Family, friends and fans attend funeral for Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld

Funeral service was being shown to supporters on a big screen outside Celtic Park.

Family, friends, fans and former teammates of Celtic legend Bertie Auld gathered in Glasgow to bid farewell to the Lisbon Lion as his funeral took place.

Bertie Auld: Tributes left at Celtic Park ahead of funeralSTV News

The European Cup winner, who also won five league titles, three Scottish Cups and four League Cups during during two spells at the Parkhead club, died earlier this month aged 83.

Current Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou arrives at St Mary's for Auld's funeral on Friday.SNS Group

His funeral cortege passed Celtic Park at around 1.30pm on Friday, following a service at St Mary’s Chapel, which was shown on a big screen outside the stadium.

Kyogo: Japan international among current first team in attendanceSNS Group

Auld’s fellow Lisbon Lion, Jim Craig, performed a reading at the service, which was being attended by former Celtic players including Tom Boyd, Stephen McManus, Andy Walker, Davie Hay and John Clark.

Lisbon Lion: John Clark paying respects to former teammate Bertie AuldSNS Group

Other club legends paying their respects included Danny McGrain, Roy Aitken, Frank McAvennie and Joe Miller.

Callum McGregor, Kyogo Furuhashi, Joe Hart and Jota were among the current first team in attendance.

Neil Lennon arrives at the funeral of former Celtic player Bertie Auld.SNS Group

Manager Ange Postecoglou arrived at the Chapel with first team coach John Kennedy with predecessors Neil Lennon and Brendan Rodgers also there to show their respects.

Club legend: Danny McGrain arrives at St Mary'sSNS Group

Respect was also coming from the blue-side of Glasgow through Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson.

Rangers Managing Director Stewart Robertson paying respects to Bertie Auld.SNS Group

Rangers legend Willie Henderson was also representing the Ibrox club in paying respects to his former rival.

Rival: Rangers legend Willie Henderson attending service for Bertie Auld.SNS Group

Thousands of fans gathered at Celtic Park to watch the service.

Big screen: Fans gather at Celtic Park for Bertie Auld's funeral service.SNS Group

Auld was part of the Celtic team which lifted the European Cup after beating Inter Milan in Lisbon in 1967 and also played in the 1970 final when Jock Stein’s men lost to Feyenoord in extra-time.

No other Scottish team has reached the final of Europe’s top competition since.

‘He defined the notion of a diehard’

Obituary by STV special correspondent Bernard Ponsonby

If Billy McNeill is the never to be forgotten icon of Lisbon 1967, Jimmy Johnstone the irrepressible entertainer, Bobby Murdoch the beating heart of this country’s greatest ever club side, then Bertie Auld is the enduring spirit.

As everyone who walks Kerrydale Street or has attended a supporter’s function or drank in a Celtic pub will know, there was no greater ambassador for remembering the magic of that night or of honouring the memory of his departed brothers than Bertie Auld.

It was Auld who led the singing of the Celtic song as the players emerged from the tunnel in the Estadio Nacional, no doubt to the bemusement of the sculpted, tanned athletes of Inter Milan. 

Although his own legendary status was assured as a result of the events of May 25, 1967, to the day he died he redefined the notion of a diehard. Wherever there was a Celtic party, the wee man was never far away.

Read the full obituary here.

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