Cup legend Simpson dies

Former Celtic goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson has died at the age of 73 after suffering a heart attack.

The ex-Queen’s Park player kept goal for the Hoops in the historic 1967 European Cup final win over Inter Milan in Lisbon.

Simpson played for the Parkhead club between 1964 and 1970, making his debut in a Fairs Cup tie at the Nou Camp.

The Scotland international also played for Third Lanark, Newcastle and Hibernian.

Simpson made his debut for Queen's Park a month before his 15th birthday in 1945 and, after doing his National Service in Catterick, he joined Third Lanark in 1950.

However, within a year, he had moved to Tyneside where he won the FA Cup with the Magpies in 1952 and 1955 – the last domestic silverware won by Newcastle.

Simpson returned to Scotland in 1960 when he joined Hibs where he stayed before Jock Stein sold him to Celtic four years later.

The legendary Celtic manager teamed up with the keeper at Parkhead within the year.

Simpson made his debut for the Hoops in the intensity of the Nou Camp against Barcelona where the visitors lost 3-1.

But it was in 1967 when Simpson joined the ranks of Celtic legends for his part in helping the club become the first British team to win the European Cup.

He also played in another historic game when he made his international debut for Scotland in the 3-2 win over then world champions England at Wembley.

Simpson retired from the game in 1970 but made one final appearance at Parkhead the following year when the Lisbon Lions played together for one final time.

He took over as manager of Hamilton Academical but stayed at the club for less than a year.

Simpson continued to work at Parkhead to the present day on matchdays in the hospitality suites.