BIRTHDAY BHOY JOHN

Part of the Lisbon Lions, the former Celtic goalkeeper celebrated his 80th birthday this week

- PAUL CUDDIHY

WHEN John Fallon joined Celtic on December 11, 1958, he fulfilled a lifelong dream, signing for the club he had supported passionately as a boy.

He joined as an 18-year-old and was farmed out to Fauldhouse United and made the breakthrough from Jock Stein’s coaching system when regular keeper Frank Haffey was injured at work.

Fallon made his debut for the first team in a league game against Clyde at Celtic Park on September 26, 1959 shortly after his 19th birthday.

Following that, he made fleeting appearances while Haffey held the gloves but by November, 1963 he had made the No.1 spot his own until the arrival of Ronnie Simpson.

The Blantyre-born goalkeeper was understudy to Ronnie Simpson in the all-conquering season of 1966/67 and was one of the first on the pitch at Lisbon to celebrate when the final whistle sounded.

Fallon later took over from Simpson and went on to play 195 first team games, in many ways epitomising the passion and enthusiasm of the Celtic support.

Among his greatest performances was an inspirational display in a 0-0 draw with AC Milan at the San Siro in 1969 amid a heavy blizzard and also in the victory over Real Madrid in Alfredo Di Stefano’s Testimonial two years previously.

Fallon is also credited with a leading role in the 1969 League Cup final win over St Johnstone, with some commentators stating that his two saves near the end of the game effectively handed Celtic the cup.

And, quite literally, he did wear the Celtic strip as he always wore the Hoops beneath his goalie’s top so, therefore would technically be the first keeper to wear the Hoops since Davie Adams, who was the No.1 when the rule insisting that keepers wear a different coloured shirt to the rest of the team was introduced in season 1909/10.