Wikipedia

Jimmy Johnstone

James Connolly Johnstone (30 September 1944 – 13 Mairch 2006) wis a Scots fitbaw player that played as an ootside richt. Kent as "Jinky" fir es elusive dribblin style, Johnstone played fir Celtic fir 13 year, an wis pairt o the 'Lisbon Lions', the team that won the 1967 European Cup Final, as weel as winnin nine consecutive Scottish championships. He scored 129 goals fir Celtic in 515 appearances[5] an wis votit the club's greatest iver player by fans in 2002.[5][3]

Jimmy Johnstone
Johnstone in Amsterdam (1971)
Personal information
Fou name James Connolly Johnstone[1]
Date o birth 30 September 1944(1944-09-30)
Place o birth Viewpark, Scotland
Date o daith 13 Mairch 2006(2006-03-13) (aged 61)
Place o daith Uddingston, Scotland
Hicht 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)[2][3]
Playin poseetion Ootside richt
Hauflin career
1958–1959 Celtic
1959–1961 Viewpark Boys Guild
1961–1962 Celtic
1961–1962 → Blantyre Celtic (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1975 Celtic 308 (82)
1975 San Jose Earthquakes 10 (0)
1975–1977 Sheffield United 11 (2)
1977 Dundee 3 (0)
1977–1978 Shelbourne 9 (0)
1978–1979 Elgin City 18 (2)
Total 359 (149)
Naitional team
1964 Scotland U23 2 (0)
1964–1974 Scotland 23 (4)
1964–1970[4] Scottish League XI 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances an goals coontit for the domestic league anerly

Johnstone also won 23 caps for Scotland. He finished third in votin fir the 1967 Ballon d'Or, an wis inductit intae the Scottish Fitbaw Hall o Fame whan it wis inauguratit in 2004.[6]

Rodger Baillie cried Johnstone a "genius who lived by magic and mischief",[7] an Hugh McIlvanney wrate that nae ither player "besieged opponents with such a complex, concentrated swirl of deceptive manoeuvres or ever conveyed a more exhilarating sense of joy in working wonders with the ball."[8]

Club career

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Celtic

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Johnstone made his first team debut fir Celtic oan 27 Mairch 1963 in a 6–0 defeat awey tae Killie in the league.[9] His next appearance came a month later, awey against Herts. He wis again oan the losin side (4–3), bit scored his first senior goal.[9] Whit in spite ae the defeats, Johnstone's performances won him a plaice in the team fir the Scottish Cup Final oan 4 Mey 1963 against Rangers. The young winger turned in a fair braw performance, helpin Celtic to a decent 1–1 draw wae his confident dribblin. He would huv scored a goal anaw bit it wis disallowt due tae a foul moments earlier by teammate John Hughes.[10][11] Inexplicably, Johnstone wis drapt fir the replay an Celtic wir outplayed by Rangers, whae ran oot comfortable 3–0 winners.[10][12]

 
Statue o Johnstone at Celtic Park by Kate Robinson

The followin saison saw Johnstone establish himsel as a regular in the side. He played in 25 league games, scorin six goals.[13] He also helpt Celtic get tae the semi-finals o the European Cup Winners' Cup, scorin against FC Basel in a 5–0 win at Parkheid in the first roond, an then against MTK Budapest in a 3–0 win in the first leg o the semi-final. Celtic, however, lost 4–0 in the return match in Hungary an wir knocked oot oan aggregate.[14]

Celtic wir strugglin throughoot the 1960s til Jock Stein arrived at the club in 1965.[15] By this time Johnstone was strugglin tae hod doon a regular spot in the first team. Oan arrival at Celtic, Stein hud doubts aboot Johnstone, considerin him too much o an individual player, tae the overall detriment o the team, an he left him oot o the team fir the 1965 Scottish Cup Final.[16] Johnstone soon won Stein ewer wi his skill, and won his first winner's medal on 23 October 1965 when he played in Celtic's 2–1 win ewer Rangers in the Scottish League Cup Final.[17] His 32 league appearances an nine goals that saison helpt Celtic win their first league title in 12 year.[13][18] Johnstone also helpt Celtic reach their second European semi-final, scorin twa times against Go Ahead Eagles en route,[2] afore losin 2–1 oan aggregate tae Liverpool in the Cup Winners' Cup.[14]

Johnstone wis wan o the "Lisbon Lions", the team that won the then cried European Cup fir Celtic in 1967.[19] In an early roond tie against Nantes, Johnstone's trickery oan the wing wid see him dubbed "the Flying Flea" by the French pippers,[2][19] while his performances over that season saw him finish third in the European Footballer of the Year award.[19]

A fortnight eftir thir European Cup win, Celtic played Real Madrid oan 7 June 1967 in a testimonial match fir the noo retired Alfredo Di Stefano. In front o ewer a hunner thoosant fans at the Bernabéu Stadium, the sides engaged in a keenly fought contest that saw Bertie Auld an Real Madrid's Amancio sent aff. Di Stefano played fir the first 15 minute, bit it wis Jimmy Johnstone whae stole the show wae an exhilaratin performance that hud even the Spanish supporters chantin "Olé!" throughoot the game. Johnstone capped an outstandin performance by playin the pass tae Bobby Lennox fir the only goal in a 1–0 win fir Celtic.[20][21]

