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Daily Record
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
John Fallon dead aged 84 as Celtic mourn loss of another legendary Lisbon Lion
His death means that Jim Craig, Bobby Lennox, and Willie Wallace are the only players from the Lisbon Lions squad still living Lisbon Lion and former Celtic goalkeeper John Fallon has passed away aged 84. Remembered as the only member of the famous 1967 side not to play in the final, Fallon was the unused substitute goalkeeper as Jock Stein 's team famously beat Inter Milan in the final in Portugal. He is nonetheless recognised by the club as one of the Lions and remains a legend at Parkhead, where he made almost 200 appearances from 1958 to 1971. His death means that Jim Craig, Bobby Lennox, and Willie Wallace are the only players from the Lions squad still living. It comes less than a month after the sad death of John Clark. A Celtic statement reads: "Everyone at Celtic Football Club is deeply saddened at the news that former Celtic goalkeeper and Lisbon Lion, John Fallon, has passed away at the age of 84. "John joined Celtic in 1958 and went on to make almost 200 appearances for the club over a 14-year period. "He was part of the Celtic side that clinched the 1965 Scottish Cup, Jock Stein's first trophy win as manager, and he is well remembered for his acrobatic and joyous celebration that day as Billy McNeill's late winner ended an eight-year trophy drought for the Celts. "Throughout his time with Celtic, John helped the club to six league titles, five League Cups, two Scottish Cups and the European Cup, which was won in the heat of Lisbon in 1967. "John was Celtic's only substitute on that famous May evening in Portugal, when he and his team-mates entered in to football folklore by reaching the pinnacle of European football. "After leaving Celtic, John went on to play for Motherwell and Greenock Morton before retiring from the sport in the mid-1970s. "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."
STV News
04-07-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Celtic legends turn out for funeral of Lisbon Lion John Clark
Stars of Celtic's past and present have turned out for the funeral of club legend John Clark in Glasgow. Clark made over 300 appearances for the Hoops and was part of the club's famous Lisbon Lions team who won the European Cup by defeating Inter Milan in the Portuguese capital. The former defender, who was at Celtic for 50 years as a player, coach, assistant manager and kit man, died last week at the age of 84. His funeral service was held at St Mary's Church on Abercrombie Street in the Calton area, where Celtic were formed in 1887. SNS Group Lisbon Lion Jim Craig arrives SNS Group SNS Group Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers arrives SNS Group SNS Group Scott Brown and Neil Lennon arrive SNS Group SNS Group Kieran Tierney arrives. SNS Group SNS Group The funeral cortege of former Celtic legend and Lisbon Lion John Clark passes by Celtic Park. SNS Group Club icons such as fellow Lisbon Lion Jim Craig, former player and manager Neil Lennon, and ex-captain Scott Brown all attended the service. Current star Kieran Tierney, who recently returned to Parkhead, and manager Brendan Rodgers were also at the funeral. Roy Keane, former Celtic and Manchester United player, was also in attendance, as well as members of the club's board, including Peter Lawell and Dermot Desmond. Portuguese flags hung from the balconies inside the church during a service that also heard the Celtic anthem You'll Never Walk Alone played on the organ. The cortege then travelled down The Celtic Way, with fans gathering at the Parkhead stadium to say a final farewell. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
The John Clark moment that summed up his Celtic career with one flash of a Lisbon Lion boot
Fellow Lion Jim Craig is devastated by the news his old friend has passed away at the age of 84 Jim Craig nearly soiled himself at the sight of it, during the greatest game of his life. May 25, 1967. In the blistering sunshine at Lisbon's Estadio Nacional. Craig had abandoned his position - and not for the first time - to help lead the charge towards Inter Milan's goal. But when the Italians won back possession and began to break up the field, John Clark was left to deal with the danger of their counter. Again, this was not an unusual occurrence. Clark spent his entire Celtic career covering everyone else's back. But what happened next will live on inside Craig's mind's eye for the rest of time. He takes up the story: 'There was one moment which always comes to mind when I think about him. He was very, very calm at the best of times. 'But there was one moment in the Lisbon match which just about summed him up. 'They were on the attack at the time and I was rushing back up the park to try to help out. The ball came to Clarky and, very calmly, he backheeled it in the middle of the park! I just about wet myself to be fair! 'I couldn't believe that he had suddenly done that in the middle of the game. It was just amazing - but he got away with it. 