logo
Celtic's '12th Lisbon Lion' John Fallon dies aged 84

Celtic's '12th Lisbon Lion' John Fallon dies aged 84

Glasgow Times10 hours ago
Fallon was the only Celtic substitute when Jock Stein's side beat Inter Milan 2-1 in the Portuguese capital to win the European Cup in 1967.
The Cambuslang-born goalkeeper joined Celtic in 1958 and made almost 200 appearances over a 14-year period.
John Fallon, left, joined former Celtic team-mates at the unveiling of Billy McNeil's statue in Bellshill in 2022 (Andrew Milligan/PA)
He played in the team that kick-started Celtic's trophy success under Stein with victory over Dunfermline in the 1965 Scottish Cup final and went on to collect 14 winners' medals in total before leaving for Motherwell. He also had a brief spell with Morton before retiring.
A statement from the Scottish champions read: 'His love for Celtic, however, was a constant throughout the years, and he followed the club at home and away for the rest of life.
'His passing comes as a great sadness to us all, and the thoughts and prayers of everyone connected with Celtic Football Club are with his family and friends at this sad time.'
Fallon was reunited with his European Cup winners' medal in 2019, having lost it in the wake of the final.
John Fallon arrives for the funeral of John Clark, at St Mary's Church, Glasgow, last month (Jane Barlow/PA)
The memento was donated to Celtic, who returned it to its rightful owner.
Speaking at the time, Fallon told the Celtic website: 'We were wading through scores of fans to get off the park and into the dressing room. It's such a great memory.
'We'll never forget it, and it's something everyone should be proud of. For the Celtic supporters, we gave them something to look at that nobody else could.'
Fallon attended the funeral of fellow Lisbon Lion John Clark last month.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

So can Russell Martin and his new recruits bring success at Rangers?
So can Russell Martin and his new recruits bring success at Rangers?

The National

time39 minutes ago

  • The National

So can Russell Martin and his new recruits bring success at Rangers?

Hope has sprung eternal among the Light Blues hordes that Mark Warburton, Pedro Caixinha, Steven Gerrard, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale and Philippe Clement have the smarts and the steel needed to lead them to silverware every summer during the past decade or so. And eternally optimistic fans have always been eager to see if the close season recruits who their new or newish manager has brought on board during turbulent weeks of wholesale change have the ability and mentality required to turn them into the dominant side in Scotland and a force in Europe. Rarely has the early promise which Rangers supporters have witnessed in the opening fixture ever been built upon – they have lifted the Scottish title on just one occasion since winning promotion to the top flight in 2016 – but still they flock through the turnstiles in their numbers at the beginning of every new campaign. Read more: Last night was no different. There was not a spare seat in the house to be had as James Tavernier and his team-mates launched their bid to reach the Champions League league phase with a second qualifying round meeting with Panathinaikos of Greece at home. So will Bears be growling once again about their board's poor choice of head coach and their hierarchy's stupidity for sanctioning the signings of footballers who are clearly not up to the task come October? Or are the new owners - a consortium that comprises 49ers Enterprises and American healthcare tycoon Andrew Cavenagh, who was in attendance for the first meaningful fixture of his reign as chairman – poised to deliver the success which the Glasgow giants' legions of followers have long craved? It would be wrong to read too much into this outing. It was only the second time that Russell Martin's men, who drew 2-2 with Club Brugge of Belgium at Ibrox earlier this month, had played in front of supporters. Only three new boys, Nasser Djiga, Max Aarons and Joe Rothwell, were named in the starting line-up. Rangers will need more matches to familiarise themselves with their manager's formation and gameplan in a competitive environment. It would be premature to judge them after this tough 90 minutes against decent opposition. They have only been training as a group for four weeks. Many of them for far less than that. (Image: Andrew Milligan) Will the front three of Findlay Curtis, Danilo and Kieran Dowell be seen again in the coming 10 months? It was far from the first choice forward line. Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers not being fully fit was a blow for Martin. Still, it is safe to say there is, despite the vital victory, room for improvement going forward. It is not an exaggeration to state that Rangers fans were not entirely impressed with what they witnessed during much of the evening. They lived dangerously at times and will need to do better in Athens next week to progress further in the continent's elite club competition. Rangers were bright early on. Spectators were struck by how Tavernier and Aarons pushed up and inside when the hosts were in possession. Central midfielder Rothwell was direct and used the ball well. Djiga was comfortable at the back. Are they significant upgrades on the players they replaced? Only time will tell. Former Scotland centre-half Martins was as vocal and animated in his technical area as he was on the pitch in his playing days. He shouted instructions and gesticulated wildly from kick-off to the final whistle. He was certainly not slow to express his displeasure to fourth official Robertas Smitas if he felt that Lithuanian referee Donatas Rumsas had made a bad decision. But he would not have been happy at the ease with which Rui Vitoria's charges cut through his rearguard. His team would have been beaten had it not been for the outstanding saves which Jack Butland produced. His goalkeeper, who was dropped by his predecessor Barry Ferguson at the tail end of last season, denied Facundo Pelistri, Tasos Bakasetas and Filip Duricic brilliantly. Read more: The ex-MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton manager is clearly not afraid to give youth a chance. Curtis struggled to cope with the pace and physicality of the game at times. But the 18-year-old, who was making his first European start, stuck to his task impressively and broke the deadlock in sensational fashion to more than justify his selection. He was a worthy recipient of the Man of the Match award. The Auchenhowie academy graduate will take confidence from his mature showing. (Image: Andrew Milligan) Djedi Gassama came on along with Dessers and Igamane to make his bow in the closing stages. The former Paris Saint-Germain kid, a £2.2m acquisition from Sheffield Wednesday, promptly netted a second, a carbon copy of the first, to send the majority of the 49,548-strong crowd wild. The 21-year-old winger ensured the night finished on a hugely positive note. But Martin will want to see more ruthlessness in the final third, greater cohesion in the middle of the park and better organisation at the back. Tavernier stated at the pre-match press conference that fans will not have witnessed a style of football like the one his new manager wants his side to play before. That was not exactly evident against Panathinaikos. But these remain early days and there were certainly signs that more is to come. The hope remains.