 
Johnstone's statue at Viewpark Memorial gairden by John McKenna

Johnstone was feart o flying, which Jock Stein used tae great effect oan wan occasion. Afore the first leg o a European tie against Red Star Belgrade at Parkheid in November 1968, Stein telt Johnstone that, if Celtic won by four goal, he wouldnae huv tae travel tae Yugoslavia fir the second leg. Johnstone went oan to huv a stunnin game, scorin twa times an providin assists fir the er three goal in a 5–1 win.[2][19][15] He helped Celtic git tae a further European Cup Final in season 1969–70. His performance in the second leg o the semi-final against Leeds United at Hampden Park was particularly braw,[2] an his mazy run in the second half set up Bobby Murdoch tae score a rocket fir Celtic's winnin goal in a 2–1 victory oan the nicht.[22][23] Leeds' defender Terry Cooper litter quipped "I would love to have kicked Jinky, but I couldn't get near him!" Billy Bremner described Johnstone's performance as "one of the greatest exhibitions I have ever seen", addin that "Jimmy had one of these games where he was unstoppable."[22] Celtic played Feyenoord in the final bit, wae Johnstone double-marked at aw times, Celtic were unable tae perform as they hud in the 1967 final. Feyenoord dominated the match and defeatit Celtic 2–1 eftir extra-time.[23]

In aw, he made 308 League appearances fir Celtic, scorin 82 goals. He played aner 207 times fir them in the Scottish Cup, League Cup an in Europe, fir an overall total of 515 matches.[2] He received further Ballon d'Or nominations in 1968 an 1969 placing 24th an 23rd, respectively.[24]

Later career

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He litter played fir the San Jose Earthquakes, Sheffield United, Dundee, Shelbourne and Elgin City.[25] His manager at Dundee wis former teammate Tommy Gemmell, bit Johnstone later stated that his 'heart was not in it' an he didnae apply himself properly durin his wee spell at Dens Park, havin loast the motivation tae play fir er clubs eftir bein released by Celtic.[26][27]

References

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  1. ↑ "Jimmy Johnstone". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved {{{accessdate}}}. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named jmbio
  3. ↑ a b Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named scotobit
  4. ↑ (SFL player) James Johnstone, London Hearts Supporters Club [erroneously includes one appearance by James Johnston
  5. ↑ a b Brian Glanville (14 Mairch 2006). "Brilliant Celtic and Scotland winger who took the European Cup with the Lisbon Lions". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  6. ↑ "Jimmy Johnstone | Scottish Football Hall of Fame" (in Inglis). Archived frae the original on 23 Mairch 2023. Retrieved 23 Mairch 2023.
  7. ↑ "Genius who lived by magic and mischief". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 Mairch 2021.(subscription needit)
  8. ↑ Hugh McIlvanney (March 2006). "Wee man leaves massive legacy". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 29 March 2021
  9. ↑ a b "Johnstone, Jimmy (page ss13/13)". FitbaStats. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  10. ↑ a b Cambell, Tom; Woods, Pat (1987). The Glory & The Dream. Grafton. pp. 216–217. ISBN 0-586-20005-3.
  11. ↑ Henderson, Gair (4 Mey 1963). "Missed chances were "Final Blow"". Evening Times. Archived frae the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  12. ↑ Henderson, Gair (16 Mey 1963). "Cup Final Replay - Celtic torture". Evening Times. p. 18. Archived frae the original on 4 Mairch 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  13. ↑ a b "Johnstone, Jimmy - overview". FitbaStats. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  14. ↑ a b "Johnstone, Jimmy (page 12/13)". FitbaStats. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  15. ↑ a b "Great players of the Sixties - Jimmy Johnstone". World Soccer History. Archived frae the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  16. ↑ "How Stein almost sold Jinky". Back Page Press. 13 Mairch 2014. Archived frae the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  17. ↑ "Penalties give Celtic cup". The Times. 25 October 1965. Archived frae the original on 4 Mairch 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  18. ↑ Jacobs, Raymond (9 Mey 1966). "Celtic win league championship". The Glasgow Herald. p. 4. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  19. ↑ a b c d "Jimmy Johnstone". The Independent. 14 Mairch 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  20. ↑ McMillan, Anna (16 November 2005). "The Alfredo Di Stefano Trophy". The Celtic View. Archived frae the original on 4 Januar 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  21. ↑ "The Full Story: 1967, Alfredo Di Stéfano's Testimonial". The Football Years. STV. 12 Februar 2011. Archived frae the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  22. ↑ a b "Matches 15 April 1970 - Celtic 2 Leeds United 1". The Mighty Mighty Whites. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  23. ↑ a b "Season 1969-70". European Cup History. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  24. ↑ European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) 1968. RSSSF. 22 Juin 2005. Retrieved 12 Apryle 2020.
    European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) 1969. RSSSF. 22 Juin 2005. Retrieved 12 Apryle 2020.
  25. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named bbcobit
  26. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named lionheart
  27. ↑ "Jimmy Johnstone - Player Profile". Dee Archive. Retrieved 7 Februar 2022.
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