Jimmy Johnstone

**James Connolly Johnstone** (30 September 1944&nbsp;– 13 Mairch 2006) wis a Scots fitbaw player that played as an ootside richt. Kent as **"Jinky"** fir es elusive dribblin style, Johnstone played fir Celtic fir 13 year, an wis pairt o the 'Lisbon Lions', the team that won the 1967 European Cup Final, as weel as winnin nine consecutive Scottish championships. He scored 129 goals fir Celtic in 515 appearances an wis votit the club's greatest iver player by fans in 2002.

Johnstone also won 23 caps for Scotland. He finished third in votin fir the 1967 Ballon d'Or, an wis inductit intae the Scottish Fitbaw Hall o Fame whan it wis inauguratit in 2004.

Rodger Baillie cried Johnstone a "genius who lived by magic and mischief", an Hugh McIlvanney wrate that nae ither player "besieged opponents with such a complex, concentrated swirl of deceptive manoeuvres or ever conveyed a more exhilarating sense of joy in working wonders with the ball."

## Club career
### Celtic
Johnstone made his first team debut fir Celtic oan 27 Mairch 1963 in a 6–0 defeat awey tae Killie in the league. His next appearance came a month later, awey against Herts. He wis again oan the losin side (4–3), bit scored his first senior goal. Whit in spite ae the defeats, Johnstone's performances won him a plaice in the team fir the Scottish Cup Final oan 4 Mey 1963 against Rangers. The young winger turned in a fair braw performance, helpin Celtic to a decent 1–1 draw wae his confident dribblin. He would huv scored a goal anaw bit it wis disallowt due tae a foul moments earlier by teammate John Hughes. Inexplicably, Johnstone wis drapt fir the replay an Celtic wir outplayed by Rangers, whae ran oot comfortable 3–0 winners.

The followin saison saw Johnstone establish himsel as a regular in the side. He played in 25 league games, scorin six goals. He also helpt Celtic get tae the semi-finals o the European Cup Winners' Cup, scorin against FC Basel in a 5–0 win at Parkheid in the first roond, an then against MTK Budapest in a 3–0 win in the first leg o the semi-final. Celtic, however, lost 4–0 in the return match in Hungary an wir knocked oot oan aggregate.

Celtic wir strugglin throughoot the 1960s til Jock Stein arrived at the club in 1965. By this time Johnstone was strugglin tae hod doon a regular spot in the first team. Oan arrival at Celtic, Stein hud doubts aboot Johnstone, considerin him too much o an individual player, tae the overall detriment o the team, an he left him oot o the team fir the 1965 Scottish Cup Final. Johnstone soon won Stein ewer wi his skill, and won his first winner's medal on 23 October 1965 when he played in Celtic's 2–1 win ewer Rangers in the Scottish League Cup Final. His 32 league appearances an nine goals that saison helpt Celtic win their first league title in 12 year. Johnstone also helpt Celtic reach their second European semi-final, scorin twa times against Go Ahead Eagles en route, afore losin 2–1 oan aggregate tae Liverpool in the Cup Winners' Cup.

Johnstone wis wan o the "Lisbon Lions", the team that won the then cried European Cup fir Celtic in 1967. In an early roond tie against Nantes, Johnstone's trickery oan the wing wid see him dubbed "the Flying Flea" by the French pippers, while his performances over that season saw him finish third in the European Footballer of the Year award.

A fortnight eftir thir European Cup win, Celtic played Real Madrid oan 7 June 1967 in a testimonial match fir the noo retired Alfredo Di Stefano. In front o ewer a hunner thoosant fans at the Bernabéu Stadium, the sides engaged in a keenly fought contest that saw Bertie Auld an Real Madrid's Amancio sent aff. Di Stefano played fir the first 15 minute, bit it wis Jimmy Johnstone whae stole the show wae an exhilaratin performance that hud even the Spanish supporters chantin "Olé!" throughoot the game. Johnstone capped an outstandin performance by playin the pass tae Bobby Lennox fir the only goal in a 1–0 win fir Celtic.

Johnstone was feart o flying, which Jock Stein used tae great effect oan wan occasion. Afore the first leg o a European tie against Red Star Belgrade at Parkheid in November 1968, Stein telt Johnstone that, if Celtic won by four goal, he wouldnae huv tae travel tae Yugoslavia fir the second leg. Johnstone went oan to huv a stunnin game, scorin twa times an providin assists fir the er three goal in a 5–1 win. He helped Celtic git tae a further European Cup Final in season 1969–70. His performance in the second leg o the semi-final against Leeds United at Hampden Park was particularly braw, an his mazy run in the second half set up Bobby Murdoch tae score a rocket fir Celtic's winnin goal in a 2–1 victory oan the nicht. Leeds' defender Terry Cooper litter quipped "I would love to have kicked Jinky, but I couldn't get near him!" Billy Bremner described Johnstone's performance as "one of the greatest exhibitions I have ever seen", addin that "Jimmy had one of these games where he was unstoppable." Celtic played Feyenoord in the final bit, wae Johnstone double-marked at aw times, Celtic were unable tae perform as they hud in the 1967 final. Feyenoord dominated the match and defeatit Celtic 2–1 eftir extra-time.

In aw, he made 308 League appearances fir Celtic, scorin 82 goals. He played aner 207 times fir them in the Scottish Cup, League Cup an in Europe, fir an overall total of 515 matches. He received further Ballon d'Or nominations in 1968 an 1969 placing 24th an 23rd, respectively.

### Later career
He litter played fir the San Jose Earthquakes, Sheffield United, Dundee, Shelbourne and Elgin City. His manager at Dundee wis former teammate Tommy Gemmell, bit Johnstone later stated that his 'heart was not in it' an he didnae apply himself properly durin his wee spell at Dens Park, havin loast the motivation tae play fir er clubs eftir bein released by Celtic.

## References