A determined group had a spring in their steps as they followed the path of a Lisbon Lion from Craigneuk to Celtic Park.
It was a case of you’ll never walk alone, as almost 70 people came together to raise money for the Tommy Gemmell Community Project, which plans to erect a statue of him in the area of Wishaw where he was brought up.
Just days after what would have been the late footballer’s 81st birthday the group took on the 13-mile challenge which passed the statues of two of Tommy’s former Celtic and Scotland team mates – those of captain Billy McNeill in Bellshill, and Jimmy Johnstone in Viewpark.
Committee member Ann Frances Murray was in admiration of those who took part in “From Craigneuk to Celtic Park – Let’s Follow in Tommy’s Footsteps”, as they walked from North Lanarkshire to Glasgow’s east end .
She was delighted with how the walk went, saying: “It was just before 8am when they started off in Craigneuk and it was still just about dark.
“The youngest on the walk was two months old, so imagine walking all the way from Craigneuk to Celtic Park pushing a buggy, and the oldest was 79. They all done absolutely fantastic.
“On the way they stopped off at both the Jinky Johnstone and the Billy McNeill statues.
“Tommy’s wife Mary was there for the start and she was breaking her heart crying when they started off, she said Tommy would have been blown away by it.
“Tommy grew up in Craigneuk with absolutely nothing and he appreciated how people had to work hard. It’s not just about the statue, there’s a community project running along with it.
“And it’s not just about Celtic, Tommy was a Motherwell supporter when he was growing up. Tommy wasn’t one thing, he is someone from the Craigneuk community who done something incredible and everyone should embrace it.”
The project, which has charitable status, aims to raise £60,000 and had already surpassed the halfway line before the latest effort.
Tommy Gemmell played over 430 games in the green and white, scoring 69 times in all competitions.
He scored the first of Celtic’s two goals against Inter Milan in the 1967 European Cup Final, he also scored in the 1970 final against Feyenoord when they lost in extra time, ironically that final was played in Milan.
As a teenager he played with Coltness United and after leaving Celtic he went on to play for Nottingham Forest and Dundee, as well as a spell in Miami. He went on to manage the Dark Blues and later Albion Rovers. Tommy passed away in 2017 at the age of 73.
More information on the charity is available at: www.tommygemmellcp.co.uk
*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.