Born 6th October
1922, Burnbank, Lanarkshire.
He worked as a miner
in the coal pits after a short period in a carpet factory before he became a part-time professional football player with Albion
Rovers in 1942. He played for eight years making over 200 appearances for the club before signing for Llanelli
R.F.A.C in 1950 as a full-time professional.
He left Llanelli on December 4th 1951 to join Celtic Football Club as he was desperate to return to
Scotland to be closer to his family. He made his debut only
a few days later on the 8th December against St Mirren. He was made vice-captain of the team
when Sean Fallon broke his arm and from then on he was club captain until his Celtic playing career ended
due injury in 1956 during this time he won the Scottish Double in 1954.
Jock Retired from football
in January 1957. Only for him to take up management with Dunfermline on 14th March 1960 to take them away from relegation within the 1st
6 weeks of his arrival. Low and behold he took them to their 1st Scottish Cup in 1961 ironically
beating Celtic 2-0 via a replay. Four years later he signed as manager of Hibernian on the 1st
April where he was studying how the investment of energy could be used to maximise effort and immersing
himself in the structure of the game.
On the 9th March 1964, he was appointed manager of Celtic. He guided them to win one
of footballs more treasures trophies The European Cup in 1967 with a win over Italian giants Inter Milan
in Lisbon. Despite going a goal down to an Inter penalty after
only 7 minutes Celtic came from behind with goals from Tommy Gemmell and a Bobby Murdoch shot which took a deflection
off Steve Chalmers past Giuliano Sarti to make the final score 2-1 to Celtic.
In 1975 Jock was badly
injured in a serious car crash which he nearly died, he spent a month in intensive care, but he eventually recovered from it. He returned back to manage Celtic again but only lasting 2 years before
resigning. He was given the opportunity to take up a position of running Celtic Pools but he declined as he thought he still
had something to give football. He then became manager of Leeds United, but after
only 45 days in charge he abruptly resigned to become manager of the Scottish National team.
He led Scotland
to the World Cup Finals in 1982 where they went out on goal difference to Soviet Union. On 10th September 1985 at Ninian
Park, Cardiff Jock Stein died of a heart attack at the end of the game against
Wales. The result in this game virtually ensured Scotland’s
qualification for the 1986 World Cup Finals.
