Work has finally begun on the statue to commemorate a member of Celtic’s 1967 European Cup-winning side.
The famous Lisbon Lions are still regarded as the greatest team in Celtic history after beating Inter Milan 2-1.
Celtic have honoured those who played in the famous game in various ways and now another one of their stars is set to be remembered.
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Tommy Gemmell statue set to be completed by 2026
Out of all of the stars from that famous side, Tommy Gemmell has one of the best stories.
Gemmell scored the opening goal on that famous night in Lisbon and is the only Hoops star to score in two European Cup finals – netting in the 1970 defeat against Feyenoord.
He was also one of two Celtic players to play all 59 games across all competitions in the 1966-67 season, along with John Clark.
To mark his achievements, North Lanarkshire Council confirmed that they would be building a statue in his hometown of Craigneuk.
Work has finally got underway and it is expected to be completed by 2026.
Tommy Gemmell’s wife ‘incredibly grateful’ for statue
Gemmell unfortunately passed away in March 2017 but his legacy will continue to live on through this statue.
His wife Mary was also there, where she admitted to being left surprised by how impressive the artist’s impression was of her late husband.
“I am so looking forward to seeing the statue completed,” Mary told North Lanarkshire Council.
“From the artist’s impressions, I couldn’t believe how much it looked like Tommy, it’s just wonderful. This is a truly special way to honour his memory in the community he loved and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has made this possible.”
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