In a world wide poll amongst Celtic fans, Jimmy "Jinky" Johnstone, the liitle red haired Scotsman, was formally proclaimed as the club's greatest ever player. A member of Celtic's 1967 all conquering team which became the first British football club to win the prestigious European Cup ( now the Champions League ), Johnstone was a brilliant, mercurial winger who enthralled all who saw him play. He was small but had fantastic ball control and could turn defenders inside out with his amazing dribbling.

Alfredo Di Stefano, the great Real Madrid player, was a huge fan of Johnstone. He invited Celtic to be Real madrid's opponent's for his testimonial match and wasn't too upset to witness the little Scottish genius run rings around his Real Madrid team mates in the Bernabeu a match played two weeks after Celtic's European Cup triumph. Di Stefano was so impressed that he hailed Johnstone as the best player in Europe at that point.

Jimmy Johnstone ended his Celtic career in 1975. He died of motor neurone disease in March, 2006. Before his death, he recorded the song, Dirty Old Town, with Simple Minds' Jim Kerr - himself a lifelong Celtic fan.

Jimmy Johnstone is regarded as an icon by Celtic's massive support and a statue of him was commisioned and now stands proudly outside Celtic Park.

wee jimmys skill was great