'But that was him. He was calmness personified. He just read the whole thing very, very cleverly at the back. That was his great talent.' , came as the latest emotional hammer blow for Craig in particular and for the Celtic family in general. His qualities as a sure footed, secure sweeper made him a linchpin of Jock Stein's side. But, for his team mates, it was his qualities as a person which resonated most of all. Craig went on: 'Luggy was always an easy guy to get on with and a very pleasant guy to be with. He was also a very professional guy on the park as well. 'He had this great ability to read the game from the back. It must have been very annoying for him because Gemmill and I were both very often posted absent in our roles as full backs! 'Luggy would always just come across, fill in for you and wait for you to get back in place again and then we would go from there. It was terrific knowing we had cover like that behind us. 'But most of all, the thing about him was that he was such a nice man. And you can't ask for more than that, can you? 'He was a down to earth man who got involved in everything. He was just a really nice guy and that's more than you can say for a lot of people, isn't it?' Clark's passing means there are now only three surviving Lisbon Lions - Craig, Bobby Lennox and Willie Wallace - from the greatest triumph in Scottish football history. And it's enough to force Craig to contemplate his own mortality as the numbers continue to dwindle. He said: 'The numbers are dropping - and quite dramatically in recent years. It's not nice and it makes you think about yourself as well and wonder about your own future! 'That's why you've got to enjoy the moments when they come along. I had a wonderful moment myself yesterday watching my grand daughter Cara who is 14, playing for her local team - Riverside in Stirling - in the final of the Scottish age group cup. 'She scored a hat-trick all with her left foot which is more than her grandfather could ever have achieved! 'So you've got to accept these wee moments like a wee boost from heaven and get on with your life. 'But my best wishes go to John and his family and obviously I'll get to do that in person at the funeral.' Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell said: 'John's passing represents a massive loss to his own family and of course a huge loss to the wider Celtic family. 'A very dear friend and colleague, John was actually a hero to me and so many others, someone who achieved the greatest feat of all in club football but did so, along with his great team mates with such grace and humility. 'That famous day in Lisbon, which John was such an integral part of, changed our club forever. Ever since, each player who has passed through our club has stood on the shoulders of giants and John was certainly one of those giants.' 'John gave his life to Celtic both as a player and on our staff in a variety of his roles and his contribution to our great club over so many decades is immeasurable'. 'John was a fantastic husband, father and grandfather. Such a warm, gentle, and unassuming man. It was an absolute privilege to have known John. Rightly he will forever be regarded as one of Celtics greatest ever servants. 'He will be someone we will all miss so dearly and we send all our love, our thoughts and prayers to John's family.'
Press and Journal
31-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Aberdeenshire engineering boss Jim Craig on how he created £10m family business empire
Jim Craig's journey from a hands-on apprentice to the founder of Aberdeen-headquartered JCE Group is a story of determination, family values, and entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up he had a knack for fixing things and showed particular interest in radios. After leaving Torry Academy at the age of 15, he started an apprenticeship which was the start of his journey to building a successful business. Now the 79-year-old is founder and chairman of off-grid and grid-connected renewable energy solutions specialist JCE Group with a turnover of £9.8 million. The dad-of-three always had a 'hankering' to be his own boss but to be able to share it with his family has 'made it all worth it'. During his time at school Jim wasn't entirely sure what career path he wanted to take. But he did know that he had a keen interest in fixing things. It was this which led him to join Dow & Nicholson as an apprentice winder in 1960. He said: 'My father tried to get me to go into engineering but I wasn't very keen on it. 'I dabbled a lot with radios and stuff like that and had a knack for electrical things. So I ignored my father's advice and followed my own gut feeling. 'Dow & Nicholson were seen as the premier electrical company in Aberdeen. 'So I went there and served my time as an apprentice winder.' In the late 1960s Dow & Nicholson was then taken over by mechanical and engineering firm Balfour Kilpatrick. Jim, also dad to Jackie, said: 'My boss at that time was reading things in the P&J, regarding some kind of activity that was going on in the North Sea. He asked if I would like to go and find out about it. 