So can Russell Martin and his new recruits bring success at Rangers?
So can Russell Martin and his new recruits bring success at Rangers?

The Herald Scotland

timean hour ago

  • The Herald Scotland

So can Russell Martin and his new recruits bring success at Rangers?

And eternally optimistic fans have always been eager to see if the close season recruits who their new or newish manager has brought on board during turbulent weeks of wholesale change have the ability and mentality required to turn them into the dominant side in Scotland and a force in Europe. Rarely has the early promise which Rangers supporters have witnessed in the opening fixture ever been built upon – they have lifted the Scottish title on just one occasion since winning promotion to the top flight in 2016 – but still they flock through the turnstiles in their numbers at the beginning of every new campaign. Read more: Last night was no different. There was not a spare seat in the house to be had as James Tavernier and his team-mates launched their bid to reach the Champions League league phase with a second qualifying round meeting with Panathinaikos of Greece at home. So will Bears be growling once again about their board's poor choice of head coach and their hierarchy's stupidity for sanctioning the signings of footballers who are clearly not up to the task come October? Or are the new owners - a consortium that comprises 49ers Enterprises and American healthcare tycoon Andrew Cavenagh, who was in attendance for the first meaningful fixture of his reign as chairman – poised to deliver the success which the Glasgow giants' legions of followers have long craved? It would be wrong to read too much into this outing. It was only the second time that Russell Martin's men, who drew 2-2 with Club Brugge of Belgium at Ibrox earlier this month, had played in front of supporters. Only three new boys, Nasser Djiga, Max Aarons and Joe Rothwell, were named in the starting line-up. Rangers will need more matches to familiarise themselves with their manager's formation and gameplan in a competitive environment. It would be premature to judge them after this tough 90 minutes against decent opposition. They have only been training as a group for four weeks. Many of them for far less than that. (Image: Andrew Milligan) Will the front three of Findlay Curtis, Danilo and Kieran Dowell be seen again in the coming 10 months? It was far from the first choice forward line. Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers not being fully fit was a blow for Martin. Still, it is safe to say there is, despite the vital victory, room for improvement going forward. It is not an exaggeration to state that Rangers fans were not entirely impressed with what they witnessed during much of the evening. They lived dangerously at times and will need to do better in Athens next week to progress further in the continent's elite club competition. Rangers were bright early on. Spectators were struck by how Tavernier and Aarons pushed up and inside when the hosts were in possession. Central midfielder Rothwell was direct and used the ball well. Djiga was comfortable at the back. Are they significant upgrades on the players they replaced? Only time will tell. Former Scotland centre-half Martins was as vocal and animated in his technical area as he was on the pitch in his playing days. He shouted instructions and gesticulated wildly from kick-off to the final whistle. He was certainly not slow to express his displeasure to fourth official Robertas Smitas if he felt that Lithuanian referee Donatas Rumsas had made a bad decision. But he would not have been happy at the ease with which Rui Vitoria's charges cut through his rearguard. His team would have been beaten had it not been for the outstanding saves which Jack Butland produced. His goalkeeper, who was dropped by his predecessor Barry Ferguson at the tail end of last season, denied Facundo Pelistri, Tasos Bakasetas and Filip Duricic brilliantly. Read more: The ex-MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton manager is clearly not afraid to give youth a chance. Curtis struggled to cope with the pace and physicality of the game at times. But the 18-year-old, who was making his first European start, stuck to his task impressively and broke the deadlock in sensational fashion to more than justify his selection. He was a worthy recipient of the Man of the Match award. The Auchenhowie academy graduate will take confidence from his mature showing. (Image: Andrew Milligan) Djedi Gassama came on along with Dessers and Igamane to make his bow in the closing stages. The former Paris Saint-Germain kid, a £2.2m acquisition from Sheffield Wednesday, promptly netted a second, a carbon copy of the first, to send the majority of the 49,548-strong crowd wild. The 21-year-old winger ensured the night finished on a hugely positive note. But Martin will want to see more ruthlessness in the final third, greater cohesion in the middle of the park and better organisation at the back. Tavernier stated at the pre-match press conference that fans will not have witnessed a style of football like the one his new manager wants his side to play before. That was not exactly evident against Panathinaikos. But these remain early days and there were certainly signs that more is to come. The hope remains.

