Jim Craig

1943 —

Clubs: Celtic, Hellenic, Sheffield Wednesday.

An educated man and qualified dentist, Jim Craig was a cultured presence in Celtic’s defence during his seven year spell at Parkhead. Known affectionately as ‘Cairney’ after the actor John Cairney who appeared in the television series ‘This Man Craig,’ Jim played a pivotal role in some of the most successful years in the history of Celtic Football Club and he was a member of the ‘Lisbon Lions’ team which conquered Europe.

Although Jim initially played as an amateur with Celtic’s third team in 1961 his football career really took off in 1965 when he turned professional, whilst still in his fourth year at Glasgow University. Between 1965 and 1972 he made 231 appearances for his boyhood heroes at full back, scoring on six occasions, but arguably his most memorable contribution was the overlap and cut back to Tommy Gemmell which led to Celtic’s opening goal against Inter Milan in Lisbon in 1967.

A winner of seven League Championships, four Scottish Cups and three League Cups, as well as the European Cup, his last game for the ‘Hoops’ came in the 6-1 victory over Hibs in the 1972 Scottish Cup Final. Jim was capped for Scotland against Wales in 1968 and had short spells with Hellenic in South Africa and Sheffield Wednesday where he retired from playing in 1974.