Stars say goodbye to Lisbon Lion Simpson

Football stars from the past and present today united to pay their final respects to goalkeeping legend Ronnie Simpson.

The former Celtic, Newcastle United and Scotland number one died last week after a heart attack aged 73.

The surviving members of Celtic’s 1967 European Cup-winning team including Billy McNeill, Jimmy Johnstone and Tommy Gemmell were joined by stars of the current first team such as Henrik Larsson, John Hartson and captain Paul Lambert.

England World Cup winners Gordon Banks and Roger Hunt also joined mourners alongside Rangers greats Willie Henderson and John Greig at St Ninian’s Church in Edinburgh.

McNeill, who captained the team who became known as the Lisbon Lions, delivered a moving tribute to his colleague during the 30-minute service.

He told the congregation said: “Nineteen sixty-seven was a wonderful year for Celtic, but for Ronnie Simpson it was absolutely magnificent.

“He won his first cap for Scotland when we defeated England at Wembley.

“He won his first Scottish Cup at Hampden and after that won Player of the Year.

“He also won the European Cup and he was 36 years of age when that happened.”

After listing Simpson’s achievements, McNeill said: “He was a very exceptional person and an exceptional player.

“He was exceptional as a colleague and as a friend.”

McNeill also recalled to the congregation of around 400 his fondest memory of the goalkeeper.

He said: “During the European Cup final, Ronnie got lost about 30 yards out of the goal and back-heeled the ball.

“We nearly collapsed with fright.

“He assured us he knew where everybody was.

“But we never knew where everybody was, believe you me.”

McNeill also told how Simpson had to race back to his goal-mouth minutes after the final whistle sounded on that famous win when jubilant Celtic fans invaded the pitch – to retrieve his cap, which contained false teeth belonging to him and some of his team-mates.

The defender joked that Simpson used to enjoy a cigarette before games but assured the congregation that Celtic’s success in the late 1960s would not have been possible without Simpson.

An emotional McNeill concluded his tribute with the words: “We were lucky people having had Ronnie as a team-mate and as a friend.”

Before concluding the service, the Rev Alex Stewart offered his sympathies to Simpson’s wife Rosemary and his family.

During a distinguished career, Simpson represented Great Britain in the 1948 Olympics and won the FA Cup twice with Newcastle United.

But his finest hour came on May 25, 1967, when he helped Celtic become the first British team to lift the European Cup when they defeated Inter Milan 2-1 at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon.