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LISBON LION, John Clark celebrates his 75th birthday today, Sunday, March 13 and it goes without saying that everyone here at Celtic Park wishes him many happy returns.
 
One way of assessing a player’s career is to count his medals, and a brief glimpse at John Clark’s collection on display in the Paradise boardroom pays tribute to his service to Celtic Football Club.
 
Among the main honours from the 316 games he played for Celtic are three championship medals, three for the Scottish Cup, four for the League Cup and, of course, there is the pinnacle of the European Cup in 1967.
 
However, that is only part of the story as John Clark is still very much part of the fabric of the club nearly 58 years after he first joined as a fresh-faced teenager in 1958 and he has held a host of positions with the Hoops.
 
Now he is a well-known face of the camera close-ups of the Celtic dugout and on the odd occasion he can be caught breaking into a smile when the Hoops find the net, but goal celebrations when one of his team-mates scored used to be part and parcel of his life as a Celtic player.
 
He was Billy McNeill’s partner in defence during the most successful period in the club’s history and, as one of the revered Lisbon Lions, he will forever hold a place in the hearts of the faithful as one of the club’s greatest ever players.
 
And when Cesar returned as manager, it was John who he turned to as his right-hand man to help steer the Hoops to more silverware as a new generation of supporters looked for success.
 
Today he is still here as kit manager and still enjoying every Hoops success because he is still as much a Celtic supporter as he was when he cheered on the players from the terracing in the 1950s.
 
Here we look at some highlights from his amazing career.
 
Amazingly, five was the paltry sum of Scotland caps that John Clark received for his efforts as the most successful sweeper in the Scottish game. Like the rest of the Lions, John discovered that talent and achievement at club level mattered little to national team selectors. However, players and supporters recognised his ability and years after marking Pele out of the game in a 1-1 draw with Brazil in 1966, the ‘world’s greatest player’ made a beeline for ‘Luggy’, stopping for a chat after spotting him in the lobby of a New York hotel.
 
There were three nicknames that John picked up in his more than 50 years at Celtic Park. The first is ‘The Brush’, the moniker that was given to him in the newspapers, for his ability to calmly sweep up at the back. The next was ‘Luggy’, the name that John doesn’t really like and was picked up after he ended up with a cauliflower ear after an accidental collision with Billy McNeill in training. The third is the one that he prefers to be known by and is best known as today, ‘Clarky’. As Clarky himself pointed out in an interview, he has been called a few other things over the years, mainly by his assistant, Angie Thomson, but ‘none of them are printable!’
 
He won an impressive 11 medals during his years as a player at Celtic Park. Between 1958 and 1971 he won three league championships, three Scottish Cups, four League Cups and, of course, the European Cup in 1967. It should also be remembered that John has also played a significant role in the backdrop during other major triumphs, as a coach between 1973 and 1978, assistant manager between 1978 and 1983 before returning to the club as kit controller in 1997. All of his medals are on display in the Celtic boardroom. “I feel really honoured that they are on display there and that supporters are able to see them,” he said.
 
A total of four was the number of goals that the ‘prolific’ John Clark scored for Celtic – three in the green and white Hoops and one in the blue and white hoops of Morton. Raise this issue with Clarky today and he will rightly point out that he was a sweeper, more accustomed to stopping goals than foraging forward. And he’ll also tell you that he scored one of the strikes of the century! “I always say that I scored the best goal ever,” he said in a Celtic View interview. “It was in a Scottish Cup replay at Easter Road against Hibs and I beat a defender at the byline, cut in and poked the ball through Ronnie Simpson’s legs and said to him: ‘You couldn’t get any better than that could you!’” There was one other memorable strike, though, and when John returned in 1971 as a Morton player, he was among the Celtic goalscorers, netting an own goal in the 3-1 defeat.
 
Working as a player, coach and kit controller, John has now spent five decades at the club. It is a remarkable, almost lifelong, association and one that Clark treasures. “I was a Celtic supporter, a Celtic player, it’s been my life,” he said in a matchday programme interview. “I get a lot of satisfaction when I think that I started my working life with Celtic and I’ll finish it with them. I’ve really enjoyed my life, when I look back I couldn’t ask for any more. I’ve been a really lucky guy. “
 
He played a total of 140 consecutive matches between April 1965 and September 1967. He did not miss a single match during that two-year period – the most successful period in the club’s history – playing in every friendly match for the club, including the North American Tour that preceded the clean sweep season of 1966/67, the head-to-head with Manchester United and the great Alfredo Di Stefano’s testimonial. The run also included four internationals with Scotland and continued until September 27, 1967, when he was rested for the League Cup quarter-final against Ayr United. John was back in the team for a league win over Stirling Albion three days later.
 
John’s final game for Celtic came on May 1, 1971 when Jock Stein gathered the Lisbon Lions together to take a final bow in front of 35,000 at Celtic Park. The late, great Ronnie Simpson couldn’t play due to his shoulder injury but he took to the pitch for the pre-match warm-up. Bertie Auld and Stevie Chalmers also played their final Celtic game that day as the Bhoys beat Clyde 6-1.
 
At the Celtic Player of the Year Awards in May 2004, which had been voted for by over 50,000 Celtic fans, Martin O’Neill presented John Clark with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to Celtic.
 
Happy Birthday John and Hail, Hail.

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RONNY Deila admitted Celtic should have enjoyed a more emphatic margin of victory over Partick Thistle today but ultimately he was satisfied to have claimed maximum reward and return to winning ways in the league.

Leigh Griffiths’ 35th goal of the season on the stroke of half-time and Callum McGregor’s second-half strike had deservedly put the Hoops in charge at Firhill.

The champions spurned several excellent chances to add to their tally as they continued to control the contest, with Tomas Cerny making several impressive saves.

And when Sean Welsh slotted home a penalty with five minutes remaining on the clock, after Erik Sviatchenko had been deemed to foul Steven Lawless in the box, it made for a nervy conclusion to the match for the Bhoys.

However, they saw out the closing stages to follow up last week’s Scottish Cup quarter-final triumph over Greenock Morton with a welcome three points, which keeps them top of the table.

It brought to an end a run of two successive draws in the Scottish Premiership for Celtic, and the manager was delighted with the final outcome along with the performance.

Speaking after the game, he said: “We should have killed the game earlier. We had two one-on-ones with the goalkeeper and a lot of chances, which was positive. We have good finishers in the team but today we weren’t as effective as normal.

“I’m just happy to get the three points and the performance was good as well. We are on a high and getting better and better every game and that’s something we are going to build on.

“We have to concentrate on ourselves. Aberdeen have done very well this year. Now there are nine games left and we just have to keep winning. We have been in these situations so many times now. We have everything in our own hands.”

It was appropriate that McGregor’s 57th minute goal proved pivotal given his impressive showing throughout the contest.

“He has been very good in the last two or three months,” said the Hoops boss. “He had a break because of other circumstances but he is showing a lot of confidence on the pitch and he played very well today and scored again which is important.

“Callum has worked really hard and he has been fantastic at training for a long time, always doing extra things, and he got his reward for that today.”

Despite being an injury doubt before the game, Griffiths also made another crucial contribution as his stellar season shows no signs of abating.

“He was just very stiff in his calf and couldn’t run 100 per cent, but he had two days on it and he was ready today,” said the manager. “He was stiffening up in end and that’s why we took him off.

“Big credit goes to the medical department and to him to ready for the game, so that was important and he scored again.

“Hopefully he scores as many as possible. He’s an important player for us and he keeps on scoring which is fantastic for us and him, and the team put him in good situations as well which is good.”

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SPFL Premiership
Firhill Stadium, Partick
Saturday, March 12, 2016

PARTICK THISTLE…1
(Welsh 85)

CELTIC…2
(Griffiths 45, McGregor 53)

GOALS either side of half-time ensured Celtic emerged victorious from a closely-fought Glasgow derby at Firhill and go four points clear at the top of the league.

It took the full 45 minutes of the first-half for the champions to find the opener against an organised Jags side but patience finally paid off when Leigh Griffiths tucked a left-footed shot beyond Tomas Cerny on the stretch to break the deadlock.

Callum McGregor’s composed finish less than 10 minutes after the restart gave the Celts a commanding lead and the goal proved pivotal as Thistle were awarded a late penalty which Sean Welsh scored to bring the game to a tense climax.

The goal spurred the home team on in the dying minutes but the champions held firm to claim a crucial three points and stretch their lead at the top of the Premiership ahead of Aberdeen’s game against Kilmarnock later in the afternoon.

Ronny Deila made just one change to his team following last Sunday’s Scottish Cup win over Morton, with Nir Bitton replacing Stefan Johansen after the Norwegian midfielder was forced off at half-time in last week’s tie after taking a knock on his ankle.

The switch allowed Bitton to make his 100th appearance for the Bhoys, lining up in midfield alongside Scott Brown and Callum McGregor as the champions stuck with a 4-3-3 formation.

After a positive start from the home team, Celtic eventually settled and bossed the opening stages of the game. Tomas Cerny had to get down well to save from Leigh Griffiths’ stooping header before Gary Mackay-Steven poked a shot narrowly wide as the Celts sought an early opener.

The Hoops enjoyed most of the possession but struggled to create openings down the flanks as Thistle pushed the Bhoys infield and flooded the centre of the park with bodies. The Jags first real chance came from Liam Lindsay nearly 20 minutes in but Craig Gordon was equal to the defender’s angled drive.

Celtic were beginning to find their stride as the Jags briefly lost some composure, with David Amoo and Gary Miller both booked in quick succession for fouls on the impressive Kieran Tierney and Gary Mackay-Steven respectively.

Kris Doolan’s twisting run and shot then brought out another good stop from Gordon after Mulgrew was beaten in the box as the game continued to spill from end to end.

Chances continued to fall Celtic’s way as half-time drew closer and it looked as though the teams would go in level but the deadlock was finally broken on the 45 minute mark by the Hoops leading scorer Griffiths, sending the away fans wild.

Mackay-Steven squeezed in a cross from the left which Griffiths did well to shift his feet and control before the forward lashed a left-footed shot into the corner of the net to put the champions deservedly in front at the break.

The Celts started the second-half the way they finished the first, pressing high and doing well to spread the play through Thistle’s crowded midfield, but they needed an early goal to properly establish command of the game and that came just inside 10 minutes of the restart through McGregor.

Mackay-Steven’s interception sparked the move forward and the winger did well to hold on to the ball and drag the home defence left, opening up space for McGregor to run into on the right. The former Dundee United star then slipped a pinpoint pass to his team-mate, who showed great composure to feint left before shifting the ball onto his right and slotting powerfully past Cerny.

Celtic’s lead was now commanding and they could afford a moment’s respite to plan their next move. Thistle rolled the dice by replacing striker Kris Doolan with Mathias Pogba as they sought a way back into the game, but it was the Hoops who stayed on top and continued to create.

Colin Kazim-Richard’s introduction with 20 minutes remaining in place of Commons gave the Celts a different dynamic for the closing stages as they searched for a third goal, and that almost came through Griffiths when he gathered McGregor’s through ball but Cerny saved well at his feet before Kazim-Richards fired wide with the goal at his mercy.

The powerful striker almost atoned for his miss moments later with a delightful turn and shot in the box but pulled his effort across the face of goal.

The game then took a dramatic twist with five minutes left when Erik Sviatchenko was booked for a pull in the box on Steven Lawless, giving the home team a penalty, which Welsh dispatched to the right of the goal, sending Gordon the wrong way.

The Jags were buoyed by the strike and pushed for a point but Celtic held firm and kept the ball in the home team’s half to count down the clock and secure a massive three points in the title race.

CELTIC (4-3-3) Gordon; Lustig, Sviatchenko, Mulgrew, Tierney; McGregor, Brown, Bitton; Commons (Kazim-Richards 67), Griffiths (Armstrong 88), Mackay-Steven (Ambrose 90)

Not used: Fasan, Rogic, Roberts, Forrest

PARTICK THISTLE: (4-1-1) Cerny; Miller, Lindsay, Seaborne, Booth; Amoo, Osman, Welsh, Lawless (Edwards 86); Fraser (Elliott 71), Doolan (Pogba 60)

Not used: Scully, German, Frans, Wilson

Website man of the match: Gary Mackay-Steven

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SPFL Development League
Cappielow Park, Greenock
Friday, March 11, 2016

CELTIC…4
(Aitchison 17, 46; Murray 85, Lafferty 88)

ROSS COUNTY…0

CELTIC’S Development Squad recorded a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Ross County at Cappielow today (Friday) as Tommy McIntyre’s side dominated from first whistle until last. Jack Aitchison netted twice, while Innes Murray and Ciaran Lafferty both scored late in the game to set the seal on an impressive 90 minutes for the Hoops.

There were six changes to the side which had drawn 2-2 on Monday night against St Mirren, and from the start of the game, the Celts were intent on returning to winning ways, taking the game to their Highland opponents.

Joe Thomson had a free-kick from 20 yards out well-saved by Mark Foden in the County goal after just four minutes before Theo Archibald volleyed over from the edge of the box.

Thomson tested the keeper again on 13 minutes, racing inside before unleashing a shot that the keeper spilled but managed to scramble clear as Regan Hendry attempted to pounce.

But the Hoops were no to be denied and it was 16-year-old Aitchison who provided the opener, latching on to a through ball and holding off a Ross County defender before coolly slotting the ball into the net.

Tommy McIntyre’s side were dominating the game, and only another good save from Foden denied Archibald after the Celt had been set up by a powerful run down the left from Calvin Miller.

The half-time whistle came with Celtic only having one goal to show for their dominance, but within 60 seconds of the restart, they had doubled the lead and once again it was Aitchison who scored the goal.

Hendry drove into the box before passing to Aidan McIlduff and he slid a precise ball into the path of Aitchison who fired home from inside the six-yard box.

The second-half was continuing in the same vein as the first 45 minutes, with the Hoops laying siege to the Ross County goal. Mark Hill was twice denied by Foden, who was carrying on a one-man battle against the Hoops, with a save on 68 minutes particularly impressive following a good run and shot from Hill.

Celtic’s two-goal hero, Aitchison, was replaced by Ciaran Lafferty, and he was soon causing his own problems for the Highland side, driving forward on 84 minutes before hooking his shot just wide.

But a minute later, it was 3-0 to the Hoops. Dan Higgins found Hendry inside the box and while his shot was saved, Innes Murray was the first to react and fired the ball into the net.

And just three minutes later, substitute Lafferty completed the scoring, heading home from a Sam Wardrop cross.

It was no more than the Celtic Development Squad deserved from a dominant performance, and the 4-0 victory maintains their strong position at the top of the table.

CELTIC: Hazard, Wardrop, McIlduff, McCart, Kelleher, Hill, Archibald (Murray 61), Thomson, Aitchison (Lafferty 72), Hendry, Miller (Higgins 79).
Subs: Doohan, Kidd, Kerr.

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