Paddy a better player. Batters wembley as it is called in Scotland, yet the English media had Bremner as MOTM. Baxter was not involved in any of the goals. Actually a few years earlier he was MOTM at wembley when he scored the two goals, one a penalty and Scotland won 2-1. Ramsey called jimmy world class after he roasted emlyn Hughes at Hampden and scored two great goals past Banks from impossible angles, yet the media make no mention of it. Instead we have cooper lauded for a performance against holland in a friendly game. Btw paddy told the SFA to stick it because of their policy. One world class player we lost and then jimmy followed suit. How many others privately were lost......Aiden?
