Tommy Gemmell

A left back scoring in one European Cup final is already unusual; Tommy Gemmell did it in two, first against Inter in Lisbon in 1967, then against Feyenoord in 1970. Right footed but used brilliantly on the left by Jock Stein, he gave Celtic a full back who could defend hard, overlap with conviction and strike the ball with the violence of a forward. In the Lisbon Lions side, his role was not decorative width: he pushed high, attacked the outside lane, recovered aggressively and added a goal threat from open play, free kicks and penalties. His equaliser against Inter helped Celtic become the first British club to win the European Cup, a 2 to 1 victory that remains the club’s defining night. He was not the most subtle technician among attacking defenders, but his stamina, tackling, shooting power and personality made him one of the era’s outstanding left backs. Gemmell turned the full back position into a weapon, not just a defensive assignment.