'Go Ahead reject Celtic bid for winger Breum'
'Go Ahead reject Celtic bid for winger Breum'

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

'Go Ahead reject Celtic bid for winger Breum'

Celtic reportedly have an offer turned down for Danish winger Jakob Breum as a Scotland squad goalkeeper is told he is being sent out on loan after slipping to fourth choice at his club... Go Ahead Eagles have rejected a £1.5m offer from Celtic for Danish winger Jakob Breum, with the 21-year-old valued by the Dutch club at £5m. (The Herald), externalCeltic are set to up the ante to try to finally seal the transfer of Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha despite the clubs being unable to agree a fee after talks over multiple weeks and the 24-year-old's agent saying there had been no discussions with the Scottish champions. (Daily Record), externalRennes have been revealed as the French club who have stolen a march on Celtic in the chase for Cluj striker Louis Munteanu, with French media claiming a fee of just under £10.5m has been agreed for the 23-year-old. (Foot Sur 7 via Daily Record), externalCluj head coach Dan Petrescu has revealed he will hold talks with Louis Munteanu to see if the striker is ready to play in Europa League qualifying on Thursday amid interest from Celtic and clubs in France. (The National), externalCeltic are accelerating moves to bring in a central midfielder and a centre-back this summer. (Football Insider), external Having been on Rangers' radar this summer, 24-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Carl Rushworth is to join Coventry City on a season-long loan. (Daily Record), externalScotland international Cieran Slicker will be sent out on loan after the 22-year-old was told he is now Ipswich Town's fourth-choice goalkeeper. (The Herald), externalSt Mirren are trying agree a fee with Cork City to secure Malik Dijksteel this summer after the 24-year-old winger agreed to sign at the end of his contract in January. (Daily Record), externalHeart of Midlothian agreed a fee of £120,000 to sign 23-year-old Albanian winger Sabah Kerjota from Italian third-tier club Sambenedettese on Tuesday. (Edinburgh Evening News), externalDunfermline Athletic have turned down a fresh bid from Crawley Town for 22-year-old versatile midfielder Ewan Otoo. (Daily Record), externalIn addition to reported interest in Celtic midfielder Kyle Ure, 19, Partick Thistle want to sign 20-year-old goalkeeper Josh Clarke on loan from the Scottish champions. (Glasgow Times), external

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store