'So they gave me a little white van and I started going around the doors to find out what this activity was.' It was of course the start of the oil and gas industry and Jim found himself speaking to a number of companies including BP and Shell. The company transitioned from quarries and granite manufacturers to the marine oil and gas. Jim, who married Sandra in 1963, said: 'As the momentum grew, so did the amount of companies switching to oil and gas. 'I remember bumping in to Ian Wood as a young lad when he worked for his father's company Wood and Davidson. He was a bit of a hippie then. 'I also saw Jimmy Milne. There was a whole bunch of young, enthusiastic people.' In his mid 20s, Jim became offshore manager for the firm and travelled around the world to places such as Norway and the Middle East describing it as 'an exciting time for a young lad'. By 1979, Jim had 100 people working for him but it was then he started to realise the ambition to be his own boss and a 'hankering' to work for himself. JCE Group was formed and he started to work for Shell, specialising in the explosion proof (EX) business. Turnover for his first year of business was £55,000 with only himself as an employee. Two years later, in 1981, he made the decision to stop working offshore and started his own control engineering business onshore. The great-grandad-of-three said: 'By that time, I felt confident enough because of my connections in the industry. 'I knew a lot of people. I could go knocking on doors, which I had to do to gain business. 'One of the first things was approach an old school pal of mine who was the managing director of Richard Irvin. 'He gave me an office in the Richard Irvin building in the quay and a shed in York Place and we started building control panels.' One of Jim's first members of staff was his daughter Alison Cox who joined straight from school at the age of 16. A short time later Jim was given the opportunity to buy the European assets of American company Crouse-Hinds. To do the deal he and Sandra had to remortgage their home and he admits it's a move that kept him awake for 'many nights'. It was then Jim's son Martin joined the firm. Both Alison and Martin are now joint managing directors of the JCE Group which currently employs 55 people. JCE continued to grow and they made the move to a new factory in Tullos before relocating to Wellheads Industrial Estate in Dyce in 1988. JCE Group was there for 10 years before, in 1999, Jim decided to take another big step for the business. He said: 'We made a decision that we didn't want to pay rent anymore. 'Because we were reasonably well off, we decided to build our own factory in Blackburn Industrial Estate which was new and starting off. 'It's ironic. The industry was dead again as there'd been another crash. 'I remember standing outside with Martin and we looked at this huge building and said, 'are we mad?' 'And we both said, 'no, we're not mad, we're going to carry on'. '26 years later it's the best move we ever made.' The industry recovered and JCE Group became the only EX manufacturer in Scotland. Jim, who is chairman of the Grampian MS Therapy Centre, said: 'We're the only one left and I think we will soon be the only one in the UK. 'Our competition is mainly in Spain and Italy. We're in a niche market. 'EX needs a lot of professionalism, intelligence, and making sure that whatever you do is 100% correct and safe. 'We've been in business since the early 80s, in the EX market, and we've never had one complaint. 'Not even a murmur.' Although Jim turns 80 in September he's got no intentions of stepping back from the business. The keen gardener has hopes one day of his grandchildren taking over the running of the firm. He said: 'We're a true family company. 'It is my intention, my wish, or my hope that the grandchildren within the company will take over from their parents. 'Martin and Alison run the business and I do business development and look after the youngsters. 'As long as I'm happy and healthy I'll still be here.' Jim has come a long way from his time as a young boy growing up in Torry and would always encourage anyone who dreams of starting their own business to give it a go. He said: 'I would congratulate the person and let them know the easiest stage is starting a business. 'The difficulty comes from staying in business. But this is overcome by hard work and keeping on top of cash flow. Try not to borrow and work within your means. 'If you do this, you'll enjoy the experience. 'I really take my hat off to anybody who wants to start a business, because I think everybody should.'
Belfast Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
UDA tried to kill leader Andy Tyrie ‘over links to rogue loyalist'
Exclusive | Late UDA godfather Andy Tyrie was targeted for murder by the terror gang over allegations he was receiving kickbacks from loyalist racketeer Jim Craig. Details of the plot are revealed in prison journals written by Army agent Brian Nelson, who with the help of his handlers shipped South African weapons into Northern Ireland which were used in hundreds of UDA and UVF murders during the 1980s and 1990s.
