Jock Stein

1922 — 1985

Football Manager; Jock was born in Burnbank, near Hamilton, and played football part time with Blantyre Victoria and Albion Rovers while working as a miner. He moved to Wales in order to play full time football and from the obscurity of Llanelli was brought to Celtic to provide cover for the first team. Incredibly he rose to captain the team to a League and Cup double in 1954. Greater things, however, lay in store for Stein.

Having retired through injury Jock initially coached the reserve side at Celtic Park before moving to Fife to become manager of Dunfermline Athletic. He saved the club from what seemed certain relegation in 1960 and spurred them on to Scottish Cup glory the following season. The ‘Pars’ became a force in the Scottish League qualifying for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1962. Under Jock Dunfermline defeated Everton and lost narrowly to Spanish giants Valencia in a tie that went to a third match. Stein moved to Hibernian in 1964 but after just one season at Easter Road he was offered the managers post at Celtic.

The Parkhead club would enjoy unprecedented success during his time in charge winning 10 League titles, eight Scottish Cups and six Scottish League Cups. Jock became the first British manager to win the European Cup in 1967 and Celtic would reach the final once more in 1970. Having left Celtic Stein had a brief spell at Leeds United before taking on the Scotland job. He guided Scotland to two World Cup finals but his sudden death at Cardiff’s Ninian Park in 1985 shook the nation.