Enigma_87
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Putting up a great piece of Billy McNeall for some of those who don't or struggle to remember him:
Fullname: William McNeill
aka: Billy McNeill
Nicknames: Cesar, King Billy, The Big Man
Born: 2 March 1940
Birthplace: Bellshill, North Lanarkshire
'If ever a man was made for a specific club, it was Billy McNeill and Glasgow Celtic.... His heart was always at Parkhead.'
Peter Swales (Chairman of Man City 1989)
Playing CareerBilly McNeill 1973
An undoubted Celtic great, Billy McNeill, 'Cesar', was the captain of the Lisbon Lions and the lynchpin in the team Stein led to much success.
McNeill was born on 2 March 1940 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, of part Irish and part Lithuanian descent.
He was signed by Celtic from nearby junior team, Blantyre Victoria, in 1957 as a defender. As captain he won nine Scottish League Championships, seven Scottish Cups, and six Scottish League Cups, as well as the European Cup final. He had the honour of being the first British player to lift the European Cup.
He retired as a player in 1975 after over 800 appearances for Celtic. During his career, he won 29 caps for Scotland.
Whenever someone discusses our nine-in-a-row, the focus is always on Jock Stein and what he did. Sometimes it can just overshadow the part that the players played in this, and in some ways that is very true of Billy McNeill ('Cesar'), possibly Celtic's greatest elder statesman.
Billy McNeill is pivotal in the history of Celtic and even more so in the golden era under Jock Stein. Raised in Bellshill (Lanarkshire), in his youth he used to go watch Motherwell (the nearest big club) and used to play for Our Lady's High School football side. After signing for Celtic (having been spotted by Bobby Evans) he soon cemented his place in the Celtic defence. However, all was not well and before the arrival of Jock Stein at Celtic, things at Parkhead weren't so good, with poor coaching and management difficulties that made him close to jacking it all in and was attracting interest from Spurs. Strange how things could have turned out or could have been if he had decided to go, but thankfully the arrival of Stein changed things for him to stay and all for the better.
It's said that Stein's appointment as manager was important to Billy McNeill yet the truth is that Billy's presence at Parkhead was just as important for Stein. Celtic's rise to the top began step by step and it was Billy who scored the pivotal winning goal in the 1965 Scottish Cup final against the match final favourites Dunfermline to give us our first senior trophy since 1957. A late charge with eight minutes to go saw Celtic win a corner. Charlie Gallagher swung in a perfect inswinger into the box which McNeill connected to and headed the ball into the back of the net. Billy was only in the box as he was pushed by Jock Stein to do so, previously defenders were told not to do so. The importance of the game was acknowledged by Stein years later and it was through a combination of Stein's tactics and Celtic's determination that we won the trophy and set us up for the years to come. Billy McNeill's place had now been marked in Celtic's annals, and it is fair to say that he had helped to kickstart us into the Golden Era (or headed us in!).
From here on in, Billy's ability as a player was now at the forefront of Celtic's play. A strong determined footballer, he commanded respect not only from his fellow players but from opposition players as well. Strong in the tackle and in the air, he was a commanding player but it was his organisational skills and communicational abilities on the park that gave him an edge over others. He had an aura and despite his strong will, he was actually a pleasant and decent person at all times and few if any have ever had anything to say bad about him. There was no high & mighty attitude with Billy, and all were treated fairly.
One important point is that some players can be made better with the players round them, and in Billy's case this was where John Clark came into play. Generally overlooked by many when reviewing Celtic's history, it is true to say that Billy McNeill was twice the player with John Clark beside him but this is not to take anything away from either at all. When players combine well together (as Larsson and Sutton did so well in the 90s), it's almost as if you have an extra man on the pitch.
The league title in 1965-66 increased Billy's stature at the club, but the first signs of what could be achieved were sown in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965-66 where Celtic bowed out in the semi-finals. It was a disappointment but a pre-cursor to the glorious 1966-67 season where Billy McNeill was the lynchpin to our success. The role of honour can never be understated, the domestic treble (league, Scottish Cup and League Cup) with the European Cup is as much a testament to his abilities as Captain of the side as it was to Jock Stein's managerial ability.
mcneill with the euro cup
The European Cup final of 1967 was the pinnacle of his career. In his own words: “The biggest thing I had to do as captain was in illustrating to the team that we had nothing to fear. I had to swap pennants with their captain, Picchi before the kick-off. We exchanged words but I didn’t have any Italian and I don’t think he had any English, but you always manage to get through.” A stout Celtic defence sadly conceded an early goal, but the team was more than ably captained by McNeill, and Celtic fought back to defeat the Catenaccio of Inter Milan. His crowning glory was his sole march to lift the trophy after the final whistle, which the rest of the team themselves didn't see (stuck in the dressing room). He lifted the trophy above his head and immortalised his image and proclaim us champions of Europe. He was more 'Caesar' than 'Cesar [Romero]' at this moment, a befitting moment for him as much as a great man as a player of his stature. Still makes us all proud when we see that picture.
The following World Club Championships, where we were kicked and assaulted to defeat by Racing Club, was a low point for Celtic, but an interview with a Racing player later depicted a side to Billy McNeill's character that showed him to be a giant against above all other men. The player saw Billy McNeill approach at the final whistle and expected an assault after what had transpired in the previous 90 mins. Instead, Billy McNeill graciously and humbly held out his hand and they shook hands followed by an exchanging of jerseys. The player was so taken by the gesture in the strained circumstances that he grasped McNeill's jersey tight and ran back to the dressing rooms so as to ensure no one could take it from him. He stated that after all that happened he was humbled by Billy McNeill and hoped they might play again in the World Cup 1970 (which Scotland sadly didn't make). It was the mark of the man that he was able to still be a gentleman even in the face of so much tension and havoc. (See match page.)
Coming years saw us continue to dominate domestically under Jock Stein's auspice, with Billy McNeill at the helm on the field and we were coasting league victories and titles. Rangers were unable to match Billy McNeill for presence or stature, and we were comfortable in the knowledge that he was always our man.
Even in European games, Billy McNeill continued to excel with the games against Leeds in the European Cup semi-finals of 1970 another high mark. The opposition employed long ball tactics were completely undone as the Celtic defence under Billy McNeill stood tall and won everything thrown at them. The final was another matter and disappointingly we lost. Sadly, Billy McNeill was party at the centre of the losing goal, and in his own words the club lost a lot of self-belief after this defeat.
As a captain Billy was the main man and a total inspiration to those around him on the pitch and on the terracing. For a centre half to score in three Scottish cup finals is a magnificent achievement (1965, 1969 and 1972) and his leadership was inspirational during the glory years. It's no coincidence that when Celtic lost 4-1 to Partick Thistle in the 1971 LCF that Billy's presence in defence was badly missed. The fans admired him tremendously and Billy McNeill was greatly loved by the Celtic support.
Nevertheless, he was forgiven as after all he'd done for us on the pitch, moments like as happened in the 1970 final do happen to all the greats (as here). Further forays in the European Cup to semi-finals in 1972 and 1974 showed we were a strong force and Billy McNeill was always there to push us further.
An additional point must be added to how Billy also fostered the careers of many around them. The 'Quality Street Gang' of players in the early 1970's were always looking up to him and loved him, and he played a strong part in their development. If only the club was managed better at the board level then Billy McNeill could have played with them for longer, but the Quality Street players departed one by one as financial matters came to a head.
In 1975, Billy McNeill played his last game for the club. It was the end of an era for the man we'd all loved. At the final whistle of his last game (Scottish Cup Final victory v Airdrie), he was carried aloft by all his fellow players as the fans chanted his name. Thankfully this was not to be Billy's last involvement with the club, and he has been in love with Celtic as much as any fan has ever been.
Many like to talk about Jinky or Stein but Billy McNeill is a name that should never be sidelined. A wonderful player and person, and never one whom Celtic will ever be able to replace man for man.
Major Honours as a Player
European Cup
1966-67
Scottish Division One
1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70,
1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74
Scottish Cup
1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972,
1974, 1975
Scottish League Cup
1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70,
1974-75